OK, let's see how this goes. Maybe use this page for general chat, which can include ospreys, but also non-osprey related chatter? It also doesn't have to be Daily, but time will tell. It may not take shape until after the Diary goes away.
As Carol noted, Tiger set up the "Tracking Rothes and Mallachie" page, which might be the best place for serious observations about our girls and their progress. There's also a "Tracking Other UK Ospreys" page .
In the meantime, we can twitter on about ospreys, dogs, guinea pigs, kids, vacations, etc., - and post poems - here without boring the "osprey only" members of the community.
Feel free to boo loudly and make suggestions if you see any problems. Thanks everyone!
Hi Jillian
Thanks for enjoying my 'creative writing' lol. I feel that we are getting back to where we were.....it's great.
Have you managed to see my Right of Reply blog ( comments on comments page) I hoped that it would have explained all but, boo hoo, nobody has replied.
Mallachie and Rothes are doing well so far........I DO WISH I KNEW WHER MY WEE GARTEN IS. No doubt she will be 'noising up' the birds she meets on her travels and stuffing her face. lol ~(:o)
Maureen x x
"Birds of a Feather".... ~( :o )
Hi Lindeybird
Last year I had a Sparrowhawk in my garden...unfortunatel it was eating a baby Starling at the time. I know it is nature and they have to eat to survive. But I don't like to see it. But they are beautiful birds. ~(:o)
Maureen
Hi there Sparrow Hawk fans: I too have one that visits my garden. Two events stand out in my mind. One summer it was a lovely day and I was in my back garden and my apple tree (where I keep all my feeders and drinking water hung plus the bird bath) was full of so many species of little birds when all of a sudden (and I can describe it no other way) a loud shriek went up from the tree! I turned in surprise and Lo !! a Sparrow Hawk had flown in and the birds had scattered.
Another time I was out on my raised patio (I need to walk down steps to my garden proper) topping up the birdie water when a Sparrow Hawk flew in at fence level and landed on a branch about a couple of feet from me. We surprised each other ! The Hawk hadn't seen me 'cos of all the leaves on the tree and I thought it was a blackbird till I turned my head to look at it.
It was a very special moment.
Sue: We have about four types of hummingbirds during the summer here: Allen's; Black-chinned; Costa's, and the only one that overwinters - Anna's Hummingbird. In spite of - or maybe because of - their binky size, they are Extremely Aggressive, making Garten and siblings look like graduates from a finishing school! Their feeder is just outside our living room and I've stood by the patio door, contemplating the general mess and what to do about it, and had them fly right up to me and hover - about 18-24 inches away - until I'm the one who moves! Putting words in their beaks, it's as if they're saying "Look, you're in the way of the feeder and we can't hang about all day while you figure out what to do, so please just move!" (Not even sure about the 'please.' )
Maureen: I'm sure Garten is busy stuffing her face and already thinking ahead to the next meal. :-)
Liked your description of the hummingbirds, Annette. The birds here are getting ready to strip all the berries from thebushes and hedges, so as to fatten up for winter. We have what we call a 'nip in the air' 1st thing every morning now, which is when I always start to think the season is changing. Still love autumn tho, as the trees everywhere are just beautiful in their autumn finery, especially when we get that lovely late sunshine through them. Must go buy some more bulbs to plant, to look forward to spring again. I put more in every year, then forget where I put them & have to try not to dig them up by accident in summer.
Lindybird: Silly story re berries here: My sister lives in a village near Sleaford, across from the church grounds, which are surrounded by bushes. An American (oh dear) moved into the house across the way and decided to "tidy up" the bushes around the church with his power shears. My sister heard the noise and rushed across the road to tell him (in no uncertain terms) that the berries on the bushes were for the birds, and what the ***** did he think he was doing! I think he was scared to step outside the front door for a few months.
Looks like they are having terrible weather on Speyside. The river is about to burst its banks and Elgin might have to be evacuated. The nest looks so wet and miserable on the camera
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8237299.stm
The only source of knowledge is experience. Albert Einstein
Morning! I didn't put a good in front of it ... its STILL raining here in Northumberland .. and I see up in the north of Scotland it looks even worse than here. I have had my heating turned low all 'summer', since May, but it was so cold last night it switched itself on this morning :(( I hope the weather is better where Mallachie is.
Joan - avid bird and nature watcher in Northumberland!
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