After nice bright weather for a couple of weeks, we had a wet, grey day today, and the forecast says it is with us until early next week. On the positive my water butts in the garden are now full of water.
So, pictures today from Titchfield Haven are more like pictures from a winter’s day. Not very nice under sail in the Solent.
Grey Heron.
Little Egret.
fledgling Reed Warbler.
Yesterday (12th January).
Large parts of our local lake were frozen. I was surprised to see a pair of Great Crested Grebes building a nest. Further on I was even more surprised. A second pair had built a nest and one of the birds was sitting on it.
End of the pier and the end of the season Southsea Hampshire. The people have gone home the lights are turned off and the paint has faded.
On the South Devon coast is a small smugglers’ cove with a shingle beach nestled beneath Beer head. A small beach-launched fishing fleet operates and sells fresh fish in a small shop just above the high water mark.
Another hot weather walk in the New Forest this morning found us following a small stream on the flat which helped us keep cool. There were many Dragonflies – Emperor Dragonflies were “dipping”. An action where they lay their eggs.
Another Dragonfly that was about in good numbers was the Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
A few bird spots.
Nuthatch.
Blue Tit.
A lucky spot walking back to the van was a young Grass Snake.
A few hour’s walk out to Gilkicker Fort on this wet morning and a stop to take a look at Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service.
Gosport Lifeboat Station is a volunteer-operated independent lifeboat station located near the Gilkicker peninsula at Gosport – it operates lifeboat services in the Solent from Portsmouth Harbour to Titchfield Haven. There are 235 Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat stations around the United Kingdom, and there are 65 lifeboat stations which are not owned or managed by the RNLI, GAFIRS is one of these. Like the RNLI, All Lifeboat services work with HM Coastguard their equipment, training, and procedures comply with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Rescue Boat Code of Practice.
Gone tomorrow! We have the sun out this morning so up to the South Downs to see if the Hares are about. They did not let us down.
An example of coastal erosion at Baton on Sea on the edge of the New Forest.
Longshore drift is a geological process that involves transporting sediments such as single and pebbles along a coast parallel to the shoreline. It is dependent on the angle of the incoming wave direction. Incoming wind squeezes water along the coast, which generates a water current which moves parallel to the coast. Longshore drift is the sediment moved by this longshore current. This current and sediment movement occurs within the surf zone.
Longshore drift has happened along Meon Shore over the years I have watched the shoreline change with shingle spits changing and growing and the beach make-up changes as the shingle size changes. Wooden groins slow the currents and help stop erosion. The small harbour at Titchfield Haven entrance gets blocked up as stones and sand get dropped in that area as the currents slow and can not hold their weight as they slow. This week the sailing club has been moving the shingle back from the harbour mount to fill in the area on the spit that is being eroded with it.
A day out is not complete without some nature watching.
Poor weather {again} with high seas and excessive rain here on the Solent and Southampton Water. This mornings bird watch was taking cover within one of the bird hides at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve. Not many visitors today and as the weather deteriorated the reserve closed at lunchtime for safety reasons.
Northern Shoveler – the film catches these ducks using their large bills to filter water for their food.
Shovelers are surface-feeding ducks with huge spatula-shaped bills.
Like many duck breeds the female is a fairly “brown” bird whereas the Drake is colourful with his dark green head white breasts and chestnut flanks making him very handsome.
Continued Reflections from my World. 