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Local Milford on Sea News Story Archives

10th September 2009: Flying birds of prey – nearly!
If you have always admired the magnificence of birds of prey, you would have loved the majestic flying display at last month’s Lymington Rotary Club’s Summer Spectacular & Car Show. The display was enthralling, & John (the falconer) has an easy educational manner. When he told the gathered crowd that the next bird he was going to fly was a vulture, a mass ‘eeerrrrrr’ could be probably be heard at Lymington marina. He then informed us that in the next 10 minutes that he would change our view of, what has to be said really is an ugly bird. I always like a challenge, so we listened intently. As the vulture scurried around the grass & occasionally flew across the arena, he explained how there are scores of vulture species, each of which are different in size, neck length & beak shape – all of which enables them to share the same carcass, thus demonstrating the efficiency of the vulture family. He then explained how vultures protect man by eating diseased carcasses and removing potential fatal diseases from local communities. Finally, he explained the important conservation work his centre do with vultures who are endangered in various parts of the world. With his ten minutes up, the crowd had all of a sudden seen the vulture in a completely different light. We & many others were converted. He was either a great communicator, or someone had spiked the pick ‘n’ mix sweets we were eating. Yes, they are still ugly, but as is so often the case, beauty is more than skin deep.
As you may have guessed, having watched the display we were left wanting more, so we tracked down Liberty’s Raptor, Owl & Reptile Centre on the web & discovered that you could book an afternoon flying the birds yourself in the capable hands of an expert falconer. We did not hesitate in booking our flying experience & last week set off for our afternoon of flying the ‘birds of prey’. The day was a bit grey & my wife took a couple of pairs of sunglasses, apparently not for the sunshine, but to stop the birds pecking her eyes out. I am not sure that this happens very often, but who am I to argue. We met up with John, who was going to be our falconer for the afternoon & then watched him present the daily public display, after which we were to take control of the birds ourselves. As we were preparing to start, the heavens opened & it was soon evident that the heavy rain was setting in for the afternoon. We had been warned that the afternoon’s flying would be weather dependant, so it was no great surprise when it had to be postponed. As we stood in the shelter I asked John if we would be able to fly a golden eagle on our return, ‘afraid not’ was the answer, ‘those guys are pure killing machines & even a dog would be fair game for them if they were flying and a bit peckish’, so it is understandable that you will never see a golden eagle in a flying display. The team at the centre were extremely knowledgeable & friendly, and we were invited to spend as long as we liked at the centre looking at the birds, owls & reptiles, which we enthusiastically did – in the rain. We can rebook our afternoon’s flying at any time, so whilst we didn’t get to fly the birds, it was a bit of a result really, - as we had enjoyed our afternoon & we still have the flying to go back for!
Libertys Raptor, Owl & Reptile Centre website: www.libertyscentre.co.uk

12th September 2009: A couple of hours at Apple Court.
Not long ago we were greeted with a sunny late summer morning & had a couple of hours to spare, so we decided to do something we had meant to do for ages, that was to visit Apple Court Gardens in Hordle. A matter of minutes later we were out of Milford on Sea & pulling into the gardens. Oh yes, we are as free as the wind & can do things on the spur the moment! (providing of course that I have had breakfast.) The first surprise was the selection of plants on sale. There was a veritable treat of unusual and colourful shrubs & flowers awaiting a new home. The gardens are privately owned by Angela & Charles Meads & as you enter the gardens it is immediately apparent that they are passionate about this idyllic green space. The gardens are small but perfectly formed, & ideal for a couple of hours of relaxation. The garden at Apple Court has been created since 1988 in the abandoned walled kitchen garden of Yeatton House, which lies to the south. It extends to just over one acre and is situated in rich farmlands between the New Forest and the Solent, some 10m above sea level. The soil is a fertile neutral loam. The garden was designed as a series of interlocking areas each of which was intended to create a distinct visual impression and to have a microclimate well suited to the particular plants intended to grow in each. The form of the garden was partly dictated by the needs to break the force of the coastal winds, the sea being less than a mile away. The aim throughout is to create a garden in which different interests succeed each other through the year. The season starts with snowdrops and hellebores, followed by pulmonarias and peonies. The Hosta Walk comes into its own in April and is followed by roses, tulips and the Daylily Garden which holds centre stage until the grasses take over through August and into winter. The Japanese Garden with it Kio carp pond & pagoda provides a relaxing oasis. I have to be honest, I had little idea what most of the plants were, but that does not stop the appreciation of both the beauty of the gardens & the hard work that must go into creating such a hidden gem.
Apple Court Website: www.applecourt.com

13th September 2009: Have you seen the School Tile Mural?
One of our new found, yet avid readers came across Val Sparkes Pots, based in The Pottery, at Danestream Farm in Sway Road, New Milton. The building was the former dairy & is next to a very good farm shop. As she was chatting to Val (the potter) she discovered that in 2005 she created a tile mural produced from drawings the Milford on Sea Primary School children had made of scenes from their village, these were then incorporated into a design by mural artist Celia Lincoln to create a 'master plan' for the tile panel. The 6 x 6 inch tiles were then handmade and hand painted by Val using cobalt and iron oxides. The huge panel now takes pride of place in the school so I guess many of us will never have seen it, but images do appear on the Val Sparkes Pots website if you would like to see our local childrens artistic handiwork.
Val Sparkes Pots website: http://www.valsparkespots.co.uk/page15.htm

13th September 2009: I nearly became a Buddhist!
Well not really, but I did visit the Buddhapadipa Thai Temple in Wimbledon. I realise this is nowhere near Milford on Sea, but thought you might find it an interesting story. Now I know we don’t consider a wealthy area of South West London to be a hotbed of Buddhism, & I guess it is not, but it does contain a fascinating Buddhist Thai Temple. I was staying at the Cannizaro House Hotel on Wimbledon Common for a two day meeting of ‘The Next Chapter’ (A group of former & current business owners), we meet every 3 months to discuss how our lives are going, and to share experiences & thoughts. Each time we meet we stay at a different location where we always enjoy good food, wine & company. As part of our get together we also always try to find something a bit different to do, local to where we happen to be staying. Our host on this occasion was Chris Morrison & he came up with a visit to the temple. As a group who have had wide ranging life experiences, & none who are fervently religious this was going to be an interesting learning experience. As we walked the tree lined streets of Wimbledon, passing houses owned by Chelsea footballers, international tennis stars & I am sure some who’s originating wealth would be interesting to know, we arrived at the temple, set in amongst the impressive multi-million pound houses. The temple had been built & decorated by Thai craftsman, opening in 1982 in the ownership of the Thai government. The rumour goes that the original house & significant grounds had been previously owned by a colonel, & when planning permission was sought for the temple it was not welcomed. However, when an alternative planning application was made for a low cost housing development appeared, local objectors thought a temple was not such a bad idea after all! When we arrived at the temple we were invited into the next door teaching house & welcome by Phramaha Sangthong Dhammacaro who is a Dhammaduta Monk & Meditation Master, he was also to be our host for a couple of hours. (We were also to later learn that he had been a Thai kick boxer in his earlier life, so it was a bit of luck we all behaved ourselves!). As we sat around the teaching table we were served with jasmine tea & cakes as a traditional welcome. The talk was fascinating & Phramaha had a very charismatic manner with a sharp sense of humour. He was from originally from Thailand & his English was impeccable. Now, I do not profess to be any kind of expert in a couple hours, but I did learn some interesting facts which I hope are worth sharing. In Buddhism everything is based on the teachings of Buddha who was a man, in fact a prince, who renounced his position & went into the forest in search of enlightenment over 2500 years ago. The word Buddha actually means ‘teacher’ & his teachings were passed down by generations of monks. We learnt that Buddhism is not a religion, but is actually a way of life. Buddhism is totally not judgemental, the monks simply see themselves as teachers & leave everyone free to make their own choices. The messages of Buddha appear passive, simple & clear, but what I particularly liked was that the teachings actually make every individual person totally responsible for their own actions & the subsequent consequences which follow. In an age where people constantly look to blame others, or have an attitude that ‘they are owed something’, I recognised a powerful message carried in a gentle way.
The monks lead a life which involves daily meditation & chanting, and excludes such things as drinking alcohol and smoking. They follow celibacy, shave their heads, wear simple robes and have just two meals a day & eat no food after the midday meal. (Some Buddhist monks are not vegetarian.) Interestingly, these actions are not expected to be followed by all Buddhists as it is left to each individual to make their own choices, the monks simply look to set the ultimate example. Equality was evident at all levels & the basic teachings start with; not to do any evil, to cultivate good & to purify one's mind. I also found out that I did not really know what Karma was, in fact Karma simply refers to the good or bad actions a person takes during their lifetime.
I had assumed that Buddhism was the same the world over, & it is as much as the fundamental teachings of Buddha goes, however each country has their own versions. One of the ways this is reflected is in the image of Buddha himself. Indian cultures have a rotund character, whist the Thai Buddha is slim, other countries can be different again. It was also interesting to discover that Buddhism can sit alongside conventional western religions. In the USA they have Jewish Buddhist, Catholic Buddhist, Christian Buddhist etc. Only in America, eh!!
It was interesting to hear that the monks do not aim to convert anyone, which is why you will not see the monks on the streets collecting or teaching, their way is to wait & then welcome anyone who approaches them wishing to understand or discuss their message. Phramaha, our host, regularly holds meetings in prison & also visits any group that invites him. To me this showed that he had an understanding of today’s world & looked to teach people of the Buddhist ways without pressure. Respect for others features very highly in the Buddhist beliefs. This is demonstrated in Buddhist hierarchy across the world as the leader in each country, or temple, is whoever is the current oldest monk.
The Thai Buddhist temples are not places of worship, they are actually teaching houses & meeting places. Their use varies from meditation & chanting, to a social meeting place, or even a place where traders sell their wares. The temple in Wimbledon was impressive, with its intricate ornamental architecture, and internal murals of Buddha’s teachings, the lake had a calmness making an ideal meditation area, but most fascinating was listening to the monks talk about their beliefs & way of life. Whilst I have the shape of a Buddha, I cannot actually see myself converting, however I do find myself admiring most of their beliefs on the way of life, & recognise that if more people took a look at the teachings of Buddha the world might just become a better place. I reckon if you see a Buddhist monk, or pass a Thai temple, you would find that stopping for a chat would be a worthwhile experience.
It is my turn to host our ‘Next Chapter’ meeting in January & I will be showing them the delights of Milford on Sea from our Westover Hall hotel meeting venue. I have a wildlife walk planned, but as much as I am sure we will enjoy that, I suspect that matching the temple visit will take some doing!
Buddhist Thai Temple website www.buddhapadipa.org

17th September 2009: The lowering of Sturt Pond.
Our local nature reserve is undergoing some changes. Sturt Pond, at the east end of Milford on Sea seafront, is having the margin of the pond lowered by excavating soil to bring its wetland surround closer to the bird hide. The bird feeders have been removed for the time being and a feeding table is in the course of construction. My good friend Colin visited the bird hide at the pond early(ish) this morning and found the waters full of hundreds of birds. (As you can see from his photo.) The bird hide diary contained recorded sightings of the 'usual birds' who frequent the pond, including Godwits, Swans, Gulls, Mallards and Egrets. Amusingly, among the diary entries was a note from the Bunting family visit (what an excellent family name for those visiting a wetland reserve), they had recorded their observation of the Red Arrows last weekend – they either had a good sense of humour, or they had not got the hang of what the diary is actually for!

Sturt Pond is a saline tidal pond with reed bed and salt marsh, it is managed by the County Council Countryside Service team with volunteer help from the Wildlife Recording Group and Milford Environment Group. The pond is a delight all year round & in winter provides feeding and roosting area for Brent Goose, Snipe, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit, Waders, Duck and Swan. The Solent Way footpath also runs along the eastern boundary of the pond. In December it is planned to add a breeding pair of Ostrich to the pond. (Not really, I made the last bit up.)