Monday, 26 December 2011
Friday, 23 December 2011
Walking and running in the wet
This is a combined report, last night's run and today's 90 minute walk. Not that there was very much to sea...
Actually, to start with, I'll throw in my train trip to Nottingham, where Thurgarton lakes were bust with large flocks of Black Headed Gulls and Tufted Ducks upon the waters. Also there was a small swan, which I couldn't make out properly but might have been a Bewick or a Whooper. No Egrets about, I have seen one in the vicinity before. It's a place I'd lake to take a good look at if I ever get the chance.
Last night, ran not very far in the dusk, my legs aren't used to running again after 7 weeks off and so they are pully, and stiff. As I passed down the side of TK Maxx a bird was startled up from a tree at the back of the new flats there, and arced off into the distance. Judging by the wingbeats, I thought it might have been a kestrel, I know there is one that hunts down by the marina - see a previous post - although knowing me it might have been a pigeon. Silhouette seemed to be wrong build for a pigeon though.
Proper naturalists must read this blog in utter disgust.
Today, walked for 90 minutes past a rained upon London Road Lake - the usual suspects in action here but no Grebe today - and through Beacon Hill. The big attraction here was a large flock of Goldfinches working across the Nursery east to west, the golden wing bars unmistakeable even at a distance. Always a pretty sight, and a more common one with every passing year.
Actually, to start with, I'll throw in my train trip to Nottingham, where Thurgarton lakes were bust with large flocks of Black Headed Gulls and Tufted Ducks upon the waters. Also there was a small swan, which I couldn't make out properly but might have been a Bewick or a Whooper. No Egrets about, I have seen one in the vicinity before. It's a place I'd lake to take a good look at if I ever get the chance.
Last night, ran not very far in the dusk, my legs aren't used to running again after 7 weeks off and so they are pully, and stiff. As I passed down the side of TK Maxx a bird was startled up from a tree at the back of the new flats there, and arced off into the distance. Judging by the wingbeats, I thought it might have been a kestrel, I know there is one that hunts down by the marina - see a previous post - although knowing me it might have been a pigeon. Silhouette seemed to be wrong build for a pigeon though.
Proper naturalists must read this blog in utter disgust.
Today, walked for 90 minutes past a rained upon London Road Lake - the usual suspects in action here but no Grebe today - and through Beacon Hill. The big attraction here was a large flock of Goldfinches working across the Nursery east to west, the golden wing bars unmistakeable even at a distance. Always a pretty sight, and a more common one with every passing year.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Long Tailed Tits Everywhere
I've not really been following any reports on this or anything like that, but if round here is anything to go by, Long Tailed Tits are having a bumper winter. Everyday I get flocks moving through my gardens, nibbling what they can off the sycamore trees and smaller greenery, and today while out walking I saw a flock working the trees by the marina bridge over the river again.
Ever since I mentioned it to Notts Wildlife Trsut however, I have not seen a single white headed Scandanavian variant however. Sods law in action. I never thought I'd see a day where Long Tailed Tits were a more common sight than Greenfinches, that disease seems to have all but wiped them out round here.
Out by the railway line, near where the X2 Connect building is looking really quite interesting in its half demolished form, there are damson bushes (I think, rather than Juniper) which are seemingly so full of juicy blue-purple berries it looks like they've decorated themselves for christmas. I shall risk a muddy ditch to take pictures next time I am in the vicinity.
With warmer weather, London Road Lake is quieter - only a couple of Tufteds and a lot fewer Black Headed Gulls. A couple of Coots made an attractive sight as they cruised abreast down the little dyke, and the baby moorhens are still about.
It is pleasant enough to sit out today, I suggest everyone spends some time outside taking in the sights!
Ever since I mentioned it to Notts Wildlife Trsut however, I have not seen a single white headed Scandanavian variant however. Sods law in action. I never thought I'd see a day where Long Tailed Tits were a more common sight than Greenfinches, that disease seems to have all but wiped them out round here.
Out by the railway line, near where the X2 Connect building is looking really quite interesting in its half demolished form, there are damson bushes (I think, rather than Juniper) which are seemingly so full of juicy blue-purple berries it looks like they've decorated themselves for christmas. I shall risk a muddy ditch to take pictures next time I am in the vicinity.
With warmer weather, London Road Lake is quieter - only a couple of Tufteds and a lot fewer Black Headed Gulls. A couple of Coots made an attractive sight as they cruised abreast down the little dyke, and the baby moorhens are still about.
It is pleasant enough to sit out today, I suggest everyone spends some time outside taking in the sights!
