Weekly Chat, Sunday, March 14

Lovely dry and sunny afternoon, so both been out in garden – just couldn’t do anything where ground was wet.  I did two separate hours with coffee between, rather than work till exhausted.  Now got dinner in oven, so back to looking at posts dated today.

Annette – pleased you had pleasant weather for your walk with Oro on Friday – trying to imagine your Californian Poppies – they are grown as a garden plant in the UK!  Diane – we get quite a few US programmes about Tornadoes – including Storm Chasers.  Hope you don’t have too long a spell of electric storms – don’t want you to miss the arrivals at Loch Garten!  Thanks for your concern – I do rest, but don’t like having to!  I am still learning my limits!  Wonder if Caerann saw Trucker Steve when he was unloading near Chicago?  Tiger – thanks for another fantastic APOD.  So sorry you lost a cyber-friend – I know how I feel when one of us here goes missing, so this must be really hard news for you to grasp.  Great news re Loch of the Lowes – do we know yet whether it is Marge?  Lindybird – hope you are enjoying the party and night away – stay away from anyone holding a glass!!  DjoanS – I had a Budgie when I was young: “Uncle” (Aunt’s boyfriend) bred them.  It showed all the usual signs of being male, but at age four it tried to lay an egg.  It got stuck, so Dad helped it with a pair of tweezers (Budgie equivalent of a forceps delivery, I suppose!).  It laid another ok, but then next year Dad had to help again, and I think the shock killed it.  Alan – thanks for eggs update – think I shall have limit my viewing by setting a timer for no more than three minutes per web cam – except LG!  Seems male Ospreys are returning first elsewhere – Rutland and now Loch of the Lowes!  Lovely picture of the three bobbleheads!  Annette – reached your morning (our afternoon) post – I use every opportunity to spread the green message, but how do you tell people who won’t listen?  So many media messages feed our must-have culture, and I sometimes think most of this country is in denial re climate change!  Hazelwoods – despite budgie in childhood and loving wild birds, I get very nervous of birds flying about in a house.  We once visited a historic house in North Devon and the lady showing us around had a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on her shoulder while she talked – and when it decided to move, guess who it spotted across the room!  Terry – like the flute – Dau#1 plays.  Same mild temp this side of the Solway too this afternoon.

Anyone online,

The Starr Ranch Barn Owlets are due to be banded in about an hour, if I've got the time difference right. Expect a MAJOR hissy fit! 

Edit: Unfortunately the webcast is too disjointed to be watchable. Probably too  many people trying to watch.

OG   it was not Marge on the nest at Loch of the Lowes. It was an unknown male.

Thanks, Tiger - I realised later that the second mention of the sighting said it was male, but forgot to go back and delete that question in my post!

Closing down now - just popped in to say goodnight/evening/morning all!

Sue C: Thanks so much for the owl banding update - I just came in and caught the very tail end of it (people waving a family on the live cam and the last owls being ferried up to the nest). 

Annette    I am not sure where you are in southern California but there is a greatt pass of the International Space station over San Diego  at 7.31pm on Monday 22nd March. See   Link

Tiger: Brilliant!  I'm at about 19.33.4 on that trajectory. Wow. Wonder if I'll be able to see it..  Hmm. Will have to investigate. Thank you very much indeed. I've just printed out the image to remind myself to follow up.