Corvids: Stone the Crows!

I thought that may catch some people's attention, CORVID, not Covid! As I said in Birds Part I (blog) my next Bird Blog Part II will be about Crows, although the book's* chapter is called Orioles, Shrikes, Crows and Starlings, I have only noticed crows during the last few months exercising (me, that is), and I can't even remember seeing a starling would you believe?!? Also, I have never 'stoned' a crow but I have certainly had a few surprises in my life, and seeing my first Jays when I started as a postgrad research student, many years ago now, shocked me a little as they are so wonderful to look at! Anyway, the relevant chapter image in The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide for this chapter is above, and is of a Jay, so a good place to begin...

I've seen Jays towards the Old Town end of Barley Lane during my Coronavirus Crisis exercise walks mostly across Hastings Country Park, it is primarily a woodland bird, but is well adapted, like most crows have become, to farmland, towns and gardens too. As I said, when I first saw a Jay I was impressed with its colours, with pink, purple, blue, brown, cream, grey, black and white, it is certainly a striking sight, as can be seen from the photograph above. Like humans they are omnivores, but with a slightly different range of diet, they eat acorns, nuts, seeds, worms, insects, small mammals and nestlings of other birds... I'm okay with the nuts, thank you.

Strangely, representatives of all 4 members of the crow family I have seen during these walks over the past few months are not to be seen in the north of Scotland (presumably they dislike cold, or cannot cope with the competing wild haggis, maybe 😉), although this is not true of all Corvids, for example the Raven, which I haven't noticed hereabouts, but from which the name Corvid comes, corvus being latin for raven. In addition to Jays, I have also seen the ubiquitous Magpie, plus Rooks and Jackdaws galore, and they are all omnivores, frequenting all manner of abode.

I have shown the RSPB image of the Jackdaw with the description (and you should never forget it now, unless you already knew, of course) because, apart from the Magpie, and Jay, once you've fathomed out which crow it is, it is the easiest to recognise, and I have seen them right across Hastings Country Park, and often seen them down by the black net huts in Rock a Nore Road too, searching for scraps, and less aggressive than the gulls! I call them all 'Jack' wherever I see them, the strange person that I am, the lockdown reducing my human contact has meant me talking to all and sundry during my walks, birds, ponies, cattle, sheep, foxes, rabbits, you name it!

Anyway, back to corvids and the Magpie, which you can recognize from its chattering long before you see it (YouTube), and which is a bird with many superstitions surrounding its history, so if you see a bloke saluting magpies up in Hastings Country Park, it is very likely to be me, not that I'm superstitious, touch wood...  And Rooks, well, they're black crows basically, omnivores etc etc...

The next chapter of the book* is called Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, so Birds Part III will be called similar, please do watch out for it, many thanks.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide

Photograph of the Jay with thanks to Alan Price and the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and of the Jackdaw with thanks to Nigel Blake and the RSPB.

Birds Part I - Sparrows, Finches and Buntings

I am using The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide*, as I suggested I would in a previous blog, starting with the chapter Sparrows, Finches and Buntings. Indeed, as the photograph of this chapter features goldfinches, then goldfinches will be the first bird I report my seeing, quite regularly actually, during my 3 months (probably 4 months by the time I finish!) of walking and noting birds I see.  

This is a group of smaller seed eating birds, and the image above, from The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide* depicts 3 goldfinches, one of my favourite birds I've seen quite regularly over the past few months whilst traversing Hastings Country Park. Indeed, just last week I saw a couple of goldfinches flitting around a telephone wire pole from the window in my living room, and this is in the town centre, they must have been lost!

Goldfinch

Anyway, this blog is commencing with the goldfinch, one of the most colourful birds that can be seen in this country, with its attractive red, black and white head helping you to recognise the bird easily, plus a broad yellow band on its wings that stands out in flight, and also very apparent when the bird is at rest. I originally saw quite a number flocking together quite high up Barley Lane before nesting, they became less obvious for 4-6 weeks, then much more obvious recently, when I've seen groups of, very likely, young not long left the nest, but more regularly, a couple (as mentioned above) or one sitting high up in a tree, singing its heart out (YouTube), wonderful!

