Bowthorpe Marshes

Set to the West of the city, Bowthorpe Marshes lies alongside the River Wensum just upstream from Earlham Park, the Hospital and the UEA. About mid-afternoon, with plenty of snow on the ground still, I thought it a good spot for finding mammal footprints, geese and ducks. I accessed the site from the Northern end (Bowthorpe Park), parking in the carpark just off the roundabout along Three Score Road.

The bushes by the carpark were ringing with Blue and Great Tits, and Blackbirds and Robins flitting from branch to branch. Goldfinch and a couple of Greenfinch in the very top of the trees were very active, and a few Fieldfares were present in the paddock close to the houses. Walking through the horse field, most of the pools were frozen with just a few gulls, both Common and Black-headed, stood around them. A Heron and Little Egret stood on the far bank of the river.

The larger pool by the dead trees (showing evidence of woodpecker) had around a dozen Canada Geese, which were joined by four Barnacle Geese that flew in from upstream, along with five Mute Swan, Wigeon, Mallard, Coot and Moorhen.

Further along towards the roadbridge a few Jackdaws and Carrion Crows were probing through the snow, and Wrens were calling from the far bank.

On the other side of the roadbridge the marshes open out towards the housing estate to your left and farmland to the right. Teal, Mallard and Moorhen dabbled along the winding curves of the river, whilst a Grey Heron stood hunched not far away. I found two sets of tracks which I think are Otter that cut across two of the bends, tightly spaced and with a groove of a tail. I didn't manage to see any mammals (I was hoping for Weasel or Stoat). I walked as far as the pylons and then headed back as the light was fading fast.

Today I made another visit, now the snow has gone, but hadn't counted on the flooding! The path was very boggy and muddy in places, and the path was completely underwater from the roadbridge, so I decided to have a walk around the broad at the UEA. I parked in what I call the 'dogwalkers' carpark along Colney Lane near the estate.

A good smattering of Siskin were calling from the pine trees as I made my way down to the bridge, where again I found the river swollen but the broad not much higher than normal. Black-headed Gulls and Great Crested Grebes being churned about a bit on the main broad in the strong winds, and this combined with the amount of dogs around meant the Otters were nowhere to be seen again. Lots of Magpies and Carrion Crows along the boardwalk by the river, but no Water Voles.