Hemley and Kirton Creek on the River Deben

 

Kirton Creek

Last time we visited the village of Hemley, the footpath down to Kirton Creek was closed for maintenance. Last weekend we managed to get a little closer, but were forced to turn back by a waterlogged marsh, almost certainly on account of the combination of a particularly high tide and the storm winds. But we will try again, probably in the summer when the path should be more passable. 

I failed to get a photograph, but it was good to see a Marsh Harrier. These birds were so rare during my teenage years in Norfolk, but are not an uncommon site in this part of the world - if you are in the right habitat.

Across the Deben to the church of St Margaret of Antioch, Shottisham

Looking towards Ramsholt

Curlew overhead

 

All Saint's, Hemley, Suffolk

Early Signs of Spring in St Mary's Churchyard, Martlesham

A few years ago a couple of local friends suggested that we should go and see the spring flowers in the churchyard of St Mary's church above the river Deben in Suffolk. On that occasion the carpet of crocuses was so spectacular that we have returned once or twice each spring. We paid a first 2020 visit last weekend, and were particularly heartened by the plentiful drifts of snowdrops.

We were a bit early for the crocuses, but there were a few purple, white and orange ones here and there.

I grew up in East Anglia, and have loved the flintstone facings one encounters ever since. 

The snowdrops and crocus...

...were joined by a clump of primroses.

The next photo, taken just below the church and gravestones in the photo above, is a sign of things to come. 

More snowdrops...

...and hidden among the leaves, a single Daisy.

'The snowdrops first—the dawning gray;
Then out the roses burn!
They speak their word, grow dim—away
To holy dust return.'

From: The Flower-Angels

by George MacDonald (1824-1905)

The Yare Valley

Strumpshaw Fen: there were plenty of wonderful reedbed vistas

We spent the last morning of our Norfolk holiday at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, a place I should have known very well since it was only a matter of miles from my first Norfolk home. For some reason I had never to my knowledge been out and about on this particular part of the Yare Valley before.

It was a bitterly cold April morning (about a week before Easter); but, as you can see, there were glorious spells of sunshine to set off the panoramic skyscapes.

When you arrive at this nature reserve, you have to cross an old-fashioned railway crossing. We checked the line carefully before proceeding to the RSPB cabin, and were thankful to find that you can buy hot coffee - and drink it with wonderful views like the one above through the hide-style windows.

We knew we didn't have very long as we had booked ourselves on a boat trip on the other side of the river - so we slurped our coffee and set off on the boardwalk towards the river Yare.

I wonder what is happening a the old Strumpshaw Pumping Station: is it a work of renovation, with those ladders and fence? In Victorian times this station was operated by steam. It was later upgraded to electricity.

We rarely see Coltsfoot in our area so it was a joy to find this splash of yellow. Apparently it can tolerate most soils except ones that are particularly acidic. Cockchafers are partial to the underground stems.

By noon the sky was a dark grey and the river Yare had a deep metallic sheen about it. We soon found ourselves pelted by hailstones. It was time, in any case, to head back to the car so that we could cross the river on the outskirts of Norwich. Many have marvelled at Mark Cocker's Crow Country: a number of the places he writes about and the remarkable corvid murmurations that he portrays with such verve are a few kilometres downstream from here - i.e. on round the bend in the photo above - on, and a bit beyond.

By lunchtime we had reached Whitlingham, and after a quick picnic in the car, we braved the elements and set sail on Whitlingham Broad, aboard the solar-powered Ra. This was something I had wanted to do for ages, and what a wonderful experience it was. The Ra is an accessible vessel, equipped to take folk with mobility issues and those in wheelchairs. There was a green ramp (see below) which meant no one had to clamber over the side.

I spent most of my teenage years close by, on this southern side of the river, but had never previously had the opportunity to venture out on to Whitlingham Broad. It was *COLD*, bitterly cold but bracing, and I think I wore nearly as many coats and scarves as I did when we took the ferry to Ellis Island off New York in the snow one January.

The Ra, a good platform for wildlife-spotting

The train opposite might well be going to pass through the crossing at Strumpshaw...

Can you see the Herring Lesser Black-backed Gull (correction thanks to John Scurr) on the roof? And it wasn't the only one ...

The Mute Swan preferred the bank...

...and, as you can see, it (she?) wasn't alone.

We were joined by the boatman and by another family and were soon out on the water in our life-jackets. This stretch of water used to be a gravel pit, and, if my memory serves me rightly, was 40 foot deep!

As we neared the other side, a Cormorant came into view. There were various waterbirds flapping about in front of us.

The Ra is a wonderful resource and we thoroughly enjoyed our ride. We made our way back to land passing groups of young people learning to sail and weaving their way through the wind.

Our final destination was Surlingham (where we were married many years ago). Surlingham is almost opposite Strumpshaw Fen. After a mug of Earl Grey and a superb pastry in a Polish farm cafe-patisserie we made our way down to the marsh, passing St Mary's, with one of the 124 existing round towers (Norman, in this case, with a 14th century octagonal top) in the county ...

We soon reached the nearby ruined church of St Saviour's...

St Saviour's, dating from 12th century and used for regular worship until 1705

It is a lovely, natural and tranquil spot - and I can see why local naturalist, Ted Ellis (1909–1986), was buried here. Our visit to this tucked-away corner seemed the perfect end to our Norfolk adventure.

Flowers, Insects and Fish at NT Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk

The weather was set fare on Saturday so we took a picnic lunch to NT Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk.

It was good to see more signs of spring, including this Arum Lily and...

...these lovely primroses.

There were a number of 7-spot Ladybirds, mainly on the dry leaves. I guess some may have been emerging from their over-wintering layers.



Some were scuttling about or resting in the sunshine.



We ate our sandwiches by this flint churchyard wall where I noticed a Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) in 2016. Sadly we failed to find any moths this time.



This was the view over the wall, of which more in a moment.

I always enjoy seeing the Oxburgh Hangings, stitched by Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick, but on this occasion the spring weather kept us largely out of doors (though we did visit the tea room and secondhand bookshop).

I noticed this log-bench by the path in the woodland area, and thought what a brilliant bit of recycling. I could do with one of these benches in our own garden!

We could see these beehives in the area near the orchard. If you don't keep bees or have space for a hive, you might like these Green&Blue bee-bricks, which I read about on Instagram - or you might prefer to place an insect hotel in your home patch: my hotels have certainly been taken over by some grateful residents.

We heard a lot of munching in the stream and wondered if there could be a Water Vole. We stood and waited, but nothing actually appeared.

However, in another part of the stream, we noticed quite a few fish. I guess they are Sticklebacks, but my fish knowledge is negligible. I wondered if one was preparing to lay (or 'fan') some eggs. Unfortunately my camera failed to cope well with the underwater conditions...

The scene above brought back memories of the tiny BBC Springwatch hero from RSPB Minsmere, Spineless Si!

It is always a joy to find a Bee-fly. I must add this record to the recording list.



The 'summer house' by the stream, designed along the lines of an original that was used by Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld and his friends and relations, draws me every time.

On this occasion the summer house was empty so we were able to take up residence for a few minutes!

It was soon time to head to tea room for a slice of lemon and lime cake.

We decided to pay a quick visit to the church next door. There are extraordinary pink terracotta carvings in the chantry chapel.



You will note from the signs above and below that the village uses a different spelling from Oxburgh Hall.

village sign

Light was fading and it was time to head for home.

The Oxburgh Hall sundial