WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2015

taken before the mate joined her, see how sparse it is.

Clare - glad Limpy is managing to get to Minsmere as he loves it so much.  Do hope you have some luck on the job front soon.

Look where she has put her branch - its bound to go over!!

Either the branch has been knocked off or its bac in the "pan"

another large branch has been brought in

one last one - probably the female, sun is going down and the light is catching her

Hallo all: A truly amazing and record-breaking day at the whales! We had a total of 53 adults in the 8 hours on site (extrapolate that by 24 hours a day!) with 19 during my shift. Every time we looked, another blow, or two, or three - at one time we saw four simultaneous blows just below the horizon (a bit like a chorus line) and we weren't even looking at them; we were tracking another four or so that were just ahead of them while also keeping our eyes on several others that had already passed us.  Finally, our lead investigator told us to forget the rhetical readings we typically report at each sighting and concentrate on how many whales were in each group. There were more whales than interns and volunteers could keep track of.  So exhilarating! Of course, still too early for calves, but our collective minds are boggled. We have no idea what's going on, but it's really thrilling and in the 10 years I've been doing it, I've never seen so many whales in one shift.

Phew.

We've been hearing about that lovely dog that was poisoned, apparently at Crufts. I really hope they catch whoever did it. What sort of cowardly sick people would kill such trusting creatures? Humans are sooooo depressing; surely we must be the only species that kills out of spite.  

Other than that, getting ready for the AZ trip; leaving Thursday.

Have a good Tuesday everyone.  

Good Morning, All. Been catching up on all your news, & Lynette's lovely pics. We lost our WiFi here yesterday morning, but it came back later in the day. Glorious weather here since we suffered the Calima! It must have cleared the skies when it blew itself out, as its like summer here now. No sign of locusts, folks! (Although someone told me once that they witnessed them some years ago, falling from the sky!) We have had an awful lot of ladybirds and have to keep brushing them off our skin, as apparently they bite. Saw a bird I've never seen before, yesterday in a bush - he (?) was calling for his mate with a gutteral cry. Must look up the markings to see what it was, there are few birds here apart from the odd gull or egret.

I so agree with the above. When people are described as behaving like animals, I get so cross. We are the nastiest species, by far.

Lovely morning and thank goodness the winds have abated. OH out with Benson. I wonder if he will find more trees down.