Snow again.

During our latest "snow event" I was able to get out and about to take some photographic evidence. As before I link here to my "Facebook" album for the sake of brevity in blog creation
Please leave a comment below if you find this approach unsatisfactory in any way

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1454649011#/photo.php?pid=30833680&id=1454649011

We had snow

We had snow......
and I finally got to walk out in it on Coaley Peak

A Snowman murder scene..

Holiday in Pembrokeshire: Boat trip out to Grassholm

My last island "target" in Pembrokeshire was rocky, relatively remote,
Grassholm- so named for the seasonal grassy pastureage it once offered
for sheep from the mainland. The soil long has since blown away, and now it is home to the British Isle's third largest gannet colony. The RSPB say "Grassholm is of both national and international importance. It is an outstanding seabird spectacle, unrivalled anywhere in Wales for this species." So, definately worth the effort to go out and see for myself!


This is Grassholm as seen from Skomer.

The top of the island is whitened with the mass of nesting gannets, and their guano!
The RSPB gives an estimate of 32,000 pairs of birds nesting here

Gannets were visible almost throughout the hour long boat journey, either singley out hunting for fish or seaweed to add to their nest,

Ramsey Island is on the horizon here...

(An arty enhanced version of a less dramatic original shot!)

or in greater masses as we neared the island.

The noise of the nesting birds added to the total experience. I was spared the odourous effects...as indeed are you!

So ended my holday in lovely Pembrokeshire!

Cloud spotting

I am loving "The Cloudspotters Guide" book by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
and a link to the "Cloud Appreciation Society" website from my blog
is thus a must.

So, done (just click on the title here
....or on the side panel!).

Lunar eclipse !!

Shock news! The moon is bleeding!!



Maybe it was that dragon I saw biting
at it a little earlier?




Ah. No, it's ok. normal service is being resumed!



Well, now I can go to sleep, and rest easy
in my bed then...

A super view of the lunar eclipse from here in
Gloucestershire. Clear skies right through the highpoint
of the show when the moon glowed bronze, then just as
the show came towards its end the cloud started to appear.
Perfect timing!

Deer Cave bats, December 2003

Last week's wonderful moments
with the starling clouds reminded me
everso much (if in a colder version)
of the experiences we had back in
the mists of time (pre-blogging, pre-digital
camera-owner) in Sarawak, Borneo.
Whilst staying at the Royal Mulu Resort we
naturally had to include a visit to Deer cave
on the itinerary....


It is a truly huge cavern........and truly very smelly,
thick with the smell of ammonia rising from the
droppings of 3-4 (?) million wrinkle-lipped bats
who spend the day hanging on its roof.....
one more over-powering experience to add to
the overall "wow" effect!


Emerging towards sunset into the ammonia free
fresh air we then awaited the spectacular exit
of the bats, first visible swirling in a dough-nut
loop just inside the cave mouth, then woooshing out
in larger and larger streams

....cork-screwing away through the sky, dodging
bat falcons, for a night of insect hunting.


A great memory!
Here is a link to someone else's account
of a trip to Mulu though whom those of us
who have been to Mulu can (as he put's it)
"vicariously relive" the whole experience:
(p.s. it even has a short movie-clip of the bats
flying out on it!!)

http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/caves.htm

Starling Awakening

After the awesome sight of the starlings gathering
to roost in Westhay Moor reedbeds I just had to see the sequel:
the start of the new day, and the exit of the starling flocks on
their daily search for food.

What more can I say....Just WOW!!!!

Westhay Moor Starling's Awakening
Video sent by agracarter2

Westhay Moor v. Slimbridge....5000 Starlings? Pah! Try counting this lot!

Well it seems I have the Starling-bug.
After last weeks nibble at the dish
of watching starlings gathering to roost
at Slimbridge I was keen to feast my eyes
and senses at THE major banqueting event in the
region: the Somerset Level's starling roost at Westhay Moor
NNR
http://www.somersetwildlife.org/reserve_4.php

Westhay Moor Starling Roost
Video sent by agracarter2

Well, if you watched that you'll understand me if I am
a little at a loss for words on the subject. The experience was utterly
overwhelming, and it does not surprise me in the least that people
come to see this over and over again.

I think I may be joining them....

Here's a link to another Starling fan, with regular news updates
on their comings and goings.

http://www.foxybiddy.com/page/starlingspectacular/3

Lots of questions remain for me....
Where did all these birds spend the day? How far do
they fly back from? Where do they go in the summer months?
.....but most of all "HOW MANY ARE THERE????"



If you have time to spare, count the dots in this picture.
Then multiply by a factor of..........oh, I don't know.
I give up. Estimates I hear range from 2 to 10 million.......
so, quite a few more than at Slimbrige then!!!

Slimbridge Starlings

A gentle stroll, on a chilly January afternoon...



enjoying the ambience of Slimbridge....



...as the day draws to an end.



Then, to an exciting Ballet performance at
Swan's Lake....

Starling Ballet
Video sent by agracarter2

Coooeeee!!!

The Severn Bore

I went to watch the Severn Bore on Sunday. The following is a link to
the video that I created of the event.
I'm not sure what's wrong with Dailymotion at the moment but I couldn't get
the normal way of linking my videos and blogs to work
I trust this link works instead!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhm3o_the-severn-bore