Introduction
Renowned as one of the best birdwatching counties in the UK, the northern coastline of Norfolk boasts premier nature reserves and top birdwatching sites. With vast intertidal sand and mudflats, saline and freshwater lagoons and extensive fenlands, the area is a magnet to over-wintering wildfowl and waders, birds of prey and shoreline specialists, including Snow Buntings and Shore Larks.
Join your weekend leaders, Dave Fairlamb and Graeme Ruthven, of Natural Links for a birdwatching weekend break packed with the best of North Norfolk winter birds to complete your birdwatching for 2024 and to get your 2025 birdwatching experiences off to the best possible start, combined with all the comfort you would expect from the Best Western Le Strange Arms.
Le Strange Hotel
This Best Western Hotel is conveniently close to our birdwatching locations. The Le Strange is a Beachside Hotel with character and style, located in the picturesque town of Old Hunstanton, with views across the sea and lawns leading down to a sandy beach.
Birdwatching
The location of North Norfolk on the east coast of England, protruding out into the North Sea, makes it a perfect place to see a wide range of winter birds.
Large flocks of Pink-footed Geese, from Iceland & Greenland and Dark-bellied Brent Geese, from Siberia, are present in their thousands, flying out to their feeding grounds at dawn and back into roosts at dusk. With the chance of scarcer species such as White-fronted or Bean Geese.
Waders can gather in their tens of thousands in the Wash and the North Norfolk coastline, particularly Knot, Oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Golden Plovers and Dunlins. Many other wading bird species will be seen, such as Curlews, Turnstones, Grey Plovers and Sanderlings.
Winter shoreline specialists are drawn to the Norfolk coast, most notably Shore Larks and large flocks of Snow Buntings, but Twites and Lapland Longspurs can also be found, with Linnets, Skylarks and pipits. Hedgerows and fields hold Fieldfares, Redwings and Bramblings.
Close inshore, divers, grebes, sea-duck and seabirds such as auks and gulls can be viewed from the shore and the coastal reedbeds hold Bittern, egrets, Water Rail and Bearded Tit, as well as dusk raptor roosts of Marsh & Hen Harriers and Merlins, with a chance of Barn and Short-eared Owls.
The winter season can always turn up a few surprises, recent Norfolk highlights have included Rough-legged Buzzard, Pallid Harrier, Little Auk, Great Grey Shrike, Waxwing, Hume’s Warbler and Water Pipit.
Provisional Programme of Site Visits
Monday 30 December
Early Afternoon: Meet your leaders, Dave Fairlamb and Graeme Ruthven on the entrance terrace to the Hotel followed by a relaxed birdwatching stroll from 2pm along the shoreline, dunes and saltmarsh of Hunstanton, returning to the Hotel as the sun sets for check-in.
Guests check-in at Le Strange Arms Hotel from ca 4pm.
Tuesday 31 December
All Day: Titchwell RSPB Reserve
Wednesday 1 January
Morning: Cley NWT Reserve
Afternoon: Holkham National Nature Reserve inc Holkham Gap and Freshmarsh
Thursday 2 January
Dawn and early Morning: Snettisham RSPB Reserve
Return to Hotel for a later Breakfast
Afternoon: Holme NWT Reserve
Friday 3 January
Morning: Lynford Arboretum
Lunch & Early Afternoon: Welney WWT Wetland Centre. Finish approx. at 3pm
The tariff for `Seeing in the New Year – Birdwatching in North Norfolk’
£795 per person for single room
£765 per person when sharing a double or twin room
The price includes VAT, and covers:
• 4 night’s accommodation at Best Western Le Strange Arms, Old Hunstanton
• Full English breakfast on all mornings
• 3-course Dinners on all evenings including special dinner on New Year’s Eve in the restaurant
• Packed Lunches on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
• All guided birdwatching excursions
• Illustrated Talks, Quizzes and optional Board/Card Games on all evenings apart from New Year’s Eve.
Terms and Conditions
Payment Schedule
Deposit of £150 per person payable on receipt of a booking confirmation from Natural Links.
Outstanding Balance to be paid by 31 August 2024.
Cancellation Agreement with Le Strange Arms
In the event of adverse weather preventing travel to the Hotel, Natural Links has negotiated a full cancellation agreement with Le Strange up to 3 days before the arrival date. If cancelled within this timeframe, all monies are either fully refundable or alternative dates later in January or February will be made available.
Cancellations by Attendees
Due to special group rates secured with the Hotel and Natural Links, cancellations can only be made up to the day before the outstanding balance is due, 30 August 2024, with £150 deposit per person either returned or used as credit towards future Natural Links events/holidays bookings.
Changes to Itinerary
The itinerary stated above is provisional as factors outside the control of Natural Links may result in changes to the itinerary.
Car-sharing
We courteously ask guests to car-share for travel around birdwatching sites in North Norfolk.
Reserve Entry Fees and Car Parking
The price excludes entry fees to Holme & Cley (free to Norfolk Wildlife Trust members), Titchwell and Snettisham (entry/car park charge but free to RSPB members) and Welney (free to WWT members). There is a car parking charge at Holkham NNR.
