THE LG OSPREY GABFEST for JANUARY, 2015

Unknown said:

Starlings - my least favorite bird, probably the only bird I actually dislike and with good reason.

I don't dislike any bird but obviously some are more endearing than other especially in their appropriate environment. In defence of Starlings all they are trying to do is survive. It's we humans that mess up. They make great parents.

From an email

Baked Sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows.  A favorite side dish for Christmas or any special meal.  Unfortunately, I left this one in the oven a wee bit too long.

COUNTDOWN FOR EJ'S RETURN TO LOCH GARTEN NEST

68 days till Wed March 25th

Not much change in the young ospreys over the past few weeks with Breagha - Millicent - Blue UV - Blue 7H and White 14 keeping station - but then that is good news. They are well placed at present for the drier season.

Sadly 2014 has seen losses to LONAIG - Blue VV missing in action - Blue 8A missing last fix travelling east into Mali and not sure about FK8 from Tweed Valley.

I am not sure with these newer transmitters that they may not transmit if not near a mast so am open about LD - Blue 8A.

I now have a date to mobilise to Bioko Island the territary of Equatorial Guinea around February 2nd so hope I get there before White 14 decides to journey home. He is still around the exact location where I saw him in March 2014 although he did a spell on the west of the island later on before going back down to Ureka in the South. The drilling team will need to lend me their GPS Instruments again.

Unknown said:

From the Scotsman

Now I have eaten haggis, American style.  The real thing cannot be imported here from Scotland.  On a scale of 1 to ten I would give Haggis a 5 (neutral),. I would love to taste the real thing - in  Scotland, of course, with Scottish friends. I think it would thus rate much higher.  But Haggis ice cream!???!!  I can't  even imagine such a thing.  I'm pretty adventurous with strange  foods so probably would try it, but surely it rates a zero or a resounding UGHH!!!

Got our Haggis today - ready for next Sunday (25 January). I prefer it with a good malt not Ice Cream.

We have Haggis flavoured Crisps (Chips in America) which are quite nice.

Sounds interesting, Keith.  May I join you? Cyberspace, of course.  And what can I bring.  Isn't mashed turnips a part of the feast?  Neeps, is it?

I do make an original dish of my own concoction that I find quite tasty,  Sliced turnips layered with sliced mushrooms, sprinkled with salt, paprika and a light touch of sugar, covered with cream and baked.

Thanks for the osprey update and good luck with seeing White 14 on your Bioko trip.  That was expected to be quite an extended stay, wasn't it?  As always I hope you won't be cut off completely from communication with Gabfest.

Aviemore Osprey Facebook page have updated their cover with this photo of an osprey playing peekaboo through its own wing feathers.  

COUNTDOWN FOR EJ'S RETURN TO LOCH GARTEN NEST

67 days till Wed March 25th