If you go down to the beach today.

Crab on the shore.

Botley’s old church

Up until 1836, the 13th century Norman Church was the main church for the Hampshire village of Botley. The village grew and moved to the north, the church was no longer large enough for the congregation. Originally called All Saints, it was rededicated to St Bartholomew when the new church of All Saints was built in the western part of the village.  At the end of the 18th century, a tree damaged  part of the Old Church and instead of rebuilding, the damaged part was removed and a new end wall constructed.

undertakers cart inside the church.

Manor Farm.

Blacksmith shop at  Manor Farm Museum.(Botley Hampshire). The farm was used in 2012 for the setting of the popular BBC 2 series A War Time Farm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartime_Farm

Views around Southampton.

Views around the City of Southampton in 6 pictures.

 

civic centre clock tower.

Titanic engineers memorial.

War Memorial.

Cruise Ship one of many using the port

Rear of God’s House tower

redevelopment has continued since the end of WW2 and is still going strong

Wonky Donkeys (well zebra’s)

What to do at 7.30 am on a Bank Holiday Saturday in Southampton when you have just dropped off someone at the train station. Visit a herd of painted Zebra’s which will around the town for 10 weeks from July 2016 After the event, all of the large sculptures will be sold at an auction. All profits will be used conserve endangered Grevy’s zebras and other wildlife, and to support communities living in the arid rangelands of northern Kenya.

More than just ice cream.

For me the seaside is more than ice cream and suntan cream. Nothing is better than the environment around our coastline. What there is to see and explore from its nature to its industrial past . Today we arrived early at our favourite spot at Titchfield Haven on the Solent Hampshire. At 0800hrs the tide was fully in but going out fast. By 11.30hrs the tide was and at about 12noon on its way back in again. Not much sailing or shipping today.

Look past the people playing and nature is there for all to see. Apart from a few children looking in rock pools much is missed by many.

Above is a small sea urchin found on the solent shore. Although listed as common this was the first one I have seen one on a Hampshire beach.

The bird life this morning was good and walking on the Beach fairly slowly allowed fairly close observation. (Care being not to trip up and drop my camera into the water !)

The Little Egret is a small white heron with white plumes on crest, back and chest, They have black legs and bill with yellow feet. It 1st appeared in the UK in significant numbers around 1989 and 1st bred in Dorset in 1996. I see more Egrets at Titchfield Haven now than Grey Herons. You can see them both on the beach and in the Haven.

The Oystercatcher a large, black and white wading bird. Its long bright orange bill and reddish legs make it an easy bird to identify.

The Redshank’s most distinctive features is its bright orange-red legs. With a medium-length bill with an orange base to match its shanks, brown speckled back and wings and pale belly

The Turnstone,  smaller than a Redshank, turnstones as it the top picture have a mottled appearance with brown or chestnut and black upper parts and brown and white or black and white head pattern, whilst their lower parts are white and legs orange. This shows its breeding colours. They are often seen in small flocks on the shore line. The lower picture taken at the same time shows the non breeding colours.

The Sanderling is a small, energetic wading bird often seen running . It has short straight black bill and medium length black legs. It is pale grey above and white underneath, the birds are still in their summer markings in winter they become a lot paler.

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What a difference a day makes.

A couple of  days after my blog on the how the little sail  boats could not stay up in the winds on the Solent ( https://andyfinneganblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/21/the-sea-makes-it-mark/ ) the conditions  are more pleasnt for a sail.

hard work

Every low tide along Southampton Water there are a few people collecting shellfish. Always looks hard back breaking  work. The type of clams they collect lay just below the surface in the gravel.Tools of the trade a little rake and a bucket.

The sea makes it’s mark.

 

It all started well, strong winds and a high tide little sail boats from the sailing club took to the sea this afternoon but soon the wind was stronger and less sails were upright and within a few minutes most needed to be aided to get back to shore and safety.

boy’s and bird’s at the beach.

Stormy weather down at the coast today the “birds” (black headed gulls) were on the beach dodging the waves, the “boys” (wind surfers) were in the sea enjoying the waves.