I have seen chaffinches and greenfinches too, but not in anywhere as large a number, nor as regularly, although I have to admit, I've walked along these 3 miles or so for years, and can't really remember seeing a goldfinch ever before! The period of lockdown due to the Coronavirus Crisis, and the daily walk I was allowed at the start, and which I've continued with as an institution for myself, has given me the time to look around me and take notice of the wildlife, not that I could miss the profusion of rabbits (obviously breeding like rabbits!), not a few foxes, and I've seen a badger too.

House Sparrow

As one would expect I have seen many House Sparrows, and Tree Sparrows, and realised that you should take more time to look at these birds, who, more often than not, no doubt, I've thought other birds that just flit quickly across the path must be, because they are small. Again, I've learnt over the past few months that, for years, I may have seen a huge number of other birds that I hadn't realised I had seen, which is a bit sad. But, the sparrows are quite beautifully coloured birds too, so one seen should not be written off as just 'another sparrow' ever, the blacks and whites, and the different shades of brown make quite a striking image, a vastly underrated bird in my new opinion!

Yellowhammer

Going further across the Park to Firehills, and you reach a virtual bird sanctuary, again, I've walked across here many times before, but my focus has been on the walk, and continuing on to Winchelsea, Pett or Rye, but who knows what rare birds I may have not noticed?!? In recent months I have seen Reed Buntings, Linnets, quite possibly Siskins, but very definitely the striking Yellowhammer. The Yellowhammer is a very yellow bunting, the male has a bright yellow head and body, with brown and black streaked wings and flecks beneath, consequently, it is very difficult not to notice, and they do seem to love Firehills, as do I!

Enough for today... My next Bird Blog will be Crows, although the chapter in the book* is called Orioles, Shrikes, Crows and Starlings, I've only noticed crows these last few months, can't even remember seeing a starling!

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide 

Photograph of Goldfinch, with thanks to the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and other photographs with thanks to the RSPB.

Sheer Barn, Carpentry, Decking AND Priory Meadow Car Park

In a recent blog I mentioned that Shear Barn (website) was reopening soon with a clear 3 phase plan for 2020, and, on that day, there were 2 large new toilet block units arriving (since arrived blog), well, they're not where I last photographed them (above), in the past 2 days they have been moved to a more permanent location in the touring field, and two units are uniting and becoming one toilet block!

Here's a toilet block prepared from last year, with decking around, looking good (above). I had an idea I know who carried out this work, checked since, and I am correct. It is Lee of L S Carpentry, who previously voluntarily helped us out using his considerable carpentry skills, unpaid, thus helping Hastings Fishermen's Museum too, when we carried out refurbishment of the Museum's outdoor exhibit RX134 Stacey Marie (facebook page). I've referred to him before, because one good turn deserves another, and it isn't just that one time he has helped us out with her, but on many occasions. Therefore, and this is unsolicited, again, if you want a good local carpenter, Lee fits the description, and can be contacted at stockleylee@hotmail.com 👍 

And the 2 new toilet block units? Well, as you can see from the photograph above, they are becoming one, which I hadn't figured out until I received some advice from Yvonne on twitter, many thanks. They are now waiting to have their union completed, electricity and water supplies connected and Lee's decking to be added, presumably. I returned this morning (Sunday 28th) to take this photograph and, have edited this blog to include the new information and to be more accurate; I own up to never having walked through these fields before, mainly because they've had people camping in them, therefore I always use Barley Lane, anyway, thanks again to Yvonne!

And Priory Meadow Car Park? I mentioned in a blog way back in early April that the car park was free, well, as I was walking back home from my daily early morning walk, I noticed they are charging again now, a sign of the town centre getting back to normal... Indeed, not now left to just the 4-10 'social drinkers' that loiter, and generally appear to have a good time, near the bus stop by Jempson's, the public is returning!

