Wildlife November 2010

[Anthony Darby]

I was at New Mills (by Canty's Brig, Northumberland) on the Whiteadder (pronounced whit adder). At the weir I watch salmon leaping which was amazing. At times there would be three in the air at once! None made it up the weir, but there is a narrow fish ladder in the weir so they must eventually find that?

[David Lyttle]

Stephen,

You must hold the record for the world's most northern cabbage tree (and the record for the highest latitude on as well)

[mark smyth]

No photos Anthony?

Twitchers - a very British Obsession

hi all

Tonight at 7.30pm on BBC4 there is a programme about twitchers.

It was on last week originally. You can get it here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vnflv/Twitchers_A_Very_British_Obsession/

[TC]

I have met several twitchers in my time and came to the conclusion that they needed psychiatric help.  I met Lee Evans half way up a mountain in Israel many years ago.  Enough said.

[Paul T]

Tom,

I'm sure that many twitchers would say the same thing about plantaholics that they meet halfway up a mountain, too!!  

[Anthony Darby]

I met Lee Evans half way up a mountain in Israel many years ago.  Enough said.

Good 'evans!

[Paul T]

Anthony,

Leeve it alone!!

[scatigaz]

     Just watched the twitching programme on tv and it really does bring back memories. Absolutely brilliant when the pager went off. A quick phone call to my late friend and we were off to see the latest rare bird. I do my birding more local now but still do the occasional twitch. It is difficult to convey to people exactly what makes us birders do it just as it is difficult to explain why we collect plants. But all i can say is two fantastic hobbies that i could not live without.

                                      Gary

[Lesley Cox]

Well one could add to the nonsense that Twitter participants indulge in. To my mind, while the Twitter posts may be tweets, the people who post them are twits.

[Paddy Tobin]

OK, that one needs to be carved in stone: "While the Twitter posts may be tweets, the people who post them are twits."

Certainly a candidate for "Great Statements of the SRGC Forum".

Good one, Lesley.

Paddy

[Paul T]

I second that nomination, Paddy!

[mark smyth]

A new book arrived today Birds of New Zealand. I'm amazed at how many European, and other, birds have been introduced. My history is rubbish   so can I ask what was happening in the 1860s?

mute swan Cygnus olor 1860s
cape barren goose coreopsis novaehollandiae 1914
canada goose branta canadensis 20th cent.
mallard Anas platyrhynchos
californian quail callipepla californica 1860s
french partridge Alectoris chukar 1920s
pheasant mid 1800s
spotted/necklace dove Streptopelia chinensis
skylark Alauda arvensis 1860s
blackbird Turdus merula 1860s
song thrush Turdus philomelos 1860s
dunnock Prunella modularis 1860s
yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella 1860s
cirl bunting Emberiza cirlus 1870s
chaffinch Fringella coelebs 1860s
goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 1860s
greenfinch Carduelis chloris 1860s
redpoll Carduelis flammea 1860s
house sparrow Passer domesticus 1860s
starling Sturnus vulgaris 1860s
Myna Acridotheres tristis 1870s
rook Corvus frugilegus 1860s

[Anthony Darby]

I new book arrived today Birds of New Zealand. I'm amazed at how many European, and other, birds have been introduced. My history is rubbish  so can I ask what was happening in the 1860s?

New government; people started moving to NZ in large numbers. They brought home, including birds they missed from the UK, with them.

[mark smyth]

That had to be a very difficult job to keep all the birds alive and in good condition for the journey. Would it take a couple of months by boat to get there?

[Stephenb]

OK, that one needs to be carved in stone: "While the Twitter posts may be tweets, the people who post them are twits."

Certainly a candidate for "Great Statements of the SRGC Forum".

Good one, Lesley.

Paddy

or "While the Twitter posts may be tweets, the people who post them are twites" 

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/twite/index.aspx