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Description
RSPB Surlingham Church Marshes is a small reserve which offers birders a short 2km circular walk, with a mixture of habitats that supports a wide variety of species throguhout the year, and boasts some of the more highly sought after birds in the Yare Valley! This peaceful reserve has something to offer throughout the year, and is well worth a couple of hours of your time if you are in the area.
In all seasons, the reedbed at the centre of the reserve is home to iconic species of the area including moták pochop and sýkořice vousatá, while the wet woodland is worth searching for sýkora babka, šoupálek dlouhoprstý and hýl obecný. If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a ledňáček říční whizzing up and down the river. You will hear cetie jižní on most visits too.
In winter, paths around the reserve are susceptible to flooding and may also become muddy and slippery. Sturdy, waterproof footwear is highly recommended. However, it is also a great time to visit the reserve as large flocks of špaček obecný will put on a fantasitc display at dusk as group together before they drop into the reedbed to roost. Colder weather will bring opprotunities to see elusive bukač velký. It is worth scanning Postwick Marshes with a scope at this time of year, as husa krátkozobá and the rarer husa běločelá can sometimes be found. The marshes are also frequented by hunting sokol stěhovavý and Sova pálená. There are better reserves in the area to search for wildfowl, but hvízdák eurasijský and čírka obecná are both often found along the riverbank and in the wet woodland. For the keen eyed spotters, the marshes accomodate bekasina otavní, slučka malá and sluka lesní.
Spring is a great time to visit Surlingham, as the sound of warbler song returns to the reedbed. You will be able to hear rákosník obecný, rákosník proužkovaný and possibly even cvrčilka zelená. The resident potápka roháč will be displaying on the river. The wet woodland and scrub areas of the reserve will hold pěnice černohlavá, pěnice hnědokřídlá and potentially kukačka obecná. Scanning over to Postwick Marshes, waders including čejka chocholatá and ústřičník velký may be seen, while pisík obecný can be spotted on the riverbank.
Summer is a great time to see and hear families of sýkořice vousatá roaming the reedbed, while looking up in the sky may reveal hawking ostříž lesní, rorýs obecný and flocks of vlaštovka obecná, jiřička obecná and břehule říční. Postwick Marshes sometimes holds konipas luční.
Autumn can be quiet at Surlingham, however, there is always a chance of finding returning drozd cvrčala and drozd kvíčala. It is always worth locating flocks of mlynařík dlouhoocasý in the wet woodland, as there is chance of finding something rarer with them. Herons including the locally scarce volavka bílá may be seen from the hide. The marshland areas may hold families of bramborníček černohlavý. Visitors to the reserve are encouraged to share their sightings on the board in the hide.
Details
Access
Park at Surlingham Church (postcode: NR14 7DF), and take the Wherryman's Way footpath past the cottage, which leads down a slight slope towards the river. This will put you on the circular path around the reserve.