Springtime in England

Whilst the thermometer may not have risen above 6°C today it is still springtime in England and the spring flowers are magnificent particularly the daffodils.

Martlesham Heath near Ipswich Suffolk

Obligatory weather report: freezing cold and windy, the east wind blew in a foul stench from Belgium, Germany, Holland (they’re all getting blamed) that spread over SE England. The smell is reminiscent of manure spread over a paddock.

Even still we had a lovely time

*Visiting Pauline and Bernard,

*Eating fish and chips on the East Anglia coast,

*Observing serious beach erosion in Dunwich ( they have been losing 1 meter per year since the 1300’s)

*Visiting Sonia and Chaz

*Bird watching along the Martlesham Creek seeing red knots, knots, red shanks, godwit, pied oyster catchers, shelduck, cormorant, grey heron, swan, woodpigeon, blue jay, robins, grebe, swallows, house martins, green finch, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch,

*At Sutton Hoo where an Anglo Saxon burial site including a boat has been discovered from the 600 hundreds.

Heather and I found this shop in Aldeburgh on the Suffolk Coast. Generally it could be said that "shopping is naff in Australia" when comparing to Singapore, England and France but some Aussie brands make it here. There were no surfers in sight on the freezing day that we were there.

Best of British birds

Showing great restraint I have included the best pics I have taken of birds and other wildlife. Spring has proven to be a good time for seeing birds.

Ornithological note: since my visit in 2002 I have noticed a difference in bird abundance. Using the feeder stations at Kathleens and B and P as my surveying points I have noticed that the populations of woodpigeons, magpies, robins have increased and the starling’s population has decreased. Tits, finches and black birds seem to be about the same. Still no signs of woodpeckers and nightingales.

Great Tits

Blue tit

Blue Tit

Great Grebe

Robin

Chaffinch

Wood Pigeon

Swan