#orford ness

[sitting-on-me-bum]

A grey seal pup at Orford Ness, Suffolk, UK. More than 130 grey seal pups have been born at the remote shingle spit this breeding season. Rangers said the blubbery mammals have used the ex-military site as a breeding ground every year since 2021, following a reduction in visitor access because of the pandemic.

Photograph: Andrew Capell/National Trust/PA

[elizabethkiem]

Afternoon moonrise. Long light. Low sun. Slow dusk. Shingal hush from distal to Ness.

[eannpatterson]

Empathy with the continuing background noise in society

Research has shown that skimming while reading in digital media reduces the inclination and perhaps ability to engage in higher level reading, while a lack of higher-level reading practice compromises the efficacy of skimming when reading. Higher-level reading implies critical and conscious reading, slow reading, non-strategic reading and long-form reading, according to Schuller-Zwierlein et al,…

[dailylighthouse]

Orford Ness Lighthouse

Suffolk, England

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Constructed: 1792

Automated: 1965

Have a favorite lighthouse? Curious about lighthouses in general? Send an ask!

[reasonsforhope]

"While COVID-19 lockdown will go down in history as a time devoid of in-person gatherings across the globe, in the United Kingdom, one quiet area on the coast of Suffolk became the hot spot for gray seals.

Orford Ness, a spit off of Great Britain that serves as a coastal nature reserve, has become the home of Suffolk’s first breeding colony of grey seals, according to the National Trust.

It is believed that these seals traveled from well-populated colonies in Norfolk and are now the first breeding colony to arrive in Suffolk — likely thanks to its remote location and very limited disturbance from humans.

The first 200 adult seals arrived at Orford Ness in 2021 when visitor access was significantly reduced in an extended period of COVID-19 closures. 

As it turns out, simply being left alone was all they needed to thrive.

Just last month, the first gray seal pup of the 2024 season was born, and this winter’s breeding season has already seen 80 pups on the scene, with many more expected. The site is now home to about 400 seals, up from about 200 just three years ago.

“We’re really happy to see new pups being born here at Orford Ness for the fourth consecutive year,” said Glen Pearce, Orford Ness’ property operations manager, in a statement.

“Despite the seals’ arrival in 2021, we held off talking about them until earlier this year because we wanted to give them the best chance of survival. Being able to talk about them this year, in real time, is a great opportunity to share more about the species and to help people understand how their own actions and behaviours can impact them.”

Human disturbance, which can include any human activity in the vicinity of the seals, is one of the biggest threats to the species, as it can cause them to change their natural behavior.

Gray seals are not listed as endangered and are protected under U.K. law, but they certainly face threats — mostly from humankind — including fishing nets, boat strikes, marine debris, pollution, or disturbance from fishermen and tourists.

Globally, the gray seal is also one of the rarest seal species, with about 50% of the world’s population dwelling in British and Irish waters. That makes this baby boom on Orford Ness that much more spectacular. 

“We’re really lucky,” Matt Wilson, the trust’s countryside manager for the Suffolk and Essex coast, told the BBC.

“They’ve formed a breakaway group, found this site and moved into the space we’ve got here. It's a real privilege to have them on this site and a responsibility, too, for the team here.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, December 11, 2024

[captain-price-unofficially]

Italian CR42 flown by 23-year-old Sergente Pilota Pietro Salvadori force landed on the shingle beach at Orford Ness, Suffolk. England, 11 November 1940

[delicatuscii-wasbella102]

Orford Ness Lighthouse by Christine Bellamy

[usafphantom2]

ON THIS DAY IN 1941

Sandy found himself in the air operationally for the first time in a while, it was not to be without its challenges:

“Mission 25 - Spitfire AA806

Airborne from Benson at 10:45 with only one mud flap, as one was lost; result: one lens…

covered with mud. Set course for Clacton but did not see English or Dutch coasts. Condensation occurred so dropped from 28,000 ft to 22,500 ft crossing North Sea. Solid cloud but five minutes from ETA cloud broke; pinpointed myself over Roermond. Flew to Wesel and made…

