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Description
Whitlingham Country Park is owned and managed by the Whitlingham Charitable Trust, and consists of two lakes, Great Broad and Little Broad (both created by former gravel extraction) with the River Yare running parallel alongside. There is also a stand of mixed deciduous woodland and a small area of marshland on the south-east side of the park. The site has a Visitor Centre with a café and toilet facilities available. The paths round the park are well maintained, and suitable for birders of all abilities, although the paths can get muddy in some spots in winter. There are also bikes for hire at the Visitor Centre, which could make your travel around the site more exciting. In all seasons, the site hosts wetland birds including rybárik riečny , potápka chochlatá , kormorán veľký, labuť veľká and húska štíhla. A search around the woodland may reveal ďateľ veľký, kôrovník dlhoprstý, králik zlatohlavý and a variety of common garden birds. Listen out for cetia západná calling loudly around the lake margins too.
Winter is considered by birders as the best time to visit. Large flocks of diving duck can be seen on Great Broad (the largest lake) including chochlačka vrkočatá accompanied by smaller numbers of chochlačka sivá and hlaholka severská. In colder periods, lucky birders may find potápač veľký, potápač malý or chochlačka morská, all of which are seen at Whitlingham most winters. A secretive bučiak veľký may also be hiding in the reeds on the northern edge of the lake. Dabbling ducks prefer Little Broad, where kačica chripľavka, kačica lyžičiarka and kačica chrapka are usually present. The alder trees lining the lakes are a fantastic place to search for wintering flocks of stehlík čížik and stehlík hnedkavý.
Spring sees warblers returning to the park, and the woodland fills with the sound of kolibiarik čipčavý, penica čiernohlavá and penica slávikovitá. The lake margins may be visited by returning waders including kalužiačik malý and lastúrničiar strakatý, while rybár riečny and large numbers of hirundines including brehuľa hnedá and lastovička obyčajná may be feeding over the water. Following heavy rainfall in April, scarcer species such as rybár dlhochvostý, čajka malá and turpan čierny may also be found on the lakes, while čorík čierny are annual visitors for brief periods in May. Listen out for calls of kukučka obyčajná across the park.
Summer and autumn can be a quieter time for birding at Whitlingham, but expect large numbers of hus divá on Great Broad in July and August, and keep your eyes to the skies for sokol lastovičiar and dážďovník obyčajný feeding on the flying insects over the lakes. Occasionally, kaňa močiarna will drift over the park from other areas of the Yare Valley, and kačička mandarínska may also be encountered. The reedbeds may be filled with the chatter of trsteniarik bahenný. In September and October, keep an eye out for thrushes including drozd červenkavý and drozd čvíkota, as well as returning wildfowl.
Details
Access
Whitlingham Country Park is only two miles from Norwich city centre, and can be reached easily by car, bike or on foot from any bus stop near Trowse. There are large pay and display car parks near the visitor centre, as well as racks to lock up your bike safely if cycling to the site. More details can be found on the Whitlingham Country Park website.
Taking the circular walk around Great Broad is recommended at all times of the year (especially winter), while a walk around the woodland may be warrented in spring. A scope is not necerssary, but may help when scanning though flocks of diving ducks or gulls in the winter.
Terrain and Habitat
Forest , Wetland , River , Lake , City/villageConditions
FlatCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
Can be usefulGood birding season
Winter , SpringBest time to visit
Winter , SpringRoute
Wide pathDifficulty walking trail
EasyAccessible by
Foot , BicycleBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
Whitlingham Country Park is popular with families, dog walkers, fishermen and watersports enthusiasts. Therefore, the park can be very busy, especially during weekends or on warm sunny days. For birders, it is recommended that they visit in the mornings and evenings to avoid the most likely times for disturbance by other activites.