Sunday 30 December 2012

Suffolk Royalty

© David Gill
This pair of beach huts at Southwold celebrates a Royal Couple.

Southwold Sunshine

Southwold © David Gill
Southwold was basking in December sunshine. The Suffolk seaside town seems to have become a post-Christmas destination for visitors.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Southwold Splash

© David Gill
The RNLI inshore lifeboat was heading out to sea this afternoon.

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Stour Lighter: Smacksman's Life



Neil Catchpole sang the Smacksman's Life at University Campus Suffolk to celebrate the arrival of the Stour Lighter.

Stour Lighter: ITV Anglia Interview

Stour Lighter © David Gill
There is a short news story (with interviews) about the Lighter on ITV Anglia [here].

Stour Lighter: Busy Press Day

BBC Interviews outside UCS
© David Gill
There has been a steady set of press interviews about the Stour Lighter outside University Campus Suffolk in the Ipswich Marina.

The interviews can be heard on the BBC iPlayer via BBC Radio Suffolk (Mark Murphy).

Stour Lighter In Ipswich Marina

Stour Lighter at University Campus Suffolk
© David Gill

The Stour Lighter can be viewed at the Ipswich Marina outside the Waterfront Building of University Campus Suffolk on Wednesday 26 September 2012.

History Ashore in Ipswich

Stour Lighter outside University Campus Suffolk
© David Gill

The restored Stour Lighter, part of the Managing a Masterpiece project, is on display outside the Waterfront Building of University Campus Suffolk.


Saturday 18 August 2012

Costa Sizewell

© David Gill
Suffolk was the hottest place in the UK today. The beach at Sizewell was certainly packed to enjoy this taste of summer.

Sunday 12 August 2012

Odonata at Helmingham

© David Gill
A number of odonata were out and about around Helmingham this weekend.

Saturday 11 August 2012

Contemplating the wrong mode of transport?

©David Gill
This swallow appears to have been considering the wrong route this afternoon at Minsmere RSPB Reserve.

Sizewell features in the background.

Sunday 22 July 2012

Minsmere: Burnet Moth

© David Gill
This appears to be a Burnet Moth at Minsmere on Saturday afternoon.

Minsmere

© David Gill
This appears to be a Reed Warbler at RSPB Minsmere reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Any help with the identification gratefully received.

Orford Sun

Orford © David Gill
The view from the top of Orford Castle was brilliant in the July sunshine with clear views over the Ness.

Saturday 14 July 2012

Harrier under attack

Welney © David Gill, 2012
A marsh harrier was not flying unopposed over the marshes at Welney this afternoon. An avocet was in pursuit.

Thursday 5 July 2012

Olympic Flame in Ipswich

Flag flaying at UCS
© David Gill
The Olympic flame reached Ipswich this evening. The weather was perfect and the marina was packed with viewers wanting to catch a glimpse of the runner.

Saturday 16 June 2012

Marsh harriers near Southwold

Female marsh harrier near Southwold
© David Gill
We watched two marsh harriers hunting over the reed beds (Hen Reedbeds) just outside Southwold.

Monday 4 June 2012

Jubilee Sunshine at Melford Hall

Melford Hall © David Gill, 2012
The sun shone at Melford Hall to enhance the celebrations for the Jubilee weekend.

Sunday 13 May 2012

Blue Butterfly

© David Gill, May 2012

© David Gill, May 2012

We also spotted a blue butterfly in our local nature reserve on the edge of Ipswich. Is this a male Holly Blue?

Ladybird Bed

© David Gill
This ladybird seemed to have found a particularly comfortable place to rest as we had a walk through our local nature reserve on the edge of Ipswich. We counted over 30 seven-spotted ladybirds, mostly on nettles.

Thursday 8 March 2012

Suffolk Matters and the BBC


I was a "sofa guest" of Lesley Dolphin on BBC Radio Suffolk earlier today. The programme is available on the BBC iPlayer.

We touched on archaeology in Suffolk, mobile technology, poetry, and University Campus Suffolk.

Monday 27 February 2012

Flatford February

© David Gill
It felt that Spring was just around the corner at Flatford Mill.

Sunday 19 February 2012

Kirby Hall

© David Gill
On the way back to Ipswich we had a picnic at Kirby Hall. The house was used as a setting for the film adaptation of Mansfield Park.

There was an added bonus when a pair of red kites flew overhead.

Cormorant Island

© David Gill
There was a large group of cormorants on one of the sand bars at the mouth of the river Ore (opposite Shingle Street) this afternoon. A few black-backed gulls had joined them and, I think, one guillemot.

© David Gill

Shingle Street Sunshine

© David Gill
Spring seems to be around the corner at Shingle Street looking out towards Orford and the river Ore.

Monday 13 February 2012

Holland in Ipswich

Ipswich Quay © David Gill
We went to have a look at the Dutch vessel moored in Ipswich at the moment. The cormorants seemed to be enjoying diving around it.

Sunday 12 February 2012

Snow melt on the marina

Ipswich Marina © David Gill
After a fresh fall of snow overnight ... the melt seems to have started. However there is still a covering along the pontoons in the Ipswich Marina.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Mistley Towers

© David Gill
Mistley Towers are the remains of a Robert Adam church of 1776.

For further information see English Heritage.

Snow on the marina

Ipswich marina © David Gill
The snow has transformed the waterfront at Ipswich. There are even patches of ice forming in the marina.

Saturday 4 February 2012

Snow Question

Sculpture at University Campus Suffolk © David Gill
There was a light sprinkling of snow this morning that soon disappeared. But by 10 pm this evening the ground was covered and the snow was coming down fast. The marina is now under a blanket of white.