Description
Stubb Mill is part of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's spectacular Hickling Broad reserve. The Stubb Mill trail offers a viewpoint to watch (sometimes over 60!) Kurki coming into roost, as well as large numbers of ruskosuohaukka! The viewpoint is best visited in the winter months (Oct - Mar), when counts of both species using the site will be at their highest.
On a winter's evening, the harrier roost may also be used by small numbers of sinisuohaukka, so worth scanning through the harriers carefully. Occasionally ampuhaukka and suopöllö may be seen, while tornipöllö and jalohaikara are regulars. On some nights, skenes of lyhytnokkahanhi may come over the viewpoint on their way into roost on Hickling Broad, joined by tundrahanhi and potentially pikkujoutsen and laulujoutsen when species are over-wintering in the area.
The woodland and scrub areas support roosting finches including järripeippo and keltasirkku. In late evenings, lehtokurppa may be seen leaving roost over the viewpoint too. The Stubb Mill trail takes visitors past the new Brendan's Marsh scrape, which will have tavi, haapana, Lapasorsa and other wildfowl on it during the winter. It is not unsual to find vuorikirvinen here too as well as a few waders including taivaanvuohi, suokukko and töyhtöhyyppä. There is a viewing tower enabling visitors to scan the marsh for other species of interest.
In both the summer months the viewpoint is much quiter, however, Brendan's Marsh is a hotspot for waders and metsäviklo, valkoviklo and other migratory species may be found. Rarities such as pitkäjalka, lapinsirri and palsasirri are a genuine possibility if you're very lucky here! You may also encounter hawking nuolihaukka.
Details
Access
Park at the NWT Hickling Broad car park. Don't forget to sign in at the Visitor Centre if it is open! Follow the trail past Brendan's Marsh to the raptor viewpoint. It is well signposted from the car park. If it is dark by the time you leave the viewpoint, you can walk back to the car park along the road if the footpath is slippery. There is a disabled car park by the viewpoint, but it must only be used by 'blue badge' holders.
