“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing” is the watchword today as we’re experiencing persistent rain and expect to do so for the Morning, if not longer. Having stocked up for some holiday supplies we set out for the nature reserve at Nutbourne.

 

It was already high water so little of the beach or the spit were visible, just a wide expanse of water. For some reason, perhaps social, it had attracted at least a hundred Mallard and a sprinkling of Wigeon. They were all spread out across the bay, sitting just off the weather shore, initially with little movement. Although we were a considerable distance away by the time I’d raised my phone to take a snap, many of them were disturbed and flew off in a huge flock. Why they were spooked was not clear, maybe they were not comfortable there anyway and our arrival was just the tipping point.

Surprisingly the Geese had moved elsewhere in the harbour, normally there are at least a few here but not this time. Unfortunately what was evident was this pollution in the form of dirty foam along the strand line. Almost certainly caused by decaying algal matter it certainly doesn’t enhance the coastline. There have been algal blooms this year attributed to fertiliser run off; it’s not just the streams that get hit but the sea too.

Close to Prinstead there’s a small meadow where horses are often kept. Unusually

there are a few flowers left, they may only be Hawkweed and Ox Eyed daisies but they do liven the place up a bit as we descend into the gloom of winter. Returning past the fields into Farm Lane the Beech trees that were the first to loose their colour are now the first to drop their leaves in significant quantities.  They’ve turned a delightful, bright yellow and loosing their grip on the trees; the wind is causing many to fall now, forming a carpet of yellow across the grass.