Birding n THE BROADS
Messing about on the water in the lovely county of Norfolk provides a great opportunity for some superb birding
Mention ‘The Norfolk Broads’ to an American and it no doubt conjures up images of ne’er-do-well women. The term is also a misnomer. Although the majority of this network of rivers and lakes flow through Norfolk, a decent chunk of it weaves through the county of Suffolk to its south. It was throughout the former that we were to spend a couple of days birding by boat. This novel approach has a number of advantages. You can view both sides of the river and everything that’s on it.
Vistas usually hidden by reedbed suddenly become apparent and you can get much closer to otherwise shy water birds. It’s also a beautifully tranquil means by which to see an oft-overlooked part of Britain’s most celebrated birding county. Generally known as ‘The Broads’, this pancake-flat region between Norwich and Norfolk’s east coast, and reaching down into northern Suffolk, is a haunting, sometimes eerie, wilderness of lake and river, reedbed and marsh, huge skies and distant horizons, cut only by windmills and the gaff-rigged sails of far-off yachts. Three rivers – the Yare, Waveney and Bure and their various tributaries – meander across these flatlands, converging on Breydon Water before flowing into the sea at the old port and seaside resort of Great Yarmouth. We were going to follow the River Yare downstream from Brundall to Breydon Water and then the River Waveney to our final destination at Burgh St Peter.
Wetland haven
In the floodplain of the River Yare, in the heart of Broadland, the beautiful Strumpshaw Fen is a haven for all kinds of wetland wildlife, and is the flagship reserve among a string of RSPB sites in the area. All Broadland habitats are here, primarily acres of reedbed and open water, but also wet meadowland with numerous small pools, ditches and boggy patches, bordered by wet woodland and scrub. The reserve has year-round appeal for the species that winter on the pools, and those that breed in the reedbed, including specialities such as Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Bearded Tit and Cetti’s Warbler. An added attraction in the summer is the Swallowtail Butterfly, on the wing in June and sometimes in August. Spring and summer are especially exciting, but the sweeping Broadland skies and scenery are always unforgettable in this highly distinctive corner of Britain. Just across the River Yare and upstream of the larger reserve of Strumpshaw Fen, Surlingham Church Marsh (also RSPB) is typical of the Broads and has much in common with its neighbour. Typical Broadland birds (including Kingfisher) reside in a mixture of reed and sedge fen, open water, ditches, Alder and willow carr. One can explore it from the circular nature trail in a couple of hours and this is therefore a good place to visit if you’re in the area but only have a short amount of spare time. The reserve is excellent for passage waders and there’s a good chance of hearing Grasshopper Warbler in summer. As for actually seeing them, well, that’s an entirely different matter. Further downstream, the traditionally managed grazing marsh of Buckenham Marshes (again RSPB) attracts many ducks, geese and waders in autumn and winter. The reserve, along with the adjacent Cantley Marshes, is best known for being the wintering ground for England’s only regular flock of taiga Bean Geese. The geese tend to arrive in November, but, to be sure of seeing them, a visit from December through to January is best. They are often joined by White-fronted Geese, to boot. In spring and summer, the marshes are home to breeding Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew and Redshank. It’s a great spot for Water Pipit in winter, too. Since there is no mooring available at the first three RSPB reserves, one is best off
AT BOTH STRUMPSHAW FEN AND BERNEY MARSHES/BREYDON WATER NATURE RESERVES, YOU CAN ARRANGE FOR A WARDEN TO TAKE YOU ON YOUR OWN UNIQUE WILDLIFE SAFARI...
exploring them by car or (even better) on foot, before launching off from Brundall Broad. Further downstream, Reedham Ferry makes an ideal berth for the night with an adjacent hospitable inn. The reedbeds were quiet on our visit in early April, but I imagine they must rattle with a nocturnal cacophony of Reed and Sedge Warbler later in the spring. Insomnia by Acrocephalus song to those unaccustomed to it. Ignoring New Cut (an early 19th Century canal shortcut to Lowestoft), it’s just a short journey downstream to an idyll. Berney Marshes is probably the most remote RSPB reserve in England – you can only reach it by train, boat or on foot. It lies on the River Yare and incorporates part of Breydon Water. The area is productive for breeding waders in summer, and wildfowl and waders flock here in winter. The reserve also regularly attracts rarities – a Great Knot was present in 2014. During passage periods, a good range of migrating waders can be expected, along with gulls and terns. Both the north and south shores of the estuary are served by footpaths, with hides at the eastern end. The north-eastern corner of the estuary tends to be particularly productive for waders and is best visited on a rising tide. The Broads are witness to a Rent-awarden scheme that the RSPB has rolled out in these aqueous environs. At both Strumpshaw Fen and Berney Marshes/ Breydon Water nature reserves, you can arrange for a warden to take you on your own unique wildlife safari. Each visit is tailored to suit the guest and one can even set foot in areas not normally accessible to the public. All visits last around four hours and include light refreshments, with the income generated from each visit directly supporting the RSPB’S work in the Broads. More of this interactive device elsewhere please. A more upmarket inn is to be found at Somerleyton Staithe, upstream from Breydon Water and over the Suffolk border. The Victorian extravaganza of Somerleyton Hall lies a short distance away on its sandy knoll. Here the marshland vistas are more open than they are upstream and the nearby Haddiscoe Marshes are a particular hotspot for Rough-legged Buzzard from October until the spring. Reed Buntings sing from all quarters on this stretch. Situated at the western end of Oulton Broad, within the Waveney Valley, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Carlton Marshes consist of grazing marsh, fen and peat pools supporting a typical range of Broadland birds. This reserve is also of particular interest to the botanist and lepidopterist. During the summer the dykes abound with marsh plants, including the localised Water Soldier, and insects, such as the rare Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly. Don’t miss the extraordinary church tower of St Mary at Burgh St Peter on the opposite side of the river. It is supposedly based on a church that a rector’s son saw on the Grand Tour in Italy, but it appears to have more in common with the ziggurat temples of Iraq. This is the true pleasure of The Broads – you never know (avian or otherwise) what’s round the next watery bend.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
For all things Norfolk: visitnorfolk.co.uk Broads Authority: enjoythebroads.com Silver Elegance (BH2166), one of the Hoseason’s fleet (hoseasons.co.uk / 0844 847 1100) on the Broads sleeps six and costs from £949 per week (short breaks from £705). RSPB Strumpshaw Fen: rspb.org.uk/strumpshawfen
PIT STOPS
waveneyrivercentre.co.uk reedhamferry.co.uk burghcastlemarina.co.uk/the-fishermans-inn dukesheadsomerleyton.co.uk