S 2%> AO* & TRANSACTIONS of the NORFOLK & NORWICH NATURALISTS' SOCIETY 12 H HISTORY i N':H« uhal S 2013 TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORFOLK & NORWICH NATURALISTS' SOCIETY Volume 45 Part 1 2012 (published May 2013) Editor: S Harrap Assistant Editor: AR Leech Published by the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society www.nnns.org.uk The Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists'Society has as a principal aim the investigation and recording of Norfolk's wildlife and to this end it publishes: • An annual volume of Transactions, consisting of papers and notes on wildlife in the county. • The Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report which contains systematic lists of observations on the county's birds and mammals, as well as relevant articles. • The Norfolk Natterjack, a quarterly illustrated newsletter. All of these publications are free to members, as are Occasional Publications on specific topics. The Society also arranges lectures and field meetings which are planned to appeal to anyone interested in natural history. More specialist groups cover many aspects of the county's flora and fauna. The subscription rate is £1 5 per year, which includes all members of a family living at the same address. Group affiliation is available at £15 per year. Membership enquiries should be made to: David Richmond, 42 Richmond Rise, Reepham, Norfolk, NR10 4LS, All other enquiries should be directed to the Secretary, Dorothy Cheyne, Wood House, Free Lane, Ditchingham, Bungay NR25 2DW. Tel 01986 894277. The Society gratefully acknowledges the support of the Sarnia Trust in the production of this publication. ISSN 0375 7226 © Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 201 3 Charity No. 291604 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission, except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988. Applications for permission should be addressed to the Secretary (see address see website: www.nnns.org.uk). 1 Presidential Address delivered to the Society on 8 November 201 From little acorns - a conservation Norfolk Don Doriing A little acorn reached fertile ground in decided 'to retire from the unequal contest', March 1926 and eighty-five years ago this following an inundation by the sea in summer took root. I am, of course, referring January 1921 which caused severe damage to the idea, largely fostered by Dr Sydney to the north wall of the marsh. Dr Long was Long, then the secretary of this Society, keen that this renowned area for breeding who with his friends raised funds for the and migrant birds should be saved from purchase of Cley Marsh. They then met falling into unwelcome hands. This time at the George Hotel in Cley and agreed to the NNNS was not directly involved in create a Trust to hold it. I hope to show that the fund-raising. Dr Long approached it has now grown into a fine tree. a number of friends sympathetic to the cause of protecting this marsh and secured In 1944 Miss Constance Gay, who at the time sufficient promises of funds to enable was honorary secretary of the Trust, gave her him to attend the auction at the Royal Presidential Address to the Society under Hotel, Norwich, on 6 March 1926. At the the title The Work of the Norfolk Naturalists auction he was successful in purchasing Trust in which she dealt with the Trust's the 407 acres of marsh and foreshore plus a foundation and the progress made during building plot for the sum of £5,160. the first eighteen years of its existence. The Trust having recently celebrated its Initially there was some speculation as to eighty-fifth birthday, it seems a good time the future of this acquisition. On 8 March its to have another look at development as the Eastern Daily Press , when reporting the a protector of Norfolk's wildlife and wild purchase, wrote: places. For the sake of completeness I will Whatever the ultimate fate of the cover some of the early developments that marshes, whether they will eventually she dealt with but I will not repeat all her pass into the possession of the National comments on the tremendous achievements Trust like the other two sanctuaries or of Dr Sydney Long in the field of nature not, ornithologists all over the country conservation in Norfolk. There is a detailed will rejoice that they are at any rate safe review of his background and contribution for the undisturbed study of bird life. to Norfolk's natural history in Eric Fowler's Introduction to Nature in Norfolk - a Heritage The following day The Times commented: in Trust published to mark the Trust's 50th , Whether or not the funds of the Norfolk Anniversary in 1976. Suffice to say that Wild Bird Protection