HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY NEW MONTH!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week and a great October!
We've had an interesting phenomenon here in the Great Lakes/Midwest, including Indiana. Flamingos have been showing up on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River. Their presence here is unprecedented. They are tropical birds native to Central/South America, although some do appear in Florida.
Some scientists have speculated that the birds were blown here by Hurricane Idalia. Personally, I think that sounds odd because the hurricane traveled up the east coast of the US. The winds didn't impact the Midwest. (But nobody asked my opinion lol.) I hope the birds leave soon, because they won't survive our winter.
Hugs to all.
https://www.wishtv.com/weather/weather-stories/unprecedented-flamingo-sightings-continue-in-indiana/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/flamingos-wisconsin-tropical-birds-visit-lake-michigan-beach-103437623
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Nice to hear from Lynette. Doesn't seem a year since you last went to the Cricket Club Presentation Evening. Dibnlib - Enjoy your afternoon tea. We find that afterwards, you don't want anything else for the rest of the day! What a thoughtful present. Rusty - Thanks for the heads up re the Kingfishers. We know where the castle is although we've never been inside (& it also sounds interesting) so we should be able to find it. My OH would also be pleased to see a Kingfisher, even though he's not as bird mad as I am. Drier today, with the occasional grey cloud and the odd burst of sunshine. I can hear my OH cutting the lawn. I've been cleaning madly, and trying to find out results of a blood test I took last week. Apparently there was "nothing untoward found". I'll have to make an appointment at the surgery to discuss it further. Actually, I've been feeling much better this week with no reason for it. I'm now worried that they will have my medical file marked secretly as "neurotic old woman". Sigh. Good news that they've finally decided not to build the last leg of the controversial HS2 rail line. I predicted this four years ago, when it was disclosed that the costs were mounting. Thank goodness they have the sense to spend the money on more infrastructure in the North, instead. I know it's probably just a vote catcher, but hey, who cares why if they're going to do it. Sorry if this is too political!
Excuse me everyone if I put this screenshot of a map to guide Lindy to the Spinnies.
You exit at the Tal y Bont turn off (the one after Abergwyngregyn) and go under the A55 on that tiny white road which doesn’t seem to have a number. It ends up by the entrance to Penrhyn Castle. Before you get there, there is a brown sign pointing right to the beach and nature reserve. It is a very narrow road. Just by a farm you might be able to park on the road on the left and walk back to the gate in the wall on the left. (It will be on the right if you are walking back!!!) Follow the path and the hide is signposted. The kingfisher is on the pond side not the sea side. If you can’t park there you have to drive to the beach car park and walk back.
As there are no facilities there, may I suggest a pit stop at Aber Distillery (turn off at the Abergwyngregin exit and follow the tiny signs.) You can sit outside with the dog. The Bara brith is the best I have ever tasted!!!!
Morning all I saw a Kingfisher when I was walking in Cassiobury Park near the canal eons ago during a visit to the UK. Everyone nearby was admiring it, so a rare sighting even then? Don't know if anyone's been watching (or even cares) about the political fiasco here; seems like you have your own. I gather the folks up north feel really short-changed by the cancellation of the second leg of the HS2.
Today, the tree people are here to prune our enormous Chinese Elm and tidy up the three Olive trees; they'll be here most of the day. Was daughter's birthday yesterday; we went off for breakfast and ae planning to go to the Fiddler's Convention at a local historic site on Saturday. Then I'm off to Arizona for the week to see what needs doing with the house there.
Nice to see folks popping into the site. Seems like everyone's fairly busy (and yes, Lindybird, good thing you didn't see family as planned).
Take care everyone.
Rosy: I'll be interested to hear how your olive tree will do; that sounds like a nice size. . They're pretty adaptable; here we like them coz they love hot dry conditions, are drought resistant and don't mind if you ignore them. Frankly, I don't do much with ours other than giving them a serious haircut every two years and a quick trim when the branches start smacking neighbors in the face. Oh - and the Fiddlers Convention is at Stow House in Goleta, but it's going to be 90F on Saturday, so now we aren't sure about attending. Tree company was here all day today. They had to bring a truck with a bucket for the Chinese Elm. We had two limbs removed: One was leaning heavily against another and when they took that off the remaining one looked odd and had leaves only at the extremity, so after much discussion and viewing from various angles, we decided to take that off too. A very noise day, especially with the power tools and the wood chipper. The tree looks much more balanced now and is safer - Chinese Elms are susceptible to cankers, which weaken them. . Anyway, it's been a long day; am ignoring the news - it's hazardous to my health. :-(
Unknown said:OH does not feel well today, but Covid test is negative. I am hearing of several people who have it recently.
It can take days before a test shows up as positive. If he's got the symptoms then assume he has it - and I'd recommend he tests again today and tomorrow.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.