ENGLAND

NORFOLK

NORTH NORFOLK COAST; HUNSTANTON to SHERINGHAM: Blakeney Point (Morston Salt Marshes), Brancaster (Scolt Head Island), Cley next the Sea, Dead Man’s Hill, Holkham Bay (Overy Marsh), Holme next the Sea (Gore Point), North Norfolk Coastal Path, Peddars Way, Salthouse, Stiffkey Salt Marshes, Titchwell, Wells next the Sea (Warham Salt Marshes and Greens)

National Grid (see text) 00o00´/00o00´ N/A ha m, shingle, saltmarsh, dunes, pines 
Anytime (03.05.92, 15-17.05.92, 15-16.05.93, 21-22.05.93, 20-22.05.94, 19-21.05.95)

 

Birding Site Guide

Also search BSG with ‘Norfolk’ for other sites nearby, or by a species, as there are many good birding sites in the county. The places are given in this account West to East, some sites may also have individual accounts on BSG. The main coast road is the A149, the heaths lie S of this road and information on them is given in a separate account on BSG; North Norfolk Heaths.

HUNSTANTON on the NE side of the Wash (National Grid TF672408) 13m, is where the North Norfolk Coastal Path starts (on the B1161), and as you head NE out of town you pass cliffs that become sand dunes. The sea watching from Hunstanton provides probably the best opportunity in Norfolk for sea ducks, sawbills, grebes and divers and passage shearwaters and Skuas. Further along there are the marshes and reedbeds of HOLME NEXT THE SEA with its bird observatory and accommodation. There are also some isolated pines and scrub which are attractive to migrants and GORE POINT (TF708449) which is just above sea level, and the open water of Broad Water. The marshes continue E past Thornham, where there is a high tide wader roost, to the RSPB TITCHWELL reserve (TF748438) 3m, which has full visitor facilities including a large car park, cafe and shop. The reserve has huge reedbeds which are excellent for breeding Bittern, Bearded Tits and Reed Warblers and large areas of open water with a good range of water birds. As well as the footpaths on the reserve there is a N-S Public Right of Way along the edge of the reserve which runs right to the beach.

A little further E brings you to the large National Trust Reserve at BRANCASTER (SCOLT HEAD ISLAND 1,800ha) where there is a car park at the W end (TF771450). The main attractions here are the breeding Sandwich and Common Terns. The coastal path continues along the S side past Burnham Harbour to HOLKHAM BAY and OVERY MARSH (TF860448). The Holkham Pines (Corsican Pines) along the beach and associated bushes are a good migrant trap as is the lake side at the nearby Holkham Hall lying just S of here over the A149 (see separate account on BSG).

The coastal path continues N of WELLS NEXT THE SEA (TF916434, 12m) with WARHAM SALT MARSHES AND GREENS (TF939445) to another National Trust property STIFFKEY SALT MARSHES (TF965440), the only access here being by a short N-S Public Right of Way, the coast path continues along its S edge and to the adjacent National Trust MORTON SALT MARSHES which has parking and visitor centre at TF005442. This area is directly S of the National Trust’s BLAKENEY POINT (TG001463), which lies at the most northern part of Norfolk on its N coast and adjoins Cley (E). It is 1,340ha 2m, shingle, saltmarsh and dunes. Blakeney town is on the A149 coast road, there is parking N of the town, but the main access to the point is 2.6km E of town where there is a turning N for 1.1km to the car park on the coast at Cley Eye.

The Point is a natural shingle bar extending W over 6km long, enclosing an area of saltmarsh. The River Glaven flows in from its E end. Areas to bird from along the Point include The Marrams, The Hood (halfway), Long Hills/Pits Point. The NT operate a boat to the head from Morston (2km W of Blakeney), otherwise it is possible to park at the car park at the Cley Eye end and walk. Common and Little Terns breed, along with a few Arctic; gulls and waders are obvious attractions, as are Brent Geese in winter and the site can turn up rarities too as on my visit when a superb Woodchat Shrike was present. The North Norfolk Coast can attract good numbers of Lapland Buntings in winter.

