Holme Bird Observatory is a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

near

Holme-next-the-Sea Holme-next-the-Sea is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Holme-next-the-Sea is located north-east of Hunstanton and north-west of Norwich. History Holme-next-the-Sea's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives f ...

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

, adjoining the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Holme Dunes reserve. It is 5 ha (13 acres) in extent, with

Corsican pine ''Pinus nigra'', the Austrian pine or black pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across Southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula and Lower Austria to the eastern Mediterranean, on the Anatolian peninsula of Turkey, Corsica ...

s and scrubby

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...

s as its main habitats. It is managed by the Norfolk Ornithological Association as a

bird observatory A bird observatory is a centre for the study of bird migration and bird populations. They are usually focused on local birds, but may also include interest in far-flung areas. Most bird observatories are small operations with a limited staff, many ...

to study

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

. It has five bird hides and has operated a

bird ringing Bird ringing (UK) or bird banding (US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird to enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird an ...

programme since its foundation in 1962. Retrieved 28 August 2012. It is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest. The larger area is now additionally protected through

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...

Special Protection Area A special protection area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and cer ...

(SPA) and Ramsar listings, and is part of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Retrieved 8 November 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.

References

{{North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Norfolk Coastal features of Norfolk Birdwatching sites in England Bird observatories in England Nature reserves in Norfolk