Limosa

GUIDED BIRDING & WILDLIFE TOURS SINCE 1985

Tour Info

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North Norfolk Coast Wild Geese & Waders

Swarm of winter Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit on manoeuvres over the Wash © Jo Latham/www.wildlifephotocards.co.uk

2013

1: Monday 30th September - Thursday 3rd October 2: Monday 4th - Thursday 7th November LEADER Gary Elton

A choice of two 4-day autumn birdwatching breaks based at a comfortable hotel on the North Norfolk coast. With guided visits to all the top birding spots, small friendly groups, good food and as much help with identification as you need. Join us for the best of British birding! • • • • • • • • • • •

Discover the best birdwatching in Britain! Autumn and winter breaks exploring the beautiful North Norfolk coast Resident: Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Mediterranean Gull, Barn Owl, Bearded Tit October: passage seabirds, wildfowl, waders, Yellow-browed Warbler and other migrants November: wintering wild geese, birds of prey, waders, Shorelark, Snow Bunting Always a chance of rarities and the unexpected 3 nights at a good hotel overlooking the coast in Old Hunstanton Friendly and informal, with as much help with identification as you need Each break limited to 8 participants Good food, great company and excellent birding... on Limosa’s home patch! Expertly led by our resident Norfolk bird guide, Gary Elton

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ LIMOSA, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham, Norfolk NR12 9EJ (UK) TEL: +44 (0)1692 580623 • EMAIL: [email protected] • WEB: limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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Tour Overview The clamour of Pink-footed Geese on a winter’s eve; crowds of grey-suited waders bustling along the tideline; a ghostly Barn Owl hunting close by; harriers floating silently over the lonely marshes; Bearded Tits pinging in the redbeds; a tiny Yellow-browed Warbler flitting restlessly through the autumnal tree tops; Little Egrets dancing across the saltings... It’s easy to see why the Norfolk coast has been such a mecca for generations of British birdwatchers! Now you can experience the magic for yourself on our all-inclusive short breaks that are designed to help you get the very best out of birdwatching. Divers, grebes and sea-duck haunt the shore, and gatherings of wildfowl and waders can be truly spectacular. Numbers of Knot alone can top 100,000 birds, while Norfolk’s ever-increasing population of geese includes tens of thousands of Pink-feet and Brent as well as small flocks of White-fronted, too. Water Rail and Woodcock creep furtively along the marshland fringes, and passerines such as Shore Lark, Rock Pipit, Twite, and Snow and Lapland Buntings are regularly present on the saltings. Birds of prey are another special feature of our autumn and winter tours. Marsh and Hen Harriers patrol the coastal marshes, where they may be joined by Sparrowhawk, the odd Merlin and Short-eared Owl. Sightings of both Peregrine and Common Buzzard have increased dramatically in Norfolk over the past decade or so, and Rough-legged Buzzard is also possible at this exciting time of year. Each trip will have its own special moments. In early October, tours may witness falls of winter thrushes, finches and ‘crests; Jack Snipe and Yellow-browed Warblers are often about; and there’s every chance of stumbling across the unexpected. Come November, troops of silken Waxwings often arrive to enliven the Norfolk hedgerows, and Little Auks or Pomarine Skuas may be passing offshore. Being Norfolk, one never quite knows what will turn up next: surprises on our recent autumn and winter trips have included Cattle Egret, Northern Harrier, Common Crane, Stone-curlew, American Golden Plover, Grey and Rednecked Phalaropes, Wryneck and Pallas’s Warbler! Our Norfolk Coast breaks are available on selected dates during the autumn and winter months and offer an unrivalled opportunity to enjoy a great birding getaway. Each break is based at the Le Strange Arms Hotel in Old Hunstanton, right on the bend of the north Norfolk coast, where good food and comfortable accommodation come together with Limosa’s small friendly groups, top local guides and all the help with identification you need. Beginner or more experienced, whatever your level of interest in birds, our Norfolk breaks are relaxed, informal and great fun, offering something for everyone - not to mention the chance to experience some of the very best birding in Britain!

