So much to see in one of Norfolk’s many birding hotspots
Even if you’re new to birdwatching, you probably know north Norfolk boasts some of the UK’s best birding sites – Titchwell Marsh and Snettisham RSPB reserves, Cley Marshes NWT, Holkham NNR, and Sculthorpe Moor, to name but a few.
But if you’re birding in this part of East Anglia, don’t ignore some lesserknown spots – even a half hour scanning at most of these can pay big dividends.
A lot of birders speed past Holme NNR in their haste to get to Titchwell. That’s a mistake, because it has its own attractions, notably plenty of scrub that can hold large numbers and variety of passerines during migration periods.
Thornham Harbour is close to Titchwell, but you’ll find it much quieter, with a chance to make your own discoveries. The creeks and saltmarsh will play host to a wide variety of waders in autumn, raptors such as
Merlin, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owls are worth looking for, and in winter Twite are sometimes present.
Choseley Drying Barns are a short walk from Titchwell Marsh RSPB, and are a good place to look for oncecommon farmland birds not always found elsewhere these days. Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Turtle Dove and Grey Partridge can all be found here.
Salthouse boasts many of the same habitats as Cley Marshes, but again is quieter, making it easier to find your own birds. As autumn moves into winter, it can be a good place to look for the likes of Snow Buntings and Shore Larks, and it’s a good place to seawatch from the shingle bank.
It’s surprising how many birders regularly visit Norfolk without sampling the Broads – Hickling Broad NWT is as good a place as any to start. As well as the many Marsh Harriers, expect Bitterns, Bearded Tits, and even Cranes, which are now firmly re-established as breeding birds.