Approaching 10,000 Page Views!

I am amazed that when I first started my blog I would approaching 10,000 page views within 2 years. It was initially meant as an easy personal online diary of my wildlife sightings. Thank you all for reading my blog and I hope to have some new entries at the weekend.

Iceland Gull on Link's road car park

This morning, Thursday 20th January from Link's Hill I could immediately see the 1st winter Iceland Gull splashing in a puddle of water, the Gull then started preening for several minutes and I took a few pictures from the car using it as a hide before it eventually flew flying over first Gunton Beach and then Lowestoft north beach. An adult winter Mediterranean Gull also flew north over Lowestoft north beach too.

A Waxwing was heard trilling somewhere near the back of Gorleston Library this afternoon at around 12.50pm I failed to see it despite having a quick look around.

Iceland Gull on groyne

Yesterday, Wednesday 19th January I saw the Iceland Gull perched on the far end of the groyne 1st one north of Link's road up until 8.35am when I had to leave for work.

Iceland Gull on Gunton Beach

Another early start hoping to see and photograph the Iceland Gull on Links road car park, it wasn't there and looking north along Gunton Beach I saw it flying north low along the beach, where it appeared to settle. Walking along the beach around 200 yards north of Links road, it was seen perched on the 3rd groyne along and perched on the nearest post on the beach. Sadly, it was cloudy and the Iceland Gull flew off before I got anywhere near it and appeared to fly way north towards Corton. I ran out of time and had to leave at 8.30am for work.

Frustratingly, as I left for work the sun came out!

Iceland Gull again

It was very nice to see the Iceland Gull in Link's Road car park this morning at first light, it spent most of the time standing by a puddle at the seawall side and I drove the car over using it as a hide and I was waiting for the light to improve when a lady dog walker flushed the Gull, it was the first Gull to fly and it flew south over the sea.

Long- tailed Tit in the garden at lunchtime feeding from the fat balls and being very confiding albeit in poor light.

Wild Goose Chase

This morning, I heard a calling Coal Tit from the garden looking west I couldn't see the bird &  I drove down to Southwold Town Marshes with Andrew E and Robert Wil. Parking just east from the harbour looked back over the marsh, the 5 White- fronted Geese were just south of a large flock of Canada Geese. The White- fronts, had been called probable Greenland flavirostris race ones, it appeared to be a family group, male and female adults and 3 immatures completely lacking white facial shields and reduced breast markings. To be honest the jury is still out on their racial identity. Although the male was on the large side (for a White-front) and appeared slightly longer necked and billed he sported a completely pink bill (as did all the others, although the Collins Guide states the "bill is long (which they were) but predominantly orange, but can look pinkish!" they were reasonably dark on the head, and neck but the breast was very pale colour as was the pale area between the two main area of thick breast markings. One appeared to have a narrow white tail tip (good for flavirostris Greenland race) while another had a thicker white tail tip (albifrons N. Europena/Siberian race). The breast markings were unusually thick and bold black, but I have seen well marked White- fronts with these before. 

I have no experience of Greenland White-fronts but would maybe expect them to be a little darker (on breast and mid belly area) with orange/ yellow bills. BWP states some albifrons can appear as dark as flavirostris Greenland race but are only separable by bill colour ie. Greenland's have orange/ yellow bills rather than pink! The 5 White- fronts ALL had pink bills, so not exceptable to me as they walked behind the Canada's and walked south at the back of the field.

A later visit to North Beach, Gunton Beach, Ness Point and Hamilton Dock I again failed to locate the elusive Iceland Gull and just saw an adult winter Mediterranean Gull flying north. 

Fallowfields Orchid site will be lost

Today, I received notification that the Site Specific allocations (ie local plan for the development of certain sites ion Lowestoft) endorsed by Waveney District Council had been passed by the Inspector and sadly the proposed development of the site into a Primary School or even further housing development is getting the go ahead.

The Council has a so called bio-diversity plan for Waveney but this development will knock out two very, very important "bio-diverse species" (using the Council's own terminology).

Clearly here actions speak far louder than words.

What a shame my objection was the only one heard (with some representation at the beginning of the process from Suffolk Wildlife Trust & I wasn't able to be represented in person at the meeting as they took place during the weekdays at the Council chambers when I was at work) and little consideration was given about the future sustainability of the near 2,000 Southern Marsh Orchids and 50 Spotted Orchids (logged just 3 years ago) which have grown on the site over the past few decades.

A death sentence is hanging over the Orchids and the Snakes that reside on this site.

These wonderful plants will be therefore lost from the area. The Grass Snakes will die too (I will miss their occasional forays into the garden during very hot summer days although Jenny and the Frogs in our pond certainly won't!) and will now mean you can only see these Orchids in the future in any numbers at the SWT Carlton Marshes site.

I will miss watching the butterflies and dragonflies seen on the site. 

The site has also recently hosted several Woodcock, Bullfinch and Redwing sightings (last winter) and I will also miss the daily visits by the local Green Woodpecker from Parkhill hotel grounds.

Despite the recent weather, the site is drying out and continued erosion of the site (by children) and natural succession (grassland turning to scrub) means there are now very few Orchids left.

Next Spring may well be your last chance to see them at this site.

The south- west corner is now the best area to look for them in June.

Lessons need to be learnt and in future

we must all join together and try and save our last remaining green spaces in Lowestoft.

A very, very, very sad day for Lowestoft and for all wildlife lovers.