Yare Valley Walk – Yare Valley Society

10 March 202410 March 2024

Marston Marshes Ornithological Update

Walkers in the Yare Valley have experienced inconvenience with the present extended period of flooding there has been in the valley, but this is nothing compared with the devasting effect it can have on the valley ecosystem. The wildlife of the valley has experienced repeated flooding in the past, and so can be expected to have a degree of resilience in flood conditions, but the recent flooding has continued for an unusually long time. Flooding impacts on both flora and fauna, destroying habitats, drowning wildlife, and spreading disease. It also changes the balance of species to be seen in the valley.

Tim Hill has been out and about on Marston Marsh, and reports on some of the ornithological changes:

“Much of the marsh has been under water for longer than is usual resulting in some new, or rare, wildfowl sightings and some common water birds appearing in larger numbers. In the middle of February black-headed gulls reached a peak number of about 50 along the western half of the river. In amongst them were 3 or 4 common gulls, several herring gulls and the first of the lesser black-backed gulls to arrive. The number of greylag geese gradually increased through February reaching 43 on the 28^th of the month. The number has since decreased to single figures since then. This larger number also attracted a couple of Canada geese, a rare sight here. There have been up to three Egyptian geese, with a lone goose staying very close to the boardwalk most of the time. Opposite the seat by the river, at the western end, two oystercatchers have been a regular feature since 17^th of February into March. In the same area teal and gadwall have also been seen. On 18^th of February there was a single wigeon, on the flood, north of the rail crossing onto the south side of the river. This is the first I have seen here. On the 21^st of February there were 3 tufted ducks, on the flooded area, to the south of the stile along Marston Lane. This is also a new species for my marsh list. Three gadwall appeared there a few days later. Little grebes have been heard calling, regularly throughout February, from the flooded areas north of the river and close to the lane. The number of little egrets has peaked at 5.

Bullfinches have returned to the blackthorn bushes to the west of the stile and a stonechat has reappeared to the west of the outflow by the swings. There has been a vocal water rail in the ditch alongside Marston Lane, about halfway between the entrance to the marsh from Abinger Way and the stile. Stock doves have been regularly seen on or around the owl box but may be competing with grey squirrels for its occupancy. At the beginning of March there were about 50 siskins in the trees around the bridge at the east end. Redwings have been around in small numbers, but I have not seen a fieldfare here this year.”

28 February 202410 March 2024

McCarthy Stone Green Space

The new residents currently moving in to properties of the McCarthy Stone phase 2 development on Bluebell Road could expect to have the benefit of a landscaped Green Open Space along the whole length of the southwest edge of the McCarthy Stone site. The Green Open Space would have included meadowland, a pond, and groups of planted parkland trees. Paths would have passed through the green space to link the new estate with the Strawberry Field and to the paths down to the river and the Yare Valley Walk. The plans are here.

A view to parkland trees and wildflower meadows?

The creation of this landscaped Green Open Space is important. UK biodiversity is in serious decline and the green space is intended to compensate, in part, for the biodiversity loss resulting from the built part of the development. It is also important to meet the needs of a growing number of residents in close proximity to the Yare Valley. Pressure of use on the existing green space threatens to be unsustainable. Any additional green open space in the Yare Valley would help ease the pressure of public use on other parts of the Valley.

The Yare Valley Society submitted a detailed report with photographs to Norwich Planning Authority on the present situation.

The Authority acted swiftly. It contacted the developers and a timescale has emerged for when the work can be expected to be done. It reports:

“[The contractors] have been trying to complete the footpath works along the river … though this has been held up by flooding and that they are also needing to undo damage caused by the flooding. They plan to move onto the Open Space land … once the riverbank works are done though they may start sooner if those works can’t as yet be completed. They think they have 5 days work left on the riverbank and that the Open Space works will take about 2 to 3 weeks. They are hoping the Open Space works should be complete by the end of March.”

The Society will closely monitor progress, both on the landscaping, and also on other environmental benefits that were promised when the development was approved.

