Weekly Chat, Sunday May 2, 2010

Hey Diane: Thanks for the link - I'll read it tomorrow.  Have a good night's sleep.

Just on to say Good Morning after an extra long weekend away.  I saw the Chichester Peregrines and their beautiful chicks. I was even able to watch the male feeding the female.

Thanks for your pictures and chat. I still have plenty to catch up with. Enjoy today.

Morning All.  Dull & rather damp here this morning.

Jealous you saw the Chichester Peregrines, Brenda H.   Lovely pic of your garden, OG.

Countdown now of only a couple of days before we can switch on the TV without seeing a politician or an 'expert' rumbling on about what's important.  Unfortunately what is most important is that everyone votes, one way or another, but what is actually going to happen is the lowest turnout in history. Perhaps we should have compulsory voting?

Off to visit sis-in-law today, she is always cheerful and chatty. Have a good day, All.

Good morning everyone. Off for a swim again today. The rain finally stopped and OH  managed to dig the weeping crab apple tree in yesterday which no doubt means another trip to the garden centre to buy some chips to surround the base. Does this mean more latte and cake? No will power have I.

That's it, Dibnlib, keep the garden centre in business till I get there!!  Pleased your OH got the tree planted despite the rain. Rain didin't materialise here.  We are going to Ayr today - our nearest Dobbie's Garden Centre ('though we more often call at one near Stirling on the way through, we didn't have room for our gro-bags last time).  We have local garden centres, but are making this a day out - will visit either Alloway or Culzean, depending on timing.  So I shall now get ready to go! 

Will look up Diane's links this evening.  BrendaH - so glad your wekend was successful for peregrine viewing. 

Saving species was on Radio 4 yesterday mornig and I was interested in finding out that the birds I had in the garden earlier this year must have been blackcaps, which were a first. They were so puffed up because of the cold, almost spherical in shape and bore little relation to the pictures in the RSPB birdbooks etc. They were like marsh/willow tits but much greyer. Here is a summary of the programme if you are interested and the BBC iPlayer link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00s6svl/Saving_Species_Episode_5/

"5/40. There's a massive leak of crude oil from a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico with many reporting it as the largest slick in history - and the crude is making landfall on the Mississippi Delta, one of the most biodiverse areas in the USA. We ask wildlife film-maker and author Steve Nicholls, who has been to this wildlife hotspot many times, who and what is most threatened and insight into the natural resilience of such wilderness. Our regular newshound Kelvin Boot will focus on how the Americans are reporting this story and how the disaster is being dealt with.

Also in the programme, the demise of the Wood Warbler in British woodlands. This migrant songbird from Africa was one of the key choristers in the British Dawn Chorus. But there are more Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. We ask ornithologist and bird migration expert Ian Newton how the songsters that make up the dawn chorus have changed and why.

And we hope also to bring you the story of the Field Cricket release in southern England - but the running order is a bit fluid at the moment as we watch the developments in the Gulf of Mexico.


Presented by Brett Westwood
Produced by Mary Colwell
Series Editor Julian Hector.

Broadcast on:

BBC Radio 4, 11:00am Tuesday 4th May 2010

Duration:

30 minutes"

Good morning Brenda so glad you had a good weekend away.  How lucky to have seen the peregrines live and the chicks and even catching the male feeding the female.  Nature is just wonderful and to see birds of prey so gentle and caring is an amazing sight.

Morning all,

Thanks everyone for your chat and links etc.

Glad you saw the peregrines at Chichester BrendaH. Reminds me of when I saw the chicks at Huntly a couple of years ago.

Lady P has gone to her sisters today and left me with some tasks and a shopping mission so no time to chat unfortunately.

Weather is much warmer today and quite sunny although the cloud is building now.

Temp 16.1c whereas yesterday it was 6.1c.

Afternoon everyone:)

Just wanted to remind people,.......

Don't forget , ringing today of eaglet chicks today, 3pm UK time
http://www.wvec.com/marketplace/microsite-content/eagle-cam.html

Great views from the online camera

Apparently, according to the online chat on the site there, the "tree man" was a "hottie", (whatever that means...)