Be careful out there folks, Covid-19 is still about!

Battening Down the Hatches this Weekend!

This was the Pelham car park earlier this week, and evidence in the background the RNLI Lifeguards are back, if only at this one place on Hastings beach, plus evidence it wasn't too busy in Hastings... Well this photograph was taken not long after 9 am, and already people were turning up in their cars, so ignore that last comment! Personally, I tend to avoid beaches at the best of times when the sun worshippers are around/in the summer, and it's not just on the beach it's busy, on my way walking back from the blood donor session up on The Ridge (blog), Monday afternoon, I came back down through Alexandra Park, and it was packed, it was like the summer holidays it was so full, and this was only on Monday, the temperature to carry on increasing until yesterday!

And this was the scene at Bournemouth yesterday, where they had to declare a major incident because of the overcrowding, and we are well aware of the problems there has been recently, including yesterday, in nearby Camber Sands (Kent Live News)! Again, because I'm not a beach lover, consequently, I have avoided the seafront like the plague after 10 am, but please feel free to add a comment and tell me what it was like in Hastings. Whatever, it will only get worse this weekend... 

and I dread what it will be like Saturday week, the 4th of July, with pubs reopening, and social distancing being reduced to one metre plus!

So I shall be battening down the hatches over the next few weekends, as soon as I get indoors following lovely peaceful early morning walks, fingers crossed. 😾

Council Tax - Yet another telephone scam!

Hastings Borough Council (facebook) have warned of a telephone scam happening locally regarding council tax, where the caller says they are from the council and that a council tax 'refund' can be given, if you "pay a fee to release the paperwork" 😼 

There is the giveaway! MONEY!! Being asked for money should raise everyone's alertness, indeed, the Council state they would "never ask for a fee of this kind." 

If you receive a call of this king please let them know at fraud@hastings.gov.uk 

Public Toilets Vandalized at the Weekend!

I have just seen on the Council facebook page that over the weekend "5 of our public toilets that we reopened last week were vandalised. There was extensive graffiti, and damage to pipework, cisterns and toilet pans... As a result of this vandalism, we will have to use our limited resources for vital work to clean up and fix the facilities. 

"If you have any information about who was responsible for any of this damage, please let us know (ed - or let the Police know) 

"Please respect the town and help us keep residents safe."

Frankly, I am disgusted with the people who did this! 😡 

Hillside Road Closed and Blood Donations

There is a link, which I shall come to, but first, OK a week late, but it is planned to go on for another 6 weeks, Hillside Road, up at The Ridge currently, is closed to cars, vans, motorbikes and buses etc, so you may need to plan your route carefully if wanting to get up to the Conquest Hospital, for example. This closure is to ensure 'essential gas supply works' are carried out.

So why am I a week late, and how do I know about this? Yesterday afternoon I walked up (access by foot is still OK) to The Hastings Centre up on The Ridge, opposite the hospital, to attend a blood donor session there, it all comes together, see! Anyway, if you do not already donate blood, and we never know when we may need blood ourselves never forget, and you would like to find out further information and whether you can donate, please go to the NHS Blood Donation website, many thanks!

Save a life Give blood 💗 

Apologies! Previous Blog has now been written, honest!

Sorry about that, my previous blog had been published by me in error, completely empty of text, concerning telephone scams and Coronavirus/Covid-19 tracing and testing, I obviously pressed the 'publish' button instead of the 'save' button.

Again, apologies from this bampot (a term of endearment my brother uses for me when I've been silly or made an error), the blog is now worth reading, cheers!

I won't do it again... 😕

TELEPHONE SCAM WARNING - COVID-19 TEST & TRACE

Councils around the country are warning us to be on our guard against scammers posing as NHS Contact Tracers (BBC). In the scam a telephone call from the scammer, claiming to be from the NHS Test & Trace Service, informs you that you may have come into contact with somebody who has Coronavirus or Covid-19, and that you need to self-isolate and take a test. Then they ask you to confirm your address so that a testing kit may be sent to you, and then they request Bank Card details "to cover the cost of the testing kit." You now know this is a scam!

