Wild
Goose chase!  |
Holkham is a fantastically rich nature reserve, largely
due to its great variety of habitats.
In winter the estate is famous for
one of the greatest bird spectacles in Europe - the arrival of the Pink Footed
Goose. There's also a great Owl watching treat!
| Geese in flight
- an amazing spectacle. Photo: Holkham Estate |
The
Holkham Estate has been home to the Earls of Leicester for nearly 300 years.
Today
a large part of its 24,000 acres is a national nature reserve managed by English
Nature.  Wildlife
habitats
Holkham is special for wildlife because of the great
mix of habitats from marshes, dunes and sand spits to wind exposed tide lines,
creeks, and shaded pinewoods. There's also green pastures, arable farms
and parkland, providing further diversity. Footpaths cross much of the estate,
providing access to all the best wildlife spots. It is possible to explore
most of the area by following footpaths from the main settlements or from car
parks. The core section of the reserve, from Wells to Holkham Bay, is crisscrossed
by paths allowing access to all the best wildlife habitats. Owls  Owls
are one of our most distinctive birds of prey with their round heads and large,
forward facing eyes.
All five British species of owl can be seen on the
Holkham estate. Norfolk and Holkham estate, in particular, are great places
for owls, because of their mixture of grazing land and arable crops. The
owls like the grassy areas during winter when they can spend time in underground
tunnels keeping warm, even when there is heavy frost on top. The arable
land is a good source of food, supporting a large population of mice, the Owls'
favourite meal. In cold weather the owl feeds on grass shoots and seeds,
as well as small mammals such as large voles, rats and mice. The Barn Owl
is resident at Holkham and there are more pairs on the estate than any other part
of the country. Recently the numbers have been very good because of mild
winters with lots of mice and rats for the owls to eat. Owls also lay more
eggs if there are more mice around. Short and long eared owls come to Holkham
over the winter from southern Scandinavia and eastern Europe. Tawny Owls
live at Holkham year round, as does the Little Owl, originally brought in by the
Romans as pest control against cockroaches. Birds
of prey Another bird of prey found at Holkham is the Harrier,
which is rather larger and bulkier than other harriers. Harriers are long
winged birds with sharp claws and a long reach, adapted for snatching prey while
hunting at low level. This is the largest and heaviest harrier, but it has
the shortest tail. It has a tendency to fly low, flapping gently between
wavering on slightly raised wings. This bird is also capable of high soaring
flights and, as a result, is sometimes mistaken for a Buzzard. The Harrier
is often associated with marshland, but these birds of prey are also known to
travel widely when hunting over adjoining farmland. In winter many of the
harriers head south but some stay on in eastern and south eastern England where
we are most likely to see them.  Nature's
amazing spectacle
In winter Holkham plays host to one of nature's
most remarkable spectacles. Thousands of geese feast on the ploughed fields
where they eat a variety of grasses, carrots, potatoes, waste sugar beet roots
and leaves. Look out for hundreds of Pink Footed Geese from Greenland circling
over the fields, yelping and then dropping into the field to feed. If you're
lucky, you might also see White Fronted Geese from northern Siberia, and Brent
Geese from Spitzenberg. The hides on the estate are some of the best places
to watch this spectacle. Bird watchers can watch the action unfold looking
over onto the sand dunes off the harbour near Wells next the Sea. The sandbanks
provide safe roosting area for the birds as they become isolated by tides.
Credits
All
photographs courtesy of Holkham Estate. | 
