Author | Lightnews

Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 6d

A south coast influx in October 1963 involved several hundred birds, with "about 100" as the largest individual flock, so anything in 3 figures should count I guess

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 8d

Saw one do that on Blakeney Point many years ago. Did look like play/practice

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 15d

Pectoral Sandpiper on Arnold's Marsh briefly just before lunch

Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 24d

Can you make sure you separate "Nature activists" with "activists using nature". The former really do know what nature is, the latter I agree often have a fairly laughable grasp of it (to the distinct annoyance of the former, as it makes genuine concerns harder to get across, as per your conflation)

Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 25d

Not necessarily. Problem at Northstowe is that buses have been arriving full from St Ives (recent T1 addition aside). If usage from St Ives drops, bus to the Science Park could become much more viable option, and only a few minutes longer. Houses in Northstowe selling way better than Waterbeach...

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · 29d

They'll likely go for squirrels first in UK. So could have an impact, but unlikely to be the planned one initially. They'll probably learn to move into more urban areas as populations grow anyway. South Wales first I'd guess. London Peregrines go for parakeets, so that's another food option

Goshawk diet in East Anglia, https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/publications/jbsvol12017_pp20to28.pdf

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Oct 2

Looking forward to it. Will be intereresting to see how things go, GPS positioning is now ubiquitous, but I suspect OS map reading skills have declined. Are there going to be changes to account for seasons shifting - mid March to mid July?

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Sep 14

Northstowe got a 6th form same time as Cambourne despite starting >15 years later. 2x primary, SEN and secondary school. GP is within a mile (Longstanton is extremely closeby) and closed every afternoon. We can also get places safely by bike, including in the dark. Cambourne is mostly a car island

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Reposted by Hugh Venables

BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · Sep 2

1/ Calling UK birders! 📢 We need your vital help to fill data gaps for bird populations outside the breeding season via the Winter Bird Survey ➡️www.bto.org/winbs #Ornithology #UKBirding

A Tree Sparrow perches on a branch showing its chestnut crown as snow falls. Wording over the image reads we need your help across the UK for the Winter Bird Survey starting in mid-September!

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Reposted by Hugh Venables

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · Aug 31

Upper ocean heat content (0 to 700 m depth) also set a new record high with the latest June data update (see my earlier post). Yikes! 🌊

Graphic/data (anomalies) from www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/globa...

Line graph time series of global ocean heat content for the 0-700 m layer for 3-month averages (red line), yearly averages (black line), and five years averages from the late 1950s to 2025 (blue line). There is a long-term warming trend. Ocean heat content is measured in 10^22 Joules with a y-axis range from nearly -10 to 35.

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Aug 18

The dunes now extend a long way seaward of the sea wall north of Winterton

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Aug 18

Sand dunes doing sand dune things. They all wax and wane, few have so many buildings in them.

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Aug 5

I'm not sure they mean they are all self sustaining (Tree Sparrow probably is) rather that there are still enough to spread again if drivers of the decline reversed (and, as said, no sign of that anyway)

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

See also www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/comm...

Plus another local centre in the Phase 3 plans, plus Lidl looking at a site on the B1050.

Yes, it would be good to have something now, but with Longstanton and Bar Hill close and a larger town centre store planned, it's a hard business case

Stirling Fields, Northstowe CB24, Retail premises to let, £60,000 pa - Zoopla

Retail premises to let in Stirling Fields, Northstowe CB24, letting for £60,000 pa from Carter Jonas. See property details on Zoopla or browse all our range of properties in Stirling Fields, Northstow...

www.zoopla.co.uk

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

Sorry, but just look at the plans. There is an area set aside near the community centre for shops and a larger area for the town centre opposite the secondary school. If you think a business opportunity has been missed, open a shop. Longstanton branch prepared for Northstowe and is doing fine.

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

Lots of schools, sports pavilion, community centre, Tap & Social, allotments, Parkrun, 3 lakes with 5km of paths. Lidl are interested in a site by the B1050. Longstanton shop and GP within a mile, so hard to make a business case for another convenience store yet, but there is space allocated.

Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

The current GP provision is limited by neither physical space, nor location. The Longstanton branch is closer to most current houses than the Northstowe GP will be, and closed in the afternoons.

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

The one that is within walking range of Northstowe is closed in the afternoons (appears they've reverted the Monday afternoon opening)

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

Primary school opened before there were any residents (so Longstanton school could be refurbished). Secondary + SEN school within 2 years, now a sixth form (and sports pavilion)

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 27

Swamped = closed 4 afternoons a week

There are two areas for shops (by community centre and opposite secondary school)

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Reposted by Hugh Venables

Carlos Moffat @carlosmoffat.com · Jul 25

🌊❄️🧪 🇦🇶 Please share:

We have learned that the National Science Foundation is moving ahead with plans to decommission the U.S. Research Vessel/Ice Breaker Nathaniel B. Palmer this October.

If you care about Antarctic research, please read on (1/n)

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Reposted by Hugh Venables

Edward Pollard @epollard.bsky.social · Jul 21

The Cambs Local Nature Recovery Strategy is now open for consultation.
Take a look at what is proposed our county and give your views. This strategy will influence planning & investment decisions for the county, so it is vital that we have robust plan
yourvoice.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/lnrs/consult...

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Local Nature Recovery Strategy Consultation - Your Voice - Cambridgeshire County Council - Citizen Space

Find and participate in activities run by Cambridgeshire County Council

yourvoice.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

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Hugh Venables @deepseahugh.bsky.social · Jul 19

If the health centre was built now it would be hard to staff it because it would be hard to get residents to switch from the Longstanton surgery*, which is closer for most than the Northstowe GP will be. Northstowe will be big, Longstanton is very close

*closed 4 afternoons a week

Reposted by Hugh Venables

Plymouth Marine Laboratory @pml.ac.uk · Jul 15

The #SouthWestMarineEcosystems 2024 report reveals some big shifts in marine life - from unusual #jellyfish blooms and #salp swarms, to major fish mortality events and shifts in #fisheries catches 🦞🪼 Read the highlights and access the full report here: pml.ac.uk/news/new-sou...

New South West Marine Ecosystems report published

This comprehensive report on the state of the marine ecosystems around the South West, including contributions from PML scientists, gives an wonderful overview of how the marine environment is fairing

pml.ac.uk

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Reposted by Hugh Venables

British Antarctic Survey 🐧 @bas.ac.uk · Jul 10

We went on a voyage into the depths of polar night on RRS Sir David Attenborough.

The fab @itvnews.bsky.social team came with us, and made a short doc about the adventure! From hoardes of whales, to sticking a camera in a crevasse - there's something for everyone ⬇️

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KbP...

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