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Thursday, 21 July 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Spoonbills x 6 at Thornham Harbour
White-rumped Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpipers x 2, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Spoonbill at Titchwell RSPB
Honey Buzzards x 2 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Spoonbills x 2, Little Gull at Cley NWT
Continental Black-tailed Godwit at Kelling Water Meadow
Caspian Tern at Hickling Broad NWT
Turtle Doves x 4, Spoonbill at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
BEE-EATERS 6+ (1+young in nest) at sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Spoonbills x 4 at Holme Dunes NWT
Wood Sandpiper at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
 
MEGA NEWS
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
ELEGANT TERN
West of Kinvarra at Inishroo, County Galway, Ireland

Place A Complete Ban On The Sale and Use of Disposable BBQ’s In The UK

PLEASE SIGN AND PASS ON TO OTHERS, THANK YOU:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/618664

Wednesday, 20 July 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Bee-eater heard flying over Hilltop, Cley
Curlew Sandpiper, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
Glossy Ibis x 9 at Welney WWT
Wood Sandpiper at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
BEE-EATERS x 8+ (1+young in nest) at sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Honey Buzzards x 2 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Spoonbills x 11 at Holme Dunes NWT
Wood Sandpiper, Continental Black-tailed Godwit at Kelling Water Meadow
Curlew Sandpipers x 2, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Spoonbills x 3 at Titchwell RSPB
 
MEGA NEWS
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
LEAST TERN
North of Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland

Still Hot, No Rain or Thunderstorms Yet – News from Snettisham Coastal Park!

By 11.50pm, we still have no rain here in King's Lynn! Its been another hot day, but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. I didn't sleep a wink last night.

I had a ENT appointment in the hospital early this morning, which I have been waiting for over a year for. I was told by audiology a while back that I have two small cysts in my left ear, which needed looking into. The very good news was that after being investigated by a senior consultant in "Ears, Nose and Throat" team there were no cysts now! So another box ticked! I then went to visit my colleagues in the Stroke team for a short while, whilst they were having their mid-morning tea break – it was great to see everyone.

Returned home and after almost no sleep for 48 hours, I went to bed at 2.30pm, although too hot to sleep properly and woke up at 8.30pm! Went straight outside and watered my pot plants, as not done them for two days and replenished the bird baths. Rang Lucy and Vivien and then removed all my temporary window and patio door black out blinds (actually sheets etc!). Sat for ages with the front door open with a cup of tea, to try and disperse some of the heat out of my house!

From the EDP: "Major incident over after 'unprecedented' 280 fires in one day"

Pictures and video from Snettisham Coastal Park today with graphic images 😭 :

https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549838792445595651

https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549839944377581568

https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549839952900505601 

https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549839964820627458

A single bottle could have possibly (note I said 'could'), have caused this carnage and loss of Snettisham Coastal Park and wildlife fried. All it took was one spark to destroy a very important habitat and much loved by so many. Although its late in the season there would still have been birds nesting here with late or second broods and many rare birds been found here over the years. There is my nearest place I go birding and love this place. Lots of bottles were found amongst the habit after the fire. DON'T THROW BOTTLES OR LITTER EVER!!!

Tuesday, 19 July 2022

"RED" HOT DAY, Raging Fires – Wildlife & Habitat Loss, Homes Lost, Highest Temperature Recorded for Norfolk & UK EVER!

  DEATHLY  HOT  DAY!!!  

 

Like most people today, I'm wrecked! Not a wink of sleep last night, the camp bed set up downstairs failed miserably, too uncomfortable and too hot. Out of desperation I went upstairs to bed early morning, put the fan on max and tossed and turned until I heard the sound of drilling/DIY noises in the room next to my bedroom/next door. Got up, packed up camp bed stuff downstairs. Had a cold shower, breakfast and then did a scheduled Microsoft Team Meeting at 11am with HR and a senior at work – all went well.

I don't normally work on a Tuesday anyway, but I couldn't imagine what all the hospital staff were going through today, with hot sticky uniforms, no air conditioning and wearing masks! There must have a good number of staff either feeling very sick and faint or/and collapsing. The hospital is hot on a cool day! The patients must have seriously been affected in this heat. Dreadful conditions to be in. I felt guilty sitting indoors with my fan on and feet on a cold hot water bottle – to be honest though, it didn't make much difference. It was just about bearable in the morning, but the afternoon was on another level altogether!

Vivien was melting on the narrow boat and survived by wearing a soaking wet top and re-soaking when it started to dry! Ray was called into work unexpectedly. Lucy's lives in a cooler building, so I think she faired slightly better than Vivien and I.

I have only been outside twice, once to put something in the wheelie bin, which was torture and a second time to give the birds some cold water. Have drunk far more water than I normally do and eaten very little, far to hot to eat or cook. I recorded 38°c here in my garden, although it may have been higher than that at some point. My house felt like 50°c!!!

I was absolutely horrified to hear that Snettisham Coastal Park was on fire via Wild Ken Hill Manager Dominic Buscall: https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549369512558006273 – see my separate post.

The fire brigade had over 4,600 call-outs and there were 280 fires raging in Norfolk alone, including: A148 between North Lynn & Hillington, Castle Rising, Brancaster Staithe, Pensthorpe, Stibbard near Great Ryburgh, Wroxham, Poringland, Ashill near Swaffham, Ashmanhaugh near Stalham and more. People being evacuated from some of these villages and homes on fire! Tarmac melting with chunks flicking up and damaging vehicles.

A truly shocking and traumatic day!

https://twitter.com/EDP24/status/1549451523343585280

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/firefighters-battle-brancaster-staithe-burnham-deepdale-blaze-9155796 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0019g00/look-east-late-19072022

Fires burning in London and over many parts of the country!