Outline Itinerary Day 1 Days 2-3 Day 4

Meet at our hotel in Old Hunstanton, on the North Norfolk coast (3 nts) Two full days of guided birdwatching in Norfolk After enjoying some further birdwatching today, we return to our hotel at around 2.30pm this afternoon for farewells and departure for home. *1

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Option to stay an extra night (or two!) at the hotel after the break concludes is available at extra cost for those that want to extend their birdwatching stay in Norfolk or allow time for a more leisurely journey home after breakfast at the hotel the next morning. Please ask our office for a quote at time of booking.

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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Tour Itinerary Our Norfolk Coast breaks commence with arrival at our hotel on the Monday evening, where we gather for an informal get-together in the bar around 7.00pm prior to enjoying dinner. Tuesday and Wednesday provide two full days in the field, with packed lunches and flasks of hot tea and coffee available on demand. We return to the hotel again each evening in time for a delicious dinner, followed by the day’s log call over coffee and the chance to relax and chat informally about the day’s events. After spending the best part of the final day (Thursday) in the field, the break concludes back at the hotel at around 2.30pm that afternoon to allow good time for farewells and departure for home. Whether your preference is for October or November, destinations will be chosen from the following outline programme to ensure your visit is both worthwhile and rewarding. We leave the final choice of places to visit to the discretion of our guide, according to weather, local conditions and what’s about at the time. THE BIRDS A visit to the RSPB’s splendid Titchwell reserve, which lies within a short drive of our hotel, should get our trip off to a flying start. Marsh Harrier, Water Rail, Avocet, Barn and Short-eared Owls, Woodcock and Bearded Tit are among many interesting species to look for here in autumn and winter. Persil-white Little Egrets, a relatively newcomer but now well established on the Norfolk scene, are easy to spot as they prance energetically along the tidal creeks. In contrast, numbers of Twite have dwindled in recent winters but we may still find some here or feeding on the saltings further along the coast. By early October, the first big flocks of Pink-footed Geese will already be in and passerine migrants regularly include Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling and Siskin. Given the right winds, just about anything can - and does - turn up here! Brent Geese graze the marshes and, in recent winters, the flocks have usually concealed one or two attractive ‘Black Brants’, a vagrant from Siberia. Busy flocks of waders hurry along the tideline as we check offshore for Eider, Common Scoter and Long-tailed Duck. Red-throated Divers are generally about too, their numbers increasing as the season progresses, and we have good chances of seeing Gannet, Guillemot, Kittiwake and other seabirds passing along the coast. To the south of our hotel (where a spot of optional pre-breakfast birding can also be rewarding), the immense tidal flats of The Wash support more wintering shorebirds than any other estuary in Britain. Wader-watching - either here or ‘just around the corner’ between Old Hunstanton and Titchwell - is exciting throughout the autumn and winter months. We’ll help you learn how to tell the different species apart, while ‘old hands’ will derive enormous pleasure from the sheer spectacle of seeing so many birds. Tides, season, wind direction and weather all have a bearing on the number and location of the birds, of course, but we should find plenty of Oystercatchers, Curlews, Bar-tailed Godwits, Ringed, Grey and Golden Plovers, Knot, Dunlin and Redshank, together with parties of busy Sanderling scurrying back and forth along the tideline. From time to time, the big flocks suddenly rise as one to drift across the pale winter sky like ever-changing plumes of smoke. Beyond the cliffs, where Fulmars may already be prospecting for a breeding ledge, we may find more seaduck, perhaps including Velvet Scoter and Red-breasted Merganser. Both trips offer the chance of seeing Slavonian and other grebes, and although this is not a rocky coast one or two favoured spots often hold the odd Purple Sandpiper. Moving inland, we’ll check the fields and hedgerows for Little Owl, as well as flocks of wintering Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting. In recent winters, Snow and even Lapland Buntings have