7 February 20247 February 2024

Action on Path Blockages

Fallen trees have blocked two of the paths from Bluebell Road to the riverside path. One path is via the Strawberry Field and the other alongside the Cringleford Flyover embankment. YVS enquired with the Norwich Fringe as to the landowners who might be responsible for clearing the blockages. Following the enquiry, the NFP contacted the landowner directly, and the landowner has undertaken to clear the blockage on the path from the Strawberry Field to the river.

It is possible to find a way round the Strawberry Field path, but the other path is blocked for all but the most intrepid. The situation is a little less straightforward for this path because the blocking tree has fallen from the highway’s embankment, and so the Norfolk County Council’s Highways Authority is responsible for clearing it. The landowner is reporting the blockage to the Authority. Hopefully the Authority will also reinstate the fence.

31 January 20242 February 2024

Warblers on Marston Marsh 2023

For a number of years, Tim Hill has recorded what he has seen and heard on Marston Marsh. As we enter the new season, Tim looks back on 2023 to inspire us to get out and about to see and hear for ourselves in 2024:

“Chiffchaffs are always the first to arrive. Last year I heard my first on 20^th of March and they were singing, or calling, regularly until the middle of October. There was a lone one calling on 25^th November about 6 weeks after the last October one.

Blackcaps started singing on 3^rd April and stayed until 18^th July. A passing bird was heard on 4 September. They do not seem to overwinter here.

Sedge warblers arrived on 16^th of April staying until 18th July with a lone one on 1^st August.

Whitethroats arrived on 22^nd April, and two grasshopper warblers were heard from 24^th April. Whitethroats stayed until 1 August and grasshopper warblers until mid-July with a passing one reeling on 10 August, stopping off on its way south.

Reed warblers were heard from 1^st May until 24^th July. This was another species heard again after a gap of several weeks with one calling on 3^rd September.

The warbler that was only heard once was a willow warbler on 26^th April. Many years ago, these were regularly heard in the trees around the entrance to the marsh near Abinger Way. Last year saw the reappearance of Cetti’s warblers of which there were probably two. One was heard at the end of March, and early April, and then two territories were identified with birds calling from 9^th September to the end of the year.

Blackcaps tend to be found along the path that runs parallel to the old road, from the style to the main entrance. They can also be found in the woods around the seat by the gate at the Western end of the marsh. Garden warblers, which sound similar, tend to prefer the woods by the river but sometimes are seen above the pair of gates leading onto the marsh after entering from Abinger Way. It takes me a while to get tuned in to the difference between their songs each year and often, when I think I have found one of them it shows itself and is the other. After several weeks my recognition improves greatly.

The sedge warblers prefer the strip of reed running north from the bridge at the east end. As more arrive they start to set up territories along the railway embankment at the west end of the marsh too.

Reed warblers seem to like the same strip of reed as the sedge warblers, and again I have to tune in to the year’s particular birds. Reed warblers also like the reeds either side of the path where the blackcaps are found but stay closer to the gate by the style.

Chiffchaffs and whitethroats can be seen, and heard, in any of the wooded areas around the fringes of the site and are probably the most numerous of the warblers. I would estimate that there may be up to ten chiffchaff territories here and possibly as many whitethroat ones.

Grasshopper warblers prefer the central area of the marsh. They are often heard south of the bank that runs from East to West by the owl box or between the river and the golf tee that is cut back into the woods. I have only had one good sighting in previous years, but I have spoken to people who have seen them more recently and more regularly. Two seems to be the normal population.

Goldcrests are here year-round and prefer conifers or ivy covered trees. They are best detected by their reeling song or high-pitched call and can take some time to get a good view of.”

Good news for 2024 is that by the 23^rdof January Tim had seen 51 species on Marston Marsh which equals the total for all of January 2023. (Update on 2nd February: Total for all of January 2024 turned out to be 54, a red kite was in the last three of the month).

22 January 2024

UEA Boardwalk closed – diversion.

