Spurn Point. 24. 8.2011.

From around 1958 I spent an inordinate amount of time at Spurn. It was the location of my first "independent" holiday away from my family and I can still remember the shock horror of my parents when I announced I was going there one Christmas and New Year. The insensitivity of teenagers! Whilst I've been back on many occasions , today was a relaxed solo pilgrimage, full of nostalgia, and never designed to be anything less. I was enthralled throughout the whole day, which I spent alone, perhaps on occasions in the remembered company of long past friends, some of whom can no longer benefit from such indulgences.

A good walk up to the Canal Zone, down past the Tank Blocks, up the remnants of Big Hedge to the coast and back to the Blue Bell took all morning. There was little of especial note , but I enjoyed it all. Waders abounded, especially some Grey Plover in full summer plumage and a whole selection of other wading bird species. A couple of Yellow Wagtail on the scrape were nice to see, but little moved over the sea. The latter figures large in my memories, not just for "big" days of passage, but because the coastal profile has changed so much in my lifetime as a result of its activities with around 100m. of this coast, at least, being eroded away since the 1960's, scary stuff!!

A walk along Beacon Lane northwards yielded virtually nothing except a series of repetitious expectations of old as the odd Whitethroat or Blue Tit moved within the bushes. The warm weather was not only a welcome tonic ( almost tropical to me! ) but was good for a variety of butterfly species encountered along the sheltered double line of hawthorns. In retrospect, I'm pleased I didn't see anything special as I don't think the sheer deep, inner joy of reliving so much of value would have been the same had it been overtaken by the transient presence of some notable migrant. It was my selfish day and I enjoyed it to the full.