The Unexpected

 Tuesday January 17

An early phone call from Sam to say that she wouldn't be coming today, changed plans a little. She has a heavy cold. Instead of waiting until her arrival at ten o'clock, we could leave earlier. A bit of faffing about meant that we didn't leave early after all. The nearest Broads are hosting several good winter duck species at the moment, I'd love to see them. Ferruginous, Smew, Scaup and Red-crested Pochard. Mostly, inaccesible for us. We went to Selbrigg for twenty minutes of enjoyable photography. A Marsh Tit was the challenge today. They are grab and fly raiders of bird food. This one paused on a viewable perch for a few seconds.






 

Greg told me that the Swans on the lake had been ringed on the continent. 

Via Blakeney Quay, we drove to Morston, where the tide was incoming, the creek already well filled yet two hours from high tide, according to Siri, Apple's Alexa.We were the only people there, until a logo'd twin cab pick-up, towing an impressive trailer with a large rib boat on board.turned up. The boat was backed up to the water's edge, newly helmeted and suited and booted driver climbed on board. He manouvred the rib into the water, idling, twin Yamaha outboard motors gently burbling whilst the other man parked the car and returned to be picked up.

 



 

They drove off downstream very circumspectly, I'd have loved to see it at full throttle. Never an option this far inland. 

The Logo was initialled IFCA'

 


Eastern IFCA is one of 10 Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs), which protect the marine inshore environment around the coasts of England. The Eastern IFCA District Boundaries stretch from Haile Sand Fort in the north to Felixstowe in the south, encompassing the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and extending a further six nautical miles from their coastlines. (Further details: EIFCA District limits.) IFCAs have been created under the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) as a means of modernising the function and powers of Sea Fisheries Committees, reflecting a greater responsibility for conservation of the marine environment in conjunction with fisheries management and enforcement duties. 

Since the IFCAs were created in 2011 they have been responsible for transforming the way fishing activities are undertaken in Marine Protected Areas as a consequence of the UK government's "revised approach to the management of commercial fishing in European Marine Sites"[3] and have introduced 17 byelaws to protect the most vulnerable features within European Marine Sites. 

 

A solitary Black-tailed Godwit, a pale shadow of its resplendent summer plumaged self, probed along the muddy edge.


 

Our first Greenshank of the year was much too distant for photographs. 

Not a long session but, a very enjoyable one.

 


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