Thorpe Meadows
by George Walthew
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PBC Where to Watch Birds Thorpe Meadows by George Walthew |
| Sightings for past week: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past month: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
| Sightings for past year: | All sightings | Excluding Common | Rare & Scarce |
Originally grazing meadows along the River Nene, the meadows have now disappeared beneath amenity woodland, parkway treebelts, a rowing course and housing developments. The ‘meadows’ (which still flood in winter and spring) have attracted more than their fair share of good birds. The area is definitely underwatched even though it is close to the city centre and easily accessible. Waders feeding on the floods were once the main attraction but this open area has now gone.
The Rowing Course can be surprisingly good with Cormorants and Ducks using it in winter and Common Sandpipers on passage. It as attracted some good birds such as Scaup, Glaucous Gull, Red-necked Grebe, Arctic Terns and even a Whooper Swan one year! The tree belts along the Longthorpe Parkway are well worth a look in the spring for scarce migrants such as Wood Warbler which have turned up before. They have also held Hawfinches on occasions.
Also look at Orton Staunch while you’re there as Grey Wagtails are present in summer and a Nightingale was singing from the Nene Valley Railway station just across the river last summer. A walk along the river bank in winter, if the lakes are frozen at Orton and Ferry Meadows, is well worth while as it often holds all the waterfowl and there is always a chance of a rare grebe.
The small nature reserve by the river is very overgrown and no longer holds the breeding waders (including Little Ringed Plover) it once did.
From the city centre turn left at the roundabout at the end of Thorpe Road where it joins the Longthorpe Parkway (right if you’re coming from the Nene Parkway). Follow the road around towards the rowing course and park in the car park on your right. There is a pathway through the treebelts from the car park, a paved path along the side of the rowing course, a path along the river and a path through the meadows. You can also park at Orton Mere from Oundle Road and walk over Orton Staunch to the meadows.
There is also cycleway access from the city centre along the river either from Rivergate.
