2011 is shaping up to be a busy year – the last few days of the new working year have seen us planning and preparing for the challenges and opportunities ahead. At the moment it looks like we are shaping for at least four public inquiries starting, on 15 February, with the Lydd airport extension.
And that’s only just a month away.
The inquiry is set to last until the end of March – by which time spring will be well underway at Dungeness. Will this year’s breeding season live up to the excitement of last spring? 2010 will be remembered as the year of the herons – bitterns nesting for the first time at the reserve and purple herons raising young in the UK for the first time. The supporting cast of four other heron species including an obliging cattle egret (here’s my reasonable picture of cattle and rather poor shot of the bird!)
Already this year, wintering bittern numbers have been amazing with regular sightings around the reserve. I was there at New Year with my little boy, Jack, and we were able to watch a bittern, from the Scott hide, no more than 15 feet away (I won’t bother showing you my picture as that was completely rubbish).
So in bringing you the progress of the public inquiry I’ll make sure we keep and eye on the goings on up the road at the nature reserve.
Of course, the shingle of Dungeness has witnessed many changes over the years. The ridges of pebbles set down by the sea over the centuries are the basis of the rich and important wildlife populations that we are fighting to protect – a billion pebbles for nature you could say, it’s time we heard their story.
And don't forget - you can still add your objection to the extension of Lydd airport right up to the eve of the inquiry on 15 February - here's the details.
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