The Gabfest offers condolences to all the victims of the helicopter/pub accident and their families. . May God's blessings of healing and comfort be with them..
We have now come to December when the eternal question is what has happened to the year. Where did 2013 go so quickly? Another season of Osprey have been hatched, fed, grown, fledged and migrated. They brought us delight and humor, joys and sorrows, but most of them are now in their winter quarters. We hope for their continued safety as we continue to follow the movements of the tagged ones..
December is the month of snow and cold and darkness, It is also the month of the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its Northernmost point, turns around and heads back South.This is that magical day when the sunlight starts to creep back upon us, as each day gets that precious few minutes longer..
December, is also the month of Christmas. It is truly the month of hope and promise and joy..
JUNE - Over the months I have tended to look forward to your First of the Month Introduction and what caption it may bring to sum it up. These seem to get better and better as we go on.
A great capture and description of what December may bring us.
I am having a peaceful day at work - my African Guests have gone into Aberdeen on the train shopping for entire Africa I think. A few of them have bought extra suitcases to accomodate this. I will go in and meet them for an hour later on. It is very strange for them to go into a city a contrast from the African villages they live in but most live around the oil/gas and energy cities of the various countries they are from.
It is funny though one of the supervisors from a Ghana Oil installation told me his wife knows of M & S. We sent her the on line link and she has browsed back in Accra all week ordered almost the entire store so he is away to collect her order and pay :(:(.
Morning June, Keith and ALL
June: Another lovely capture and opening to the Month which I also always look forward to. You mention the winter solstice – next to Christmas, this is my favourite day of the year when our days begin to lengthening.
Keith: Interesting your guests knowing of M&S! Yes, us women all like to shop and that is where I am heading later :-))) Enjoy your peaceful day.
Have a good day everyone - SYL
At the start of December I thought I may just post a summary of where our UK tagged ospreys are.
And where will I start with the excitement that White 14 has met up with Oscar in Bioko Island.
WHITE 14 - LAKE DISTRICT - On Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea Territory) off the Cameroon Coast on the south western side of the Island near to LUBA. He is still on his wanderings.
Oscar is settled on Bioko Island 20 miles away in Malabo and is looked after by a little native girl but he will return to Scotland at the end of February/Early March.
BREAGHA - settled for the time being in the SW corner of Mauritania.
OIGHRIG - settled for the time being on the Senegal coast.
CALEDONIA - settled am sure until mid 2014 around her usual haunts near Seville - Spain.
BLUE YD (SWT origin Forfar) - Settled at his normal stop on the River Senegal bordering Mauritania and Senegal. In November he did make a long trip to the coast but came back to his normal wintering area on the bend in the river.
BEATRICE - Settled at home in Andalusia in S Spain.
ROTHIEMURCHUS (2009) - Settled at his normal home in The Gambia.
RUTLAND 30 - She is wintering on Senegal coast.
LOST BIRDS 2013/2014
We have sadly lost WHITE 15 (Lake District) during migration in Mali crossing the Sahara.
We have lost BLUE YZ (SWT - LOTL) in Guinea Bissau at her last known wintering site.
Think I have got them all - please add on if I have any errors or missed anyone in the summary.
Brilliant summary, Keith. Thank millions for your hard work on this. Placed here on the first page of a new thread it will be an easy to find reference throughout the month.
Thanks also for your kind words about my opening. Oh, notice the plaid ribbon? I chose this one because it looks Scottish!
I am particularly interested in the whereabouts of Oscar, who is papa to what I have come to think of as "my own" Apollo.
To my surprise Apollo has not migrated further south, but seems quite happy and healthy right here in the snows of Southern Ohio. So far the temps have been near the freezing mark, which he seems to enjoy. But I can assure you, that if they get dangerously low I will not hesitate to "interfere" with any means necessary. I think I can get whole fish, head and all, at the supermarket. Certainly plenty of fresh fish. Also I think a waterproof heating pad placed on my picnic table, under the raised umbrella would provide enough warmth to see him through. IF he decides to stay, that is.
I see him frequently soaring the skies overhead and most evenings he perches in a "nearby tree". Remember that frequent phrase from LG? ;) And even when it is topped with snow, he still is often to be seen sitting contentedly on my blue gazing ball. Truth to tell, I think that amazing bird, 5 foot wingspan and all would come right inside if I gave him any encouragement at all. Quite an osprey, is my Apollo!
This should have been on "A Scottish Fling" music night last night. The video is so much better than that of the version I hastily selected and posted.
High Mountain Thyme, Rod Stewart
Good evening Fish. We missed you last night at our Highland Fling. Were you listening.? We had some great Scottish music. Some that Jessie plays on WOBO, some that I remembered from long ago and a great variety of others.
Hi June , will look back over music night tomorrow if I have time. Once Dec. is gone I hope to feel better and will start to post again.
Good evening all, June thans for the excellent start to December thread! Keith, thankyou for the summary of the ospreys, sadly still no contact with Blue YZ.
Hi Fish, hope you are OK soon! :)