Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 8 January 2023

PatO: We are okay but areas near us have flooded and Montecito was completely evacuated this afternoon (it's 5 years to the day of the Montecito mudslide). More heavy rain due tomorrow morning and then just showers in the afternoon, another, smaller storm this weekend and more next week but also not projected to be as bad. I suspect my poor niece will be happy to get back home to her dog....

I've been hearing about it too, PAT and ANNETTE and was glad to come on here and find out ANNETTE, that you're not affected yourselves. I hope that it stays that way. Yes, I've been feeling sad that your niece has been so unlucky with the weather :-(

Oh dear - bad weather all over. I was reading of bad floods once again in Australia last night. Thankfully not near AQ.


Pleased to hear that Annette is not affected by the latest prediction of landslides. I heard that they've had constant rain, as we've had here. Such a shame for your niece, Annette     :-(

I'm in bed with my morning cuppa, and listening to the pouring rain. My OH is disappointed as the golf course is closed. I'll have to find some small jobs for him to do, as he'll be restless.

Surprised at the news this morning that the exciting UK rocket launch went well, but that the satellites failed to be deployed. What a shame.

Annette - I too am pleased that you are not affected by the floods but I feel sorry for people who are. I have seen photos online after the freak weather up near Sacramento.
It is indeed pouring down Lindy but our group is still going out birdwatching!!! Oh yes. We are going somewhere where there are 3 hides and a cafe nearby!!! We are not that daft!!! 13 people have said they are coming!!!!
Lindy - I am not surprised that your OH’s golf club is closed.

ANNETTE: Glad you're okay. I'm sorry your niece hasn't been able to enjoy the Cali sunshine, but good that your home hasn't been damaged. Stay strong.

Bravo RUSTY !

Thanks Heather. 12 of us turned up in the end. It was raining when we arrived but we stayed in the first hide for about 40 minutes. There is always lots to see there. The best spot was a beautiful male marsh harrier. Then, remarkably, it stopped raining so we set off to walk round the reserve to the most distant hide where we always have lunch. The paths were full of puddles but it stayed dry. 3 of our group saw a water rail!! I, of course, had gone off with 2 people to look for some bullfinches which someone told us they had seen. So, not only did we NOT see the bullfinches, we missed the water rail too!!! Such is birdwatching!! By the time we had walked all the way back to the first hide, the sun had come out!! We couldn’t believe it. Then, on the way home, the rain started again and it is not very nice now. We had a good day.

Well done on the intrepid birdwatching outing, Rusty! You all certainly deserve to see something of interest, after turning out with such determination!

Good Morning. Dry here, hooray! Although some dampness could arrive later on. My OH was annoyed not to get out on the golf course yesterday, and rattled around the house, touching up paintwork in the morning. In the afternoon, I did the ironing and we both watched a orogramne we'd recorded recently about the really bad winter of 1982, when the snowfall broke all records. It was sobering, especially after the summer we just had when it was so hot.

Where is everyone? Quite warm today. Dry of course; I went food shopping early. My tomatoes are ripening but, alas, i am burying them as they have blossom rot. My watering must have been irregular. I did pick one plum-sized tomato which I shared with OH - a mouthful each.