Birdwatching - Life on the Torridge Estuary

Local walks and beaches have been inundated so enjoyed a brief trip to the burrows now the official Summer season is over.

An incoming tide, golden light and fresh air. As is normally the case had the wrong lens so record shots only of what we spotted. Three #Cormorant, each sitting on their own rock spot, four #Egret, several gulls and a flock of #Redshank swirling over the Skern. Are they making a stop on their migration or over-wintering here. Scroll down for video clip....where did they go !!

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For the Record - Egrets on the Torridge Estuary - Photo credit Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)

For the Record - Cormorant & Redshank on the Torridge Estuary - Photo credit Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)

  

Life on the Biosphere - Photo credit Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)

For the Record, Life on Lockdown  Covid19 Day 190

Stepping Out. Enjoy an intriquing performance walk along the unique Northam Burrows coastline with Red Herring.

Join Red Herring on a unique shared journey, a fun and intriguing performance walk, which reveals little known stories of our coastline and invites us to experience it in new ways.

Come and walk with us along the unique Northam Burrows coastline. This place may already be familiar to you, we’ll experience it together, in new and unfamiliar ways. You’ll be immersed in a journey of both travel and time: a monumental journey of the earth beneath our feet; the migratory routes of wintering birds; the marks left behind by boatbuilders and the footprints of life along this coastline.

Through snippets of text, recorded sound and found objects, we’ll investigate the stories attached to the land as we travel across it.

A circular walk, developed in partnership with Northam Burrows Country Park, will cover 2 – 3 miles over uneven ground. Please come prepared to walk this distance with suitable outdoor footwear and clothing. You will walk for about 1.5 hours with frequent stops and creative interludes along the way. We will provide light refreshments. Please note, performance duration and finish times may vary, depending on the walking pace of each group.

Red Herring will be running further Stepping Out events in September 2019, please join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates. Events will include a new Creative Coastal Walk as well as an Interactive Walkabout Performance and Sound Installation see below for details.

Stepping Out

Saturday June 8th and Sunday June 9th: 2.00 – 4.30 PM

Location: The walks will start and finish from The Skern end of Northam Burrows Country Park. Specific details on the meeting place will be provided after booking. Performances will start promptly, please arrive 15 minutes in advance to allow time to park and walk to the start. If you drive to the Burrows please be aware, unless you have a season ticket, there will be a £4 access fee.

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Cancellations: If weather conditions are unsafe, we will inform you of any cancellations by 10am on the morning of the performance. If, due to poor weather, a performance is cancelled we will endeavour to offer an alternative date.

Tickets are FREE, advanced booking is essential. 

• Unfortunately, as the walks take place over uneven ground, we aren’t able to accommodate wheelchairs or push chairs. 
• As we’ll be walking in a group, we also request that dogs stay at home. 
• Walks are suitable for young people aged 13+. 
• Numbers are limited to 20 on each walk.

Illustration from "A History of the Earth and Animated Nature" by Oliver Goldsmith  (Creative Commons)

Stepping Out is supported with funding from Arts Council England and the North Devon Coast AONB’s Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) which is funded by Defra. Stepping Out is part of a series of events celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the North Devon Coast AONB.

About Red Herring Productions CIC:

"We create playful and exciting outdoor theatre which brings diverse groups of people together to celebrate our shared heritage. These are performed on street corners, in parks and rural landscapes, with a fresh approach that blurs the edges between performers and audiences. We work with local communities, enabling them to learn about, share and celebrate their cultural heritage through talks, workshops and performance." Website - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter

Good News Day for Northam Burrows Country Park Visitors

It was announced in the local press yesterday (18^th July) that the Northam Burrows Visitor Centre will be re-opening in time for the Summer holidays after the major fire which occurred over the Bank Holiday in May 2017. 

Although the centre was badly damaged the rangers adapted well while the reconstruction work was underway as can be seen in the photo below taken on a sunny Saturday in June. The North Devon Biosphere Foundation loaned the events trailer which served as a temporary display area and information point. If you know the name of the happy ranger please leave a comment

The re-opening will coincide with the launch of the Burrows’ Summer programme of events including talks and walks, rockpool rambles, herbal potions, dinosaur days, underwater crafts, circus skills and more. 

