The Parish of St Margaret's get's a little smaller

As the weather improved this afternoon so did my desire to find some summer migrants, hopefully arriving on the eve of the official start of spring, the vernal equinox. At 7.02 a.m. on the 20th March 2013 we reach the point where the day and night are of equal lengths. From that day forward, in the northern hemisphere we will be getting more day than night and the days lengthen until June 21st, when then days start to shorten again! Well once again I failed in my quest at ST Margaret's but still had an enjoyable walk round.

 It was a delight to watch a Peregrine for the second day running, although a long way below me I was able to watch it preening as it sat quietly.on the cliff.

In the end I managed to force myself to leave this fantastic creature and walk along the Lees in the hope of finding something different.

What I found was a bit of a surprise. A large cliff fall, a few hundred yards towards the Bay from the Monument car park, had taken out a section of the fence and that was being replaced for safety reasons.

The section missing was sizable, nearly a cricket pitch length long by several yards wide. I can start to accurately estimate what weight of falling chalk that equates to, but a cubic metre of solid chalk weighs nearly 2.5 tonnes. The height here is around 80 metres, so if a wedge slid down, there could be around 10,000 Tonnes of chalk ending up at the bottom of the cliff.

From the Bay the startling white of the newly exposed face of the cliff shows the extent of the fallen area. The tide was coming in and Nigel, our host at the Coastguards Pub, told me that at low tide, the fallen chalk reached three times the visible distance into the sea.

I was still looking for new arrivals and decided to try the old landing strip along Upper Road. Over the years this ha been an area favoured by early Wheatears, and being a flat area with a couple of large mounds the habit of Wheatears to perch up makes this a good place to be able to see them. As I arrives a large crow landed just in front of me, and let out the unmistakable deep honking call of a Raven. I was behind the fence and managed a couple of pictures before it became nervous and took off.

 Raven are as magnificent in their own way as Peregrines and like to Peregrine the species has a huge range, over Europe, Asia and North America, but unlike the Peregrine it doesn't get to the southern hemisphere, although it is replaced in most areas by similar, closely related species.

Early Notification

This years Village GARDEN SAFARI will be on 13th and 14th July. I hope that the weather will be good and, as well as having the garden open, I will be able to have a garden wildlife show featuring the moths that are around and our photographs of wildlife in the garden and around.

 

For many in the village this is a biennial highlight, and somehow gives the community real soul. If you live in the area, or visit occasionally, put the dates in your diary and come and see us.

Before and After

Back in February 2007 I took the above photograph, after the demolition of a house that had been badly damaged by fire.

 In September last year something started to stir from the ruins that had sat there for five years.

It took a long time for anything to happen but the rebuild is finished and the sold sign is up. One question, why red brick?

Franconia, a bungalow on the Droveway had been empty and a shell for some years when I took this picture last September,

Finally two bungalows have appeared on the site, fairly tightly squeezed in, but the plot at the back is quite large. They are described as four bedroom houses in the advert, but three of the bedrooms are in the loft space, so in my book they are bungalows. The sea view that they have is a narrow strip above the roofs of the houses in Granville road (although it is a bit closes than our sea view). I guess if you sat on the roof you could see more sea, if you see what I mean.

Tracy Carrying the Torch

The Olympic Flame reached Dover yesterday and today it continued through Deal, Sandwich, a tour of Thanet, on then to Canterbury before finally reaching Leeds Castle. Although the torch didn't actually come to St Margaret's the village was represented on both yesterday and today. Yesterday was Jamie Clark's day and today was the turn of Tracy Evans. 

Waiting along the Ramsgate Road at Sandwich was unusually pleasant today, it wasn't raining! The first arrivals of the event were of course the very commercialised sponsors buses and our-riders.I'm a bit old fashioned, but seeing Coca-cola and McDonald's great benefactors sticks in the throat (sorry about that) a bit. Most annoying to me was to see our Union Flag being waved, with the flag on one side and an advert for  a South Korean company on the reverse. A real insult to our national flag.

I was amused when a bus advertising Lloyds TSB came by. I wonder when the paint will come out to make it the Coop TSB bus? Having got over these little annoyances it was time to enjoy the actual event, which in my mind was about the people carrying the torch and not the sponsors. When a bus passed me carrying the torch bearers and I saw Tracy still sitting there I realised that I needed to be further up the road.

Fortunately nothing was moving very quickly and I soon caught up with where Tracy was waiting with one of the official helpers.

These two young ladies said that they were the sunshine girls, as the weather was always good when they were working. Let's hope that they are on duty for most of the next month!

Tracy was now ready and in position for the handover and Team Tracy and friends took the opportunity for photos.

It was just a few minutes before the torch appeared coming down the road towards Tracy.

When the torch bearer arrived there was a quick circular dance before the actual passing on of the flame.

The procedure when extremely smoothly and soon Tracy's torch was burning brightly and there was just time for a photo before Tracy was on the move on her leg of the route.