"In a genuine call, contact tracers will never:

• ask you to dial a premium rate number (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

• ask you to make any form of payment

• ask for any details about your bank account

• ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

• ask you for any passwords or Pin codes, or ask you to set up any passwords or Pin codes over the phone

• ask you to purchase a product - including a test

• ask you to download any software to your device or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet

• ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

Source: Ofcom

Anyone receiving a call they suspect is not genuine should report the call to Action Fraud."

Sorry about the previous published blog, I hadn't meant to post then, obviously hit the wrong button, instead of 'save' 😕 

Nitrous Oxide and New Toilet Blocks... Separately!

From my walk this morning, and I shall deal with the 2 subjects separately, although it is likely that toilet blocks have been used as somewhere in which to sniff Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas), but first, the commonly seen aftermath of (usually) young people sniffing Nitrous Oxide/Laughing Gas/Hippy Crack/Noz in cars... Although it is illegal to use Nitrous Oxide for recreational purposes, it is reasonably easy to purchase because of its legal uses, notably for making whipped cream, of all innocuous things. Okay, I get that youngsters are taking advantage of that ease of acquisition, and it is relatively cheap, and no judgmental attitude from me people, but there is a bin just yards away from where the canisters are dumped, please use the bins or take home your rubbish, many thanks! Plus, I don't want others to think I'm irresponsible, so I must give this health warning, sniffing Nitrous Oxide can cause health problems, including an increased heart rate, swelling of the brain, nerve damage, burns and anaemia, not to forget death (average of 5 deaths per year in Britain). I trawled the internet for articles, and this is the most recent, from the ITV website just 3 days ago.

Secondly, toilet blocks, as in those that I mentioned in my blog yesterday, when I referred to the coming reopening of Shear Barn, and the possible traffic problems in Barley Lane because of the delivery of the toilet blocks in the photograph above. Well, here they are this morning, 2 rather large portable buildings, so I can understand about the warning given to local car owners regarding parking and the width of the road. Indeed, I have been given a report (many thanks Yvonne) that the police had to be called as a low loader was stuck in Barley Lane, you can't say I didn't warn you... 😉

Be safe folk!

ESCC Parking Charges Increasing

I'm guessing most local people, drivers anyway, will be well aware that East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is increasing car parking charges by up to 100%, this is following their consultation exercise last year (blog). Reasons they give include there having been no previous increases for over 10 years, increased congestion, and to improve air quality. There is obvious disquiet about this increase and its possible economic consequences, and many local councillors are opposing the increase.

If you want to contact your ESCC councillors go to the council website.

If you want to contact Hastings Borough Council councillors go to this website.

Another Weekend - What is Normality?!?

Another weekend is upon us, the FOURTEENTH without pubs being open, and we are hoping to return to 'normality' some time soon? Holiday parks are soon to reopen, but with limitations, public toilets have reopened with limited hours, shops have reopened, well some of them, but with limitations, takeaway food and even drinks have got going again, but with limitations, from this weekend there will be a RNLI Lifeguard on Pelham Beach, so you are limited to swimming in that 'safe' spot... You can meet up with up to 5 people from other households, in an open space, and providing you all stay at least 2 metres apart, indeed, you can go into a partnership with anyone and make your own 'support bubble' and behave as if you live in the same household as that partner. In England you can drive to anywhere you like, in England, but you cannot travel on public transport to anywhere you want unless you have a reason agreed to by the Government, or whatever officialdom interprets as an acceptable reason... 

