Shingle Street

I mentioned when doing M for Martello Towers in this round of ABC Wednesday that my walks destination was Shingle Street and so here we are on the sweeping shingle beach.  The day was both showery and windy as can be seen

from the flag. The line of cottages that look out over on the beach are called Shingle Street so the beach takes the same name. During World War Two the beach was mined against invasion and the inhabitants evacuated. Someone was rather careless with explosives and the pub blew up, never to be rebuilt.  I hope its stock of beer was low.  Today it is just a quiet hamlet with holiday cottages and a lifeguard station

  which is at the end of the white cottages in the distance. My attention was on the sea kale

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which grows here in profusion. The Victorians were also a lovers of sea kale but they dug it up and transplanted it into ornamental gardens and for a time it became rare on the coast. This beach is full of  both mature and

young plants just starting out in life. Many parts of the plant can be eaten but perhaps not on this beach for it is an area of special scientific interest for both its flora and fauna in the shingle and salt-marshes nearby.

It is thought that coastal erosion may mean that this shingle spit may not be here in twenty years time.Who knows but until then it felt firm under my feet. 

and I'm guessing the home owners are hoping the same.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet

  

Robin on the Rocks

The unusually long winter this year resulted in the snowdrops staying around for many many weeks. This photo was taken on the 9th April and they are still in full bloom. Maybe that is why the red breasted robin is giving them a good look over as is rests on the rock.

Now what other red birds are there?

'Might Red' in the Fan Zone, Anfield

Oh yes , the "Mighty Red" Liver Bird. The mascot they have started to use in community work, here posing for pictures. Then once posed

having a chat, possibly about those tiny wings.  I don't think this thing can fly.

The Kop, Anfield

Now that banner shows the mythical Liver Bird, symbol of Liverpool,  resplendent in red, those wings would surely fly high.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet

Quick Chicks

"Hello.Just enjoying a quiet day with my chicks.  Hey look out humans about!"

"Quick gather up.  Off we go"

"Come on form a queue".

"Don't hang back, keep up the quick pace, its all up the hill now until we reach water"

These chicks are bigger than this now, I love to see them grow, they will soon be big enough to quack.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet

 

Promenading on the Pleasure Pier

What time is it?  Its time to walk down the pier

or alternatively jump on the tram which is waiting to glide away. Those muffled up people show perhaps the reason  I'll leave this walk for another day when the sun is out

OK that is better

Well its gone 10 and this brings a new meaning to "early doors" 

and the start of our 1,216 yards (1112 m) stroll.  Southport Pier  it is the second longest in Britain but it is also the oldest iron pier although the railings seen here are modern.

The pier celebrated its 150th anniversary in August 2002 with free rides and music.

And now I have reached the end and "The Vortex" a 6 metre high stainless steel sculpture, the light reflects and distorts.  I imagine one can have great fun photographing this in all lighting conditions and then rest on the seating at the bottom. The globe at the top lights up at night although as we are on the west coast sunset would be another photo opportunity. The structure is designed by Craig and Mary Matthews of  Cammdesign

What no ice cream!  Guess we are too early, shame.  I will just have to gaze out

to sea, the tide is out, just a small channel left and in the distance is Blackpool pleasure beach

 just too far away to sweep down the big dipper.

I started with the grey day so I'll finish with it and, as the sign says,    "Thank you for Visiting Southport Pier". Now I can have that ice cream, the stall is just around the corner.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a stroll through the alphabet.

A Golden Carpet

Willington Wood, Nr Ulverston, Cumbria

They are weeks behind but at last the daffodils are in full flower everywhere. Here at Willington Wood the sparsely planted trees allow full light and they bloom in profusion. Meanwhile in more shaded corners

the pretty little Wood Anemones also enjoy the sun.

Observing Okapi

Mmm these leaves look highly obtainable and overwhelmingly desirable 

Yes observe me and my long tongue which is also handy to wash my eyelids and clean ears, inside and out, its very sticky

Oooh almost there

Got one

Mmm what should I do now, the other leaf source the oblong bowl is empty

Guess I'll just wait for the meals on wheels trolley with my Okapi name on it. 

The Okapi shown is a male, identifiable from its skin covered horns. Although the Okapi looks similar to a zebra its closest relative is the giraffe and indeed is sometimes called the "forest giraffe",  the other nickname is the 'African Unicorn'.  Its home is the tropical rain forests of Central Africa.  A solitary animal which needs acreage to roam (the male more than the female), this has become a problem due to shrinking habitat because of human development and also war and poaching. There are probably 10-20,000 in the wild and the Democratic Republic of Congo project the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to preserving and increasing number. It located in the Ituri Forest near the border with Sudan and Uganda. The European Endangered Species Programme for Okapi is led by Antwerp Zoo (where these photographs were taken) and up to now has bred 48 calves and counting this video was the 48th with another one due.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet - jump over to see the other O there

No Fishing?

No Fishing?  Surely not, perhaps because this pool is on a golf course but

Little Egret

nearby is the Marshside Nature Reserve where it is a free for all

Dunlin

 

and all that is required is a long beak

No nets needed

or other fishing accoutrements necessary. And definitely, no matter how pretty it looks,  no more snow until next winter please. 

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey though the alphabet..