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

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sometimes been found here - and with them once a vagrant Pine Bunting! Tree Sparrows have declined dramatically in recent decades, but we may be lucky to find a few around the farmers’ grain stores. East along the coast from Titchwell, the sweeping saltmarshes at Holkham are a regular haunt of Shore Lark and Snow Bunting in winter. Rock Pipits are often present and the fields hold thousands of Brent and even more Pink-footed Geese, together with lesser numbers of White-fronted and Greylag Geese. In nearby Holkham Park, we can try for a range of woodland residents such as Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch and Marsh Tit. The lake is often worth more than a cursory glance for the odd grebe or Goosander, a scarce visitor to Norfolk, are sometimes present. Further east lie the celebrated coastal marshes of Blakeney, Salthouse and Cley. Brent Goose, Teal, Pintail, Gadwall, Wigeon and Shoveler should be present in good numbers here, with mixed flocks of waders, gulls and geese gracing the fields. If conditions are right, October can see fresh arrivals of winter thrushes, finches and even Short-eared Owls in off the sea. November can be productive for seawatching, bringing chances of a late autumn skua or Little Auk passing offshore. If there are any Waxwings about, November is the time to see them - before the invading hordes of Fieldfares and Redwings have stripped the coastal hedgerows of berries! As dusk descends along the coast, Barn Owls drift silently back and forth over the marshes, and Marsh and Hen Harriers quarter low over the reedbeds before finally dropping into roost. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and the odd Merlin are usually about in autumn and winter, and both Peregrine and Common Buzzard have been recorded with increasing frequency in recent years. The perky Stomechat can also be active late in the day, surveying its territory from a prominent post or snag for one last snack before nightfall. We will vary the above itinerary to take best advantage of the weather and other local conditions, as well as what birds are about at the time of your visit. The Norfolk coast has a long history of turning up surprises and the chance of coming across something rare or unusual will invariably add a little extra spice to our birding! Highlights our groups have enjoyed over past 28 years have included everything from Wryneck and Red-breasted Goose to Radde’s Warbler and Red-breasted Nuthatch! But one thing’s for certain, whatever we do and wherever we go, there will always be plenty to see!

Trip Information Group Size

Maximum of 8 participants & 1 leader

What To Expect Led by Limosa’s friendly expert guides, these holidays are ideal for birdwatchers of all levels of ability, interest and experience. Just bring your bins and enthusiasm for birds - we’ll do the rest! Birds: 100-120 species Accommodation The Le Strange Arms Hotel offers comfortable accommodation overlooking the coast at Old Hunstanton. All rooms have private facilities. Meals All included in the price, from dinner on arrival on the evening of Day 1 through to and including lunch on the final day (Day 4). Breakfasts and dinners will be at the hotel; lunches will be picnics in the field. Participants tell us that meals at the hotel are excellent. Walking Easy. Short walks (approx 1-3 miles) over easy and mostly flat terrain. Sturdy waterproof walking shoes or boots required. Wellington boots can be useful in winter, if it is wet. Weather The UK climate is famous for its unpredictability, but extremes are rare. In early October temperatures typically in the range of 7-15C. Some rainfall is possible at any season, so do bring rain _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4 •

Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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wear. Expect a mix of sunshine and showers (0-14C) in November, when it can sometimes feel quite cold, especially if there’s a wind blowing at the coast. Wrap yourself warmly with lightweight layers of wind and waterproof clothing... and join us for some of the best winter birding in Britain! Ground Transport By minibus Photos Can be some good incidental photographic opportunities.

