Broccolli v. Bananas. Which would YOU choose?

I just found this news item on the bbc site.....nothing to do with Gloucestershire, but a wonderful little moment!! Enjoy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6580000/newsid_6586100/6586109.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm

For some detail on the significance of this just click on the related link, which is the same
clip with a reporters commentary and so on.

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

Gotta see an Otter!!

In Glastonbury yesterday a friendly store keeper (after telling about how
to get to Westhay Moor for the roosting starlings)
told me about Shapwick Heath and how otters can be regularly
seen here in daylight. That sounded too good to miss.
So having watched the amazing morning commute of Westhay Moor's
starlings I on headed a short drive along the Shapwick-Westhay Road

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/nnr/nnr_details.asp?NNR_ID=141

Just by the reserve entrance is a large mound of peat that
had been dug out when the area was commercially exploited
for peat (n.b. alternatives ARE NOW AVAILABLE !!!) for
gardening. On this I noticed some animal tracks.
I took a photo as a record, just incase they were
the closest I was to an otter today
(actually I'm not sure they are otter tracks, but
if not I cannot think what they could be, can you?)



So, into the reserve I went. The first track
off to the right took me along a board walk
towards the site of an archeologically important
board walk, known as the "Sweet Track"
(any relation I wonder?)

Answers.com have an article about it....
http://www.answers.com/topic/sweet-track

and this site has photos of a reconstructed section too....
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/aburnham/eng/sweet.htm

Anyway, back to my search for otters. Coming to
a quiet stretch of lake side I noticed there were some
unusual movement at the waters edge: could it really
be.......

Otters
Video sent by agracarter2

I cann't believe how lucky I was!!
Less than an hour on the Reserve and
I was watching otters fishing, and I was
only feet away! Never mind that it was all over
quite quickly, those moments were golden!
Such a privelige!
Now I shall have to try and see some more...
even clearer views.....
maybe even get some good photos...
Or I am just getting greedy now??



So then i continued happily on my way around the reserve,
enjoying its marshy ambience and happy in the knowledge
that I can come and visit again any time I like.
You can be sure that i will!

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!!!

Autumnal beech wood delights

Well, enough of fireworks.
How about some natural spectacle......
in an autumnal beechwood.



where the paths are paved with gold....

and fungi bear fruit...












....and here's just a little colour contrast....

Oh, and should you require reminding...a hint
of the next season's events.....
Holly and Ivy for decking the halls....

....and(leaves on the left of this shot)
sweet chestnuts, for .........

Ok, OK. You got the picture...
Hope you enjoyed the show too!

Another weekend, more fireworks!

This weekend I was away again, this time in
Milton Keynes. This weeks firework display
was a more homely, back garden affair....


Roman candles.....







Katherine wheels....



....and sparklers!






...that sort of thing.

Well, there were
also some bigger showy ones but
they were near impossible to photograph.

Lesson learnt: if you want to take photos
of fireworks that go "whoooosh..............
..................bang! (ie high flying ones)
stand well back, like half a mile or so.
Its no use standing underneath them unless
you are very quick on the draw and have perfect
timing!

Remember, remember........now, what was it I had to remember?

Oh yes! Fireworks....................

A big finale........

...to the display at Loughborough University

(actually on the 4th Nov.) which I enjoyed from an upstairs

window of my weekend hosts....John, Helen, Grace and Rhiann!