Weekly Chat, Sunday, October 24, 2010

Good morning SheiaFE  and thankyou for your kind thoughts. 

What a wonderful day you had at your local RSPB reserve.  We have a couple near to us but we do not visit often enough.  Always full of good intention but OH is not retired like me and I would find it a verly long and laborious journey on buses. He has a very busy job which he loves but it does mean that he often works at some point over a weekend

So pleased that the partridge have found a safe haven with you.

We had not long moved to Bournemoth when the Great Storm hit in 1987.  We slept through it and were woken up by a phone call from Mum asking if we were alright.  It wasn't until we looked out of the window that we saw the damage.  A tree had come down on a car in the car park, fences were down and the road was covered in pine needles inches deep.  Mum and Dad's greenhouse just took off along with their fences.  I think it was worse for them in Surrey but nevertheless the New Forest lost many trees.  Still find it hard to think we actually slept through it all.

I maybe wrong but I though Goshawks are smaller than buzzards and they also live where there are plenty of trees, forests etc.    There is a webcam every year of a goshawk nest in the New Forest.   Once the youngsters have fledged they then have a wecam of a hobby nest.  Unfortunately this year the eggs were taken by a predator, a crow I believe.

People power does work sometimes and I am pleased that permission has been refused for a wind farm.  There are quite a few in Cornwall but what we noticed this year was that not many of them appeared to be working which seemed rather strange. 

Good morning to all I have not mentioned.  Expensive day for us yesterday.  Car went for it's MOT and needed new brakes.  Cost just over £400 but had to be done as OH needs his car for work and visiting clients.  Had hoped to get a new car but this has been put on hold as like everyone we are having to be a bit more frugal so it will  have to wait until next year.

Hope everyone is well and take care.

Morning all,

Dreich and dull here at the moment but quite mild.

Sheila : Congratulations on getting the wind turbine development stopped. We have a few not too far away but they are never working mainly due to lack of wind. I cant honestly see how they can be cost effective and they are ugly monstrosities.

Lynette : Welcome back and I am glad that everything went well.

AQ thanks for the pictures. Very interesting as always.

Auntie : Logged on too late to see the cruiser but thanks for letting us know.

Margobird : Sorry that the car had to have brakes fixed.

The  grey seal webcam on Orkney is live now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/webcams/

There is also a NEW BLOG.

Good afternoon Alan and thanks for the link to the seals.  Good cam and pics from other beaches too.  Thanks also for the new blog alert.

Not much going to on today I see.  (Edit, before I press the 'post' button! - it was when I started this this morning!) I'm still on a high from the wind farm outcome, so am back again!  It will take me some time to stop reaching for the laptop to check out actions I had to take, or people to contact etc!

AQ I loved the Friday Brain Teaser.  I knew the first three straight away, and now am pretty confident of the last two, but I won't reveal it yet!!

Tiger a couple of days ago you said you had climbed Ben Vorlich and Ben Lawers.  I have done the latter, and remember it well - It was 1983 and OH and I did both Ben Lawers and Bheinn Ghlas.  I was almost on all fours at the summit because of the wind, and not a happy bunny by the time we returned to the car!  I have done 88, the last three being in 2005.  I have also done reascents of Ben Nevis from Normal 0 Carn Mor Dearg, via the Arrete) and Bidean.  I whimped out last year to my utter disgrace.  The wife of the chap we surprised on Bidean was climbing her final Munro - easy peasy Ben Lomond.  It was a beautiful day, we were going up the tourist route, and the plan was to make it a circular walk coming down a slightly more challenging route.  There were a lot of other folk out, both intent on the summit and for a walk part-way.  I was either not in the right frame of mind, or generally so unfit but I couldn't keep up with them.  I opted to saunter a bit further on my own while they strode it out.  I found a suitably comfortable rock and sat and watched them thru my bins, and convinced myself I could see the team of four on the summit.  I was really so cross with myself.  I've not started the book yet.

Joan what a beautiful autumnal scene you snapped.

Thank you TerryM!  Believe me, I agree with everything you say.  It is greed, not green at all.  Once our beautiful landscape is despoiled by these things it will never be the same.  The Inspector's decision was pretty decisive, making it unlikely that another developer would attempt to repeat the process.  We were self-funded, totally inexperienced and on a very steep learning curve.  It was also an eye-opener:  first the planning process and then the Appeal through a Public Inquiry, but we were well advised and had an excellent QC - one of five who were seeking the dismissal!  At a complete guess I can imagine the total costs for all parties might reach £1m - that would include a huge cost to the developer itself.  At least it is all over.

Lynette I am so glad that things went well in Manchester.  Nice to have you back.

AQ I'm loving your photos!  It is hard to imagine 18degrees as 'cool', but glad you are feeling more comfortable.

Gosh, I started this ages ago and I see lots has appeared since then!

Ha ha Alan you beat me to it with the seal cam - I had a round robin email last night and it was mentioned on AutumnWatch too.  It really is worth a viewing!  Currently three pups and two mums on the beach.  And Alan these things are NOT cost effective really.  We, the users, end up paying the developers via our electricity bills all because of ROCs (Renewable Obligation Certificates).  Don't get me started.  The only proper route to go as far as I am concerned is nuclear.  I worry about off-shore turbines and wave power because of possibly impact with sea birds and mammals.

Welcome back Margobird.  Sorry to hear about the car.  We are so dependent on them.

Phoebe still hasen't laid any eggs yet

Hello folks.

Aquilareen Thanks for the info. about Yaldara - I'll look it up.  Thanks also for the brain teaser and the further pics of your trip.

Hope OG and her OH aren't getting the weather we have had here today - rain at least as bad as the downpour which prevented us meeting OG in October.  Every time it seems to be easing or the sky seems lighter, back it comes! Oh well, no gardening anyway.

Cant wait to see Ann Widdecombe dancing the Paso Doble to 'Wild Thing' tomorrow. Rumour has it that David Cameron  and Nick Clegg will be doing the Walz to 'The First Cut Is The Deepest'.

Alan: LOL LOL LOL  :-)

Alan: Must second Diane's LOL!!