What You Say: “The sight and sound of hundreds of geese flying in, across an orange sky, to roost around Holkham was unforgettable - and Gary timed it perfectly!” Gill Cartwright, Norfolk Coast Tour “Gary was great. Enjoyed three days in Norfolk. Good company, good birds. Our second trip with you.” Joanna Adamson, Norfolk Coast Tour “A very happy short birding break. Great leader, birds and fellow guests - even the weather behaved.” Jon & Judy Moore, Norfolk Coast Tour “Gary made us feel at home and is quite a character. Staff at hotel most welcoming and service of waitress/waiters good. Very clean and tidy in bedrooms, bar, lounge and restaurant. Food excellent.” Anon participant., Norfolk Coast Tour “Thrilling to see a Short-eared Owl coming in over the sea. Great break. Leader and all the group amazingly patient with an absolute novice. Daunting amount to learn, wish I had begun at 9 like Tony!” Karen Birmingham, Norfolk Coast Tour “Gary was first-rate - considerate and prepared to put himself out for our needs, and also adaptable.” Susie Turner, Norfolk Coast Tour “Gary was an excellent leader: helpful, cheerful, very knowledgeable and got on well with everybody.” Janice Cox, Norfolk Coast tour

How To Get There Participants arriving in Norfolk by car will be sent a map and joining instructions for the hotel. We meet for an informal get-together in the hotel bar at 7.00pm on the first evening. For those travelling to Norfolk by rail, we pick up at Norwich railway station at 4.30pm on the Monday afternoon; most rail routes arrive into Norwich at about that time. We are able to drop off there again by about 4.30pm on the Thursday afternoon. Please note there is no extra cost for pick-up and drop-off here.

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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Tour Cost 2013 (4 days): £525 from Old Hunstanton (or Norwich) Deposit: £100 Single Supp: £50 Cost includes All accommodation and meals (including packed lunches), minibus transport, entry fees/permits, parking, tips and taxes, bird checklist and services of the leaders. Pick up/drop off in Norwich as outlined above, if required. Cost excludes Insurance, drinks & other items of a personal nature. (There is no additional charge for pick up and drop off at Norwich railway station, if required.)

About Your Guide Gary Elton Gary lives in north Norfolk, working part-time at Holme Bird Observatory - and earning enviable reviews guiding Limosa’s Norfolk breaks! A former Herts Bird Club committee member and warden of a local nature reserve in north London (where he lived and birded for over 35 years), he is also a qualified ringer with a particular fascination for studying bird migration in the eastern Mediterranean. As well as leading the majority of Limosa’s Norfolk breaks over the past six years, Gary regularly takes charge of our overseas tours, including those to Lesbos, Spain and the Gambia. He often join us on our guided BirdWalks in Norfolk too, and not infrequently pops up on tv wildlife programmes, featuring on everything from Springwatch to Bill Bailey's Birdwatching Bonanza. He is married with three children (who have now mostly fledged and left the nest), and is possibly the only non-family member who can claim to have known ‘chief godwit’ Chris Kightley's wife Barbara longer than even he has! Our Norfolk Coast breaks are limited to a maximum of 8 participants plus Gary.

Limosa Loyalty Discount The success of our business is built upon repeat custom and our Frequent Travel Discount is one way of saying thank you to all who travel regularly with us. Under the scheme, everyone who takes four trips with us is entitled to claim a 5% discount on their fifth trip*. Or you can opt to save your discounts up and carry them forward to claim a 10% discount on your 10th trip. The choice is yours - but do please remember to request your discount at time of booking! * Please note: This offer applies to the basic tour cost only and excludes certain commission-based trips, extras such as additional flights, private extensions and cancellations. Discounts cannot be given in lieu of tour deposits or off the cost of single room supplements.

How to Book Be sure to read our Booking Conditions and General Information found at the back of our current brochure or on our website. Book Online: You can book swiftly and securely online via our website: www.limosaholidays.co.uk Book By Post: Please complete both sides of the Booking Form, remembering to sign and date the reverse please. Mail this to us, together with the appropriate Booking Deposit (see above).

