East Hills at Wells, Norfolk on Fire Today!

When John F. sent me a link to the news this evening, saying that East Hills was on fire today and someone had been arrested for arson, I could hardly believe what I was reading. I can't possibly say on here what I actually want to say, otherwise my blog may be removed. What a truly wicked thing to do. I don't know the full loss of the habitat, but any loss is awful for such a unique and special place.

For anyone who doesn't know, East Hills is a belt of pine trees, sycamores, bramble, scrub surrounded by Marram grass, beach and saltmarsh just north of Wells-next-Sea in Norfok – its a little piece of paradise, a joy to visit, either by boat at high tide or walking out at low tide (potentially treacherous though as quick sand on route and you have to be super careful with the tide times). It was a particularly exciting place for birders searching for rare birds both in Spring, but even more so in the Autumn migration in September and October. There have been many, many rare birds out there.

I have walked out there several times over the years, but after a scary quick sand incident when I was walking out alone, I only took the boat out after that! It is a place of solitude, a place where you never bumped into a dog on lead or off lead and more than often, not another human being either. There is a fabulous selection of trees out here, mainly pine trees, but a good number of sycamores, which are a magnet for migrants feeding on insects amongst the sticky leaves. A truly beautiful place to be. Can't believe this happened. I would love to know why this was set on fire and for what reason, it seems very odd as it reads that it was a 60 year old man. Maybe a barbecue? If so this is breaking the law as it strictly states no fires or barbecues on notice boards, on the inland side of the marsh, before you walk out there.

Several of the local birders who walk out there regularly, some of them daily in October will be devastated to say the least. Any loss of habitat means loss of wildlife, thank goodness its late in the season and not Spring when birds would have been nesting. Even though I have left Norfolk, this is extremely shocking and sad to hear about.