Ness Point etiquette (or lack of it!)

A sunny late morning revealed Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Large White butterflies in the garden and late afternoon 2 Collared Doves feeding near the conservatory, it looked like a good photo opportunity but as so aften happens they were scared off by the loud screams of next door's children.

A look at the Links road car park revealed it crawling with dogs/people and the rough seas (the waves were breaking against the "new sea wall" being about 7 foot in height (people were still walking along the sea wall!) revealed the groynes were birdless, so plan B was to head for Ness Point.

Very little seen out to sea save a singleton and then 2 Sandwich Tern north.

An adult Herring Gull perched up and sported a white ring with black lettering "A7YY" on it's right foot and a small black band on its left leg. I was able to quickly read the lettering but I was hampered in my efforts to photograph the bird as at least 5 people walked past and kept scaring it off. Victor Meldrew time, as one of the people in question (who had twice flushed the bird) asked me rather tersely "Where do we go crabbing? 

When, despite my irritation, I politely replied Walberwick and Cromer/ Sheringham. The woman seemed very indignant and demanded to be shown a spot right here and right now as it was for the benefit for her young son who couldn't and wouldn't travel far. I replied crabs like rock pools and we don't have too many of these around here, the nearest habitat to try for crabs would be the broken up old sea wall or going out to sea on a boat and dropping some traps and someone would have to be either crassly stupid or ignorant or both to go crabbing today with 7 foot waves breaking the "new" sea wall. I even had to explain the consequences of the danger of breaking waves, unbelievable, or should that be "I don't believe it"!!

I finally tempted the A7YY ringed Herring Gull back with some bread and finally got some shots of the bird. Pictures to follow and I'll report back on the origins of the bird.