Nestling in the valley of the River Wensum, just outside Fakenham, you can find Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve. A beautiful landscape comprising wet woodland, fen, reed beds and wildflower meadows. The reserve is home to a wide range of wildlife – birds of prey such as Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, Red Kites, Peregrines and Kestrels as well as Barn Owls and resident Tawny Owls. There are Otters on the river and Water Voles nesting in the banks of the criss-cross of ditches that control the water levels on site.

Rare breed cattle and sheep graze the meadows creating little puddles where wildflower will grow. Four of our Shetland heifers are in calf this year, and the Norfolk Horn sheep will be lambing in the spring.

This summer our Activities Officer incubated a clutch of English Partridge and, in conjunction with three schools locally guided children through the hatching process. The chicks were initially housed in ‘Partridge Palace’ and nicely heated shed with hourly inspections, regular food and fresh water. Eight from the original 12 eggs hatched and fledged successfully and they were released into the wildflower meadow early in August. Practical conservation in action!