We had to go down into Brighton today and while we were in town we made the most of the beautiful sunshine and went for a stroll along the promenade. The area near the Palace Pier (the lively, fairground pier) was mobbed, as might be expected on what was probably the warmest Sunday of the year so far. We headed west towards the quieter Hove end of the promenade and the West Pier, which for me far outshines its more successful sibling.
More of the West Pier collapsed during the winter storms, but for all that it remains a wonderfully iconic feature. Click on the image to enlarge (it should roughly fill your screen).
Many years ago I used to live on the sea front in Hove. That was when I was a student (late 1970s). I was in a basement at the far end of Brunswick Terrace. The place was damp, dingy and running with rodents. It was also huge, with an 80 foot corridor running the length of it. The buildings have had something of a face lift since those days and now go for a not so small fortune.
I didn’t notice when I took this photo, but if you look to the right-hand side at the ice cream van you’ll notice someone standing just in front of it filming with a tripod. And down at ground level, this sign. I’ve no idea whether it is for real or not, but it seems so typically Brighton (or Hove, actually… by about 50 yards).
Brighton (and Hove) is certainly quirky, and is the only place in the country with a Green MP and a Green Council (ironically we also have some of the worst recycling rates in the UK and they’ve got worse under the Green regime). With the Euro elections this week the Green Party Bus was out drumming up support (there was a distinct lack of activity in its vicinity while we were there). The bus, I’m told, runs on bio-fuel (aka re-used cooking oil).
As for wildlife you probably expect some gulls, or possibly a cormorant. They were certainly around, though the latter were out of range of my 70-300mm lens. I’ve got something rather better though. These shots were taken as we walked up West Street, just off the seafront.
Unmistakably a peregrine falcon, and almost certainly one of the pair that breed on the roof of Sussex Heights, a towering block of flats in central Brighton.
Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.
Adele
19 May 2014Excellent shots of the falcon. I’ve never seen any in Brighton.
Words
19 May 2014Adele, I always try to keep an eye out for the peregrines when I’m on the sea front, but this was by far the best sighting I’ve had.
Darko
19 May 2014Ice cream for dogs!? And luxury!? 😀
If it tastes like bacon, maybe even I would try it 😛
Falcon shots are great!!!
Words
19 May 2014Darko, I think I know why the ice cream van was there. They are making some silly TV show about a ‘dog hotel’. I won’t be watching!
derwandersmann
23 May 2014A touch of local colour, eh?