I and my co-author spent a most delightful past Saturday in warm sunshine walking across the fantastic limestone 'pavements' in Lyme Bay, and were able to go farther than usual as it was a particularly low seasonal tide. The rocks were, of course, embedded with fabulous fossils everywhere. Gazing at them and trying to absorb the fact that their remains still exist millions of years after they lived is amazing. Well it amazes me anyhow, but the gazing was kept fairly brief as I was, I acknowledge, overly nervous about the speed of the tide coming in from its low spot despite calm assurances from my sis.
Above: ammonite pavement; below: shale and limestone layers on Pinhay beach. No herons though
Of course there was the usual plastic detritus washed up on the beach to spoil things and I don't think I shall ever be able to reconcile the awe-inspiring stuff with which nature can come up and the self-absorbed stupidity and resulting destruction wrought on this planet by the human race. I acknowledge (for a second time) that it is a thoroughly unoriginal observation however.
Anyhow, amongst the normal seabirds flapping about the place, we were surprised and delighted to see three large herons flying languorously, as they do, along the water's edge. They did land on some fairly slippery rocks, it appeared, but seemed to keep their footing. I hope they don't mind salty fish.
I might add following the previous post that we were conveyed to the location in my W reg Fiat Punto which as far as I know is currently lichen free, but extra weight in said vehicle notwithstanding, its small engine meant a very slow journey in very high gears (or do I mean low gears? - first or second anyhow) up the exceptionally mountainous roads of Lyme Regis. I also think that due to all the fossils about, gravity is stronger in those parts too.