Monday, 19 December 2011
I'm only a poor little sparrow
Since all the holly berries have been scoffed by various greedy blackbirds and the odd woodpigeon, the garden isn't looking terribly festive. This contrasts with last year, when it seemed like I had two feet of snow and ice and some cheery robins making the place at least vaguely like it could have come from a christmas card.
Albeit, a really really downbeat one.
Now, as regular viewers will know, I've got various busted and painful legs at the moment, so my usual runs have been curtailed in favour of walks that don't really cover as much ground. Add to this the fact that the whole world has seemed suffused in a grey clag of drizzle when I have managed to get out, and it hasn't seemed a very colourful or lively environment I've been trecking through.
Luckily however, the sparrows have been keeping me cheerful. Every so often, either in the little bush outside my living room window that they frequent in a squabblesome fashion, or in various trees I've seen while walkiing, a little party of sparrows will put on a cute little show for me.
They puff themselves up to keep warm, sometimes putting their heads under their heads to sleep, and gabble amongst themselves, sometimes stretching their wings out and almost giving them a casual inspection, before flitting to another branch and repeating. Sometimes they get very flighty, and do these little minuture flights, a frenzied little 18 inch flap, to get themselves warm I guess if nothing else.
And then sometimes they sit quietly, huddling against the cold, and with their plumage looking in perversely good nick for the time of year, they look like little chocolate baubles from a christmas tree.
A heartening sight in unhappy times.
Albeit, a really really downbeat one.
Now, as regular viewers will know, I've got various busted and painful legs at the moment, so my usual runs have been curtailed in favour of walks that don't really cover as much ground. Add to this the fact that the whole world has seemed suffused in a grey clag of drizzle when I have managed to get out, and it hasn't seemed a very colourful or lively environment I've been trecking through.
Luckily however, the sparrows have been keeping me cheerful. Every so often, either in the little bush outside my living room window that they frequent in a squabblesome fashion, or in various trees I've seen while walkiing, a little party of sparrows will put on a cute little show for me.
They puff themselves up to keep warm, sometimes putting their heads under their heads to sleep, and gabble amongst themselves, sometimes stretching their wings out and almost giving them a casual inspection, before flitting to another branch and repeating. Sometimes they get very flighty, and do these little minuture flights, a frenzied little 18 inch flap, to get themselves warm I guess if nothing else.
And then sometimes they sit quietly, huddling against the cold, and with their plumage looking in perversely good nick for the time of year, they look like little chocolate baubles from a christmas tree.
A heartening sight in unhappy times.
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Last night's Geminid Report
OK, the one man member of the East Notts Astronomical Society (Meteor division) has an extrememly sore, torn, pulled and wrecked buttock and a bit of a cold, so don't expect 6 hours worth of observations. I was watching a documentary about Steve Jobs. However, at about 2045 or so I went out for a fifteen minute observing session when I spied clear skies - occasionally the clouds would roll over for a spell last night - and saw 7 Geminids and one sporadic.
Nothing was as spectacular as the mag -5 fireball I saw the previous night, but the meteors were bright, up to mag zero, slow moving and left smoky trails in some instances. Although other observers were reporting blue or pure white colours, to me they looked an ivory white colour, similar to that of Jupiter. One specimen was a long way off the from the radiant, and followed a somewhat crooked path, almost looking like it was tumbling through Lepus and Eridanus down towards the southern horizon.
At about 11pm, I had a shorter session and saw 5 geminids and one sporadic. As the moon got higher and interfered more, a 0045am session resulted in only two geminids being spotted.
It is interesting to me that The Perseids are regarded as "The Meteor Shower" by the media. For I found the Geminds generally brighter, slower moving, and easier to spot. The radiant is also much better placed for evening observing, although I suppose like lastnight, the viewing conditions vary from cold to brass monkeys!
They certainly seemed easy to spot for casual non astronomical observers I mentioned them to.
Nothing was as spectacular as the mag -5 fireball I saw the previous night, but the meteors were bright, up to mag zero, slow moving and left smoky trails in some instances. Although other observers were reporting blue or pure white colours, to me they looked an ivory white colour, similar to that of Jupiter. One specimen was a long way off the from the radiant, and followed a somewhat crooked path, almost looking like it was tumbling through Lepus and Eridanus down towards the southern horizon.
At about 11pm, I had a shorter session and saw 5 geminids and one sporadic. As the moon got higher and interfered more, a 0045am session resulted in only two geminids being spotted.
It is interesting to me that The Perseids are regarded as "The Meteor Shower" by the media. For I found the Geminds generally brighter, slower moving, and easier to spot. The radiant is also much better placed for evening observing, although I suppose like lastnight, the viewing conditions vary from cold to brass monkeys!
They certainly seemed easy to spot for casual non astronomical observers I mentioned them to.
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