Stormy Weather

[Anna]

I don't wish to start a discusion about shooting game birds. and the rearing thereof.
But, it's an industry worth over £1 billion a year;
Oh, Ammy, who's denied you grade 8 then? Blimey, show and tell, and I'll get them!!

[Bryn]

I've seen Red Kites (some times a pair, though more often just one) flying around the Windsor area. A month or so ago I got quite a surprise. A Red Kite appeared flying above Windsor High Street. It then circled over the castle and a couple of times before heading off over the Thames towards Eton and Slough. Previously I had only seen them over local farmland.

[Serial_Apologist]

One of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had occurred 12 years ago, when I was sitting in the living room at my late parents' house. There was a sudden bang on the window - this was during daytime. Assuming somebody had thrown something I went to look. Outside on the grass, just below the window, was a wood pigeon, panting, obviously in a state of shock from having collided with the glass. I went out to take a closer look, concluded, whether rightly or wrongly there was little I could do, assuming the creature would take wing once recovered, and went back inside. Ten minutes later I peered through the window, and watched as the the bird turned its head on one side, spread its wings out in the manner of a crucifixion, and expired! It was one of the most upsetting things I have ever witnessed.

[jayne lee wilson]

Sparrowhawks are here daily, so often it seems that pigeons and passerines just live with their reality, with a sudden "whoomph" every few minutes as all the birds flee from the lawn and trees, to take cover after an alarm call (usually from a Blue or Great Tit). I have had to put pigeons out of their misery after Sparrowhawks have wounded them - if they can't fly it can even be best to leave them awhile, as the Sparrowhawk usually returns to finish them off; it is unusual for them not to make a clean kill though. One poor thing, wounded just before its mate was caught, lived on for 4 days, flying from roof to birdtable, scarcely able to stand, before dying up on the guttering, one wing hanging down. But the fierce eye of the hawk as it plucks its prey is unforgettable.

After a slightly dour winter enlivened only by those 3 Parakeets, last week 2 Siskins appeared on the Nyger seed, then the next day 3 Redpolls, one in full summer rosiness! Then a female Blackcap nipped into view. I can't recall seeing Redpolls here before, only a few miles away (and years ago) in Pine plantations.
So I bought another Nyger dispenser, and now the 3 Goldfinches don't have to fight over 2 perches. It's 5 fighting over 4...

(The Siskins and Redpolls were both one-day wonders).

[amateur51]

I don't wish to start a discusion about shooting game birds. and the rearing thereof.
But, it's an industry worth over £1 billion a year;
Oh, Ammy, who's denied you grade 8 then? Blimey, show and tell, and I'll get them!!

I was eggsaggerating Anna - I never got beyond The Bluebells of Scotland

[BBMmk2]

Looks ok at the moment but I fear we could get more rain!!!

[eighthobstruction]

Washed and put gloves away for spring/summer on Weds.....got them out again yesterday.....

[Serial_Apologist]

Reasonable weather expected for this week (apart from Scotland!), but best to delay planting any tender annuals for the time being!

[Anna]

It's an ok kind of day here, plenty of blue and sunshine but still such a strong and chilly (NNW) wind.

Very sad and upsetting tale here. Retired local couple, always cycling or setting off on hikes. Last Wednesday returning from an outing on their bikes, about 5 minutes from home, in a narrow little road (more of a lane really, no footpaths although there are some houses), she hit a pothole, tumbled off and cracked her head open. Ambulance took her to local school round the corner (the only place an air ambulance could land close to scene) air ambulance then took her to Frenchay Hospital (Bristol) and I learnt this morning she's died. Brain dead from the injuries, so machine switched off. I don't know them personally, just see them occasionally, hellos are exchanged but it's odd that you never saw them on their bikes without cycle helmets, whether she'd taken hers off I don't know and there are no kerbs, just grassy strips or hedges either side. So sad, they seemed to be devoted to each other and you never saw one without the other. Evidently their two sons are staying with her husband now. It seems Police taped off section of road, measurements etc., and at the crack of dawn on Thursday the Council turned up and filled the potholes. So, to our cyclists here, stay safe and never venture forth without head protection.

