Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 17 December 2017

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY DECEMBER SOLSTICE

Please check back to last week's thread for information from Annette on the fire threat!!! She posted photos that you will want to see!!!

The December Solstice is Thursday at 4:28 p.m. in the U.K, 11:28 a.m. in the eastern U.S., 8:28 a.m. in California, and Friday, 22 December, at 2:57 a.m. in Adelaide, Australia! 

Everyone have a great week, and STAY SAFE, ANNETTE!

Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Photo labelled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Diane, I wrote earlier that I don't expect "dang" was the only word which passed your lips when you were stung!!

    I hope that OG is alright.

  • Good poem Lindy.

    Diane,  I am glad you have managed to re-locate the field mouse. I am sure word must have got around amongst your local wildlife that you are a soft touch for all God's creatures, so this one took its chance!

    What a good place to take it. The Church Mouse. There was a well loved book of that name, when my children were small.

    I will now look up this fearsome insect you described, and also Clare's pics.

    Very glad that you managed to get some fresh air, Annette. I hope you can get plenty more of that.

  • Lindybird said:
    You must visit us sometime, we have a nuthatch who pops in occasionally. :-)

    Sounds good!  You'd have to make a return visit to sunny Suffolk, though, to admire our gull population.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Lovely pics, Clare. That robin is perfect. However common they are it has to be my favourite bird.

  • I made a visit to Felixstowe Ferry last week.  Click on this subtle bird to see a few photos:

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • DIANE   Your fears sound much more reasonable than mine.  I studied a poem "Mountain Lion" by DH Lawrence for my Higher exams. It was very sad and made me cry.

  • ROSY/DIANE  'Tis fearsome indeed.

  • Hi all, thanks for all your news.

    Annette -  glad to hear that you seem to be out of danger from the fires. Do hope that they are dying down now.

    Most of all the creepy crawly creatures I don't mind. OH can't abide wasps and gets in a panic. I'm afraid I just tell them to go away, lol, most of the time they do but not always.

    Christmas presents wrapped, cards posted, cakes marzipaned and iced. That seems to be me ready. Just got to go carol singing which I hope to do on Wednesday. Start off at a care home and make our way round to the local pub next to the church. Hope all of you have a great Christmas.

                                                           AND A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

  • Linda - Of course, you can have the wrens. I have sent you a copy.

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    Diane – We have nasties known as European wasps (Vespula germanica). Obviously cousins of your yellowjackets. They first appeared here 1978.

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    From the top - sulphur crested cockatoo / bettong, maybe? / wombat / koala / kangaroo & joey / kookaburra – exhidna / emu / frilled nexk lizard - platypus

    That’s the end of my Aussie cards, except for one I shall save for X-mas Day.

  • I'm going to have to read about the difference between wasps, yellow jackets, bees, hornets, etc....

    AQ: Such exotic critters on your cards. No reindeer?

    Lynette: Thank you for the card. Have a lovely time caroling!

    Diane: Congrats on relocating your uninvited guest. They do that with black bears here (but they often show up again!). Oh my, that's way too many wasp stings! Are you allergic to them at this point?

    Lindybird: Thank you for those lovely photos of your four-legged Welsh neighbor. :-)

    dibnlib: I didn't know Lawrence's poem Mountain Lion, although I know he lived in New Mexico.  Here's a link to an article about his place in Taos. www.latimes.com/.../la-trb-new-mexico-taos-lawrence-ranch-20140827-story.html

    Very quiet here and tomorrow but high winds due in our area Wednesday. If all goes well then, the powers that be expect all the evacuated folks will be allowed back home before the weekend.

    A busy day here.  Take care all.