Lockdown has some positive impacts for Holkham NNR

Oystercatchers roosting on the shoreline, strangely a seldom seen sight these days due to constant visitor pressures (Holkham Estate)

The Holkham Estate NNR is home to vast winter wader and wildfowl assemblages, breeding Little Terns, Marsh Harrier, Bitterns, Spoonbills, Egrets and 900 hectares of grazing marsh managed for nesting waders and beef cattle. Much of it is still very much a working farmland environment. Even in the winter months, unless the weather is ghastly, there are plenty of visitors, many with multiple dogs. This has all suddenly come to an abrupt, albeit temporary, end with the advent of the Covid 19 pandemic that currently has the world in its grip. With the country in ‘Lockdown’, the ambience and views along the North Norfolk coast have changed beyond all recognition. Out on the beach, the short-term benefits of having very few people has instantly become apparent. Sanderling and Oystercatchers have been able to feed along the shoreline in peace, free from harassment from the constant presence of unleashed dogs. Find out more about the changes seen at: https://c-js.co.uk/3eyixz4