Photo by Steve Cox 1/5
2/5
Photo by Faye Jones 3/5
Weeting Heath, photo by Richard Osbourne 4/5
Stone curlew at Weeting Heath, photo by Lawrie Webb 5/5

Weeting Heath

NWT Weeting Heath is the best site in the country to watch the rare and unusual stone curlew. The species requires open, stony ground with short vegetation to breed, making the close-cropped turf of Weeting an ideal site. This special Breckland habitat has to be managed to keep it so low – as well as sheep, NWT employs eager volunteers: rabbits.

Please note that this reserve is shut during the autumn and winter. Please see the opening times tab on the right of this page for updated opening times.

As well as stone curlews Weeting Heath is also home to woodlarks, green woodpeckers, lapwings and mistle thrushes. Other birds possibly seen from the hides include kestrel, little owl, sparrowhawk, common buzzard and, in summer, hobby.

Woodland birds are common in the trees around the visitor centre and on the woodland walk, with crossbills, tree pipits and spotted flycatchers sometimes seen. Numerous rare plants and invertebrates are also found on Weeting Heath, which is one of the finest remaining Breckland grass heaths. Indeed, the 2011 Breckland Biodiversity Audit led by the University of East Anglia (extending over the whole of the Brecks) showed that more than 28% of all the UK’s rare species occurred in an area covering less than 1% of the UK.

While the Visitor Centre is open we operate a webcam showing live video from Weeting Heath including nesting stone curlew, the web camera can be found here.

 



Rabbit
Rabbits play a vital role in managing Weeting’s delicate grasslands. Without them, many scarce plants would disappear from the site – as well as the stone curlews. Rabbits have also played a major role in the wider Breckland landscape; as early as the 12th century the region’s dry, sandy soils facilitated the widespread prevalence of rabbit warrens, with the animals kept for their meat, fur and manure. A visit to Weeting today is rather different, but visitors are guaranteed to see many of these mammals carrying on their excellent conservation management of the reserve’s heathland.
 

Stone curlew
The stone curlew, or Norfolk plover, is a species of wading bird, but is not (as its name might suggest) related to the Eurasian curlew. In fact, the stone curlew is the only European representative of the Thick-knee family and does indeed have rather knobbly knees. Stone curlews’  plumage is brown and streaky, with an almost dinosaur-like appearance with their strong bill, long yellowish legs, and their most distinctive feature – their large yellow eyes. This has led to another of their historical names: the goggle-eyed plover. Surprisingly, stone curlews are not always easy to spot, as they can somehow manage to look remarkably like a rabbit from a distance. Often, too, the birds sit motionless for long periods (particularly when on the nest) and it is not until they move across the ground in short, running bursts that they become obvious. Towards dusk, however, their activity levels rise and they often begin to make their haunting, wailing calls.
 

Woodlark
Shorter-tailed than the more widespread skylark, the woodlark also differs in having a distinct eye-stripe, which joins at the back of its head.
 

Spring
Birds - Stone curlew, woodlark, tree pipit, wheatear, hobby, crossbill, curlew
Insects - Small copper, brown argus, speckled wood

Summer
Birds - Stone curlew, woodlark, tree pipit, wheatear, hobby, crossbill, curlew
Plants - Spiked speedwell, Spanish catchfly, maiden pink, purple stemmed cats tail, rare spring sedge
Insects - Small copper, brown argus, speckled wood

All year
Birds - Green and great spotted woodpeckers, mistle thrush, little owl, kestrel, common buzzard, sparrowhawk, goldcrest, coal tit, skylark, yellowhammer
Mammals - Rabbit, brown hare, grey squirrel, stoat

Download the Weeting information leaflet:
   Download the Weeting information leaflet: Download   

Details

Address

Post code
IP27 0FD
Map reference
OS Landranger 143
Grid reference
TL 757 881
Designation
NNR, SSSI, SAC, SPA
Get directions
Directions
Living Landscape
Best time to visit
Opening times
Dog policy
Type
Visitor centre
Entrance fee

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