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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Telephone bookings: We are happy to accept bookings by telephone and will hold a place for you on a provisional basis for up to 14 days to allow time for your booking form and deposit to reach us by mail.

Payments Deposits: The amount of deposit per person is shown above. We accept payment by cheque (drawn in GB Pounds Sterling) and debit card. We also accept most major credit cards (not AmEx). Final Balance: Full payment of the balance is due not later than 12 weeks prior to departure. We will send you an invoice at about this time. We accept payment for final balances by cheque or debit card. Card Charges: Please note due to escalating credit card charges we are no longer able to absorb the cost of these. A 2% commission charge is made on any final balance paid by credit card, but not on deposits nor on payments made by debit card. Late Bookings In order for us to guarantee airline seats, hotels etc for you, full payment is required at time of booking for all late bookings (i.e. bookings made within 12 weeks of departure).

When to Book This is one of the most Frequently Asked Questions. And the short answer is as early as possible! Accommodation and flights are much more easily secured well in advance - and there is nothing more frustrating than to know that on paper space is still available on the tour but that hotels and/or flights are full. To encourage early booking therefore, we are pleased to offer an Early Booking Discount - see our current brochure for details. Our tours are limited to small group sizes, so they can fill up quickly - sometimes even before our new brochure comes out. It's not unusual to find trips are fully booked around four to six months in advance. Single rooms in particular can often be in short supply and among the first to go, so do try to plan well ahead if you definitely require one of these. Last-minute bookings: We inevitably receive a few unexpected late cancellations over the course of a season so it is always worth enquiring about vacancies on any tour - even for those departing in just a few weeks time!

Other Things You Need To Know Health & Vaccinations Compulsory vaccinations: None! Recommended vaccinations: None! Travel Insurance Good travel insurance is essential before departing on any overseas trip and is to be much recommended for UK holidays as well. We recommend that you obtain insurance as soon as possible after booking your holiday to ensure you are protected in the event of unexpected cancellation prior to departure due to accident or illness. You must inform your insurers of any pre-existing medical conditions (including those of persons not necessarily travelling but upon whom your holiday may depend) that may require treatment during a period of overseas travel or might cause you to cancel the trip.

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Norfolk Coast

Limosa Tour Info

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Be aware that Travel Insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover for valuable optical equipment, which is often best protected under your own household insurance policy. If in doubt ask your insurers for advice prior to travel. Arranging Your Insurance: due to UK Government legislation, under new Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations, note that we are not allowed to offer or recommend travel related insurance to customers. Premiums can vary widely according to your age, needs, health, choice of destination and other factors, while many people nowadays have Annual Travel Insurance cover. For these reasons, we leave you free to shop around and pick your own policy, one best suited to your own individual needs.

General Information www.limosaholidays.co.uk Our website gives easy access to detailed tour itineraries, bird lists, trip reports and the latest Limosa News. It also has useful Links to the FCO and other websites. Special Diets & Other Requests We pass on all such requests to the airlines, hotels and other suppliers, and do our best to ensure (but of course cannot guarantee) that your needs will be met. Please be sure to tell us about these (in as much detail as possible) at the time of booking, to allow good time to make the necessary arrangements. Smoking Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. For the enjoyment and comfort of all, we ask that smokers refrain from smoking in proximity to the group and respect our NO SMOKING policy in the vehicle, at meal times, while watching wildlife and when otherwise in close company of fellow participants. Any Questions? If you have any questions at any time, you’ll find our office staff friendly, efficient, approachable - and just a phone call away, eager to assist you in every way. Our office is open 09.00-17.00 hrs Mon-Fri, and can also be reached by fax and email. In the event we are unable to take your call, please leave a message on our answerphone (24 hrs) and our office will contact you as soon as we can. Thank you for your interest in our tours. We do hope that you will be able to join us - and look forward to hearing from you again! CK161112

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Any questions? Please call: +44 (0)1692 580623 • Or see: www.limosaholidays.co.uk