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Description
Surprisingly, given its proximity to Norwich city centre, Thorpe St. Andrew's Broad (locally referred to as Thorpe Marshes) is an excellent place to see a variety of bird species, some of which you might not expect in such an urban setting. The reserve consists of a short circular walk, including a viewpoint over the lake, and bridge crossing a railway to access the reserve.
Throughout the year, Thorpe Marshes is home to a variety of common wetland birds including црвеноклун лебед, Дива патка, сива патка and цуцулест нуркач. The reedbed holds свиларче and Мочварна овесарка, while планинско ливадарче may be adorning the tops of bushes in the marshland area. The river offers chances to see рибарче on any visit to the site. At dawn and dusk, Кукавија may be sighted hunting around the reserve.
In winter, the lake (broad) make hold цуцулест кожувар, четириока патка, патка берија, патка лажичарка and мал нуркач. In periods of colder weather, голем северен нуркач, бел нуркач and црноврат нуркач may put in appearances for lucky spotters, as well as голем воден бик . The marshland will hold good numbers of обична бекасина and even a few мала бекасина, although these will be difficult to find. A few ливадска трепетилка will also be found here.
It is sometimes worth wandering up the river to Thorpe Green, where familes feed the ducks and gulls. Have a look through groups of езерски галеб and обичен галеб for colour-ringed birds from eastern europe. Wildfowl including Egyptian Goose will also be seen here.
In spring, there is always a chance of finding a rarer visitor on the broad including Common Scoter, Arctic Tern, мал галеб and црна рибарка, while речна чигра are expected to be seen from April onwards. Large number of feeding hirundines congregate over the broad, including брегова ластовичка, селска ластовичка and градска ластовичка, usally joined by обична пиштарка in May.
The marshland fills with the sound of singing warblers in April and May, including црноглаво грмушарче, обичен свиркач, мал трскар, трскар рогозар, обично грмушарче and smaller numbers of брезов свиркач, Lesser Whitethroat and even полски трскарcan be heard! Both блатен трскар and штурче трскарче have been recorded at the site, but are very rare.
In the summer and autumn, сокол ластовичар may be seen feeding over the reserve, and expect large numbers of дива гуска in the area. Waders may be found at the broad, including остригар and речна тринга if the water levels are low. You may encounter the local Rose-ringed Parakeet population at Thorpe Green, which are slowly increasing in the area.
Details
Access
To access the reserve, walk along Whitlingham Lane, located at the traffic light junction with Yarmouth Road. At the end of this short road there is a footbridge over the railway line which gives access to the reserve. Please note there is no parking on Whitlingham Lane. The site is easily reached via bus from Norwich city centre. The paths can often be muddy and flooded so wellingtons are recommended in the winter months.