Happy to Help - temporary display area and information point - Photo Pat Adams

Walk beside the sea beside Northam Burrows Country Park - Photo Pat Adams

Walk beside the sea beside Northam Burrows Country Park - Photo Pat Adams

 The saviour of the Sand Dunes is Marram Grass - Photo Pat Adams

Braunton Burrows across the Torridge Estuary - Photo Pat Adams

"Business as usual" while reconstruction work is underway on the fire damaged Northam Burrows Visitor Centre - Photo Pat Adams 

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 Tap here for information on Northam Burrows Country Park & latest event details

Tap here to read article/view pictures of the damage in the North Devon Gazette

Tap here for news about the opening from Torridge District Council

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Northam Burrows Country Park lies at the mouth of the Taw Torridge Estuary and is protected from the raging Atlantic Ocean by a famous Pebble Ridge which runs the length of the two mile stretch of beach at Westward Ho! The Burrows consist of over 600 acres of coastal grassland, sand dunes and salt marsh known as The Skern. This area certainly appears to be a bleak, barren wasteland, but looks can be deceptive. It is a designated site of scientific interest and although there is a dearth of vegetation on the actual pebble ridge save the odd sprig of sea spurge, the Burrows supports a variety of plant life including Dune Pansy, Glasswort, Sea Holly, Sharp Rush and Storksbill. The saviour of the Sand Dunes is Marram Grass which grows vigorously in this inhospitable landscape. This common land is shared happily by all manner of tiny creatures, birds, butterflies, horses and sheep as well as golfers and walkers. The oldest links course in England is sited within the park and a separate section is set aside for local horse riding stables.(Article North Devon Focus on Northam Burrows)

Are you the next Attenborough? Wildlife Film Making Workshop at Northam Burrows

Could you be the next David Attenborough? Come and learn the principles and get some hands-on experience of wildlife film making with professional film makers and local wildlife experts at this one day intensive wildlife film making workshop.

Torridge District Council and the Northam Burrows team are working with community film makers North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) to run this one day workshop for ages 16 and over at Northam Burrows Country Park on Sunday 11 September 2016.

Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI says "The event is part of our Wild Shorts wildlife and environment competition project. This intensive workshop would normally cost £50 per person but thanks to our funders The North Devon Coast AONB, Fullabrook CIC and the Tarka Country Trust we are able to offer places at £10 for adults and £5 for 16 and 17 year olds. Parking on the Burrows is £3.50 but if you get there before 9.30am it's free."

"Participants can expect a real hands-on, interactive experience. There are only 10 places available, which will allow everyone to gain as much as possible from the event."

 One day workshop for ages 16 and over at Northam Burrows Country Park on Sunday 11 September 2016

Booking is essential.   

Tap here to findout more and to book a place 

or contact Amanda McCormack at northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or telephone 01271 860610. 

Beach Safety and Barrel Jellyfish. Look but don't touch!

I spotted this critter on the strandline on the beach at Westward Ho! yesterday. It was a beautiful day just after high tide, the blue waters of the ebbing tide lapping on the shore. At first I thought it was a plastic bag but on closer inspection I realised it was a huge jellyfish. It has been confirmed by the Marine Conservation Society as a #barreljellyfish which have been recently highlighted in the local press recently and the advice is to look but don't touch as they have a painful sting. If you see any of these in the water or washed up on shore please report your sightings at the Marine Conservation Society Website.

 Barrel Jellyfish sighted 10th June 2015 - Photo copyright Pat Adams (All rights reserved)

 Ebbing Tide at Westward Ho! - Photo copyright Pat Adams (All rights reserved)

Click here to read the North Devon Journal's article about the Giant Barrel Jellyfish

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Wikepedia Stub - Rhizostoma pulmo, commonly known as the barrel jellyfish, the dustbin-lid jellyfish or the frilly-mouthed jellyfish

Winter Exposure Westward Ho!

