Sea Watching at Holme!

Spectacular Skies this evening – Holme Beach

Friday 26th October

I was at work this morning then popped home to get changed and headed to Holme to my parent's house. Anglia Water came out between 1pm and 3pm and solved the stopcock/water situation in a matter of seconds! I sighed when I realised how simple it was. Basically, because it had not been turned for a long time, residue can build up around the washer and all that was needed, was to turn the handle in the hole a little way on again (anti-clockwise) and then off again (clockwise). This instantly stopped the meter movement inside the hole and the water stopped completely from all the taps! So all sorted now!

I was very alarmed when I first unlocked the door, as items had been moved around – unbeknown to me, my sister Vivien had been to the house yesterday, but I didn't know that until I found her note! She had dismantled some furniture etc that needs to be disposed of and had taken what she could to the dump. On discovering this, I then spent a while getting an old sprung bed base down the stairs, which was incredibly heavy and awkward. I had no intentions of doing this today and regretted it when it got stuck half way down the twisty stairs – basically I needed a second person to help me at this point and there wasn't anyone, so plan B was to open the stairs window (half way down) and let it fall to the concrete below! I then collected loads of other scrap metal stuff items from the garden and sheds and texted the local scrap metal man to collect it tomorrow. This will save overfilling the skip that we have ordered for November.

Headed to Holme Reserves to deliver my mother's Swarovski Binoculars to their new owner – so nice they have gone to someone local. Halfway along the Firs Road I saw Alison and gave her a lift to the The Firs House, which saved her legs a bit – it was nice to have a catch up with her – she does make me laugh! Gary said I must go and look at the sea as there had been a massive Pomarine Skua passage all along the coast today and I should be in with a good chance of seeing some. After having coffee and cake in the Firs, I put some more layers on with hat and gloves and headed across the dunes to sea watch.

It was bitterly cold and windy and I couldn't have picked a more exposed spot! The sea was fierce, but the light was stunning, with rays of sun streaking through dark rain clouds and it was clear if not wobbly sea-watching conditions! An auk sp. bombed through and I saw several distant blobs, but then had long views of seven Pomarine Skuas flying low over the breakers at approximately half distance – picked them up a good way east, as they headed west in beautiful light! I was so pleased I had seen these. It was so cold I didn't stay any longer, plus I had loads of stuff to do this evening. As I crossed back over the dunes to the car park, I flushed a Woodcock from the sea-buckthorn which then flew towards the NWT Wader pools. I headed back to house in Holme.

I spent all evening going through a mass load of letters and stuff and sorting into a keep and shredding pile. It took me until 10pm!!! With no water in the house, I couldn't even go to the loo! I wearily left for home in King's Lynn and got home late. Made some cheese on toast and chilled in front of TV for a while before writing the blog! Strong north easterly winds with rain forecast for Sunday and Monday – last chance for a gigantic mega maybe?! Good night! Bird items will be going up for sale on the blog over the weekend! Keep an eye out, first come first served!