Weekly Chat, Sunday March 27, 2011

Morning all: I'm sure someone's mentioned that an unidentified, unringed osprey has been seen at LOTL today.

Diane/Djoan: Thanks for additional info on the owls. I'm ignorant about them for the most part, so it's good to learn more about them.

Cirrus: I don't have any contact with Quiet Woman. That's just awful news. As Lindybird was saying last night on the thread - we must value every day we have. Please send (text) her condolences from me and, I'm sure, everyone on the LG thread. Ghastly.

Lindybird: Ha! #! in the #2 business is good too. So Buzz is throwing up - does he take his own food to the kennels? Pets are funny about diet changes.

Margobird: I agree it's very hard to keep up with posts and still do normal stuff these days. You're so right about cats knowing how to relax! What a good idea - Lightning spends most of her time snoozing, sprawling or snacking; hate to think what that would do to what's left of my waistline! Maybe put something yummy on your table to lure Billy Whizz into the house? Sending good thoughts your way (please forward them to sister!) :-)

Alicat: Oh dear, maybe make a fuss of Tigger will help you both. Perhaps the fact that Casper had such a good life with you will be a consolation as the days go by. 

Thanks Annette  will pass on your kidn thoughts to my sister.

ALIcAT have posted on your personal page, my thoughts are with you.

3 eggs for Nottingham peregrines now:

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/ecoweb/ntu_doing/falcons/103295.cfm

2 eggs for London peregrines:

http://www.carnyx.tv/CarnyxWild/WildlifeCameras/London.aspx

Comment on what is on this page only-  Sheila - We cut our eucalyptus back hard last year and it came up bigger and stronger than ever, so good luck with it!  :- )

Annette:  We leave the kennels with instructions about what Buzz eats, so think he's been ok.  Have seen him eating grass in the garden lately so he is obviously trying to make himself feel better.

Went to the TV shop in nearby town and got a new small/middle sized one without too much trouble - got it home and out of the box, then spent a good half hour trying to decide which lead out of about 4 was which. (OH is at Eldest's today, battling with the new kitchen cupboards)  Pressed all the buttons and nothing came on - dead TV.  Went for some lunch and a cup of tea, then had another go - pulled out the mains lead & put it back in and "Hey presto!" - we now have a picture, and the sound is OK.  Decided not to meddle too much with all the various choices on the Settings list, as we need to get used to it 1st.  Thank goodness that's all sorted.

Now need to attack the dreaded ironing again, as got none done at all yesterday after entertaining Eldest and then supervising his look at my PC (which is still going to need some TLC at some time).

Peregrine at Grantham. 1st one I've seen there:

Its gone now unfortunately:

http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/pegcam.html

Alicat:  Oh Dear, its not going to be easy for you I know, but we are all thinking of you-   <BIG HUGS>  to you from me.

margo-   Had not got to the bit about your poor sister falling on the stairs, how awful.  Do give her our very best wishes for her full recovery.  I see that Billy is now waiting for you a lot, and so you are winning him round gradually.  Glad you enjoyed the Chas & Dave concert, that would cheer you up after your bad cough.  I see that your trip to Italy was a bit of a washout in more way than one, what a shame.  Must have been disappointing.

OG:  Your short trip sounded good, glad you enjoyed yourselves. Thanks for the photos.

Did enjoy the pics of the Eagles from both Alan and Lynette - how gorgeous are those little bobble heads?

Annette:  Have been reading on, to find out the sex of your little gt grandchild before I congratulated you - How delightful!  A dear little Delilah!  Congrats, and I'm so pleased to hear that both Mum & Baby are doing well.  Your TV probs seem to have gone on for a bit - hope its all resolved soon.

Hi, all. Both barn owls are in the nest box right now, and one is very tenderly preening the other. There's lots of very cute beak-touching going on. So maybe they are well on their way to making some lovely owlets. Go, barn owls! http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/barnowlcam_nestcam.html

The BOT doesn't seem concerned. Here's the very latest diary entry: "At 1.20pm the male owl entered the nestbox and copulated with the female. We have had many reports over the weekend of two birds being present in the nestbox and/or in the barn. The two birds have also been seen copulating in the nestbox and the male now appears to have taken to roosting in the barn during the day whilst the female is roosting in the nestbox. This new development is a promising sign..."

Joan: Thanks for that audio clip! That is a wretched screech!!! This is my 3rd year watching the barn owls (I think), but in past seasons, I was caring for my Dad, so I often kept the sound off so I wouldn't bother him.  So it's very possible that I've missed some of the more intense vocalizations. There are great horned owls and screech owls on this property, and they do make some awe-inspiring sounds. Some of their calls can curl up the hair on the back of my neck. Screech owls, especially, have a wide range of really wild vocalizations. So I shouldn't be surprised at any sounds the barn owls make. LOL!

Edit: I wish the BOT would explain the display of aggression yesterday. Do you think this is a new, inexperienced pair? I remember that last year, the older resident pair moved to a new location and tried to produce a second clutch during the season. Would they come back to this nestbox or the site of the second clutch?

margobird thanks thanks for your message on my page i have left one on yours for you

I just nipped back while the iron is warming up -   Rang my Friend this morning, and she says that Stella rallied a little yesterday after looking really bad in the morning, in the afternoon she was demanding another cup of tea and swearing about the state of the sheets!  We all laughed as that is so typical of her.  Stella has been accompanying my Friend and I to the cinema trips in the last few months, with her hair in a headscarf and sharing our big bag of jelly babies.  Together we saw "The Black Swan" and "The Kings Speech" amongst other films.  We were glad to be able to take her mind off her troubles for a few hours.  My Friend is recovering well from her op, and her daughter is doing the cooking and putting the kettle on for all the many visitors.  I hope to go down to see them tomorrow.

afternoon all. Thanks for all the updates etc.

Alicat, as others have said it will get easier, just will take time.

margobird, sorry but i missed the news of your sister breaking her arm. What with everything else:(( I'm so sorry.

Linda, thanks for the Monday smiles.

Brenda and Shelia, I think you mentioned Toffee. She is doing great. 4 months old now and she has got big! She is a joy to have around, always wants to be with us and on a lap if possible:) We are at our 5th week of puppy class and they seem to be going well. I will rummage around for a recent photo.