Arrived at Westward Ho! amazed to find that the tide was still ebbing as we had been looking forward to a long bracing walk. It was another huge surge with the tide refusing to go out and stay out. The Go Kart Track and Adventure Centre is still in disarray so if ever there was a time for the legendary Potwalloping Festival, this is it. Fortunately the Links beyond are no longer flooded. Across the Bay in the direction of Kipling Tors I can see the spray from the wild “White Horses”. A grey day with sporadic sunshine, there was even another fleeting rainbow. When it was finally clear to walk down the beach it was quite other-worldly as the sand, in parts, had been completely washed away revealing mounds of soft grey clay, the rest resembling a shingle beach. In the midst of the normal grey pebbles strewn along the strandline were some quite beautiful marble white ones, washed in from some distant shore. As we walked on down to Sandymere I took a shot of the concrete slabs, the stepping stones over the ridge, now a little askew to say the least. Along the way I took note of the newly exposed Groins, weirdly wonderful clay formations, the outline of a previously unseen wreck and a line of pier posts or were they old WW2 sea defences? The surf although on its way out continued to rush in and I watched as four little Sanderlings skipped the waves then became marooned on their own little island. In 2012 the Pebbles abutting the Dunes at the far end had been washed away and now they were back and it was a relief to see that the missing sand had shifted towards the Spit. I was pleased not to see any rubbish on the beach, although there were pockets of marine litter amongst the pebbles. Here at the Spit of the Northam Burrows Country Park, the Ridge, although covered in pebbles seemed much flatter and even the big boulders were seemingly battered out of place. On a clear day you can look out to the Bideford Bar and over to the Biosphere across the Taw Torridge Estuary from here. It was hard going against the wind on the way back, I did, however stop to take a shot for the records of a dead seabird. Another sad sight was a 4x4 vehicle perched atop the Ridge, exposed and well and truly stuck. Photos and Article copyright Pat Adams 23rd February 2014

I reported the dead bird to the RSPB via Facebook and it was identified as a Guillemot. Guillemots, Razorbills and other seabirds have suffered terribly in the storms and have been washed up in numbers around the UK coast.See also BBC  'Record number' of dead seabirds washed up from storms
If you come across any dead sea birds please send full details to SWseabirds@rspb.org.uk
RSPB If members of the public find live seabirds that can be rescued it is recommended they should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. We would advise you not to attempt rescuing the seabirds yourself or to handle them.
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Westward Ho! Potwalloping Festival was traditionally held each year on May Bank Holiday, the last one was held in 2012. Potwalloping. An old tradition when, in return for grazing rights, the residents in the Borough of Northam would throw back the pebbles that had been washed down from the Pebble Ridge after Spring Tides.

Pebble Dash and Rainbow over the Ridge, Westward Ho!

February roared in like a lion as the UK, the South West and the North Devon Coast in particular was pounded once again by gale-force winds and thundering seas which coincided with high Spring Tides on Saturday the 1st February. The waves were so huge that sea walls cracked on the promenade at Westward Ho! and the Pebble Ridge was breached for the second time. The area behind the Pebble Ridge, known as the Northam Burrows Country Park was therefore flooded and this included the links course of the Royal North Devon Golf Club. The Slipway withstood the pounding, not so lucky was the Adventure Play Ground and Go-Kart Track which was decimated, splattered once again with marine debris and pebbles. Such was the power of the waves that the pebbles and boulders were tossed high and wide also filling in the passageway to the Southwest Coast Path section of the Burrows itself. Sunday the wind had dropped and the sun came out briefly enabling people to venture on the beach at last. Rain squalls were followed by a rainbow. It was a race against time and tide as the diggers dashed up and down the beach, scooping pebbles up from one of the Pebble Ridge and dumping them back down to repack the area which was breached just beyond the slipway. The car park and toilets were closed again but the Slipway Takeaway thankfully remained unscathed and was open for business as usual. Here is a slide show of pictures taken on the Sunday 2nd February, you can also view them on FLICKR .Article and photos 2nd February copyright Pat Adams

