Hi all: Here's to a problem-free week on the site. Check out the last week's final page or so for updates from everyone, including one from Maureen (HillaryH) who's back with us after a hospital stay due to a chest infection and wants directions to Google Earth. Maureen - assume you downloaded GE before? If not, just go to http://earth.google.com/ and click on the Download Google Earth 5 button at right. I can't remember right now how to load Rothes and Mallachie's route; perhaps someone else will let you know if you need additional info. Glad you're back!
Alan posted a hummingbird link (http://vimeo.com/hummingbirds#8409299) for those who missed it and the week's chat ended with a long post from OG, who'd been composing it for days but was unable to get it on the site due to the techy problems! And no OG, haven't attempted the printer-wireless problem yet; can only handle one techy problem at week it seems!!
Have a nice Sunday all. Let's see if this posts
Afternoon all. Temp here this morning -25C, brrr but predicted to get near -10C for few days (hopefully). Just heard from radio that the weather in UK hasn`t been so cold and snowy for decades. Really hope you guys are safe and warm there!
dibnlib, thanks for your well wishes, I`m ok and haven`t turned into a snowman or something like that yet LOL
Diane, thanks for all that interesting info about GHOs!
Annette, glad to hear your daughter`s operation went well. Take care of yourself too and enjoy your wee pet-zoo.
my photos in flickr
afternoon all.
Diane, loved to read about the owls and your passion for them came shining through:) I don't often hear an owl here but when I do, I agree, there is something primevel about it and the horses are always very alert when they hear it.
JSB, very interesting. I know the supplies moved about but had no idea how much moves and what direction! Must get very complicated.
Enjoyed all the chat but haven't got much to add
Stay safe everyone
Auntie, just when I think you can't get any colder you do!! Is this the lowest you can expect or does it get worse?
Hi, Gary. It CAN get colder but I surely don`t hope that. There has been about -35Cs this winter even in the southern/eastern parts of Finland, not just in Lapland where those thirtysomething-numbers are very common every winter.
OK, thanks Auntie, lets hope it doesn't :) We get the odd spell where we get in the -20's but it doesn't last long thank goodness.
Stay warm and hope your car is snug!
Morning all:
Diane: Thanks for the Nature hummingbird info - I always watch it but it's nice to have a heads up. We have an owl in the neighborhood, but I've only heard him/her once or twice. I had a close encounter with a hawk driving up to see my daughter yesterday - was zooming along 101 and he came out of the trees toward the road and veered off when he saw me; flew right alongside the passenger window of the car for enough seconds that I got a good look at his underbelly - just like watching a jet swoop by!
Emma: Thanks for the Lady P info. I mentioned that an Antiques Roadshow participant had some extra valuable jewelry (estimated at almost $1 million). Read yesterday that it had brought an auction price of more than $800,000.
Caerann: Where are you watching Power of Art? I checked our PBS station (KCET in LA) and they haven't got it scheduled, though it's previewed on the PBS site. Saw his History of Britan series, which I thought was really good though my husband - a major history buff - didn't like the way Schama focused on specific periods while leaving out others altogether. He does bring things to life.
Tiger: Oh my. The de Mortel link is a two-hanky video. Fascinating. Thanks!. What does the BBC know, eh? Maybe the bad weather is bringing the foxes to town. I seem to remember hearing something - and I could be way off - that the Native American word for coyote meant "the adaptable one." They certainly have no problems visiting the neighborhoods up the road.
Margobird: Looks like a lot of time is going to be spent watching these live cams!
jsb: Fascinating link re electricity flow.
Hope OG is okay; she's usually on a lot but haven't "seen" her since yesterday morning.
AQ: Hope you got your shopping done before the temps go up again.
Take care all UK and Eastern US folks in that miserable cold!