Shetland and the northern isles will become the new Burnham Market!


The Fire Brigade are requesting:

NO barbecues outside your garden
NO camp fires
NO thrown cigarette butts
NO littering of any kind and especially glass bottles!

THIS SHOULD BE ALL YEAR ROUND ANYWAY!

The firefighters must be exhausted, thank you all for doing an excellent job in these extreme and dangerous conditions

I hope the forecast is correct for tomorrow
IT NEEDS TO RAIN ASAP!

Fires Blaze After UK passes 40C For First Time!

"Thermometers hit 40.3C at Coningsby in Lincolnshire, while 33 other locations went past the UK's previous highest temperature of 38.7C, set in 2019."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62217282

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2022/red-extreme-heat-warning-ud

Huge Fires at Ken Hill Marsh & Snettisham Coastal Park, as Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service Declares Major Incident!!!

This is terrifying and heartbreaking – its brought tears to my eyes. The habitat and wildlife loss is and will be devastating! I hardly recognise the place looking at the pictures and videos! 😭 😭 😭

Did it start naturally with everything tinder dry? Was the cause a dropped glass bottle? A discarded barbecue? A dropped cigarette? A camp fire? Who knows!

Wild Ken Hill Manager Dominic Buscall reported this on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/WildKenHill/status/1549369512558006273

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-norfolk-62230358

https://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/bad-fire-at-wild-ken-hill-much-wildlife-lost-9264791/

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/firefighters-tackling-blaze-at-snettisham-coastal-park-9154122

https://twitter.com/chrismojo/status/1549413590725271560

https://twitter.com/debbiedoos_35/status/1549427495723728897 

https://twitter.com/AWPRCO/status/1549385133941301248 

https://twitter.com/acorncarver/status/1549355965325230081

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Spotted Redshanks x 12, Spoonbill at Snettisham RSPB
Turtle Doves x 5, Spoonbills x 7 at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Wood Sandpiper, Common Cranes x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Continental Black-tailed Godwit at Titchwell RSPB
Glossy Ibis x 3, Wood Sandpiper at Welney WWT
Spoonbills x 3 at Cley NWT
Caspian Gull at Cromer
BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
 
MEGA NEWS
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
LEAST TERN
North of Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland
ELEGANT TERN
Inishroo, County Galway, Ireland

Watch the Bee-eaters Live Nest Cam, Norfolk, RSPB!

https://rspb.org.uk/bee-eaters

Watch the Bee-eaters live, between 7am to 9pm daily!!!

This has been streaming since the 11th July, I've just come across this via social media. Being as I'm probably the only person in Norfolk who has not been able to see them yet, this is fabulous, wow! Thank you to the RSPB and also to all the staff and volunteers covering their 24 hour protection! Can't wait to watch this tomorrow!

RBA Weekly Round-Up 12th to 18th July!

By Jon Dunn

Monday, 18 July 2022

"AMBER/RED" HOT DAY & HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN NORFOLK!

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weather/norfolk-record-temperature-broken-in-marham-tibenham-9152724

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62201793

One of the many reasons I want to move to Shetland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-62214200 14°c there today, lucky them! Compared to Santon Downham in Suffolk hitting 38.1°c today!

After showing Lucy my fabulous new fan the other day, she decided she would have one too, so I ordered one for her and it arrived today. This is the only time I left the house today, being as its insanely hot. Delivered Lucy's fan and showed her how it works (digital) and got home again asap. When I opened my front door this morning, the heat hit me and it reminded me of my first flight to Madrid. I was a Catalogue Production Co-ordinator for a company and part of my job was to fly out to Madrid to oversee the colour correction of the catalogue being printed – anyway I won't ever forget the first time I stepped off the plane in Madrid – I had never experienced heat like that, it hit me like a brick wall and that is how today felt too.

Sarah B. from work called me to ask how I was, which was very sweet of her. Spent the rest of the day just trying to cope with the heat. I have hardly seen any birds in my garden yesterday or today, have they died of heat exhaustion? I'm sure some will, with the ground being rock hard, how are they supposed to  probe for worms etc?! I really hope the weather forecast is correct for Wednesday: cooler, rain and thunderstorms. I turned the car ignition on around 3pm and it said the temperature was 46.5°c – I know this is not a true reading, but even still, I've never seen it that high before!

I was horrified to see a picture on Twitter of loads of bags of rubbish left by day trippers at Lady Anne's Drive, Holkham!! As I commented "OMG!! That’s disgusting! Came in their cars, so can go back with them! Revolting and selfish human beings! We seriously need some big plain black and white signs up saying “TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME AND PUT IN YOUR WHEELIE BIN” - put a camera up and state they will be fined £500" If there is such a thing as a surveillance camera that can then track the person dropping the bag of litter and then returning to their car to get the reg number, I think this is a brilliant idea and should make a huge difference. Even the visitors with big bank balances won't want to fork out £500!

I remember my father having a green and white poster up at the observatory that said "For Pete's Sake, Don't Drop Litter" The poster depicted a picture of 'Pete' (a green man!) putting rubbish in a bin. I've just Googled to find it, but failed.

My camp bed is set up downstairs, way to hot to sleep upstairs!

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
*Note: Bee-eater viewing point will be closed on Tuesday and re-opened again on Wednesday
Little Gull at Titchwell RSPB
Glossy Ibis x 8, Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbill at Welney WWT
Roseate Tern, Turtle Doves x 4, Spotted Redshanks x 8, Spoonbill at Snettisham RSPB
Honey Buzzards x 4 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Spoonbills x 12 at Cley NWT
Wood Sandpiper at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Spoonbills x 13 at Holme Dunes NWT
 
MEGA NEWS
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
ELEGANT TERN
Inishroo, County Galway, Ireland