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
Yesterday as I stepped out to put laundry in the dryer in the basement, I spied a rather large bird, perched upright in a tree:
This sent me running for camera and binoculars but forgot my gloves. I ran down the alley and one street over and luckily the bird stayed put so I could take lots of photos like this one:
I stayed out until my fingers were totally frozen but I got a very close view of a Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) for my trouble.
Hi from snowy Sussex – about 6” down here at the moment and I’ve been trying to keep the garden birds fed all day.
It’s a change from the wet weather we had in Portugal Christmas week – I’ve posted some links in the “Tracking Other Ospreys” thread, to reports of similar weather just over the border in Spain, where Beatrice is wintering – torrential rain, swollen rivers and local flooding. No surprise that most of the notable birds we saw, were ones that like wading around in the wet – Little and Cattle Egrets, White Storks (which nest there) and a flock of pink flamingos. Also a Harrier, possibly Marsh, in an inland valley. My camera got wrecked by water getting in the bag.
Thanks for all the fascinating links – love the hummingbird cam, and I’m glad to hear that other people like peregrines too. I haven’t seen this link posted here; it’s a project tracking peregrines which nest in the Russian Arctic – and they certainly do peregrinate!
http://www.mefrg.org/satellite-peregrine.asp
Click on “Peregrine movements” at the bottom of the page, for the satellite tracking of individual birds. We didn’t see “Id-ne”, the one which is wintering on the Algarve, but someone who posts on Birdforum has.
http://northumbrianbirderinthealgarve.blogspot.com/
What a contrast. Adelaide is expecting 36 C today (17 C at 7 am), dry, hot & sunny, moderate winds with sea breeze later (yay!!) severe fire danger in several SA areas, extreme heat warning. The latter is to remind us to keep hydrated, wear loose clothing, stay indoors if possible. Especially the elderly. Many older people to save money do not use their a/c. Last summer there were something like 68 heat related deaths. Tomorrow 39 C, then 3 days of 41 C before we can expect a cool change. Our "cool" will be about 24 C !!!!!! Meanwhile the floods in northern New South Wales will not reach us as NSW is planning to take all the water for their irrigators. The old story wherever countries/states share a watercourse. The River Murray is dying from the mouth up.
As it is summer holiday time, our TV is in a non-ratings period. This means we get heaps of repeats or rubbish. Surprisingly we are getting a number of wildlife programs. I guess they are not as trendy as those awful reality shows. (What can be more reality than watching ospreys, hummingbirds, Pete’s Pond, etc, etc?) Last weekend we saw penguins, albatrosses, sea lions et al on South Georgia (South Atlantic). I didn’t know there were reindeer on South Georgia. A few were introduced in early 20th century from Norway and now there are a few thousand in 2 herds separated by glaciers. We have also seen a program on SA’s Lake Eyre, a dry salt lake in the outback which only rarely has water. It has filled twice in last 100 years. Last year 2/3 covered. The doco was sort-of about the birds which come with the floods. We both agreed the film was poorly put together, confusing to those who wouldn’t know SA and too long padded to fit the 50 mins time slot. They kept showing the same shots. The first program i have seen with copyright 2010. Next weekend we have badgers.
Gee. What a misery I am this morn. Hope you are all staying warm. I wish I could send most of this sunshine to you. Take care and stay upright.
AQ - poor you - a very hot end to the week - while here it freezes our socks off. Keep yourself air conditioned and hydrated - and shade those tomatoes!
Son just phoned - his interview up north is postponed!
Must say goodnight.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
I'm sorry I haven't had/got time to reply to all the fascinating posts/links/photos posted on here recently. Just to say that I've enjoyed them all immensely. Thank you all.
Caerann Yes I was always suspicious about that aerial combat being genuine but I must admit I did not realise they were not even falcons. You can imagine that the fight between Ma and S2 was not observed at all. It was only when Ma went missing from the nest that viewers realised that something was up.