In fact, you are actively discouraged from travelling by public transport, which creates a divide regarding civil liberties, people with cars are allowed to travel to wherever they want, in England, but if you do not have a car or motorbike you are stuck within walking distance so you have not got true freedom of movement. Also, after years of trying to convince people that for health reasons, and environmental reasons, they should use public transport and get out of the car and walk, we are now being told to jump in a car and drive to anywhere we want, which is okay if you have a car, but what a contradiction! I can go into a 'support bubble' with anyone I want to, providing they want to too, indeed can hug that person if we both agree to, but I cannot visit my next of kin and hug family members. This is NOT normal... 

Trying to get frustration off my chest, thank you 😥

Have a good weekend and stay safe...

Barley Lane Today and Shear Barn Reopening Soon...

Friday 19th June 2020: So, apart from Shear Barn being in Barley Lane, what's the connection, and specifically for today? Well, the management of Shear Barn have put out notices (under windscreen wipers and tied to posts, see below) which suggests there could be traffic problems during the middle of today, please be warned. The notice asks that local people please not be parked between 10am and 2pm as a "toilet block is being delivered" to the holiday park, presumably it is going to be a wide load...

Which itself suggests that Shear Barn will be reopening soon, and you would not be wrong for presuming that too, though not opening for all types of visitors this summer. From Friday the 3rd of July 2020 they will be reopening for 'Lodge Holidays' and owners of Lodges will be welcomed back, and from Friday the 10th of July they will be reopening their touring field, but only for "self-contained motorhomes, campervans, caravans" and only those with their own washing and toilet facilities (website).

Great to see local businesses coming out of the Coronavirus lockdown at last, and I wish Shear Barn and their customers/clients well, but please remember to stay safe!

Respect each other and please respect social distancing and hygiene advice.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery - Hastings Digital Museum

Walking up Bohemia Road the other day to shop at Lidl, and passing Hastings Museum & Art Gallery (website), I realized how much I miss my visits to the Museum, every month or so! But, during the lockdown they set up Hastings Digital Museum to help counter isolation and potential loneliness. They have since published a daily programme on facebook, twitter and instagram (I don't use instagram, sorry, so no link) but I'm sure that, like the other two, #HastingsDigitalMuseum will get you there.

The daily programmes publish posts and activities on all 3 social media platforms, including downloadable resources for children and families, videos, recordings of regular activities, and with opportunities for feedback and discussion. The most recent video explores the myth of 'toadstones' and an example of an activity can be see above and below, with a #HastingsDigitalQuilt based on *Edward Leslie Badham's painting of 'Corner House and Blue Saloon' at the bottom of the old town High Street.

And the finished product (immediately above), the #HastingsDigitalQuilt, with a little under 200 contributions made, nice one! Indeed, yesterday they posted a black and white version of the picture (Kate Hulme website), available to download for children to colour in, and not a few adults too I'd imagine. It's well worth keeping an eye on one of the social media platforms, enjoy, and maybe learn a bit too!

*Edward Leslie Badham was born in South London (Clapham) in 1873, and moved to St Leonards by 1911, later teaching at Hastings School of Art. He painted numerous watercolours of Hastings (many now owned by Hastings Museum & Art Gallery) until he died on the 12th of March 1944, together with his only daughter Dorothy May Badham, when his home in Priory Road suffered a direct hit during a bombing raid.

3 Months Birdwatching with Steve...

This is one of my own books about birds in the British Isles, and the book* that I will be using to help create an order in which to deal with my own list of birds seen since the Coronavirus Crisis 'lockdown' commenced on the 23rd of March 2020. I started out with a daily walk as my exercise nearly every day in that 3 months, and am still maintaining a similar walk, staying in the Borough of Hastings all that time, but managing a round trip of a little over 8 miles each day from my home in central Hastings. "How did I manage this?" I hear you ask, well I walk to the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve (website) and back, early every morning, mostly, to the gate at the eastern edge of the park, and eastern border of Hastings Borough Ore Ward, at Fairlight/Firehills; see photograph below.

Gateway to Hastings!