Crash, Bang, Wallop. Surging into the New Year

I'm hunkered down writing this while the wind is howling outside, the birds have nipped off to the safety of the hedges and the trees so it’s a good job I did the Big Garden Birdwatch Survey this morning. Crash bang wallop, what a start to the New Year. The interminable rain caused rivers to break their banks, rainbows followed the rain, there were giant hailstones and lightning strikes, landslips and land-slides and that was before the storm Hercules arrived. According to news reports there were "twenty-one severe flood warnings, the highest level, issued in the South and West with 500 alerts in total across the UK" The great Atlantic surge began at the end of December when these photos were taken down at Westward Ho! a few days later the coast was bombarded with monster waves up to 10 metres high. The huge swell wreaked havoc along the coast, thundering waves "towering" over the Renish Tower at Lynmouth, breaching sea walls at Ilfracombe and Instow and even the mighty Pebble Ridge succumbed as the pebbles were flung up off the ridge and over the car park and Go-Cart Track by the slipway at Westward Ho! Diggers were brought in to repair the damage, the car park was still closed last week. As the swirling Atlantic waves surged and unrelenting high tides crashed onto our North Devon Coast, residents, local authorities, highways agencies and emergency services have been left counting the cost. In the aftermath tons of marine debris and litter were deposited on beaches in the area and the SAS (Surfers Against Sewage) community worked together as over 400 volunteers helped at BEACH CLEAN events including Croyde and Woolacombe. It’s amazing that we never tire of watching a raging sea, people stand in wonder, children delight in racing away from the surf, photographers will risk all for that one definitive shot, even surfers are not deterred by the possibility of being caught in a rip tide. However, it’s definitely a dangerous game as you’re never quite ready for that extra big wave so quite rightly the Police and the Environment Agency have urged people to stay away from the sea and rivers at such times. Great care must still be taken while walking on coastal paths, the ground is sodden making it more possible for cliff falls. The Southwest Coast Path Association urge people to “Stay safe and away from the shoreline and cliff edges if you're out on the Coast Path!” Click here for the latest news on cliff falls and Path diversions. Article 25th January 2014 and Pictures Westward Ho! 29th December 2013 PM Adams North Devon Focus

UK STORM NEWS REPORTS FROM

• Western Morning News
• Daily Mail
• North Devon Journal
• North Devon Gazette

USEFUL LINKS

• Southwest Coast Path Association
• North Devon National Trust
• Devon County Council - REPORT A POTHOLE

BioBonanza for B10 on Northam Burrows

The Northam Burrows Team are running a BioBonanza for B10, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. on Tuesday 27 August 2013 9am – 4pm at Northam Burrows Visitor Centre, Westward Ho! This will be a fun and fact filled day on this special, protected area of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. Activities will take place in the fabulous inflatable North Devon Biosphere dome and out on the Burrows:

• Bird Walk and Moth Trapping (9.00am-11.00am) 
• Flower Trail (11.00am-1pm) 
• Arts and Crafts (12.00pm-4.00pm) 
• Rockpooling (2pm-4pm) Meet at the Westward Ho! Slipway

In the Northam Burrows Visitor Centre you will be able to add your chosen words to the B10 word cloud and there will be an opportunity to enter the B10 prize draw with lots of lovely prizes donated by local Biosphere supporters including; a wildlife cruise on the Ilfracombe Princess and a trip to Lundy on the MS Oldenburg.

Photos: Inflatable North Devon Biosphere Dome copyright North Devon Biosphere Reserve
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Northam Burrows B10 BioBonanza Tuesday 27 August 2013 9am – 4pm
Northam Burrows Visitor Centre, Westward Ho! North Devon

AUTUMN EXPOSURE. COASTAL EROSION WESTWARD HO!

The famous Pebble Ridge has always protected Northam Burrows from the ravages of the Atlantic Ocean at Westward Ho! On a damp, grey day we took a rain soaked, windswept walk from the slipway down to the end of the Spit to the estuary and although it wasn't a great day for photographs I thought I would document the alarming erosion taking place. The pictures show where a huge gap has opened up completely devoid of pebbles leaving the Sand Dunes vulnerable and totally unprotected. The Dunes here are now eroding and great clumps of Marram grass can been seen strewn about. Article by Pat Adams (photos 23rd September 2012)

Explore the Westward Ho!, Northam Burrows and the Pebble Ridge with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour