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Gibraltar Point
http://lbcarchive.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20173		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Chris Grimshaw [ Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:30 am ]
Post subject:  Gibraltar Point
Curiosity got the better of me as I decided to spend the day at Gib. It is difficult to envisage what went on that Thursday night nearly two weeks ago. First port of call was the Mere. Today you couldn't get any further. The path being still flooded. Entering the hide you are greeted by a stench of the mud on the floor and the dampness. The seats are still wet but on opening the flaps you are greeted by a vast expanse of water fully four or five feet higher than I have ever seen it before and also stretching virtually as far as the eye can see. You then realise that the water levels were up to those flaps on that night. It must have been a sight to behold. Much later in the day I ventured down to the western hide on Fenland Lagoon. The path has been badly damaged and the bank surrounding the lagoon breached in three places. There is still a lot of water between the Mere and Fenland Lagoon. Venturing down onto the beach some of the dunes are non existent. I went down to the point where there doesn't seem to be be much change but there is if you see what I mean. Everything seems flatter and stretches further. Difficult to describe. Back along the beach looking at areas where there were dunes which are now flattened. Defences for future bad weather being virtually non existent. How much water must have been here on December 5. Unbelievable. Reaching the beach area to east of Mill Hill it was evident that the storm surge had re-arranged the coast. Those dunes that were eroding anyway have now virtually gone. Greenshank Creek seems to have a new course if indeed it exists at all. Certainly there is a landlocked pool by the the dunes where people once gathered to watch the wader spectacular on Autumn high tides. Climb Mill Hill to witness what the power of nature can achieve
I did do some birding too and below is the list of sightings on a memorable day
blackbird 6
blue tit 10
chaffinch 12
Herring gull 200+
magpie 8
moorhen 12
gadwall 14
shoveler 12
jackdaw 85+
mute swan 8
teal 300+
shelduck 62
canada goose 62
pheasant 6
lapwing c200
black tailed godwit 52
coot 12
curlew 35
great tit 10
robin 2
dunnock 3
greenfinch 20
goldfinch 12
wren 2
kestrel 2
reed bunting 14
brent goose c 240
pink footed goose c140
redshank 28
cormorant 90
wigeon c500 down on the point
turnstone 5
oystercatcher 13
eider 1
great black-backed gull c40
bar tailed godwit 5
common gull c50
great crested grebe on the sea
common scoter 5 out from Mill Hill
tufted duck 3
little egret 2
red throated diver 1
black headed gull c100
rock pipit 32
barn owl 1
carrion crow 12
wood pigeon c50
starling c150
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