CLEY (TG053440) (Norfolk Naturalists’ Trust, National Trust) consists c.266ha 1-7m, shingle beach and brackish and freshwater pools with large reedbeds. Cley lies on the E side of the River Glaven outlet with Blakeney Point to the W and Salthouse Heath is immediately SW over the A149 (see separate North Norfolk Heaths account on BSG).

Cley Next The Sea lies just S of the main coast road, the A149. Parking is found 1.1km N from the town off A149 on the coast at Cley Eye or just E of town at the visitor centre (S side of road) and a little further along on N side of road. There is a path with a few hides and an admission fee is charged for non-members.

This is one of the best birding sites in Britain and anything can turn up. It is particularly good for passage waders and harriers. Autumn brings flocks of terns and Little Gulls. The reedbeds have large numbers of Bearded Tits, and Bittern. In winter the site, especially along the beach, is good for Horned Lark, Snow and Lapland Buntings. Also along the beach heading E towards the coast guards are some isolated Tamarisk bushes which attract incoming weary migrants. Over 280 species have been recorded in the area.

Moving on E past Salthouse Marshes on the coastal path along the beach now brings you to the National Trust’s DEAD MAN’S HILL (National Grid TG131435, 30m).

 

Birds seen (this is a composite list from all my visits). My list below gives an idea of species which can be expected, but also includes a few rarities, dates of visits are given at the top of the page.

  • Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
  • Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
  • Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
  • Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
  • Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris
  • Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
  • Mute Swan Cygnus olor
  • Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
  • Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
  • Greylag Goose Anser anser
  • Brant Branta bernicla
  • Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
  • Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
  • Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
  • Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
  • Northern Pintail Anas acuta
  • Garganey Anas querquedula
  • Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
  • Common Pochard Aythya ferina
  • Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
  • Common Eider Somateria mollissima
  • Smew Mergellus albellus
  • Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
  • Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
  • Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
  • Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
  • Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus intro'
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
  • Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
  • Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
  • Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus rare
  • Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
  • Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
  • Eurasian Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria
  • Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
  • Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
  • Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
  • Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
  • Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NR
  • Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
  • Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
  • Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  • Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
  • Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
  • Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
  • Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
  • Common Redshank Tringa totanus
  • Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
  • Red Knot Calidris canutus
  • Sanderling Calidris alba
  • Little Stint Calidris minuta
  • Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
  • Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
  • Dunlin Calidris alpina
  • Ruff Philomachus pugnax
  • Mew Gull Larus canus
  • Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
  • European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
  • Little Gull Larus minutus
  • Little Tern Sternula albifrons
  • Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
  • Common Tern Sterna hirundo
  • Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
  • Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
  • Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
  • Stock Dove Columba oenas
  • Rock Pigeon Columba livia
  • Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
  • Common Swift Apus apus
  • Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
  • Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
  • Sand Martin Riparia riparia
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  • House Martin Delichon urbicum
  • Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
  • Pied/White Wagtail Motacilla alba
  • Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
  • Goldcrest Regulus regulus
  • Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
  • Dunnock Prunella modularis
  • Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
  • Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
  • Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
  • Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
  • Garden Warbler Sylvia borin
  • Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
  • European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
  • Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
  • Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus
  • Great Tit Parus major
  • Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
  • Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
  • Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator rare
  • Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
  • Carrion Crow Corvus corone
  • European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
  • Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
  • European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
  • Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina
  • Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

 

Coastal plants found on the North Norfolk Coast (follows Stace)

