Residents' Reports

stonechats

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Jeremy Mynott

16 January 2017

Lots of stonechats around at present, thanks to the generally mild winter. You can see them perched up on tall stems of dead vegetation or fence-posts either side of the sea walls. An extended cold spell would cause them serious problems, though.

Jeremy

friday 13th

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Jeremy Mynott

Friday 13 January

On the ploughed fields between SS and East Lane to the west of the seawall there are flocks of golden plover. They are quite invisible until one of them calls and when you scan the field you then see up to 100 of them picking over the soil. Plovers have sometimes been thought birds of omen but if this Friday 13th turns out to bring calamitous floods, as forecast by the secular authorities, the birds at least are betraying no foreboding.

Jeremy

owls

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Jeremy Mynott

11 January 2017

Highlight of early January has been the presence of short-eared owls over the rough pasture S of the Tower (now happily restored to vigour after the depredations of the sheep last year, and so a refuge for voles again). Unfortunately, they have sometimes been harassed by the photographers eager for the definitive 'killer shot' but they have also been observed and enjoyed by residents like Juliet Johnson and Caroline Reekie who have reported their sightings to me. Wonderful birds to watch in that easy gliding flight, showing the palette of subtle browns and buff in the wing feathers.

Jeremy

the greening of the rocks

Posted on January 12, 2017January 12, 2017 by Jeremy Mynott

12 January 2017

The rocks in the East Lane defences are beginning to become a little mini-environment. They are greening very nicely with sea-weed, which attracts its own marine life, which in turn has become a resource for purple sandpipers (a rare visitor on this coast, more at home on the rocky shores of the NE). There was one roosting in full view on the old breakwater – how about a new groyne to attract some others!

Jeremy

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Statement of Purpose

The plan is to produce a comprehensive survey of the flora and fauna of the Shingle Street area (see map). This is a locality of great natural diversity and abundance, which already contains within it an area designated as a conservation site of special importance and also has close to it other wildlife reserves and protected areas. Read more …

The beach at Shingle Street looking north towards Coastguard Cottages. Photo: Jason Horncastle.
Curlew in flight over the marshes. Photo: Margaret Holland.
This seal got a piece of tarpaulin wrapped round its neck for several weeks. Photo: Jason Horncastle.
A view across Barthorp's Creek at the northern end of the survey area. Photo: Jason Horncastle.
Kingfisher. Photo: Bill Baston.
Short-eared owl. Photo: Bill Baston.
One of the saline lagoons behind the beach north of the "Beacons". Photo: Jason Horncastle.
A Little tern carrying a sand eel. Photo: Bill Baston.
Barn owl. Photo: Bill Baston.
The beach looking north-east towards the River Ore entrance. Photo: Jason Horncastle.
Corn Bunting. Photo: Jeremy Mynott.
Barthorp's Creek looking upstream towards the bridge. Photo: Jason Horncastle.

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Recent Articles

BIRD RINGING REPORT

This is a report of the bird ringing that has been undertaken in Shingle Street over the last ten years by Mervyn Miller and his colleagues. Birds are trapped in specially designed ‘mist nets’, then examined, weighed and ringed with tiny metal rings, each of which has a unique, identifying code number.

SPIDER RECORDS

Spider records for Shingle Street received from Suffolk Biological Records Centre.

Moth trapping in Shingle Street

Here are the results of two moth trappings led by Nick Mason as part of the 2015 Shingle Street Survey, both held in Tricia Hazell’s garden at The Battery. The results tabulated here include just the larger ‘macro-moths’. 24 June 15 Calm, sunny morning. Hot in the sun (20C+). Species Larval food plant Habitat Burnished […]