After living the high life at The Roof Gardens in Kensington, London, four flamingos have put their high society days behind them and have relocated to Norfolk.
Flamingos Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks, have taken up permanent residence at Pensthorpe Natural Park, a 700-acre modern nature reserve in north Norfolk, which already has a dedicated Flamingo area and is home to thousands of bird and wildlife species.
Upon arrival the birds entered a pen adjacent to Pensthorpe’s existing flock of 25 so that the two groups could get acquainted. After a few days living as neighbours the London birds were integrated with the resident flock under the careful watch of Chrissie Kelley, Head of Species Management at Pensthorpe.
Chrissie Kelley comments: “These birds are extremely well-loved so we’ve made every effort to ensure they feel welcome in Norfolk. They’ve made themselves at home and have settled very well.
“Flamingos are generally social birds, hence why they’ve probably enjoyed living the high life in London, so we are confident that they will enjoy the next chapter of their lives amongst our flock.”
Pensthorpe, which is owned and run by Bill and Deb Jordan, founders of Jordans Cereals, is in the process of developing a new Wetland Discovery Area, opening in July 2018, which is where the flamingos will eventually take up residence and be on display to the public. Due to this development work, the flamingos are not currently on display.
The reserve, which is located within Norfolk’s stunning Wensum Valley, is renowned for its work in conservation, having played a fundamental role in the research, breeding and care of species such as Red Squirrels, Corncrakes and Turtle Doves.
Deb Jordan, owner at Pensthorpe, comments: “Norfolk, in particular north Norfolk, is famously a hotbed for Londoners looking to retire from life in the capital in favour of a slower pace and rural setting. However this is the first time I’ve known of flamingos making the move! We are confident that these beautiful and much-loved animals will continue to adapt well to their new life in Norfolk!”
For more information about Pensthorpe please visit pensthorpe.com.
From pre-historic to present day – North Norfolk Visitor Centre celebrates official opening and introduction of fun new 'Discover Zone'
The North Norfolk Visitor Centre was officially opened on Monday 10 February, with an exciting reveal of the brand new look for the tourist information hub. As well as the traditional visitor information service the centre now also includes a “Discovery Zone,” a fantastic new resource which forms part of North Norfolk District Council’s “Deep History Coast” initiative.
Council members, project partners, staff and business Ambassadors gathered for the celebration, which included a screening of the new DHC film and representatives on-hand to discuss the key project elements from fossil hunting to the upcoming mammoth Marathon.
North Norfolk District Council’s Chairman has invited Norfolk Wildlife Trust to be his Charity of the Year, with money raised supporting conservation grazing and family learning.
Dr Clive Stockton has a personal life-long association with nature and wished to support a charity that specifically works to conserve the fragile habitats of Norfolk and raise awareness of the importance of wildlife.
Funds raised by NNDC will be used in two key areas of NWT’s work across Norfolk: to support conservation grazing with rare native breeds and to extend engagement with young children in Sure Start centres.
Conservation grazing with native breed cattle, sheep and ponies protects important areas for wildlife. Without regular grazing, many of our rare and fragile habitats and the species they support would be at risk of being overwhelmed by more dominant plants. NNDC has already shown its own commitment to conservation grazing through the establishment of its Bagot goat herd, 15 of which are on long-term loan to NWT in the Brecks.
Members of Pensthorpe’s Junior Board, and their siblings, were the first to try out Pensthorpe Natural Park’s new mud kitchen and trial some of the activities for its new summer event, Nature’s WILD Tribe.
The outdoor mud kitchen is the latest addition to WildRootz and the 4.3 feet wide kitchen was built onsite by the team in four days. Featuring four bowls, utensils such as spoons and whisks and a tap, it is made from recycled materials, including an old wheelbarrow and uses some of the reserve’s old signage as blackboards.
Kelly Lovick, Play Manager at Pensthorpe Natural Park, came up with the idea of the mud kitchen and comments: “Messy play is not only important to support with the development of fine motor skills, but is also a fantastic sensory experience and great for imagination and role play. It also creates nostalgia for adults, so all ages, including mum and dad, can join in the muddy fun! When I was young we didn’t have the technology that children do now, so I was always making mud pies and getting dirty in the garden. That’s why we wanted to build our own mud kitchen and it is such a simple and fun thing that adults can enjoy with the children.”
The first Pensthorpe Bird and Wildlife Fair was held on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2019 at Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham, and attracted around 2,500 visitors.
Celebrating Norfolk as the birdwatching capital of the UK, visitors were treated to talks, guided walks, demonstrations, book signings and around 50 exhibitors being in attendance.
Highlights included guest appearances from nature and wildlife experts including Simon King OBE, known for his work on Big Cat Diary and Springwatch, and Mike Dilger, The One Show wildlife reporter and presenter on Nature’s Babies.
Simon King OBE said: “The natural world is a constant source of inspiration and Norfolk is prolific as being the most amazing county for birdwatching and nature as it is buzzing with wildlife. Pensthorpe really is the hub for that and May is a busy time for migrating species so the Fair was held at the perfect time of year. I’ve enjoyed a great weekend celebrating nature in the county.”
It’s official: North Norfolk continues to have some of the best beaches in the country.
The beaches in Cromer, East Runton, Mundesley, Sea Palling, Sheringham and West Runton have all been awarded prestigious Blue Flags for another year – and that means the 45-mile North Norfolk coastline is home to half of all the Blue Flag beaches in the east of England.
The awards are given out only to those beaches that have the highest quality of water, facilities, environmental education and management, with superb levels of cleanliness and safety. It means the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who visit North Norfolk’s beaches each year can be sure they are enjoying top-notch destinations.
North Norfolk is the only district in the county that has been awarded any Blue Flags this year.