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Butterbumps

JennyMorgan

By JennyMorgan
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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

Posted
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Okay, bittern to all you foreigners, heard one booming at Oulton Broad today, the first down here for many years. I couldn't see across the Broad due to the mist then I heard the distinctive boom, weird but welcome. Anyone else heard one? We heard several booming during last year's Three River's Race.

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Guest

Guest

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One flew across our bows on Meadow Dyke last year. Took me a while to realise what on earth it was! And a couple of years ago we heard one when we went on a walk across the marshes from Wood End Staithe.That's our sum total from many years of visiting, but both were rather special.

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Bonzo

Bonzo

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I heard one booming when I moored up for the night at Heigham Sound a couple of years ago. The call appeared to be coming from the Horsey area.

 

The sound is rather like the one you get when blowing over the top of an empty milk bottle.

 

I really must make a point of getting to the Broads early this year to hear the calls.

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SteveO

SteveO

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We see them often when we sail at Hickling and have heard them when walking from Ludham Bridge to How Hill. I think they are quite widespread but secretive. Last one I saw was in Kent nearby one of the sources of the river Ouse.

cheers

Steve

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16E

16E

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We heard one a few years ago when we were walking in the nature reserve at Wood End.  We also saw one in flight at the top of Barton Broad.

 

Our friends saw one fly over the M18 near Doncaster a couple of years ago.  Those Carr nature reserves are very broad-like.

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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

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Definitely  never heard one of them.. Never seen a swallowtail butterfly either and last year was the first time I saw a wild otter.. I really should spend less time in the pubs..

Quite! Some folk prefer fly-bridge boats so they can see over the reeds, fine, their choice, but by keeping our eyes open us folk down nearer the water can see so much in amongst the reeds. Nothing bland about the Broads, for those who use their eyes and ears!

 

At one point in last years 3RR I heard four bitterns on the go at the same time, magical. 

 

Coincidently I have yet to see a swallowtail but have seen numerous otters, a deer swimming across the river, swimming grass snakes, seals, mink, various owls and raptors and numerous critters that I didn't identify.

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JawsOrca

JawsOrca

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Coincidently I have yet to see a swallowtail ...

 

That makes me feel a bit better then if yourself as a local hasn't seen one!!  But it's good as there's still to experiance.

 

The first few days with a flybridge boat and I saw my first wild dear which was nice! The only place I've ever seen an Owl was in norfolk too, once at Thurne mill and actually last weekend on the way back from the erm pub lol.. Norfolk really is Britains magical waterways :)cheers

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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

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Lummy, only ever seen one owl! I've got two seemingly resident in my garden. I think half the trick is to be up early, sunrise, doing that I see foxes playing in the garden, deer coming up and look through the windows. At night I see pipistrelle bats, sometimes hear a nightingale, who'd live in a city!? 

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Gracie

Gracie

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Crikey JM, you are living my dream, why would anyone want to live in a City after reading JM's post.

 

Not seen a Bittern but have seen a beautiful Owl at one of the How Hill wind pumps, I'm sure she was nesting there as we saw her several times with food in her beak and disappearing inside the pump, definitley a sight for sore eyes

 

Grace

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LizG

LizG

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Heard and seen bittern, but seeing on Broads was a first last August near Ant mouth. Daughter 1 said, there's a heron...............then went no whow its a bittern.

 

Swallowtail yes

Otter yes

Grass snake yes

Barn owl yes

Crane yes

Chinese water deer swimming yes

 

Water Rail only in the Lea Valley

 

and has anyone ever seen a Purple Emperor butterfly whilst cruising the Broads - doesn't have to be recently either. Any info please PM

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Bonzo

Bonzo

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Well, this is the real beauty of our Norfolk Broads. There is so much wildlife to see if we just take some time to stop and observe it.

 

I have yet to see a bittern but have heard them a number of times. I have spotted several otters, barn owls, marsh harriers, kingfishers, egrets, and all sorts of other birds.

 

Also what is quite interesting is the snakes. I have seen many grass snakes swimming, they love water, my sister had one in her pond a couple of years ago and it also had some lovely little snakeys. I was moored at anchor about three years ago on Ranworth Broad and I spotted a snake swimming and heading straight for my boat. I suppose it thought the boat was dry land. There is a rather low transom on the boat and when the snake got closer I saw that it was an adder. Luckily it did not invite itself aboard and it swam over to the reeds.

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Polly

Polly

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Bittern, yes twice, and often heard. Swallowtail joined us on the tiller for the start of the 2008 3RR, made us late but who cared? Otters yes. Coots hatching yes, two woodpeckers on either side of the same post, was that a competition? Marsh Harrier flew close alongside when I was ghosting along in the dinghy, looked astonished when he finally noticed me and peeled off. Just a few of the breathless wonders of the Broads.

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