Thursday 17 December 2015

Minsmere - it's a breeze Carol !


Dear Ms. Kirkwood, c/o BBC Weather Dept

I would like to start this blog by accepting your apologies for your grossly understated weather forecast for the duration of my visit to the beautiful Suffolk cost at the end of September.  I watched avidly (along with scores, if not hundreds or even thousands, of grown men who really should know better!) your daily weather forecasts for the area and, hanging on your every word,  I quote "It might be a little breezy along the coast of Suffolk and Norfolk" - well - WRONG Carol, it blew a bloody gale for three days - mind you it was quite warm so you got that bit right.

Now that's out of the way, I wish you well on "Strictly" whatever that may be, I suspect it's not what I (and the tens, hundreds or thousands) imagine it could be!  I've never seen it, probably never will but good luck anyway.

Yours (looking like I've been dragged through a hedge),

Ron
xxx

OK, so the weather was breezy but it was warm, so for much of the time no jacket required.  As all visits begin, so this one did too, with a visit to the facilities - however you define the term.  The cafĂ© was quiet for 11.00am, so, having grabbed the days "news sheet", I sat with a coffee & scone to see what was about.  The first thing I realised was that I should've had tea & toast, the coffee was passable but the scone could probably have kept the door open despite the "breeze", and like the weather it was very dry. After the first bite I decided I needed to take this scone with water (or coffee in my case), that was the second mistake of the day as a bite of dry scone quickly swelled to the size of a football with the addition of coffee!  I drank the coffee and considered throwing the scone at the double glazed door hiding the kitchen but instead deposited it in a nearby bin - with a bang! 

The news sheet gave details of  regular Osprey sightings, Otters, Deer, Beardies & Bitterns over the previous few days so, having taken the news at face value,  all looked good.

I was hoping for Beardies, Marsh Harriers, Bitterns and, at a stretch, Otter, I got blown inside out for the best part of 3 days but did get a tan of sorts.  The breeze kept the flying birds on the ground generally though Kestrels were to proved to love it, hovering along the beach for most of the time. The only other birds of note were Stonechats which were in much of the gorse bushes along the beach.





Not too many highlights but I did overhear an unusual conversation in the North Hide at one point.  The hide is quite large with an upstairs split into two halves by the stairs, I went up, sat on the left & opened the window.  Not much about and those birds that were about were a long way off.  I was joined by an "elderly" couple, he sat alongside me, his wife sat the other side of the stairs.  Why? I have no idea but the conversation went like this:

Wife: Can you see the Little Egret?
Hubby: Are they Longhorn  cattle?
W: I think so, can you see the Egret?
H: I didn't expect to see Longhorns here
W: No, can you see the Egret behind the cattle?
H: Is that an Egret behind the Longhorn?
W: Yes, that's what I've been saying!
H: Longhorns, well I never!

Bye I'm off!

A good sunset one evening but generally very few highlights and even fewer photos!






















Look out Minsmere -  I'll be back!

2 comments:

  1. Dear Ron,
    Thanks very much for your comments.
    I'm afraid I had an off-day at the time. I'd had an unfortunate accident with a scone and a Longhorn. It made my eyes water.
    My apologies for the poor forecast and I hope to do better next time.
    Season's Greetings,
    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Carol, thank for your reply, just one question, Fruit, Cheese, Cherry or Plain?
    Ron
    xxx

    PS I hear your dancing is almost as bad as your weather forecasting!

    ReplyDelete

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