Cley Marshes Nature Reserve, Norfolk

During our week away we ventured east from Rutland to Norfolk. Our first port of call was Barton Broad on an overcast, cold and windy afternoon which meant an absence of sightings other than a very striking Alder Moth and a few fungi but still an enjoyable stroll around the fenland boardwalk. The following day we headed to Cley to Cley Marshes Nature Reserve managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

We stopped by the Visitors Centre to pay for entry to the reserve and on arrival at the shingle beach the clouds began to recede and blue skies hugged the coastline for the remainder of the day. The reserve comprises of shingle beach, reedbeds, saltmarsh, saline lagoons which makes for an interesting landscape and one of the first specimens of vegetation to catch the eye were these striking Yellow Horned Poppy (Glucium flavum).

The long thin seedpods resemble horns, hence the name.

The waxy leaves have a hairy surface which enables the plant to retain moisture.

The wind was pretty strong so we were surprised to spot this female Grayling, as it lanaded on the shingle, a first for me, it settled into a hollow, its forewing tucked tightly into its hindwing as it sheltered from the wind.

Then a smaller butterfly stopped by, a female Common Blue sheltered down to bask amongst the shingle.

It wasn't just the butterflies that were making the most of the weather.

From the nearby hide, at a distance we saw 10 Spoonbill, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Shelduck, Lapwing, Teal, Ringed Plover.

On the raised path between the marshy pools the flanking vegetation provided shelter for plenty of Common Blues, Gatekeepers and 10 or so Common Darters.

The moment we turned back we were confronted by a hobby or sparrowhawk flying along the channel next to us and in an instant it dove down into the reeds, according to the listings both birds are regularly spotted on the reserve.

After a pitstop return to the visitors centre we crossed the road to visit more hides. On crossing a bridge we heard a plop in the water below and spotted a Water Vole unconcerned by the attention and remained for approximately 5 minutes until the bridge was full of people before it decided to disappear.

A few metres away I got my first female Wall Brown together with the first Painted Lady of the year.

A few metres further a male Migrant Hawker at rest on vegetation.

To top it all off we popped into Cookies Crab Shop in Salthouse for a crab and crayfish salad, where two Marsh Harriers were spotted on the way.

As we were heading to Sheringham for an ice cream we spotted a number of birders with scopes heading down a lane, needless to say the ice cream took priority but on our return Andrea popped down to check out the fuss and caught a distant glimpse  of a Lesser Grey Shrike, the talk of Norfolk birder for the rest of the week. Phew!

Water Vole

Earlier today we enjoyed our first ever visit to Askham Bog YWT Reserve. Two miles SW of York, its an ancient relict fen, with a one mile boardwalk route through the reserve.

To our left we heard a loud rustle in the vegetation at the waters edge. Having read on one of the information boards that Roe Deer are often seen in the area we stood still & silent in anticipation of a deer. The noise continued but no deer appeared. I crept along the boardwalk walking far enough to gain an unobscured view of the far bank whereby I noticed a much smaller mammal. Initially I thought it was a rat but this was more rounded and didn't have the ears or the tail of a rat.


It was a Water Vole, Arvicola terrestris. We'd never seen one before & luckily managed to observe it for a good few minutes.

They eat grasses & waterside vegetation. Their most important predators are mink and stoats.

After a couple of minutes it swam over to the near bank.

When it reached the near bankside it lowered its head below water level & its head became covered in weed. You can just make it out in the next two shots.

The Water Vole returned to the far bank and removed the pondweed in a flash, too quick for me to capture anyway.

It disappeared underwater with a 'plop' which Ive subsequently read is characteristic of Water Voles. What a fantastic discovery. The Mammal Society have more information about these wonderful creatures.