Passing Team Tracy and the family

Handing the flame on to the next torch carrier.

The world is in THEIR HANDS

 I took my moth "exhibit" to the wildlife event in the village this afternoon. As the weather was so good the action took place in the field opposite the Village Hall. I did get to see quite a few people, several who'd visited us during the garden safaris over the years, but also quite a few others who were probably having their first proper look at some of the garden moths. Most kids get to see butterflies, in fact I think several classes in the village school are doing projects on butterflies at the moment, but few realise how many great looking moths that we also have.

 

Holding a small moth requires a lot of concentration, and of course it also means that you are not at all scared of holding insects. It's great to get children used to the idea that insects are a part of their environment and that they can be interesting. Of course they need to learn that some things, like bees and wasps, can sting and need respect, but they also need to be confident and not scared what are mostly harmless creatures.

 

One of the most popular "bugs" I had on view was a Cockchafer These large beetles, also known as May Bugs are quite daunting at first. But once the children found they it was fun to have then walking on their finger they all lost their reluctance and had a try. They Cockchafer has a king of natural Velcro on their feet that makes then stick quite tightly to an out stretched finger. Their grubs are a pest though, they're the big white grubs that eat roots, and are the enemy of potato growers.

 

When it was time to let all the moths go I had quite a lot of help from this bunch of budding lepidopterists. The seemed to enjoy watching them make their escape. Of course the sight of a camera produced a certain amount of "posing"!

Up until a few days ago mothing had been terrible in May, the worst I've ever know. The warmer weather mas meant that it's been a bit better for the last couple of days, so I did a least have a few moths to show. One that I didn't take along was this Lunar Double-stripe, it is quite a rare migrant and the first I've caught or seen. It will be released tomorrow night, after a couple of people who want to see it have visited it.

I was.surprised to see this stuffed bird on the the Rippledown stall. From a distance I realised it wasn't a Common Kestrel, but a Lesser Kestrel, a bird of southern Europe with just a handful of records ion the UK. It turned out to be the bird that was found dead at Dover Castle on on 20 April 1989, a bizzare record. Presumable the bird had made it across the channel but had become exhausted and too weak to feed. It is the only Lesser Kestrel I've seen in Kent, but hopefully a fit and healthy one might arrive sometime.

Meanwhile in South Foreland Valley the two young Konik Pony foals are growing fast. I wrote about one before my Pacific trip, and the week after I went a second foal was born. This one seems to have an itch that needs scratching.

In the evening light his fellow new conservationist (for that is their purpose) trotted over to see him.

A bit of mutual grooming and scratching was on the agenda. I must admit I always like having my back scratched, much better than doing it your self!

Keeping my fingers Crossed

On Sunday afternoon I'm taking part in a Wildlife even in the Village Hall.

I hope that a lot of families in the village will come along. I always have a lot of interest in the garden wildlife when the garden is open for the Garden Safari weekend, particularly the moths that I catch in the garden. My aim was, and hopefully still is, to show some of the moths that live in our gardens, largely unseen to all those interested. I must admit at the beginning of the week I was doubtful if I was going to have any to show anyone. Foe nearly three weeks, since I returned from my travels, I have run my moth traps with hardly any success. Never have I known a May so bad. For instance, on the 18th May this year I caught two moths of two species, on the same day last year it was 52 moths of 22 species.  This terrible situation seems to be due to the cold wet weather. The knock on effect must mean that there will be far fewer caterpillar around that many of our birds rely on to feed their young. The last two days have been significantly better and hopefully, on Sunday afternoon I'll have some moths on show, so I'm looking forward to seeing some potential young wildlife enthusiasts.

Yesterday as I was checking through my trap I was delighted to hear and then watch a Willow Warbler singing in one of the trees in the garden. This was at about 5.45 am and, not surprisingly it didn't stay around. May 23rd seems quite late for a migrant coming through, but I presume the awful spring weather has help up many of our summer visitors. 

Something to lift the Gloom

Another unremittingly gloomy day, although I did quite like this view of Deal Pier with a flock of Black-headed Gulls, many now with black heads.

Now Something to Lift The Gloom.

If you live locally our talented St Margaret's Players are performing Cheshire Cats by Gail Young at the end of the month. Full details are on the Poster below. As you see it includes a donation to charity. I'm sorry to say I'll miss it because I should be on a plane heading towards New Zealand on the first night, so I hope it all goes extremely well.

OUR FIRE FIGHTERS NEVER LET US DOWN - IT'S NOW TIME TO SUPPORT THEM

This post is about our village, St Margaret's at Cliffe and the proposal to close our local Fire Station. I, like everyone else have had little notice of the following event, so if you are from the village or surrounds please note that the first meeting is tomorrow.

The Kent Fire and Rescue service are holding a Drop-In Session at the Fire Station on Thursday, November 10 (yes, tomorrow) from 3.00-6.30pm. The poster states "you will be able to find out more about Kent Fire and Rescue Services's proposal for the county and local area".