Afternoon all snow still lying here sun is shinning but temp is only -1C therefore nothing happening to snow that we have had. Had a slight fall early this morning but it seems that the snow has moved further south. There was an interesting interview with someone from SEPA on last night explaining why we are getting it so cold just now and said it could be another 30years before it happens again lets hope so although I don't think I'll be here to see it. Did all my shopping chores yesterday so siter in law and her sister have enough provisions to last them quite a while. Enjoyed the links to hummers , perigrines and the owls. Have to attend funeral tomorrow of someone I went to day release with when I was serving my time so hope the snow keeps away during the night. Birds seem to be getting hungrier the colder it gets as have to fill feeders three times a day. Everybody keep warm ,
george g
Annette, Djoans and Margobird and everyone else who enjoyed the De Mortel video. If you want to read about it and see it as it happened then it is available. Mind you there are lots of it. See http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?f=153&t=1033&start=150
Still fascinating and the debate as to what should be done.
Tiger Signature
Hi there! Sorry to cause concern – we are fine, just been busy with OH’s infamous database – crosschecking entries, searching for missing detail and trying to trace inaccurate past entries – will need to spend a couple of weeks on it, as we can’t sit in front of it continuously. Weather here – another inch or so this morning, gritting-truck came through and spread an insultingly small amount on our road – no help at all. OH walked for supplies yesterday, I am still staying put. Chiropodist phoned to say she will give us a home visit tomorrow so I don’t have to go out!
Sorry about your fall, Patriciat – hope you have stayed upright since.
Good to hear from Alice re Rothes, shame about Mallachie’s communication – time will tell! And that weather at the Osprey Centre – well, it puts our little bit of snow in perspective! Son has been invited for interview in Grantown on Spey next Monday – what chance of actually getting there??!!??
Pleased that Daughter has had her op, Annette – hope she is progressing well now – nothing like going home to mum for a bit of TLC at a time like this!! Hope all the animals are behaving well together.
Terry – similar garden birds to us really – not surprising, Solway isn’t so wide after all! We too haven’t seen Coal Tits for a while.
AQ – I like little tomatoes: nice and sweet - we always grow baby plum varieties for this reason. We are eating some from the freezer – I skin them and freeze whole. They keep their shape and are great in omelettes, pasta bakes, risottos etc. My library pet hate is that paperbacks are not in alphabetical order at all but I find hardbacks are heavy to hold.
Diane – loved the word-picture of the squirrel bums in the air as they dug out their nut caches! Enjoy your organising – I love making a fresh start with filing, correspondence etc at the beginning of the year. Interesting about the Great Horned Owls – I had no idea they nested and hatched young in winter – I guess they can catch plenty of prey when the weather weakens the small mammals.
Enjoyed “hearing” from everybody – take care and keep warm (or cool) and safe.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Good Day/Night to All and Everyone:
I hope you all are faring well today. We're under a winter storm warning here with snow totals expected 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) with blowing and drifting snow, etc. Yuck-ola, I say! Could be headed your way too, Gary.
So much to reply to so here goes:
Annette: Power of Art was on our local channel WTTW Prime (their secondary digital channel) over the late summer and abruply ceased. Last night we saw the episode on Van Gogh for the first time, next up is Picasso, possibly next Tuesday after History Detectives again?
Diane: Thanks again for the hummer preview, I marked our calendar to watch the Nature show.
Tiger: Thank you for posting the fascinating hummer pix link and the Falcon video. Did you notice how in the close ups of the combat leading to death between the Falcons that the birds weren't Peregrines at all? Not sure what they were, but maybe you or someone else can identify them for me.
Margobird: I am so grateful to you for posting the web link to the live Peregrine cam in the Netherlands. I sat and watched the recorded sequences put together from last year and it was absolutely phenomenal. I loved watching the young birds learning to fly and all their fun and playful antics. One thing that struck me is how the chicks tend to bob their heads, which is a lifelong trait of their relative the American Kestrel. (I don't notice that the Peregrine adults bob their heads much at all though.)For me, this website will now rival the XCel live Falcon cam at the King Plant in Bayport MN, unless the broods are born at different times. I hope so but it's nature so one never can tell, do they?
I guess that's it for now except for some photos I'll post separately.