A member of the YVS committee recently noticed some of the netting on the UEA boardwalk, laid to minimize the chance of slipping, had come loose and had become a tripping hazard. She reported it UEA and they carried out a prompt repair. Unfortunately, it became apparent that the whole of the boardwalk requires further maintenance, and for safety reasons the boardwalk has been closed. UEA has yet to decide when the remedial work can be carried out.

Thanks for a prompt repair. Photo: Rachel Hore

In the meantime notices have been posted to show a diversion of the Yare Valley Walk around the boardwalk, leading it away from the river on to slightly higher ground.

10 January 20241 February 2024

Coping with Climate Change: mitigation and resilience

In recent days the Yare Valley has again been fulfilling two of its major roles in combating climate change: mitigating its effects and providing resilience. Its marshes, commons and meadows have become storage basins for many cubic metres of flood water slowing down its rush to the sea and lessening the chance of inundation of properties downstream.

Marsden Marsh from Marsden Lane seat. Photo: John Elbro

We have been deprived of some of our favourite walks, but it is a small price to pay. As compensation there are dramatic views to enjoy. Other obstructions to paths have been fallen trees after storm Henk, but normally a way can be found round or over these.

Bridleway to Keswick Mill from Church Lane. Photo: John Elbro

The depth water on the bridleway was over welly height and rising!

The attenuation basins constructed under the supervision of the Norfolk Rivers Trust below the Strawberry Field have been inundated. As the waters recede the basins will retain water to increase the resilience of the marsh in times of drought and so help safeguard the habitats of water voles and other wildlife.

Inundated attenuation ponds below Strawberry Field. Photo: Paul Hann

9 December 202324 December 2023

Progress on consolidating the riverbank.

Work has now started on improving the Yare Valley Walk between Cringleford Meadow and Strawberry Field. The first stage is to reinforce the riverbank that has become seriously eroded in recent years.

The works are being carried out to fulfil a condition on the granting of planning permission for the McCarthy Stone development on Bluebell Road.

The next stage in the work should be to make much needed path improvements to the path surface on this section of the Yare Valley Walk.

14 October 202314 October 2023

Bridge repair completed

The bridge over the stream below the Cringleford flyover has now been restored. Steel girders have been installed to give the new decking improved support from below. The bridge is now in use, but this section of the Yare Valley Walk can be expected to be closed in the near future for improvement work of the river path and banks. See earlier news for the 7th October more details.

7 October 20237 October 2023

Temporary closure of the Yare Valley Walk between Strawberry Field and Cringleford Meadow.

Notices have now been posted announcing the work that is to be done on the Yare Valley Walk along the riverside between the Strawberry Field and Cringleford Meadow. The work is expected to be started in the near future, but no date has been given.

This section of the walk has long needed improvement. It can become very muddy and almost impassable in adverse weather conditions. The improvements being planned are very welcome, and are being carried out in fulfilment of a condition placed on the planning approval for Phase 2 of the McCarthy Stone development on the Bluebell Road.

The map for the diversion is the same as that already posted for the temporary closure of the bridge in the news item below.

6 October 20237 October 2023

Temporary closure of footbridge on Yare Valley Walk

Norwich City Services Ltd will be repairing the damaged bridge at Cringleford Meadow underneath the A11 flyover which provides access over a ditch along the Yare Valley Walk.

Norwich City Services Ltd carried out a rapid temporary repair of the bridge in the summer and will be returning on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th October to carry out a full repair. This will involve installing new metal support beams to strength the bridge and installing recycled plastic decking boards. The bridge will be closed while the work is being carried out.

Metal support beams arrive for bridge reinforcement

The Norwich Fringe Project will be erecting notices to show a diversion to avoid the bridge. The diversion from the direction of UEA will be through the Strawberry Field, turn right on to Bluebell Road, turn right at Eaton Traffic lights, and then right again to enter Cringleford Meadow Car Park. The reverse of this route will enable you to re-join the Yare Valley Walk from the direction of the Cringleford Meadow Car Park. A map showing the diversion has been posted on the Walk: