The RSPB, wildlife and a happy Kile

30 August 2013

The new RSPB identity and new logo are causing more than a few ruffled feathers.  Many of the comments refer to the what is seen as a betrayal.  When I saw the new ad on telly of a young girl setting up various housing for wild animals in her garden, and I was very impressed with it.  The thing is, the RSPB's new identity is all about making room for wildlife, all wildlife and not just birds.  And that is why feathers are being ruffled - if you see what I mean.  Some of the more militant birders who are only interested in birds are objecting by what they see as a move away from just birds.  But as I said a few days ago all of nature is linked together in one large cycle, all dependent on each other. 

Obviously then, I don't have any problems with the changes.  In fact, we have been putting bird boxes up where we have lived.  I've lost count of the number we've installed and they've been used too ... 

a blue tit with chick in one box we installed in Bed'th.  This is Jan's photo, not mine and was taken in June 2003.  But now we've gone even further, inspired by that TV ad.  We've now placed two hedgehog houses out back and we have a bat box ready to go up once we find out where the best place is to install it. 

We are planning a birding trip for next week when we have Kile before he goes back to school.  He loves being out with his binos and camera.  We both feel it's a privilege to have the chance of introducing him to wildlife and to see his interest grow.  Later we hope to be able to take Kile's brother Billy with us too and try to interest him in what is around him.    

One of my many health problems is sleep apnoea.  I've been using a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine for around 10 year now.  This morning I had a letter in the post inviting me to a sleep apnoea support meeting being held in October over at the Walsgrave hospital.  This is a new thing they've set up so I shall be going to it, see what is going on and why. 

For today's photo I'm going back to Kile on our last trip out to Brandon Marsh ... 

His mum said he looked really happy when she saw it.  That makes it worthwhile.

And more words of wisdom from the Sage ...

In the year 2013 the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in England and said:

"Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the CAD drawings, saying: "You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard, but no Ark.

"Noah!" He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed Building Regulations Approval and I've been arguing with the Fire Brigade about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbours claim that I should have obtained planning permission for building the Ark in my garden because it is development of the site, even though in my view it is a temporary structure.

We had to then go to appeal to the local council for a decision. Then the Department of Transport demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions to clear the passage for the Ark 's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. All the decent trees have Tree Preservation Orders on them and we live in a Site of Special Scientific interest set up in order to protect the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the County Council, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Rivers Authority ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Equalities Commission on how many disabled carpenters I'm supposed to hire for my building team. The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only accredited workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, HMRC seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.

Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"

  

"No," said the Lord. "..........the Government beat me to it!"

Car crashes, a short detour and mobility scooter riders

29 August 2013

On our way home from Brandon the other day we called in to a pub called the Coniston on the St Nicholas Park Estate.  It's a nice friendly pub and the pint of Pedi I had was really good.  Anyway - on the way home from there we had to turn around and find another route because of a crash on the corner of Higham Lane and St Nics Drive.  It wasn't too far a detour though and we were home only a couple of minutes later than we should have done.  Then yesterday I saw an item on a Facebook page about another road closure in town after yet another crash.

This one was on Avenue Road by Coton Arches.  Now then ... this one wasn't between two cars though; no, it was a car and a mobility scooter rider.  Nothing has been said about who was at fault yet  but the scooter rider was taken to hospital with injuries to her pelvis.  I won't repeat everything I've just posted on Facebook after the comments from one user, you can read for yourself here ...  http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/News/Road-closed-following-collision-20130828135426.htm 

The sort of comments made by Mr Gunn here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attitudes to the disabled.  Society seems to be going backwards not forward.  Back to the times when disabled people were shut away and never seen.  Back to when disabled people had no help and no voice.  Mr Gunn will not be able to move us back into the dark ages now that we are out of them; but he will find that his comments on Facebook will not be tolerated these days if he continues to make them.  Thing is, it's so sad that we have to go through all this again simple because someone can't see any further than the end of nose!

A change of direction here now.  Our son Tom is soon to be taken to Germany by a friend where he hopes to find a job and make a fresh start out there.  Jan is off to see him today, possibly for the last time.  I won't be bothering!  But Tom will need to buck up his ideas a good deal if he is to make it in Germany.  Not only will he need to learn German, his general attitude to life will need to be radically altered.  I can't see it happening and he'll be back here in Dorktown blaming everyone but himself yet again.  I hope he does make it work, but history is against him I'm afraid.

And so for a photo ... 

A small tortoiseshell butterfly.  

And for a funny I offer ...

Wife texts husband on a cold winters morning " Windows frozen" ........... Husband texts back, "pour some luke warm water over it"................... Wife texts back "computer completely f***ed now"    

Birding, cruelty and the cycle of life

28 August 2013

We finally did decide to we go birding yesterday starting at Brandon Marsh and then on to Coombe Abbey as I mentioned on Monday.  However we left it a tad too late and only managed to do Brandon.  But it really didn't matter because ...

   

This chick is I think a young swallow or a house martin.  We saw it as we left to go down to the reserve. 

There's a photo on the front page of today's News has a photo of a litter of kittens that had been dumped somewhere in the town.  I just can't believe that anyone could do something like this!  Yet it happens every day doesn't it, all too often.  Why do these people bother to have any pets at all.  It really does bug the life out of me.  But let's face it, there are people who get their jollies from digging up badgers for dogs to rip to bits.  Hare coursing is another and of course the biggie ... fox hunting!  It's still happening now, ignoring the current ban just doesn't worry them; why should it?  There's no real penalty is there?

You see, we both love all animals; of course we have our favourites and least favourite.  My hates are snakes and wasps; for Jan it's just wasps.  Birds are at the top of both our lists.  We are members of a number of wildlife charities with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust added to the list yesterday.  RSPB, RSPCA, BTO, Wetlands Trust, Norfolk Wildlife Trust ... and so on.  It's all interlinked really, from mosses to insects (even wasps are food for others), to birds and so on.   

Eventually we humans became part of it all as well, but we're not the end of it are we.  We go to the loo and our waste products became food for microbes at the sewage farms; when we die some of us are buried and became food for moor microbes and so on.  Those who are cremated usually have our ashes spread around in a favoured spot.  Those ashes become part of the nourishment for plants and flower, which feed insects ... ... ... 

See, it's all part of one very large cycle.  That is why I don't like to see or hear of animals being neglected or being dumped as were those kittens in the paper today. 

Enough of all that ... here's another bird shot ... 

a black headed gull.  Sorry, I can't remember where I got it though.

And another one from the Sage ...

An elderly man in Queensland had owned a large property for several years.  He had a dam in one of the lower paddocks where he had planted mango and avocado trees.

The dam had been fixed up for swimming when it was built and he also had some picnic tables placed there in the shade of the fruit trees.
One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the dam to look it over, as he hadn't been there for a while.  He  grabbed a ten litre bucket to bring back some fruit.
As he neared the dam, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.  As he came closer he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his dam.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.
One of the women shouted to him, 'We're not coming out until you leave!'
The old man frowned, 'I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the dam naked.'
Holding the bucket up he said, 'I'm here to feed the crocodile.'

 Moral: Old men may walk slow, but they can still think fast. 

Trying a lens, a day out and robber hotels!

26 August 2013

There's a camera dealer named Mifsuds (http://www.mifsuds.com/) in Brixham that I visited while I was staying in Paignton.  I was impressed with the place when I visited it.  I'm rather pleased by that seeing as I had already bought a lens off then.  However, I have not used it much really seeing as I hadn't noticed in the ad it was a fully manual lens.  The lens is a Sony 50mm f1.4 prime lens and at the price it should be a good one.  So now I am going to spend some time getting to know the lens as well as I can.  My biggest concern is my sight is not 20/20 anymore and I'm hoping I will get the focus spot on.  If 

 I manage that I shall be happy.  Keep an eye out for the results.

Jan and I are planning a day out sometime this week.  Originally we had suggested a day's birding but now Jan is fancying one of the large shopping centres.  We're not sure yet but will look into it as soon as we can.  Maybe we will be doing another overnighter ...

Well, that I idea is down the tube!  We've both been looking for B&Bs and although we've found them, they all advertised one price but doubled the price when trying to book it.  Travel Lodge in particular advertised a twin room in Southend for £35 a night.  I finally got through to book it and found that it was a double room at £67 a night!  I just said, "No", and hung up.  Bloody robbers, the whole lot of them!

Now we've decided to stay local with a visit to Brandon Marsh for birding and to join the Wild Life Trust there and then on to Coombe Abbey a few miles away from there for more birding.  At we will get out of the flat for a few hours.  We do like our flat but it's always good to get out and about.  Some years ago I was working for a company in the centre of town.  One day I trip up on the stairs and really badly twisted my ankle and had to take a few days off work because of it.  We were living in a flat at that time too.  During those few days Jan had to go off and do what she needed to do, leaving me to sit resting with my leg up on a stool.  Within a few hours I was getting cabin fever; two days later I was getting even more frustrated!  Believe me, I was really ready to get back to work!

So let's look for a photo then ... Got it ... 

a trucker seen in his mirrors on the M6 southbound last week.  I've been trying to get a shot like this for ages and finally managed it!  Not a bad shot even if I do say so myself.

Funny time - again from the Sage ...

 
At the National Art Gallery in Dublin, a husband and wife were staring at a portrait that had them completely confused.  The painting depicted 3 black men totally naked, sitting on a bench.  Two of the figures had black penises, but the one in the middle had a pink penis.
The curator of the gallery realized that they were having trouble interpreting the painting and offered his personal assessment. He went on for over half an hour explaining how it depicted the sexual emasculation of African Americans in a predominately white, patriarchal society. 'In fact', he pointed out, 'some serious critics believe that the pink penis also reflects the cultural and sociological oppression experienced by gay men in contemporary society'.
After the curator left, an Irishman approached the couple and said, 'Would you like to know what the painting is really about?'
'Now why would you claim to be more of an expert than the curator of the gallery?' asked the couple..
'Because I am the artist, who painted the picture,' he replied. 'In fact, there are no African Americans depicted at all. They're just three Irish coal miners. The guy in the middle went home for lunch.