Latest Pensthorpe News

It’s a flurry of activity in the wader aviary at the moment with avocet, shoveler, turtle dove and bearded tit chicks and the ruff displaying with their elegant plumage. Male ruff have large colourful manes of feathers around their necks and shoulders, which provided the inspiration for their name. In the spring male ruff converge… Read more »

Volunteers Week is a national celebration of the hard work and dedication of volunteers across the UK. This year, Volunteers Week takes place from 1-7 June. Volunteers make a vital contribution to our communities. They work in a wide range of settings, from schools and hospitals to charities and community groups. They give their time,… Read more »

World Curlew Day is a global awareness day that celebrates the curlew, a large wading bird that is found in many parts of the world. The day is held on April 21st, which is the feast day of Saint Beuno, the patron saint of curlews. Curlews are beautiful and iconic birds. They are known for… Read more »

This February the decision was made to catch our flock of 56 greater flamingos at Pensthorpe. One of our two year old chicks had a lump on his head that we wanted the vet to check out and we decided it would be an excellent opportunity to catch the whole flock to give them all… Read more »

On February 4th 2021 I was perched of the side of the Sierra Negra mountains in Cape Verde collecting biometric data of red billed tropic birds and deploying GPS trackers. I was blissfully unaware of the events occurring back at Pensthorpe. I knew there were still cases of avian influenza being reported daily in the… Read more »

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2nd February each year, to raise global awareness about Wetlands and the vital role they play for people and the planet. Wetlands are amazing, they sustain life; teem with biodiversity; naturally filter pollutants; store carbon and provide vital flood protection from storms. They are dynamic and ever changing throughout the… Read more »

A milestone for partners in large scale curlew release We’re pleased to announce that the Eurasian curlews that experts from our Pensthorpe Conservation Trust team hand reared from incubation in a purpose built facility were released at Sandringham Estate in the presence of HRH Prince of Wales yesterday (27th July 2021). This was a huge milestone… Read more »

Learn more about our super team of volunteers! This week was Volunteers’ week; a week to recognise and appreciate the hard work and contribution carried out by individuals all across the UK; we’re marking this week by celebrating the hard work of our wonderful group of volunteers we currently have as part of our Pensthorpe… Read more »

The Millennium Garden’s top 20 plants We’re celebrating 20 years of the stunning Millennium Garden – our wild, one-acre contemporary landscape designed by world-renowned Dutch plantsman, Piet Oudolf. There may be hundreds of plants set within the colourful borders but which ones are the stars to look out for? Head Gardener, Jonathan Pearce, gives us his top 20.… Read more »