  • Bulbous Foxtail Alopecurus bulbosus
  • Marsh-mallow Althaea officinalis
  • Marram Ammophila arenaria
  • Thrift Armeria maritima
  • Sea Aster Aster tripolium
  • Purple Milk-vetch Astragalus danicus
  • Babington's Orache Atriplex glabriuscula
  • Frosted Orache Atriplex laciniata
  • Grass-leaved Orache Atriplex littoralis
  • Long-stalked Orache Atriplex longipes
  • Sea-purslane Atriplex portulacoides
  • Beet Beta vulgaris
  • Slender Hare's-ear Bupleurum tenuissimum
  • Sea Rocket Cakile maritima
  • Sea Bindweed Calystegia soldanella
  • Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa
  • Sea Fern-grass Catapodium marinum
  • Oak-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodium glaucum
  • English Scurvygrass Cochlearia anglica
  • Danish Scurvygrass Cochlearia danica
  • Common Scurvygrass Cochlearia officinalis
  • Grey Hair-grass Corynephorus canescens
  • Sea Couch Elytrigia atherica
  • Sand Couch Elytrigia juncea
  • Sea-holly Eryngium maritimum
  • Rush-leaved Fescue Festuca arenaria
  • Red Fescue Festuca rubra
  • Sea-heath Frankenia laevis
  • Yellow Horned-poppy Glaucium flavum
  • Sea-milkwort Glaux maritima
  • Jersey Cudweed Gnaphalium luteoalbum
  • Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa
  • Sea Sandwort Honckenya peploides
  • Sea Barley Hordeum marinum
  • Slender Club-rush Isolepis cernua
  • Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii
  • Sea Pea Lathyrus japonicus
  • Tree-mallow Lavatera arborea
  • Lyme-grass Leymus arenarius
  • Matted Sea-lavender Limonium bellidifolium
  • Rock Sea-lavender Limonium binervosum
  • Lax-flowered Sea-lavender Limonium humile
  • Common Sea-lavender Limonium vulgare
  • Pale Flax Linum bienne
  • Hoary Stock Matthiola incana
  • Bur Medick Medicago minima
  • Curved Hard-grass Parapholis incurva
  • Hard-grass Parapholis strigosa
  • Sand Cat's-tail Phleum arenarium
  • Sea Plantain Plantago maritima
  • Bulbous Meadow-grass Poa bulbosa
  • Annual Beard-grass Polypogon monspeliensis
  • Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia distans
  • Borrer's Saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia fasciculata
  • Common Saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia maritima
  • Stiff Saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia rupestris
  • Spiral Tasselweed Ruppia cirrhosa
  • Beaked Tasselweed Ruppia maritima
  • Tamarisk Tamarix gallica
  • Long-spiked Glasswort Salicornia dolichostachya
  • Common Glasswort Salicornia europaea
  • Yellow Glasswort Salicornia fragilis
  • Shiny Glasswort Salicornia nitens
  • Glaucous Glasswort Salicornia obscura
  • One-flowered Glasswort Salicornia pusilla
  • Purple Glasswort Salicornia ramosissima
  • Prickly Saltwort Salsola kali
  • Brookweed Samolus valerandi
  • Perennial Glasswort Sarcocornia perennis
  • Berry Catchfly Cucubalus baccifer
  • Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre
  • White Stonecrop Sedum album
  • English Stonecrop Sedum anglicum
  • Rock Stonecrop Sedum forsterianum
  • Thick-leaved Stonecrop Sedum dasyphyllum
  • Orpine Sedum telephium
  • Butterfly Stonecrop Sedum spectabile
  • Mossy Stonecrop Crassula tillaea
  • Sea Wormwood Seriphidium maritimum
  • Sand Catchfly Silene conica
  • Sea Campion Silene uniflora
  • Common Cord-grass Spartina anglica
  • Annual Sea-blite Suaeda maritima
  • Shrubby Sea-blite Suaeda vera
  • Clustered Clover Trifolium glomeratum
  • Bird's-foot Clover Trifolium ornithopodioides
  • Sea Arrowgrass Triglochin maritimum
  • Sea Mayweed Tripleurospermum maritimum
  • Spring Vetch Vicia lathyroides
  • Dune Fescue Vulpia fasciculata
  • Narrow-leaved Eelgrass Zostera angustifolia
  • Dwarf Eelgrass Zostera noltei

 

Author: BSG

 

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