Wildlife
 

Filby Parish nestles on the east side of the Trinity Broads catchment with two of the five broads within its boundaries. In terms of wildlife this makes it one of the richest parishes in Norfolk. The open water habitat of Ormesby Little Broad stretches to the north west of the parish and Filby Broad to the south west. As the Trinity Broads are separated from the main River Bure, they have some of the best water quality in the Broads Area.

Abundant water plants flourish in the clear water providing cover for fish and tiny water creatures and food for the many water birds including Tufted Duck, Pochard and Coot. In summer Great Crested Grebe can be seen with their stripy-headed chicks – often hitching a ride on the parents back. Listen out for the peep peep of turquoise Kingfishers as they shoot through under Filby bridge. In the skies above the broads look out for Buzzard with their characteristic “meowing” call or graceful Marsh Harriers hunting low over the reed-beds. If you are lucky, you may spot a Peregrine Falcon or Goshawk.

A short walk from the car park at Filby Bridge takes you along the edge of a dyke. Sheltered from the wind, this area is great for seeing some of the many dragonflies and damselflies that breed in the area as well as butterflies and a host of other insects. Migrant and Southern Hawkers patrol the dyke edges and Common Darter dragonflies bask on the warm path; recently, rare Willow Emerald Damselflies have been seen laying their eggs onto trailing Willow stems. In spring the beautiful Water Violet flowers along the dyke edges.

The path leads to a viewing platform over Ormesby Little Broad. If, from the car park, you walk along the road and cross over onto the short boardwalk, you will be rewarded with great views of Filby broad. An excellent place for bird-watching, fishing or just taking in the sunset, this boardwalk is wheelchair accessible. Listen out for Reed Warblers chuntering in the reeds or Chiff-Chaffs making a call that sounds just like their name. These little birds migrate here all the way from Africa for the summer, as do the Swallows and Terns you can see gracing the air.

Around the edges of the broads, there are miles of reed-beds harbouring many wetland plants and other important wet woodlands called “Carr Woodlands”. Good woodlands should always have dead wood, both standing and lying – this provides habitat for a huge number of insects and other creatures and they in turn provide food for others such as Tree Creepers and Woodpeckers. Hollow and rotting trees offer nests for Woodpeckers and Owls; Barn Owls can be seen hunting over adjacent wet meadows.

Recent surveys of the parish have revealed some lovely mature and veteran Oaks, and Oak trees can support over 350 different species of wildlife. See map below. Oaks and small leaved Lime trees have been recently planted by Trinity Broads volunteers along with over 1000 hedge plants. Hedgerows are very important for wildlife and they provide cover and protection for insects, small mammals and breeding song birds. They act as a corridor for wildlife to move along safely, for example hedgehogs.

 

Bats can use hedges for navigation between roosts and feeding grounds, and hedgerows often act as windbreaks, benefiting crops, people and wildlife. In Filby, hedges provide vital links between wildlife areas such as the Broads, the community wildlife garden and domestic gardens. Villagers’ gardens make up one of the main habitats that has potential for wildlife in the parish. Gardening with wildlife in mind can make a huge difference to declining wildlife such as Hedgehogs, Frogs and songbirds.