3 runs. As Ruhr was covered, tooled around pretty aimlessly taking odd pictures of factories; eventually returned to Roermond, made one run, then flew to Eindhoven to take the aerodrome. Set course again for Clacton but was forced down…

to 20,500 ft by condensation - over Scheldt. Crossed coast in over Orford Ness at 13:35 and landed Benson at 16:15. Pictures really hazy, so bad it wasn’t worth printing the photographs”

@SpitfireAA806 via X

[trade-wind]

Lowestoft to Woolverstone

Wednesday 21st August 2024

And we've done it!! Circumnavigation complete by the time we were off Orford Ness and heading into Woolverstone. A bit bumpy off the Ness but a good spring tide behind us and the sun shone so we had a great passage. Mixed feelings of achievement and 'wanting to go round again now...' ! Hunkered down in Woolverstone for the 2 day blow but time to catch up with some old friends too.

[careerinruins]

Orford Castle was built for King Henry II between 1165 and 1177, Orford Castle was once a royal outpost on the River Ore’s tidal estuary, in Suffolk.

All that remains of the outpost today is the Castle Keep. The castle’s curtain walls, outer towers and gatehouse were demolished in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Keep is one of England’s most complete and unusual, with a unique polygonal tower next to the pretty town and former port, which Henry II also developed on the Suffolk coast.

The remains are remarkably intact including the fresh water well in the basement all the way up to the roof with magnificent views of Orford Ness.

It is home to Orford Museum and is managed and owned by English Heritage.

[alifscholar]

Orford Ness seal colony thriving with 'lack of human disturbance'

[nedsecondline]

First grey seal pup of the season born on Suffolk coast

Fourth consecutive year that seals have bred at Orford Ness, where more than 130 pups were born last season PA Media The first grey seal pup of the …First grey seal pup of the season born on Suffolk coast

[sjvllsblog]

On 11 November 1940, Twenty-two Italian CR42s took off at 1200 hours from Eechlou (modern Eeklo), Belgium and climbed to 18,000 feet.

Before the actual combat MM5701, flown by 23-year-old Sergente Pilota Pietro Salvadori broke an oil pipe, fell behind the formation, and the engine overheated. He pressed on and force landed on the shingle beach at Orford Ness, Suffolk. C.¼ mile north of the lighthouse, at c.13.45 hours.

His 18 Gruppo 95 Squadriglia Caccia Terrestre aircraft bore the fuselage marking 13 crest 95 and the serial MM5701 under the tail. Salvadori was taken prisoner and was apparently very proud of his landing when he simply nosed gently over on the shingle.

When interrogated by the British, Salvadori commented that he was happy to be out of the war, was dissatisfied with the Italian officers, and didn’t like Belgian weather, the Germans, or their food!

History:

Built during 1940 as part of a batch of 200 CR.42 aircraft, serial numbers MM5510-MM5709.

On 6 October 1940, MM5701 and the other 18 Gruppo CR.42s moved from their base in Novi Ligure, northern Italy to Maldegem, Belgium, near the Dutch border, to operate as part of the Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI), flying via Neubiberg and Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, reaching Ursel on 19th October after being held up by bad weather. Temporarily attached to 56 Stormo, the unit's aircraft carried the squadriglia shield (the claw of an eagle) and the Gruppo shield (an axe with three arrows diagonally enclosed in a vertical rectangle and the motto ocio che te copo. The unit was also given the Luftwaffe designation 18/JG56. The fighters could only operate over England for about ten minutes due to limited fuel capacity/range.

It was restored and allotted Maintenance Serial 8468M. During October 1978, MM5701 was moved to RAFM Hendon for display in the new Battle of Britain Museum. (text credit-http://captured-wings.wikia.com/)

Sergente Pilota Pietro Salvadori: Post war he rejoined the Italian Air Force but sadly died in 1953 following an accident flying a Republic F-84G Thunderjet.

(Colour by Doug Banks)

[benthejrporter]

Return to Orford Ness

New HPANWO Voice article: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2024/10/return-to-orford-ness.html

[scvpubliclib]

In “A Flat Place,” Noreen Masud is drawn to the plains of England and Scotland to find healing.