Wednesday 25 February 2009

Bird of 6th Week, HT09

You may have noticed that Bird of the Week has been absent for a while. This is because when it grows cold, all sensible birds take a trip south to do the avian equivalent of sunning themselves on lilos whilst drinking fruity cocktails. But now, as the first rays of spring sunshine warm the earth and every day brings us closer to daffodil season, bird of the week is BACK. And he's bigger than ever. In fact, he's very big indeed, for our bird of 6th week is the OSPREY, and he has a wingspan of 4.5-6 feet (135-180cm, for those of you that prefer metric). Don't mess with him.


He can be found in all continents apart from Antarctica, but he needs to be near water so that he can eat fish. His black eye-patch gives him a piratical air, and sometimes he goes by the name of Sea Hawk. The female is somewhat larger than the male and has an attractive black necklace (figuratively speaking). Ospreys generally pair for life but if the union is unsuccessful, there will be what ornotholigists and anthropomorphosis-loving folk call "a divorce". It is uncertain whether divorced ospreys then "marry" again. But regardless of marital difficulties, osprey chicks have a very happy childhood, and their nests have been known to contain hula-hoops, ragdolls and toy boats.
N.B. This last bit is not even a lie.

Sunday 15 February 2009

well take a look at this





























If you go down to the meadows today...

...you can't be sure of anything really, but if you are very lucky you might see what we have seen which is:


1. A HERON (pictured above)

stalking through the undergrowth, disregarding the excited gaze of those who look upon him.


2. a pair of swans (pictured further above)

for a melancholy view of the mating habits of swans, the transience of life and the loneliness of man, take a look at W.B. Yeats' 'Wild Swans at Coole'.


3. a kingfisher (again)


and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE?

Christchurch Meadows: full of surprises. and birds.