Wednesday 16 January 2013

16th of January: Snowy Hare today

15th of January 2013: it had snowed overnight but the morning was bright and fresh. We had planned a trip up the Point to look into predator control measures for the coming season. As we passed the Lifeboat House we spotted a Brown Hare sheltering in the lee of a suaeda bush in full sun. Graham was able to photograph it without disturbing it, leaving it basking in the ephemeral sunshine. We then took a walk up Far Point to look for signs of rats around the colony. On the way we saw a Shorelark and a Skylark, some Snow Buntings, a Merlin and some coveys of English Partridges. There were very few Grey Seal pups left on the beach and Far Point and there haven't been any births since around the 7th of January. It seems likely that the pupping season is over for another year and that most seals have now dispursed into the North Sea. Viewers of the BBC's Winter Watch can still catch up with spectacular highlights from the peak of the pupping season by watching the programme, real time or on iplayer.

Right on the end of Far Point the weather started to change and the picture of Graham carrying a dead gull shows how black the sky had become. It was time to turn around, as we were presently in one of the most remote locations in Norfolk and a blizzard was approaching fast over the North Sea. As we walked back down Far Point the snow started, slowly at first but increasing to the point of snow storm by the time we reached shelter. On our way back we took a few more pictures of the Point in the storm.
            

 As Norfolk people say: 'was gorn on over Hare?'.

 
 Graham walking away from the approaching storm.


 
A panorama taken on Victoria's iphone.


 
The Watch House through the blizzard.

 
Back to safety. Photo taken down the Point from Cley Coast Guards, after the storm.

- Ed

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