Events

PURPOSE

To discover how many species are present in the Cley 10-km Square in January 2025.

Open to both Cley Bird Club members and non-members to provide an opportunity for people to have an enjoyable day’s birding either on their own, with family or friends and/or to take part in the Cley Square Bird Race.

The highest number of bird species recorded at this event in previous years was 129 in 2024.  Come along and see how many you can help us get this time.

DETAILS

The CBC Recording Area comprises the 10km square TG04 (but extended in the north-west to include the tip of Blakeney Point) as shown in the map above. Any birds seen out at sea are also countable.

You can start birding at any time of the day but must submit completed checklists at the NWT Education Centre by 5pm on 4^th January.

A room will be available in the education centre (behind the NWT Visitor Centre) from 4pm where free hot drinks and other refreshments will be available. Please come along and meet up with others who have been out in the field birding during the day and compare notes as we collate the results, determine who won the race and compile the total number of species seen by all participants.

If you finish birding earlier and don’t want to wait around until late afternoon, there will be a box at Reception in the Visitor Centre where you can leave your completed checklists.

THE BIRD RACE             For the keen ones amongst you.

Teams can consist of up to four people who must travel together throughout the day. Teams cannot split up to cover different areas of the Square.  Birds will only count for the bird race if seen or heard by at least two members of the team at the same time; this, of course, does not apply if you are a team of one.

All birds seen or heard must be recorded on the BBD Race checklist which will be available by early December.
Species only seen or heard by one person should still be recorded to enable us to see how many species are in the square on the day although they will not count towards your total.
Teams can start birding at any time of the day but must submit their completed checklists at the NWT Education Centre by 5pm on Saturday 4^th January.
There will also be a box in the visitor centre throughout the day on 4^th January for people to submit their results if they cannot stay around until after 4pm.

Please let Janice know at janicedarch@gmail.com by the end of December if you are planning to enter a team.

CASUAL BIRDING

We want to make the day accessible to everyone.  One or more people can bird together for as much or little time as they want in part(s) of the Square on the day.  This will help in our effort to get as much information on birds in the Square on the day as possible.  We would like to capture information such as numbers present in an area. Every little will help.  If you can’t walk far, you can still take part by counting everything you can see from your car (please only park where it is safe to do so) or, if you live in the Square, your garden or from your window.
All birds seen or heard must be recorded on the Big Bird Day Casual checklist which will be available by December.  It would be most helpful if you can give counts of birds seen in any site that you visit but if not, just tick the species.

To get included in the main count, completed checklists should be brought to the NWT Education Centre by 5pm on Saturday 4^th January.  However, if you cannot do that, any sightings added to the website or emailed to cleybcrecords@gmail.com by midday on Sunday the 5th will be included in the overall count.  Note that birds just reported by WhatsApp or the information services wil not get included. There will also be a box in the visitor centre throughout the day on 4th January for people to submit their results if they cannot stay around until after 4pm.

GENERAL (applies to both formats)
All birds recorded must be within the area of the Cley Square.
You must stay on public rights of way and if you are not an NWT member, please remember to buy a permit from the visitor centre before visiting any of the hides. Also, if you are not an NWT member there is a charge for parking at the Cley Visitor Centre and Beach car park.
The welfare of the bird must come first so tape luring is not permitted.
It would be helpful if you could also record any mammals you see during the day.
If you find a good bird, please put the news out so that everyone participating can enjoy it. either on the Cley or Norfolk WhatsApps, the information services or ring it into the NWT Visitor Centre on 01263 740008.

Further details, checklists and maps will be available to download on this website from early December

PLEASE WATCH THIS WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.