North Norfolk

[dav56]

I am planning a trip to Norfolk towards the end of March. Could you please help with a little advice on what birds will be about and where the best place is to see them.

Thanks
Dave

[Tringa]

Have a look at this link.

The RSPB: Titchwell Marsh

Titchwell is an excellent reserve, but there are lots of places in North Norfolk that are similarly good,
eg Cley NWT Cley Marshes

and Holkham Holkham Nature Reserve - North Norfolk Coast, England

And for post birding relaxation there is the Red Lion at Stiffkey.

Dave

[bugly's]

Where to start!
Brush up on waders, start snettisham, rspb but open access, use beach car park (charge) unless a member. walk up between beach houses and around the lagoons, come back down the beach. check tide times and try to be at the last hide for high tide about hour walk from car park. Check the ponds and dunes behind public car park for passage birds coming through. Ignore heacham, hunstanton. park on clifftop by light house and fulmars will be floating around below you to left.
Holme NNR pay at car park and have a good look around, shrikes, passage migrants, and just about anything can fly in, also loads of lizards in dunes. Terns- little and sandwich
Titchwell, rspb avocets, waders wildfowl. check beach at end for sanderlings, purple and curlew sand, and of course gulls,
Focus optics is near here if you want to check some gear out
Cley, like titchwell but anything and everything drops in here - superb deli in the village and the tea shop is best in uk. dont bother going past here though not much on offer.
if you fancy just being quiet and enjoying norfolk go to brancaster and sit with the boats redshanks and turnstones with your packed lunch maybe take a seal trip.
Inland wicken fen need i say anymore!
norfolk is superb, totally original always rewarding on many levels and very frustrating it is the home of the little brown job, and wader in bad light- enjoy

ps if the sun shines be careful in the dunes with binoculars at holkham gap -naturist area, natterjack toads in the evening at the left side of nudist area if you are looking out to sea.

[bugly's]

forgot to say, if the tide is out telescopes are a must!

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by bugly's

forgot to say, if the tide is out telescopes are a must!

If you have a large telescope, expect plenty of admirers if you walk through the naturist area.

Neil.

[Tormentil]

Thanks for the tips Tringa & Bugly's. We too will be in Norfolk in March, at Thursford.

[rlchew]

In addition to the sites already mentioned, don't forget RSPB Snettisham and NWT Hickling Stubb Mill. Both of these are brilliant winter locations.

"Best Birdwatching Sites in Norfolk" is also highly recommended .... a site-by-site guide with loads of information on where and when to go and what to see.

You will enjoy Norfolk!

Richard

[Graeme B]

I'd agree with all the above recommendations, but one site that often gets overlooked is The Hawk and Owl Trust Reserve at Sculthorpe Moor.

Don't be put off by the driveway entrance once you get on the reserve it's brilliant. As well as the birds there are water voles on the reserve, last time we were there we could hear them munching on vegetation before we saw them

[bugly's]

I have got 4 days off so just checking the weather and tides, think i might take my own advice and walk the coast this weekend.

Anyone who goes to norfolk should check the tide times, high tide at snettisham comes after that at cromer about 30-40 mins. Cromer is the closest listing on this site. If it isn't high tide you need a good scope on the beach. just put the www. in front

pol.ac.uk/ntslf/tidalp.html