I may be brave and ask the question over at Hancock! :)
Tiger Signature
Hi everyone.Fairly freezing in these parts, with a wee add-on on the desktop showing Glasgow as -6C, so it's probably about -7C where I am. Looks like I'll have fun defrosting things in the morning. ;-)Can't really reply to all the posts since I last logged on because there's so much to go through and I'd hate to leave anyone out. All I'll say is many thanks for the usual collection of great links, fabulous photos, wonderful weather reports, news, and general great quality.Happy Thursday everybody. I'm heading to my bed fairly soon, as I feel like I've just balanced a woodpigeon on each eyelid. Stay safe and warm everyone, or cool and well shaded if your're in hotter climes.Paul.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Tiger: The birds in combat could possibly be Western Saker Falcons which I've looked at in the website posted by Sue C today. (Wonderful timing Sue C, many thanks!) The birds seemed to look similar to the bird on the mefrg.org logo but that's just a guess from my memory of the video. I'd be curious to know if you get a definitive response on this though.
And Sue C, thanks for your post, I'm looking forward to having a closer look at the website.
Alright then, I'm off for the night and will probably finish up the Zeppelin biography which gets more despressing by the Page. Ha ha! Actually it's 1977 in the book so the sad demise of the band and John Bonham are well underway.
HI all: Just typed a response; hit the wrong key and lost it all. Nothing compelling, except to remark about the apparent fake fight between non-Peregrines on the Ma and S2 video, the poor quality of summer TV shows Down Under (same problem here!) and a general hallo to all - now goodnight since am bringing daughter home tomorrow morning and need to do some other stuff before my routine goes totally out the window! So sorry weather is so miserable everywhere in the UK and points East. Take care all.
Hi, all. I know that the weather has been hard on all of you. I hope that everyone is warm and safe tonight. And AQ and Wattle, I hope you are staying cool and hydrated.
Annette: I hope that your daughter is feeling better, the animals are enjoying one another's company, and Oro isn't homesick. I'm sure you're glad she is being released from hospital. What an exciting experience driving alongside the hawk!!! I would have run the car off of the road. A close encounter with a hawk is said to be a very powerful sign. Very significant experience, I'd say.
Caerann: Oh, what a beautiful picture of that Cooper's Hawk! Stunning colors. I hope your finger's thawed out with no frostbite! I think you're going to get the worst of the coming winter storm. Stay inside, drink hot tea, and read your book! I went on a shopping mission today to stock up on supplies. The forecasters aren't sure how bad it will be here. The local folks weren't taking any chances. The supermarket staff couldn't keep the shelves stocked, and many were empty. Shoppers were practically peeling the plaster off the walls in a buying frenzy!!! Watch out, Gary, it's coming toward you!
Lindybird: Using a walking stick is an old and proud tradition, and it's also better than falling on your backside! So I say keep using it!
Margobird: Thanks for the link. I hope you are staying warm and upright in this atrocious weather. Be careful feeding your birdies.
Tiger: I, too, knew about Froona (a beautiful person) from the Indianapolis Peregrine Falcon website: http://www.indyfalcons.com/ The blog is here: http://blogs.indystar.com/falconblog/ It won't be very long before the nest there becomes active, because the first egg appears in March -- only 65 days according to the countdown. I used to walk right past the nest site on my way to work.
OG: So glad that the chiropodist is coming to your home so that you don't have to go out in the bad weather. Hope your son's interview is successful.
Alan: I made sure that my niece and nephew watched the clips of Phoebe, the hummingbird, laying her eggs!
aquilareen: We have the dumbest reality TV shows here in the states. Just nauseating. I always end up watching wildlife/nature shows or science programs.
george g: I hope you weren't hurt in your fall and that you're able to make it safely to the funeral. Be careful on the roads.
Paul/Heron77: When you have a woodpigeon on each eyelid, you definitely need some rest :-)!
Hi to DjoanS, Patriciat, and Auntie (Finland sounds mighty cold!). Sorry if I've missed anyone. I probably won't be on much in the next day or two. Everyone take care in the bad weather.