It is proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration, against the closure, outside the Fire Station in Reach Road from 3.30pm - 4.30pm on Thursday, November 10, during the advertised Drop-In Session. Please support this, bring along a placard, or go in and make your views known.

WHY do we need OUR FIRE STATION?

BECAUSE: With the South Foreland Valley, National Trust land, unusual terrain, outlying farms and homes, unadopted roads, cliffs, holiday village, aeroplane flight path etc, etc. we need to be supported by our own local Fire Fighters who are aware of the problems here. They can be in attendance far sooner than an engine from Dover and will know where they are going!!.

The Parish Council are holding their own Public Meeting in the village hall, to which it is hoped everyone will attend, on Friday, November 18 at 7.30pm.

And did those feet?

Last night I had the privilege to talk to the ladies of the village at a WI meeting. It's the second time I've done this, the last time was on 12/1/2010, when the village was almost snowed in. I thought that not many would make it, but I reckoned without the spirit of the WI and there was a good turnout. Last night was even better and it certainly made me wish that other groups that I belong to, like the KOS, had such good attendances at meetings.

The fact that it wasn't that long ago led me to think about what changes there had been in the time (apart from the snow melting). The cottage at Bockhill was still a shell, just starting to have the roof done, then. Now it has been renovated and has new occupants, and the barn behind it is being modernised and incorporated into the building. As I always thought that it was a sad sight to see the old building crumbling I'm really pleased to see it back in use.

Back along the Droveway, towards the village there has been no such movement in the state of the site where "Franconia" still, just about, stands. I last mentioned it on the 7th July, when the site round the empty building had been cleared. Since then the building has become a ruin and the cleared site is now becoming a jungle. I guess the development of the site is held up at the planning stage, but it doesn't enhance the look of the area as it stands.

At long last something appears to be happening at the burned out house in the High Street. Again this eyesore has been around too long and the sooner something appears there the better.

I had a good time at the meeting, although I wasn't all that confident when my computer and projector refused to talked to each other when I first set up. Fortunately there were lots of cups of tea to be drunk and other things going on, so my panic wasn't noticed by too many. A quick switch off and restart of the computer solved it and the "no source found" message went and all was OK.

The one positive to come out of me taking most of the interval getting set up was that it go me off having to judge the competition. Ive done this before at other meetings and have always felt that although I may have become a friend of the winners, I might be in danger from the losers!

Behind the group here I could see a large notice board, and of course curiosity got the better of me.

It was of course there so that the ladies could practice the words of "And did those feet..........." in readiness for England reaching the Rugby World cup final. Nothing like a good chorus of this stirring hymn to support the team out in New Zealand. Here Gloria is giving it a try, but I'm not sure she's totally convinced that we'll win.

I made the walk down to Backsands Scrape this afternoon. With the winds of the last few days, and lots of rare waders around the country, it seemed like a good idea when I started. It wasn't. There were three Little Egret's, on Green Sandpiper and four Greenshanks.

One of the greenshanks did come very close to the hide, and although I've already taken far too many pictures of Greenshanks this year I couldn't resisit a few more, especially as the light was perfect.

Still waiting for a Waxwing.

Much of the country is in the grip of the earliest snow blanket that I can remember, but so far we've just had a couple of centimetres here.

Even so it is pretty cold with the wind coming from an uncharitable ENE at about 20mph. The temperature remained at about -1 or -2 deg C all day, and Chapel Lane was pretty slippery when I went to the shop this morning.

The Village Pond is completely frozen over and of course all the Mallards have disappeared. With the rather harsh lopping of the tree and vegetation clearance the area looks rather sparse at the moment, but hopefully it will look rather more interesting when there is some new growth next spring.

Today heralded a new era for the village shop with a change of management. They are changing the opening times to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 days a week, which will be a big help to me on Sundays when I used to forget the shop closed at lunch time and then I'd run out for milk for my morning tea! I wish them luck as I think it important that the shop flourishes in the village.

In the garden there are still a lot of berries, but there are still no Waxwings to take advantage of them, I'm still hoping that one or more will arrive while stocks last.

The number of Chaffinches seems to have increased and today there were quite few feeding on the seeds that the other birds drop from the feeders above them.

I've set up a couple of feeders about four feet from the lounge windows and providing I'm not moving about the birds feed happily undisturbed.

Chaffinch have the the Latin name coelebs, derived from the Latin from bachelor. It was given by the great father of Taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus, who saw only male chaffinches in his native Sweden, females from its northern breeding grounds winter further south.

The charming Dunnock is still a common bird in the garden, but it is now on the amber list for conservation because of recent decline in the breeding population (1996-2001). In my early days of bird watching the Dunnock or Hedge Sparrow wasn't a bird that visited garden feeders, but in recent years they have learned to take advantage of feeding stations.