We had zero chicks at Loch Garten nest this summer, so there are none to follow this winter. EJ and Odin have migrated south and with neither tagged we cannot follow them. Sadly, we have lost Breagha, the last tagged LG offspring. Once again a healthy Loch Garten chick is “lost contact, presumed dead”. Even the camera is away for the winter. Thus we have lost all contact with the Loch Garten nest. For the first time since I found EJ and the Loch Garten nest, there is NOTHING LEFT. Nothing left, that is, except HOPE for a better season in 1916.
On this note of hope I will maintain The Gabfest in a semi-retired state. Thus we will be open for any osprey news which comes through, whether it be from UK or USA or Africa. Also any bird or wildlife photos or news are always appreciated here.
Over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve some may wish to share photos of their cakes, Christmas Trees and/or some music videos. Winter gardening, trains, anything goes here on the Gabfest that anyone wants to talk about.
So if anyone cares to come in for a wee chat, the Gabfest may be sleeping, but it is open.
Unknown said:I don't even know why Ohio is called The Buckeye State.
Hello everyone,
thanks to Wikipedia I am able to help: Ohio is called the "Buckeye State" because of the Ohio Buckeye Tree, which is some kind of Horse Chestnut. And Wisconsin is called the Badger State because once they did a lot of lead-mining there, and the miners used to seek shelter in holes in the ground, which gained them the nickname "Badgers". .
Regards, Bente
Bente, you are really handy with that wikipedia! I did know about the buckeye tree, but WHY I've no idea. I've never seen a buckeye tree.
June, Thanks for the Cornell feeder cam capture--lovely Doves. And never mind about not knowing the origins of State's nicknames--only a few 12 year old boys know all of them, not to mention State Capitals, etc.!
Bente, You have used the 21st century's answer to the Encyclopedia (or is it Encyclopaedia?). But a crucial point is that those lead miners were from England from the county of Cornwall! Thousands of miners and their families had emigrated in the mid and later 19th century to Wisconsin and to numerous other places around the world where miners were needed because the market for Cornish copper and later tin had collapsed. It was the local Wisconsinites (some of whom were descended from English folk and others who were descended from people from many other European countries including many German states) who watched the Cornish miners (who were digging in the hillsides) in wonderment and scornfully called them Badgers. The USA does have real Badgers of course but Wisconsin is named the Badger State for the Cornish miners. Cornish pasties are still a favourite in some places in Wisconsin, thanks to the Cornish wives.
Kind regards, Ann
Good afternoon all. Gardenbirder very interesting about the miners or badgers in Wisconsin. Not been on here for a while as have been busy with general stuff. Never enough hours in the day especially now the clocks have gone back so we now have darker evenings :(
The only buckeye I have heard of is the coupling device on the front of a train!
love the cornell feeder pics are the doves mourning doves? We dont have them here but have turtle doves but sadly now are very scarce.
About 2 years ago we had one visit our feeders for about three days and is the first time I have ever seen one. He kept being chased away by wood pigeons. I think he was just passing through on migration as it was late summer!
Evening All. Willow, I, too, am learning a lot on this Forum! I never knew about the coupling device on a train being called a buckeye! Lucky you to have had a Turtle Dove in your garden! And I have never seen a Turtle Dove but would love to.
www.dyfiospreyproject.com/.../nestorations-eight-things-recovered-from-the-nest
Good morning all. again my computer has reverted to s l o w t y p e , so I"m conserving words