Nature watchers in particular could spend many hours occupied at the Mill. The clean waters of the Bure, the surrounding fields, woodland areas and the Mill’s own garden attract a wide variety of life.
We’ve counted more than 50 species of birds in the gardens including all the usual tits and finches together with green and greater spotted woodpecker, kingfisher, little egret, firecrests, tree creepers, snipe, herons and the like. Recent new additions to our spotters’ list include Red Kites and Honey Buzzard and a rare winter visitor, the black-bellied dipper (see News section). Brown and rainbow trout, chub, pike, perch and roach are just the species we can identify in the river. A fisherman could probably find several other species.
We have crayfish in the river which, together with the garden, supports a wide variety of insect life including dragonflies, demoiselles and a range of butterflies. Unfortunately the crayfish are now almost solely the American Signal crayfish variety (on the plus side we could eat these if we wanted to).
Mammalian species seen in the garden include roe deer and muntjac, water voles, shrews, stoat, rabbits (of course) and the occasional otter. Indeed we spotted a family of four otters at dusk recently (August 2013). Unfortunately we have also seen mink – and this seems to have reduced the number of waterfowl chicks this year (and water voles have become extremely rare).
About 16 miles away near Fakenham is Pensthorpe Gardens, nature reserve and bird park familiar to viewers of BBC’s Springwatch. Go to www.pensthorpe.com/ for more information. Pensthorpe hosts a range of quite exotic bird species as well as the UK natives. If you prefer to see native populations in their natural environment there are many bird-watching centres in Norfolk. Cley Marshes is particularly good for waterfowl. Find this and other sites at http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/
Blickling Hall has an excellent garden laid out in the grand style. There are a wide range of other gardens to see in the area and at certain times of year special places to see Bluebells (Blickling Woods); Rhododendrons (Sherringham Park) and Snowdrops (The Abbey Gardens at Walsingham). For a comprehensive list go to http://www.visitnorthnorfolk.com/
