HAPPY NEW WEEK, HAPPY FULL MOON, and HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX!!!
Last week's weekly chat thread is HERE. The code for this week's thread is WC160314.
The Full Moon is today, Sunday, and is known as the "Full Worm Moon". The Spring Equinox is Thursday, 20 March, in the Northern Hemisphere. Of course, it's the Autumn Equinox for AQ in Australia. This is the day that I guessed EJ will return. :-)
I think this worldwide Osprey Range Map is fun. You can change the date to reflect the times of osprey presence in a region. You can also change from Terrain, Street, Satellite, and Hybrid views. Zoom in close to see personal osprey observations. (It doesn't zoom close enough to be a security risk to individual nests, in my experience with it.) You can also enter other bird species and see the global maps for them.
Birds of many species are reported to be on their way back to their breeding grounds here in the U.S.. The southerly winds are now in place to help them on their long, dangerous migration. This website tracks mass bird migrations using weather radar. Interesting!
Oh, and half a million sandhill cranes are headed back to Nebraska (U.S.) to fatten themselves up on the waste grain in the cornfields before they journey to their Arctic nesting grounds in one of Earth's great migrations. Here's an article about the global crane population (I thought Steve J might enjoy it).
Personally, I was very glad to see the pileated woodpecker pair on my patch this week. I was so relieved that they survived the harsh winter. The warm months wouldn't be the same without their noisy drumming. The male was drilling furiously in a tree by the creek.
Everyone have a wonderful week!
Hallo all: Still waiting for GGD and Ms D to arrive. They left AZ very late this morning (Ms. D had a bug yesterday) and I'm sure poor GGD will be exhausted when they get here. She was going up to her Mom's (my daughter's) tonight but they'll stay the night here instead. Will catch up tomorrow when they've left. Thanks DIANE - again!
The full moon must be affecting the website, it was closed for maintenance all morning!
Thanks DIANE for starting us off again.
Hello to ALL. We are gardening again and just came in for lunch and checked if the site was back on. Beautiful day again.
As always Diane, thanks for starting the week.
Good to see that 3(97) is back at Site B, Rutland Water, one day earlier than last year. Time Richard moved the camera at LG.
Morning all: GDD and Ms D just left for daughter's house. Ms. D soooo polite - doesn't have to be reminded to say thank you and has a wonderful tinkling little laugh. Not shy this time. :-))
Diane: Those are some cool websites. Nice to hear another of your regulars has shown up; our Acorn woodpeckers are back in town too.
OG: Might be an idea to suggest the Arts Centre get its refreshments sorted out. Next time, you'll eat before the event and find tables loaded with sandwiches and snacks! Went to a party/reception here once that claimed to offer dinner, but it turned out to be veggies and dips and other light stuff. Everyone was anticipating a main dish that never materialized.
AQ: Now I remember (per Heather's remark) that our friend's daughter had a rough twin pregnancy. She spent a lot of time on bed rest due to potential complications. Her poor Mom moved temporarily from California to Colorado to help out and came back exhausted. Must be even harder with Little Miss so active.
Clare: Saw the baby gorilla news on our telly. Must say they're not as cute as some critters' young'uns (think Bowie).
Limpy: Tiger is omnipresent.
Heather: I read somewhere that children have so-called "brown" fat cells, which is why they don't feel the cold as much as adults.
Rita: What lovely springtime flowers; so cheery.
Margo: Hugs to you. Do let us know how you're doing.
OK, must away to clear out the fountain which is now barely a trickle. Have noticed birds bathing in it this last week so I'll have to get our little net out to start fishing out the feathers on a daily basis. Also, our possum is still visiting the garden. Left half an old apple out for him last night and not a trace of it this morning.
Good evening, all! Thanks to Diane for starting the new thread - I'm so excited that this could be the week we'll see our beautiful EJ! I do hope Richard hurries up and moves that camera.......the first prediction is tomorrow.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
By the way I'm doing the Swimathon again this Saturday - if anyone would like to sponsor me my giving page is here.
I'm hoping to manage another 100 lengths.
Not been able to get on site today - now come in via main page, but too late to read. Hopefully see you tomorrow!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Hi to all, its been a glorious day here and OH even managed to do the first cut on the back lawn - still to tackle the front one. Dau and I at respective churches this morning but home to a leisurely day and wine with Sunday dinner - nice and relaxed just how we like it. OH watched the rugby but unfortunately our home team lost in the LV cup to Exeter.
Still waiting to hear when his brother's funeral will be - they have only just released the body so his son is consulting with the funeral directors on Tuesday and then hopefully a date will be set - as anyone knows its always a difficult time inbetween death and burial/cremation.
Just paid the final amount for our break, we are off up to Lancashire and have taken a cottage in the small town of Ribchester on the outskirts of the Trough of Bowland (end of April) so am looking forward to seeing a few of my childhood haunts again.
Thanks Diane for starting us off - must look at that Osprey website.
Annette hope everything went well with GDD and Ms. D and that they arrived safely.
Doing some family research on Ancestry UK I came across a distant relative who married an American and the son became a bit of a bigwig in local politics in Virginia. One of the ancestors (American side) also fought in the American Civil War.
Unfortunately the one who was in local politics also had a large plantation with slaves working for him which was a bit disconcerting to read about.
Hope all is well with those who may be feeling under the weather. Back later in the week - marvellous news about the first osprey to return (Rutland).
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Hi, everyone. I'm really busy cleaning my filthy house. The dust bunnies need to move back outdoors for spring. :-))) I'll be back tomorrow to catch up. Sending you all good energy.
Annette and anyone else interested in science: There was a stunning development today. The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has called a press conference tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. EDT to announce a major discovery.
Cosmologists are speculating that a U.S. team at the Bicep Telescope facility at the South Pole has detected "primordial gravitational waves"!
Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time -- "ripples in the fabric of the universe that carry energy across space".
This would be a landmark discovery that will change everything we know about particle physics and cosmology! If the rumors are true, the announcement would open the door for sweeping advancements in research into the origins and the nature of the Universe.
Video of the press conference will stream live starting at 11:55 a.m. EDT and 3:55 p.m. UTC. Annette: That's 8:55 a.m. for you. The scientists involved will almost certainly win the Nobel Prize.