Weekly Chat, Sunday December 13, 2009

Wow, it's taken me nearly two hours to go through all these posts since I was last on two days ago, what a lot of new things to look at! Trouble is, it's 11 o'clock and I must go to bed. Thanks all for all the new links, shame about the crane. No snow here in the frozen north but we have had black ice this week.

Only 97 days to go now (approximately).

Hello everyone.

Alan Petrie:  Thanks for posting the link to the Loch of Lowes wildlife diary, and the webcam links. 

Tiger:  Thanks for posting the article about Red-Tailed Hawks in Manhattan.  Pale Male is fantastic looking bird.

OG, Annette:  A game I've been playing a lot recently is Tetris.  A simple yet addictive game.

Lindybird:  Good tactics getting shopping done in the morning.  It's always best to get it done before it gets too crowded I feel.  Bet you’re glad to have got all your Christmas shopping done.  I've not even started mine yet but I always leave it late.

It's not snowed where I live since this afternoon but there's a thin layer giving the place a slightly Christmassy look.  Temperature is around -3c at the moment, so I suspect I'll have to break the ice in the bird baths tomorrow morning.

Paul.

Hi everyone

Sorry, haven't contributed much today, seems to have been a very busy day but can't quite work out why.

Hope those that get snow don't get too much and stay safe.

Enjoyed the chat and glad people liked the music link. Brought a smile to my face.

Careann, I hope you have been specific for your "sweetie", "we" much prefer clear instructions to vauge hints that we never pick up!! LOL

Happy Friday everyone

Unknown said:

The first osprey arrival may not be as far off as we think if you look at these stats for 2009:

http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s114-20-09.html

Oh yes the arrival of the ospreys in the UK is much sooner. Our clock is for a bird arriving on the nest at Loch Garten. It would be interesting to know where these early birds are headed.

Evening all: Tiger: Thanks for the link and info. I Googled Karim and one site had a photo of him with his cameras - huge lens look like a space shuttle. I was wondering if he earned enough to live on just filming the birds or if he does other photog work.  OG: I think rose garden has been taken over by gophers; lots of displaced earth. Roses are looking a tad chewed up and new buds are "balling" (developing slimey substance on outer petals that prevents them from opening). At this point, we're just de-petaling. Only another month until we do hard pruning; then we'll be weeding the beds prior to the first blooms in April. Really looking forward to having someone serve me dinner this evening!  Heron: Tetris -  that name rings a bell. I'll have to Google it, along with everything I have to Google. Actually, I'm a crossword person myself, and I love jigsaw puzzles, but never seem to have room to set one up (must rectify that!) - they're so relaxing.

Lovely warmish evening with high clouds catching the last rays of the sun. Sky is all pink and blue. Must fill birdfeeder before Chinese dinner!  Off I go. 

Annette

Oh yes Lincoln has impressive camera equipment. It might be interesting to post a link. I do not have one immediately to hand.

Lincoln is a professional new photographer. I know that when the political conventions were on last year he went to them and had to be away from his birds for quite a while.

 Tiger: Hope this link works. 

http://www.lasplash.com/uploads/4/Splash_Legend_Pale_Male--17.jpg

Alan: Thanks for posting the Euring info. So nice to see sighting numbers up and mortality rates down!

Gary: I need to check that Can-Can video out.

Paul: I remember Tetris but do you remember Sea Wolf or Sea Devil?

Some of you were talking about Pale Male, the Red-tailed Hawk and it's funny because as I was traveling on the interstate from the city to the suburbs and back today, I saw a total of 8 Red-tailed and 1 Cooper's Hawk. They're such beautiful birds.

So many other things going on here with everyone, it's hard to keep up.    =O) 

I put up my first bird feeder today so we'll see how that goes. We live in an 8 unit condominium so I've been  hesitant but I'd like to attract more than just piegons, sparrows and squirrels to the yard by throwing seed on the ground.  I hope to see birds on the feeder soon, but time (and location) shall tell.

Hello and good morning to all of you over there and good night to all over here.

Gary: I walked through Wal-Mart today (sorry, Annette, we no longer have a Target here...sigh). I had to go to the dreaded kitchen goods section in search of a simple, old-fashioned sugar shaker, which my Dad had requested. The department was full of weird new kitchen gadgets and machines that looked like medieval torture devices to me. I thought of your provocative recommendation to buy women kitchen items. I always appreciate gifts, but I don't think I would even know how to use most of that stuff!!! LOL LOL (And I couldn't even find a sugar shaker!!!)

Caerann: I meant to tell you that I read the article about the death of the Whooping Crane matriarch. Cayuga, Indiana, where the shooting occurred, is only about 30 miles from where I live. I am deeply saddened that the bird was shot in this region, although I am not at all surprised. I am always struck by the widespread lack of respect and caring for wildlife here. Such a shame...

It's wonderful that you saw so many hawks today. Nice to know that they are thriving in your area. I hope you're successful in drawing a wider variety of birds to your yard. Another snow system will be moving in the middle of next week. Are you traveling for the holiday? Take care.