You'll gather from my having appropriate books that I already had an interest in birds, indeed, I have been interested in birds since childhood and early ownership of The Observer's Book of British Birds. But I have never been a birdwatcher as a specific hobbyist, though my interest has increased enormously since March and enjoying seeing birds between the Gateway to Hastings in the east and the old town end of Barley Lane (below) in the west, mostly in Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.

I shall not only be referring to The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide, but also to The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) website, and if I don't acknowledge anyone else for photographs borrowed, I shall pass on my thanks and acknowledgement to the RSPB now, as they'll be their's; as my own camera skills and equipment are completely hopeless for photographing wee birds that won't sit still!

So, if like me you are interesting in wee feathered creatures, watch out for my first 'bird' blog which will be entitled Sparrows, Finches and Buntings, many of them seen!


* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide

Happy Sussex Day!

After the completely not normal last few months, the chaos down here when 'lockdown' was eased to allow travel to anywhere in England, and now Hastings public loos reopening (a strangely well viewed recent blog, most viewed for 12 months!), we can now celebrate Sussex Day, so... Best wishes to the people of Sussex and beyond!

Public Toilets Reopen in Hastings!

Never thought that would be a headline! Yes, not just 'non-essential' shops reopening today, but public toilets have reopened too, from 09.00 to 18.00 daily, I'm informed.

Ignore the sign, about to be removed just after I took the photograph.

And after all my musing too, amused me as well 😄

Now relax 😉 

2 Other Pubs Providing Off Sales: Drinks & Food

OK, providing drinks mostly, but now, a couple of days over the 12 weeks since pubs were closed down by the Government, and another couple of licensed businesses have been doing their best to survive by supplying mostly alcohol, that I haven't mentioned yet, and likely more I don't know about. The Marina Fountain, 26 Caves Road, St Leonards TN38 0BY, offers a "drive thru" service for "wine, beer, bread, milk and more" for example eggs and sugar. Orders should be made online at their website for collection Wed-Saturdays (10.00 am to 8.00 pm) and 11.00 am to 2.00 pm on Sundays.

Right across to the other side of Hastings in the 'Old Town' is The Crown, 64-66 All Saints Street TN34 3BN, offering mostly wine and other drinks, including a non-alcoholic beer, and bread and flour; photo taken as I passed it on Friday. Orders should be made online at their website for collection on Fridays between 12.00 and 2.00 pm.

And more shops should be opening tomorrow...

Public Toilets Musing...

I got my inspiration for the public toilets part of my blog yesterday from this wee (excuse the pun, but it is intentional, though I do use the word 'wee' a lot 😉) piece I wrote as a facebook post, cut & pasted below, slightly different emphasis than the blog:

"Apparently, the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government have “published guidance to help them (Councils) ensure facilities are safe where they are open including increasing cleaning of touch points.” Try and find that guidance! I've been reading through pages and pages of the stuff with no luck, except them saying people should be discouraged from using public toilets, if they do they should wash their hands as per guidance, and toilets and surfaces need cleaning after every use, basically referring to every other guidance. In fact, they're leaving it up to Councils to shoulder responsibility and the cost, and all that cleaning will be costly! Loo management to keep down numbers inside public toilets, loo cleaners, cleaning equipment, bleach or whatever, hand sanitizer etc etc...

Local Council Tax payers to foot the cost, of course, as if Council Tax isn't already high in Hastings and, since the year before last we haven't had any Central Government funding, same as about 50% of councils now."

I hope that clarifies where I was coming from on this subject?

Another Weekend...

Having just returned from the Tower pub with a few pints of ale, working out at just £2.20 a pint now (also see previous blog), so I thought I'd sit down with a pint and write this... Indeed, another weekend arrives, and it's been 12 weeks since pubs were closed from that Friday evening, and the full lockdown arrived on Monday 11 weeks and 4 days ago. Hastings has since been besieged by visitors at weekends, hopefully PLEASE not ruining our place as having the lowest Covid-19 infection rate in the country (blog).