Committee will he was deeply involved in the purchase admit of its taking over the extended of Scolt Head Island which the Norfolk liability of the protection of these marshes and Norwich Naturalists' Society (NNNS) will rest with those who support this formally handed over to the National Trust fund. in June 1923, having launched an appeal for funds. Three years later Cley Marsh These questions were answered when, as was put up for sale after the owners had mentioned earlier, the subscribers to the Trans. Norfolk Norwich Nat. Soc. 2012 45(1) 1 appeal met at the George Hotel in Cley Miss Gay, in her address, referred to the on 14 March 1926. At that meeting it was similarity of names between the Norfolk agreed that the marsh and the nearby and Norwich Naturalists' Society and the building plot should be handed over to Trust and the confusion sometimes caused a Trust to be incorporated To hold the between the activities and responsibilities marsh in perpetuity as a Bird Breeding of the two organisations. However, it is not Sanctuary'. surprising that the founders used the word 'naturalist' in the name of the new body. That summer Robert Bishop was appointed Seven of the twelve subscribers and eighteen as 'Watcher', as wardens were then known, of the twenty-six other life members at a weekly wage of £2. The winter shooting named at the first Council meeting, were was let to a small syndicate consisting also members of the NNNS and certainly of four of the original subscribers. This would have considered themselves to be syndicate paid an annual rent of £225 and naturalists. Strangely, membership was met the expenses of the watcher during the initially restricted to a maximum of 100. five winter months of the shooting season, Why this rule was adopted is not now 15 September to 15 February. At that time clear. it was not considered that there was any conflict of interest between conservation The second reserve was acquired in 1928, and legitimate shooting, even on a nature giving a toehold in Broadland, when 26 reserve. This attitude is well illustrated acres at Starch Marsh, Martham, were in Mr Colin McLean's book. At Dawn and purchased as a breeding ground for the Bittern, Bearded Tit and harriers. In April Dusk, where he described a shoot held on 22 September 1927 as follows: 'When we got 1929 the Trust bought the Dial House at back to the marsh after breakfast. Bishop Brancaster Staithe, formerly the Victoria had taken down the rest of our bag to the Inn, as a permanent dwelling for the Scolt roadside and got them neatly laid out. The Head watcher. This was an early example of final count amounted to 14 Mallard, 151 co-operation between the bodies involved in the protection of the Teal, 2 Wigeon, one Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, natural environment in the 10 Snipe, 6 Coot, 2 Curlew, 2 Redshank, 2 county, the accommodation for the watcher of a reserve the National Ruff and one plover - a total of 201 head. owned by Trust being This was the best we made on the marsh provided by the Naturalists Trust whilst the watcher during the years we had the shooting'! was employed by the Wild Bird Protection Committee, The Trust was formally incorporated on 5 administered at that time by this Society. November 1926 as the Norfolk Naturalists The property was eventually sold to the Trust, a company limited by guarantee National Trust in July 1968. under the Companies Acts. At its first A further small addition to the land Council meeting on 30 November, it holdings occurred in June 1929 when Bio' was resolved unanimously to 'accept the Norton Wood was given to the Trust by generous offer of the purchasers of the Duleep Singh. A year later an opportunity Cley Marsh property'. At the meeting Mr to extend the interest in Broadland arose Russell Colman was appointed president when Alderfen Broad came on the market. and Dr Sydney Long as honorary secretary This was purchased for £2,200 in July 1930. and treasurer. The other members present were Mr A.W. Carruthers, Mr Gerard H. In the autumn of that year the Trust issued Gurney, Dr Tom Longstaff and Mr Colin for sale its first Christmas card as a means McLean. Mr B. Cozens-Hardy, Solicitor, of raising funds to meet the cost of the was in attendance. Alderfen purchase and future acquisitions. 2 Trans. Norfolk Norwich Nat. Soc. 2012 45(1) It was a painting of a Bearded Tit executed a substantial Breckland reserve arose in by the well-respected Norfolk artist Mr J.C. 1935 when the Suffolk estate at Culford Harrison and was published and sold from was broken up. The Forestry Commission Dr Sydney Long's house in Surrey Street, bought a large area of Breckland heath for Norwich.