It’s still very variable weather wise with plenty of storm cells moving about the South of England but a walk around Thorney Island is tempting so we chance it. It proved risky, I had hoped to get to the south
and be in a more protected area before the rain came in. In practice I’d only just got past the three bays to Marker point before the squalls came through but they were short lived, most of the worst of the rain went to the north.
The Deeps had a few duck on them but I ended up being a bit preoccupied by this swans nest at the foot of the sea wall. Naturally Bonnie set off to investigate but fortunately she did respond to a recall whistle and came back; I’m not sure what this lot of swans would have done to her but it wouldn’t be pleasant!
There is now a signals squadron present at the army base, there’s a memorial to one of the soldiers lost. They haven’t been noticeable in the past but now are out with trucks full of portable communications gear in several locations. They also had this rather interesting radar deployed, it looks like a small ships antenna but rotates much faster.
The starlings are starting to gather and a mini murmuration was in progress as
we made out way south. By the time we’d arrived they had all roosted in this tree, very sociable! Other than that there were only a few oyster catchers and a group of four little Egrets on a patch of grass that had just been inundated by the tide.
Unfortunately the sea wall is not in good shape in the south western part of the Island. The sea had broken through as can be seen here and sucked out at least half the path. The two men in the background were from the MCA and about to close the path; fortunately there’s an alternative solid path that can be take which will be used “for quite
some time”. It was interesting to hear that the Army have funding to rebuild the sea wall on the Eastern side where it’s in poor shape. They’re going to move it back a bit in places and let the sea in to form some more marsh areas which makes perfect sense. We just hope they can find a bit extra money to sort the south west corner out.