CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES 483 
ALDERFEN BROAD. 
It was but natural that our Trust should be anxious to own one of the 
Norfolk Broads, in view of the way that these unique English waterways 
are being spoilt by ‘development.’ It was not, however, until 1930 that 
an opportunity presented, and Alderfen Broad was purchased. This is 
a property of 68 acres with some 20 acres of open water surrounded by 
reed beds and marshland and three arable fields. It is ideal for our purpose, 
for it is one of the very few broads that is not in navigable communication 
with the river or other public waterway: it is also removed from any 
public highway. It is a place of quiet beauty, particularly attractive to 
the botanist. It also affords nesting sites for many of the Broadland birds, 
but there is no evidence that either bittern or harrier has ever nested on 
the property. It is left undisturbed throughout the year and is looked 
after for us by a farmer who lives near by. To help to meet the outgoings 
we sell the reeds and let the fishing. 
HICKLING AND Horsey. 
In 1909, Whiteslea Lodge, a residence on a small island area of Hickling 
Broad, was bought by the late Lord Lucas, and in the following year he 
was joined by the late E. S. Montagu and Sir Edward Grey, who came in 
to help to run the place as a bird sanctuary. In this year, 1910, Sir Harold 
Harmsworth (now Lord Rothermere), who then rented Horsey, gave 
permission to the Hickling syndicate to protect a pair of Montagu’s harriers 
that nested on a marsh known as Horsey Brayden. ‘Two watchers were 
put on, night and day, for ten weeks, and three young harriers were 
hatched and gotaway. In the following year, 1911, four pairs of Montagu’s 
harriers nested on the Hickling-Horsey area, but two of these pairs were 
shot. Since then Montagu’s harriers have nested each year on the 
property. In 1912 Lord Lucas took over the remainder of the Horsey 
lease from Lord Rothermere. 
In 1915 the first pair of marsh-harriers nested on Horsey Brayden; 
but it was not until six years later, in 1921, that the marsh-harriers 
returned to nest. After another interval of six years, in 1927, a marsh- 
harrier returned and laid three addled eggs, but in the following year 
three pairs nested on the sanctuary. Since that date, 1928, one or more 
pairs have nested each year. 
In 1917 Lord Lucas was killed in aerial combat in the war and left the 
property to the Hon. Ivor Grenfell (Lord Desborough’s son), and E. S. 
Montagu continued his share in the management of the property until he 
died. At the lamented death, from a motor accident, of Ivor Grenfell, 
in 1926, the property was taken over by Lord Desborough, the present 
owner, who has since enlarged the estate by the purchase of surrounding 
properties. The Horsey Estate has been purchased by Major Anthony 
Buxton, who, to the great satisfaction of all ornithologists, is carrying on 
the traditions of the estate set by Lord Lucas. 
I have thought it fitting to give this brief history of the Hickling sanctuary 
to show you our indebtedness to those I have mentioned for the preservation 
of some of our rarest nesting birds. 
In connection with Broadland there is one other bird and name that 
I must mention. It is now a matter of history that after an interval of 
_ about forty years the bittern returned to nest in Norfolk on a reed bed 
on Sutton Broad, owned and protected by the late Sir Eustace Gurney : 
_ that was in the year 1911. Since that date our Norfolk bitterns have so 
increased under protection that they are now found nesting over most of 
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