[Serial_Apologist]

It's an ok kind of day here, plenty of blue and sunshine but still such a strong and chilly (NNW) wind.

Very sad and upsetting tale here. Retired local couple, always cycling or setting off on hikes. Last Wednesday returning from an outing on their bikes, about 5 minutes from home, in a narrow little road (more of a lane really, no footpaths although there are some houses), she hit a pothole, tumbled off and cracked her head open. Ambulance took her to local school round the corner (the only place an air ambulance could land close to scene) air ambulance then took her to Frenchay Hospital (Bristol) and I learnt this morning she's died. Brain dead from the injuries, so machine switched off. I don't know them personally, just see them occasionally, hellos are exchanged but it's odd that you never saw them on their bikes without cycle helmets, whether she'd taken hers off I don't know and there are no kerbs, just grassy strips or hedges either side. So sad, they seemed to be devoted to each other and you never saw one without the other. Evidently their two sons are staying with her husband now. It seems Police taped off section of road, measurements etc., and at the crack of dawn on Thursday the Council turned up and filled the potholes. So, to our cyclists here, stay safe and never venture forth without head protection.

That is sad, Anna. Just when councils are talking about resurfacing pitted roads in their entirety as being cheaper than in-filling potholes - of which there are now many around here, and always where one has to cycle in order to keep out of the way of traffic. Eventually one gets to remember where they are so as to take avoiding action, or even stop, but this can be impossible at night on an unfamiliar road: the number of times I've had cycle lights come off, or nearly lost my grip on handlebars as a consequence of the resultant jolt, is too many to innumerate. In Bristol I used to phone the council, warning them they would be in for damages, and the problem would be sorted by next day; but that was in better times...

[BBMmk2]

Veryb soprry to hear this sad news Anna. Strange isnt it that it takes somethin g of this magnitude for the counbcil to do a job, sooner rather later! Typical.

[salymap]

Thatis sad Anna, so sorry forthe family. My friend Mathilde Eulenburg fell off the back of her husband's little Lambretta years ago and hit her head on the kerb and never recovered. As you say always wear a helmet.

[Serial_Apologist]

Veryb soprry to hear this sad news Anna. Strange isnt it that it takes somethin g of this magnitude for the counbcil to do a job, sooner rather later! Typical.

Indeed - and one wonders how many councils have a policy of disregarding objectors' and petitioners' wishes until someone dies - the blatantly stated policy of one local authority where I lived, over the need for traffic lights at one particularly dangerous crossing.

[amateur51]

Thatis sad Anna, so sorry forthe family. My friend Mathilde Eulenburg fell off the back of her husband's little Lambretta years ago and hit her head on the kerb and never recovered. As you say always wear a helmet.

There is a section of the bicycling public which against helmets, but I'm not sure why

[Nick Armstrong]

potholes.....

So, to our cyclists here, stay safe and never venture forth without head protection.

I always do wear the appropriate headgear.. and it's too true that potholes are a menace. Horrible to see from your sad tale that they can be lethal, Anna.

S_A is right, on a regular route one tends to come to know them and navigate around. Often in central London they are caused by buses churning up the inadequate top surface - hence the holes tend to be

(1) along the kerb, esp near bus-stops... one reason to cycle with sufficient confidence not to be crowded right next to the kerb - I cycle pretty much in the middle of the nearside lane, to avoid the risk (and also the danger of the blindly-opened door from parked cars); and

(2) at junctions where buses turn and double the tyre-churning effect... often, I will set off marginally early (i.e. be moving when the amber comes on and before green) at well-known traffic light junctions, so as to have navigated the holes before the traffic behind has arrived.

I tend to avoid night-time journeys on unknown roads for these reasons.


OT: wonderful sunny bright day but a surprising edge to the wind, my hands ached with cold on the handlebars this morning, the gloves having been discarded....