March 24 2006
The cold weather ended during the day started by rain with a wind from the east-south-east, contemporaneous with a relatively low high tide at around 6 a.m. G.M.T. On visiting Westcliff beach shortly before noon, the latest of many strandlines of brown algae and gravel ridges was seen to have the additional components of reed debris, whelk egg cases and two small cuttlebones (the same shells used by owners of caged birds, but in this case small specimens of the English species Sepia officinalis L. with marks matching the bills of fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) made far out to sea. This pair of shells were at the same spot below Holland Road in Westcliff, where two were found in December 11 2003 and encouraged me to take the train and collect 50 more from the more exposed East Beach in Shoebury.
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