Having tried all types of tactics to discourage visitors, and making note of the beaches being left with rubbish galore, and visitors urinating and defecating in public places because the toilets are closed, the top image appears the latest poster around, plus the 2 immediately above. I've seen all sorts of arguments for and against opening the public toilets and, on reading through numerous Government advice pages on the internet, I feel it's all pretty difficult to enable opening public loos (also see this interesting Guardian article). The Government advice is ambiguous of course, basically, please don't travel anywhere that is too far to without using the loo, but you can travel as far as you like within England, to Councils, do open public toilets, but you have to ensure 2 metre distancing and that the toilets are cleaned after every time it's used!

A knife in the back for councils, making them shoulder responsibility without giving any extra resources, meaning it's us good old Hastings Council Tax payers who have to foot the bill! Some councils around the country have opened some toilets, but not all, or for limited periods, others remain closed, as in Hastings. The organisation of this would be very difficult, and we've already seen, and have known for a long time, that left to their own devices, some of the public are, frankly, dirty buggers! So, attendants would have to make sure people going into toilets didn't go in when a maximum number were already in, imagine the comments they would receive from people crossing their legs because they're keen to empty their bowels and/or bladders! Then the attendant would have to keep going in to ensure cleanliness, not nice to imagine, nor easy...

And I love this idea for seating in Priory Meadow (above), I bet that works! 😉

Anyway, have a good weekend, and be careful. I shall be battening down the hatches after my early morning walk, with a few pints and DVDs, enjoy!

I have since added another blog that clarifies (I hope) where I was coming from concerning the closure of public toilets etc...

Hastings Pier 2 Years On...

OK, I took this photograph yesterday, hence not as sunny as the weather is right now, but with the Coronavirus Crisis and all that's been going on, I hadn't walked by the Pier for a while... Of course, it hasn't been open, even just to let people have socially distanced promenades along it, not that visitors to Hastings seem to give a toss about social distancing, let alone Hastings. Anyway, nothing has happened, although I read on one of the facebook pages that a health & safety assessment was being made recently, also a hint that something interesting may be about to happen...

This blog from 2 years ago suggests that it may have been bought to sell on, and I've made many remarks about how fishy the whole business has been, also suggesting 'stuffed' brown envelopes may have been involved. Well, the 2 years have nearly passed, and I believe Hastings Pier can be sold on soon, not holding my breath...

Reminder: Fire & Rescue Consultation until 19th June 2020

This is a reminder, further to my blog written at the end of April, that the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is undertaking a public consultation of its policy document Planning for a Safer Future (website). The survey will stay open until the end of next week, Friday the 19th of June 2020. The subsequent findings will be considered at a Fire Authority meeting in September 2020; the detailed 62 page document, and a link to the survey, can be found at the website.

The recent fire at the Filsham Reedbed wildlife sanctuary (blog) reminds me of how important these plans will be...

A petition has been set up which rejects cuts that "will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to rescue and assist members of the public." 

The petition also highlights specific cuts to Hastings, which include downgrading "The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response" and cutting "dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings." 

I have read through the 62 pages of the consultation document, and the plans also appear to have a positive side for Hastings, again, please remember that I am not an expert in this area, so you need to come to your own opinion, considering those who have devised the plans, and those who oppose those plans, for advice. What it does include is an additional fire engine at the Bohemia Road fire station. The paper argues that "Bohemia Road has a significantly higher risk profile than The Ridge" and "Bohemia Road responds to some of our most deprived areas and our analysis shows there is a strong correlation with deprivation and the number of fires that occur."

There is further analysis concerning types of incidents that each station attends, and regarding aerial appliances, and, as I said above, there is substantial detail provided, but I am not an expert; should you want to find out more, go to the Service website. Paper copies of the consultation document can be requested by writing to: 

Planning for a Safer Future 

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service HQ 

Church Lane 

Lewes BN7 2DZ 

Guess they found the leak in South Terrace

It appears they found the water mains leak they had been avidly seeking in South Terrace/St Andrews Square (many instances of a search have been witnessed over the last week!), it was opposite M&S all the time...

