Benny the Beluga Whale, a stunning Arctic visitor

On Saturday 29th September, after hearing of an incredible find of an Arctic Beluga Whale, nicknamed "Benny" or should it be called "Benita"? in the River Thames at Gravesend in Kent, and much talked about in the media making it to the Ten O'clock BBC News and articles in all the national newspapers. I drove down taking John H and James W with me. Using the Sat Nav, we eventually made our way Gravesend to Mark Lane and parked just off here at a very run down industrial estate, littered with rubbish everywhere and walked to the equally run down "Crown & Sepulchre" pub and joined a few potential whale watchers on a concrete platform, having a good and commanding view of the river. The Whale had been seen around 30 minutes earlier. A message 20 minutes later came on John H's pager, that it was being seen just west of our position and we walked along the footpath by the river and came to another good viewing point where the Whale, an excellent Beluga Whale was seen occasionally surfacing usually showing its mid back looking for all the world like a turning white tyre in the water. It was disturbed several times by boats and one time it swam close in very calm water and stuck its head out where we could the line of its mouth but not its eye. It would be seen usually every 5 minutes or so when it would then surface for 1-2 seconds for 3 separate times. When it was disturbed by boats, it would disappear for around 10 minutes. Walking back to the car, seeing Matt D, he said it was showing a fare closer from the Promenade, so we drove around parked by the much more salubrious Esplanade. The Promenade looked really nice and was a big improvement on the very run down industrial estate area where we had been! Around 110 people were around the promenade area peering over the railings, hoping for views of the Whale. Most were "birders" but other curious onlookers were noted too! The Whale was indeed a lot closer being around 500 yards out (instead of 1200 yards away when seen from viewing area we had walked to just west of the Pub) finally giving me a chance to get some photos of it. The Whale was seen mostly around the back of a moored barge, where it would surface every 10 minutes or so and on 2 occasions showed a lot more of its body (see pic. The Harbour Master's Pilot boat even came past and had a look, with a chap with a camera and mid zoom lens (see pic). However, the Whale was seen again. Unfortunately after 2 really massive large container ships went through we lost it from view and decided to leave, well satisfied with our views of this magnificent cetacean. Let us hope that this Arctic stray makes it back safely home.

Yellow- browed first one of the autumn!

On the early evening of Thursday September 27th, met Joshua C staring at the bush where The "Ninja" Yellow-browed Warbler still in favoured bush just south of 1st shelter belt south of Links Rd car park along North Denes slope seeing off all Chiff- Chaffs straying into its vigorously defended territory! Seen well but briefly about 4 times and also seen in flight chasing off all the Chiff- Chaffs! Also the Barn Owl hunting behind us on the N. Denes as well. YBW called as well around 10 times.

Barn Owl on the North Denes

On the early evening of September 22nd, a Barn Owl again hunting over the Lowestoft's North Denes 6.40 - 7.10pm normally around the large bramble just north of the Oval this evening. It spent a lot of the time on the ground. An outstanding find by Julie, last I've seen in this area, was a Barn Owl flew over my parents garden at Corton Road (500 yds away) 1982 & Ricky & I had a pair a few years later on posts at Dip Farm before the shelter belt grew up.

Whinchat and Wheatears

On September 22nd September, 1 Whinchat was seen at Corton, seen by Corton OSW along the northern mostvfence, plus a female Whitethroat & Green Woodpecker + 3 Wheatear around the North Denes netposts & male Blackcap along the North Denes slope plus 5 Mediterranean Gulls (1 ad, 1 2nd Y & 3 imm's) at Links Road carpark, Lowestoft.

Devils Coach Horses

On Thursday, 2 small Devil's Coach Horse beetles found today, at the Burrage centre, James Paget Hospital, 1 in my colleagues office and 1 in the Burrage centre corridor, which were caught and released outside.

Fallowfields, save our orchids, save our wildlife!

Protect our Orchids! Protect our wildlife! Fallowfields proposed planning application meeting at the Waveney District Council offices, Conference room, Riverside, Lowestoft at 6pm on Tuesday 18th September 2018- I am speaking to object to the development of land that has had 2,967 Southern Marsh Orchids, 40 Bee Orchids etc, around 30 hybrid Spotted X Southern Marsh Orchids. The land also had breeding Blackcaps this summer, regular wintering Woodcock particularly in hard weather, Green Woodpeckers, Hobbies, Brambling, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat. I have seen a young female Blackcap visit the garden twice recently. The land also had Green Hairstreak butterflies, Small Copper butterflies, Broad- bodied Chasers, Grass Snake and Hedgehogs. Contact WDC Jane Murray if you wish to speak to object her e-mail is: jane.murray@waveney.gov.uk See you there! Pics follow of wildlife seen and much of it photographed on Fallowfields or the garden.

Dead Hornet

On Monday 17th September, in the morning, I found a freshly dead Hornet on the path bordering the Burrage Centre and the old bowling green at the James Paget Hospital.