Update:
we plotted our route based on the weather & opted for Thetfood Woods in the gales.......stopped off for food at Lynford Arboretum, went to set off for Mayday Farm & the car wouldn't start! Totally flat batteries (no warning lights) & no reception on mobiles for breakdown. Anyway, after a kind couple helped us with their mobile, an hour wait, a jump start from the breakdown bloke & one woodpigeon later we decided to drive straight to Lowestoft. Weekend spent sorting car- needed 2 new batteries & new altenator belt (£300!).
We did get over to Stubb Mill on Sunday 23/3/08, no-one else mad enough down at the platform to brave the weather but we did see 4 Marsh Harriers & 3 Cranes (& chinese water deer) plus driving around area we saw 3 marsh harriers & a field of over 30 red legged partridge.
Mon 24/3 snow hit really bad (good said the kids!) went for drive & rewarded with barn owl very close up near Warham (why do they appear on road bends?).
Tues 25/3 drove back through salthouse/cley area- avocet, marsh harriers, barn owl, wigeon, oyster catchers, shelduck, teal, pair egyptian geese, greater black backed gulls, etc. Also, what looked like a lapwing chick- quite hard to see & seemed a bit early but the only thing I could think that would make sense. Field of over 200 pink footed geese near Holkham and another barn owl (both on road bends!). A curlew at Burnham Overy Straithe but no egrets (reported).
Long journey home (are we there yet??), not bad for quickish detours (I'm trying to forget the breakdown!) & the weather- hope to stay around there soon & do it proper justice.
Thanks again for info
Rae

Many thanks Neil & Gary....looking forward to the trip now! Could definitely use the time travel & the kids would be impressed with a tardis (that kind of resembles my car anyway)
Thanks for your time,
Rae

The best area for harriers is at the Stubb Mill roost watchpoint. From mid afternoon there is plenty to see there, the highlight for most is the Cranes which fly into here, but there are also up to 40 Marsh harriers, usually a Hen Harrier and Barn Owl or 2, occasional Merlin, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warblers and not forgetting the Chinese Water Deer which always seem to be there.
Like Gary said, the visitor centre doesn't open until April but the reserve car park is open. Park here then walk back out of the car park down the approach road then at the crossroad, turn right (along the track which says no vehicle access to Stubbs Mill or words to that effect) and follow this track for about 3/4mile. Where the track bears left, there's a raised viewpoint here which overlooks the best area and at weekend there will usually be other birders.
Whilst in the Horsey area, there are often Cranes and Harriers in the vicinity of the mill at any time of day so keep your eyes peeled.

Note that the NWT visitor centre at Hickling Broad doesn't open until April.
http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature%20reserves/map-links/hickling.htm

Gary

Hi Rachael,

A couple of ideas to break up the journey,

Rutland Water
http://www.rutlandwater.org.uk/

WWT Welney south of Kings Lynn (expensive if you're not members)
http://www.wwt.org.uk/centre/124/welney.html

By the way your last message seems to have been posted an hour into the future. Time travel could really help with a car full of kids.

HTH

Gary

Thanks Neil- I'll be plotting my route over the map book. Anywhere in particular around Hickling?- it will only be about 20 mins away & I love harriers. We've spent many an hour around the Ranworth board walks with the kids.
Many thanks,
Rachael

There are many good sites around East Anglia to visit, depending how much time you have and how much driving you want to do. Just down the coast from Lowestoft is Minsmere, it's not prime season yet but still well worth a visit, the Bitterns should be starting to boom soon and the Dartford warblers will be singing on the heath. Up the coast is the broads, the pick of the sites at this time of year is the crane and harrier roost at Hickling with 20+ Cranes and anything up to 40 Marsh Harriers. The North Norfolk Coast has Titchwell, Holkham and Cley amongst many other top sites.
Possibly the best area is where I live in the breckland area around Thetford Forest. It's an excellent place to take kids and dogs for a walk to run off excess energy. There's plenty to see, just about any forest clearing will have singing Woodlarks and there's also Hawfinches and Firecrests at Lynford Arboretum, whilst in the rest of the forest are Crossbills, stacks of Siskins and Bramblings at the moment and if you are lucky, Goshawk in the Mayday Farm area. Stone Curlews are starting to return though the only public viewing site at Weeting doesn't open till April.

Hi all, I'm doing the usual drive over to my Mum's at Lowestoft, Suffolk over Easter & feel the need to go for one or two detours enroute & back again. Any suggestions of top birding sites? We usually travel down A17 to Kings Lynn & then A47 across to Norwich, etc, but pretty flexible. The only hitch is dog & kids and the bloomin long journey (I hate that trip!) so wouldn't be able to walk for miles. Never investigated much around The Wash & North Norfolk (I know I'm swearing now but it's right at the end of THAT journey- think 5 kids & dog & nearly all A roads and my mother at the other end & your getting there!) Any advice would be appreciated Many thanks, Rae