jgtuk

I do that sort of observational stuff all the time, drives my wife mad. For instance, I noticed an unusually high number of people wearing cravats whilst in London recently 😂

What does it matter? (For the record, I don a top hat and carry a silver topped cane when flying)

Looks interesting 👍

It seems I’ve been banned from posting in the general news thread and had a post removed. It was a reply to the screenshot below. Was there some reason I’m unaware of?

He’s thrown Ukraine and Palestine to the dogs

Easy and cheap fix. Take the opportunity to use some cleaner in the system first and then drain down, cut the pipe where the nail hit and use a straight coupler to reconnect (don’t forget inserts). You’ll need to bleed the rads when filling back up and stick some inhibitor in while you’re there.

I have to agree with @bovril, it’s an amazing place to visit but timing is key, don’t go in the height of summer, the heat, queues and crowds ruin it. Spring/late autumn, early mornings and late nights and it’s wonderful. (Just realised I’ve pretty much repeated what @bovril said 😂)

Thanks, confirmed my suspicions. Sounds like the exact opposite of my preferences.

Has Santorini been spoiled? I have the opportunity for a visit but don't want to waste my time when I could be elsewhere that week... I've been to a few of the islands, some great but some a bit meh. Not interested in beaches, bars etc. but like walking, historical sites and wildlife. Anyone been?

I would 100% back up everything you’ve said having been a couple of times with young and not so young children. Very warm and welcoming everywhere we went.

I genuinely don’t know how to process this anymore, what led these young people to get to this level of inhumanity. It’s too easy to point to social media or the rise in right wing extremism. I hope his family get to find some sort of peace somewhere along the way.

As an update: Urology appt went well, nothing significant apart from unusual shaped and enlarged prostate - keep taking the meds basically. Colonoscopy was yesterday - decided to opt for no sedation or gas & air etc. Was a longer procedure than I expected (they said I had a challenging bowel) but wasn't too uncomfortable. They took 4 images of the Caecum, 4 biopsies from ascending colon, 4 biopsies from the descending colon, took image and removed and retrieved a polyp from sigmoid colon and took an image of the anal margin. All pretty much routine I presume, biopsy results in 12 weeks max... Thanks for the advice from everyone and best wishes to anyone going through medical interventions of any kind.

You’re correct and it’s ridiculous to make the comparison.

Don’t hold your breath, I was involved in a campaign as far back as 1990 calling for an inquiry into trawling, sand eel losses were huge back then and I think they’ve made a slight recovery since. Still a massive problem though as they are the sole food source for puffin.

People feed birds but lots aren’t aware that they also need drinking and bathing water close by.

I hope your chimneys are sealed inside the house. Some sealed chimneys need ventilation through an air brick or vent. The chimney will be blocked by the nest and sometimes the young birds fall down and can’t escape so die behind a disused fireplace. I spent a week between Bardsey Island and South Stack once, counting seabirds and arriving migrants. Puffins are hilarious on land, you could walk up to within a few inches of them without them batting an eyelid. 😂 Coquet Island has about 30 to 40 thousand breeding seabirds! Report back with your sightings please 👍

My small Rookery (5 nests)

Wonderful birds and incredible aerialists, I’m lucky enough to see them every day over my house. They breed in a nearby quarry.

If you pull them up, grab from the base and try to get the root. You will probably have to resort to a selective weed treatment for the horsetail as it can be a bit stubborn. I’ve used SBK treatment successfully in the past.

The ChiffChaff are deafening at the moment 😂. I see Marsh Harrier around our coast on migration and they breed at Cors Ddyga, Anglesey which is the nearest to me. They are quite easy to see in the south of England on one of the reserves. I know of several Hen Harrier nesting sites and they are amazing to watch in the breeding season, if you’ve never seen it, google sky dance.

Could be two females but I’ve seen lots of eggs of different shades mixed in one nest over the years. Lots of pheasants here and this is one of another 4 nests I’ve found in the garden. I’ve done a quick survey today and found 27 nests with eggs, various birds. One pair of Swallows arrived today and scouted a barn but we normally have at least five pairs nesting.

Not unusual for pheasant, there are 19 eggs and I found the nest with only one. I’m anticipating more being laid as she’s not brooding them yet

Clearing some brush and undergrowth and found a Pheasant nest.