Please Don't Use Hastings As A Toilet... AGAIN!

Most visitors over the past few weekends no doubt have been as responsible as they could be, but you now know the public toilets in Hastings are CLOSED, as are pubs! Which means it is IRRESPONSIBLE to visit again, unless you can keep it in, which is very unlikely if you come down from London, say... 

So, please be respectful and stay away if you can't hold it in, many thanks.

Be careful folks, WE are all in this together!

Friday: Early Morning Walk

I haven't written for a few days mostly because these days nothing much changes from day to day, I still go for an early morning walk as my daily exercise, and just because I can go out more times a day if I so wish (latest Government guidleines), I still keep up my new 'institutional' daily walk (usually about 8 miles) anyway to ensure I don't put on weight, and I have lost a few pounds... 😇

Indeed, this morning I saw a pair of exotically coloured goldfinches up in Barley Lane; this isn't my photograph (above), but has been copied from the Sussex Wildlife Trust website, many thanks to them! I nearly managed my own photograph as one sat tantalizingly close to me at the end of a bough, pretty much in the pose of the image above, except s/he was looking straight at me... then, just as I'd pulled my mobile phone out to photograph him/her... it flew off, cheers for that! 😉

Anyway, let's keep Hastings safe, and be careful folks...

And I'm thinking of gradually blogging about the variety of birds I have seen in the last few months, mainly thanks to the 'lockdown' - not all bad! 👍

Beer Sales at the Tower

By Steve the Beermeister

I had to try to be the first customer up in Bohemia yesterday afternoon, following my blog the other day about the Tower being the latest real ale provider to return to business in Hastings with off sales, but I was second, oh well... But I did get to buy a couple of pints of the very interesting sounding Franklins (website) Sriracha Ace (5.0%) which, as I said, is brewed with Sorachi Ace hops to add a citrus note to dark chocolate and coffee flavours, apparently subtly spiced with Guajillo Peppers...

Well, it pretty much does what it says on the tin/what the brewery says, my notes give it a coffee in the aroma with a hint of chilli, flavour-wise, there is coffee and chocolate, though I didn't really get the citrus, but then, there are other very dominant flavours, and I caught the chilli, just, yes it is very subtle, in the aftertaste, just at the back of the throat. I'm not going to go on again about the difference between stouts and porters, you can read my thoughts here if you haven't already done so, but I thought it was more of a stout than a porter, there you go! But very nice, I'd drink it again, cheers! 😀

Filsham Reedbed Fire: People Need to be Vigilant!

There was a fire at Filsham Reedbed yesterday evening, which was attended by East Sussex Fire & Rescue, extinguished, and classed as "accidental" (Sussex Wildlife Trust website, from which the above image is copied too, many thanks). Sadly, 10,000 square metres of open reedbed was burnt to the ground. 

Regular readers will know my fondness of this wonderful Sussex Wildlife Trust nature reserve, which I last visited towards the beginning of the Coronavirus Crisis lockdown (blog), when I, as ever, took delight in the beauty, peace and tranquility...

But there was no "peace and tranquility" yesterday evening when, not only was significant damage caused to the reedbed, undoubtedly much wildlife, birds and animals, would have suffered and died in the fire too... caused by perhaps what may seem as insignificant an incident as someone throwing away a cigarette. This is a reminder, just a small thoughtless act may cause death and destruction after the long dry period we have experienced.

As Sussex Wildlife Trust add "Vegetation everywhere is tinder dry, so it is vital that people visiting nature reserves and the wider countryside do not have barbecues, drop cigarette butts or leave any litter behind, as glass bottles and other reflective material can easily start a fire. Please be vigilant and if you see an unattended fire, phone 999 to report it immediately" (website).

Please please be careful, and vigilant, people, we don't want to hear of anymore incidents where suffering, death and destruction has been caused by thoughtless acts. Because of the pandemic, and the dry weather over the last couple of months, we need to be extra careful, let's look after each other and nature, many thanks...