DECEMBER is a month of hope!
Cold yes, dark yes, but the gloomy grey days of November have generally given way to sunnier, brighter days. At least, so it generally is here in southern Ohio, and I hope for you too. Then the winter solstice marks the shortest & darkest day of the year, but we know that immediately after that each day gets that wee bit longer and therefore lighter. Not just hope, but proof that spring is on its way. And all month we look forward to Christmas, the happiest, most hopeful day of the year. December is the month of planning, of preparation, shopping, wrapping, baking and FUN (if we just don’t let ourselves get overwhelmed).
All the while we know that Breagha and Millicent are warm in Africa. We pray for their continued safety, as well as that of other osprey that we follow. But not all the birds desert us for the warm southern climes. Some are well adapted to our northern winters and are still here, providing enjoyment and often appreciating our bird feeders.
Here on the Gabfest, a music night “around the world” has been suggested. We hope to hold this in early December. Also, I’m sure that later in December I, and probably others, will want to play some Christmas carols. Whether this will be an organized Music Night or just spontaneous music remains to be seen. Also a few of us are planning Christmas cakes. A Christmas music night may be organized around these presentations.
So once again, I issue an invitation to all osprey lovers to come on in to the Gabfest chat room, where we can enjoy the warm fires and chat about all things osprey as well as most anything else that crosses our minds.
Thanks for the links Wendy. I will check them both. I am having a hard time finding interesting live cams.
Are you into the American Bald Eagle cams yet ? Romeo & Juliet have two eggs as have Ozzie & Harriet! They are both very stable cams & the resolution on R&J link is especially good!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
MUSIC NIGHT OR NIGHTS????
Back in November CC said "Hello all! Either Around the World or White Xmas are fine with me for another Music Night. It looks like evenings Dec 5/6 are out for me as well as Dec 13/14 though."
WHO? Just now we need a show of interest. Do we have enough participants to warrant considering special night? Of course ALL regulars and watchers are welcome to take part.
TOPIC/THEME? "Around the World"? "White Christmas"? Cake presentation night?
One night or two? We could make a choice of one or the other topic OR we could have BOTH!!
WHEN? Maybe we should remember that the week has SEVEN days.
QUESTIONS???? Now is the time for friendly discussion. If anyone has ideas or suggestions/ I hope you will bring them forth now for consideration.. Any questions as to procedures/ how to, etc, will be gladly answered to the best of our ability.
June any day/night is ok for me. Got one funny one already you may know it as it is an American tune and funny depending on your sense of fun.
Hi to everyone, Fish a good cam to watch id FalconCam Project Orange NSW there are two cam you can watch.
we also comment on the Falcon cam project thread.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/2543/p/109244/913795.aspx#913795
"Birds are, quite simply, little miracles - and as such they require care and consideration."
Magnus Ullman
My Flickr account is here
Hello June,
I hope you are not suffering under too much snow in Ohio. Here in Germany we had the warmest november in ages. Temperatures are supposed to drop, though.....
As far as the Music Night is concerned: I could be here on Friday, December 5th, Saturday 6th, Monday 8th, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th, Monday 15th, Tuesday 16th, Thursday 18th, Saturday 20th or Monday 22nd. Either topic is fine, but maybe "White Christmas" is more appropriate to the season. But maybe you had more "Christmas-Music-Nights" in recent years?
If others are interested in a cake-presentation, I would do my best to keep up with you.
Kind regards as always, and the best wishes for the Christmas-Time!
Bente
Hi Bente, to participate in the cake presentation, one must first bake a cake and take a picture of it, which is then posted "presented" on Gabfest. We do decorate our cakes, but that would not be a strict requirement. There is no competition, just fun. :)
The first year we had 12 cakes, all lovely. This year so far we have three. Keith has already baked his and it is in the mellowing stage, but I think there is a better word. Willow will bake hers soon, while mine is still in the thinking/planning stage. As mine is not the complicated Scottish traditional Christmas cake, but a very simple quick & easy recipe I like to do two. But I have already started getting ingredients for the cake and for decorating.
IF a Music Night is held along with Cake presentation You do NOT have to present a cake to participate in Music Night.
Let us know your plans and preferences so they can be taken into consideration.
Ooooh, I have baked my cake a couple of weeks ago with the help of my wee Granddaughter! Not decorated yet though!!
Valc and you are planning to present it in our Gabfest Christmas Cake Bake-off - right? Wonderful. Check in often, so you can help us select a date that is suitable for everybody!!!
You have obviously had the best of assistance.
An edition to Decembers Introduction of A Winters Tale - An Article I have edited and paint adjusted from BBC Earth - British Wildlife.
Assisted by (C) - BBC Earth/British Wildlife
As winter approaches, grey squirrels begin to add to their winter nests or dreys. The female squirrel builds a summer drey to house her youngsters and this is usually a rough ball of twigs and leaves lined with straw moss or feathers often in a tree-hollow or sometimes in a fork in the trunk or between high branches.
But in autumn, the squirrels anticipate the coming winter by boosting the insulation on their dreys in case they need to sleep out a cold snap. They don’t hibernate here in the British Isles, where they are introductions from North America, but will take to their dreys for few days at a time to ride out freezing, windy or damp conditions.
When they emerge, they search for the nuts and other food that they have buried as insurance against severe weather. In winter, some grey squirrels can even produce a litter of youngsters, whose survival is boosted by their parents ability to find food. Raiding of bird-tables is a regular habit and no doubt increases their chances of survival at this precarious time when their favourite large seeds are in short supply.
Not all grey squirrels build dreys in trees. Many will winter around old buildings or in roof-spaces where they can be a nuisance, gnawing electrical cables.