Country File

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Pft! British winter? I spent a substantial part of my teen years hibernating

Didn't we all ?   

[Techno II]

Hmmm....Don't think it's worth putting any food out for the birds, this morning'. At least, not yet. None of the poor little sods will be able to fly, with the wind as strong as it is.

Great fun going to the chippy, last night. MEGA sleet/snow/hail thunderstorm while I was driving down to the village. 

(Talk about thunderbolt and lightning,)     

Cheers - Phil.

[Raider4]

(Talk about thunderbolt and lightning,)     

Very, very frightening. None of that here (yet).

[Techno II]

Well...

To a certain extent, I was a bit bothered when I drove down to the chippy, last night.
(It's roughly two miles from Techno Towers.)

There was enough 'snowy stuff' on the road to make driving a tiny bit 'iffy'....But it WAS very patchy, so all I was worried about.....Would it get worse ?

The two 'hills' that I have to go up and down (both ways) were fine, on the way in.
On the way back, the snowy stuff had turned to rain and washed the roads clear....HUZZAH !!

Cheers - Phil.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

On the way back, the snowy stuff had turned to rain and washed the roads clear....HUZZAH !!

Cheers - Phil.

Normal weather conditions resumed then ?

[Techno II]

NAH !

But I still don't understand why 'they' switch those enormous fans on, on the tops of hills when it's this cold.

Cheers - Phil.

[Techno II]

Forgot to say....

The wee birds WERE keen on me putting down/hanging up stuff for them to scoff.....So I done that (sic)
There's a young (?) female blackbird who's definitely getting towards 'tame'

She doesn't leg it when I go out there..and just basically waits for me to chuck feed on the floor...I'll get some belting piccies.

(As long as it's not that frigging Jay who porks 40 peanuts in two visits  (True).... within 10 minutes....where's he/she stashing them ?)

Come Spring...I'm going sit outside the back door with the camera. 

Cheers - Phil.

[Heedless Horseman]

I wonder whether Wind Turbines and Barrages were in use... I'd guess not...?

[Leon]

It was the Day of the Raptor on our way back from Warfare today with buzzards, red kites and sparrowhawks frequently spotted on our travel back up the M40/M1.  Must have been nearly a dozen separate sightings of them hovering over the central reservation or hard shoulder.

[Steve J]

When I drive from Bristol to North Norfolk, I see loads of red kites around Oxfordshire, to the point that they now seem commonplace, which is a good thing. They haven't quite reached my neck of the woods yet but one can but hope.

[Techno II]

Few weeks since I've seen any raptors here.

We DO get the occasional sparrowhawk...But with the kites and buzzards, I usually hear those before I see them.

Cheers - Phil 

[sultanbev]

We get buzzards over Burnley now on occasional days, venturing south from the Settle area, usually soaring on the thermals. We do have urban raptors too, including sparrowhawks - can never remember whether the others are falcons or kestrels.

[Steve J]

Funnily enough I saw a Sparrowhawk this morning in the garden whilst taking a break. Stunningly beautiful.

[Techno II]

Gorgeous birds....especially from 4 feet away..( a female, just outside a kitchen window feasting on a feral pigeon...that must be over 5 years ago, now. )

Cheers - Phil

[Heedless Horseman]

The only Raptors that I have ever seen were the local Sparrowhawks, (Still around, from feathery remnants of prey), and sometimes Kestrels, when travelling.

It is rather strange to consider how some things have changed since what I think of as 'MY DAY'... (The 1980s... 40 years ago!      ).

I remember reintroduction of Kites being controversial. Otters have made a comeback... never thought that I 'd see one! Small colony of Beaver, somewhere. Fish in the Tyne!
I only saw Hedgehogs as roadkill... lots... now garden residents. Ditto Foxes... though visitors. Bats around, too... I'd only seen them on holiday in Wales.
Yet, other things have declined or gone.
Haven't seen a Pheasant locally for years. No Ladybirds and very few Butterflies. Very few slugs this year... (Loathe them!)...maybe due to Hedgehogs. Snails also few ...(Strangely, I like them and hate to hear that 'crunch'). Annoyingly, saw first Rat this year at 4am... very dark pelt... could be new resident!

Oh, well, soon be another year... rather doubt that I will see another 40!