The Monthly Flyer. November 2019 No 4(b)

A clean pair of heels? - well, legs-yes!!

After my unusual bonus blog a couple of weeks ago, here we go back to (sort of -) normal. I did have a couple of positive comments on my culinary delights, so maybe I should try my hand at fiction!!

Good bits of news from Carsington.  On 2^nd November a Great Northern Diver was reported by Carsington Bird Club.    Much earlier than in recent years, but the experts id’d this one as a juvenile, so maybe we have yet to see a/the returning adult which is normally in the first half of December.

I popped in for a while on Sunday when Amanda and Mac were on duty, and we located the Diver in the area they often frequent, in the middle of the reservoir near the line of red buoys.

The other Carsington news is that for almost the first time since May 2016, with the water this week at 97.2% full the level is so high that you can see from the Wildlife Centre that it actually IS a horseshoe Island.   Whilst this good level stops people encroaching on the islands, it is not exactly conducive to waters edge waders.

As you know my 2019 UK target of 200 species has well fizzled out, so it was good to hear that Amanda is currently on the magic 200, and she still has time to spare to get even higher. In 2018 she scored 207, so a higher figure in 2019 is still a possibility.

In the last 7 days I have twice read a news item from the Dubai air show which made me ponder.

The Airbus company observed that migrating birds, geese in particular, have a tendency to fly in a  V-formation so that the birds that are behind the leader, by flying in it’s wake, use less effort in propelling themselves forward.

OK, that’s a given, well understood by birders. Now, Airbus are advocating that aircraft should emulate this technique by flying close behind each other. Really?  How can you have that situation?   

I can think of only 2 circumstances when this technique could be applied in reality.

The Red Arrows flying in formation

A Royal fly past down the Mall!

I mean, let’s face it, can you see 6 Thomson holiday flights all taking off from East Midlands airport at 6.00am within 5 minutes of each, loitering until they are all assembled in a V and heading off SSE to the Middle of France.  Then “Douglas Bader” despatches Tail-end Charlie to Faro, next to Majorca, number 3 to Milan. The remaining 3 re-group, down the Adriatic, when No 4 veers off for Naples, 5 lands in Athens and “leader” goes solo to Pathos. 

With a stretch of the imagination that could work, but I couldn’t see different airlines coordinating the timetables. Mike O’Leary would always want the best deal for Ryanair and would therefore always want to avoid being the leader.

And what about coming back?  Should all flights have a “meeting area” above  say Corsica, where they would circle until all 6 had re-grouped. Now THAT would waste some juice.

Sorry, can’t see this being a goer.

What else in the news?   I’ll bring you up to speed on some recent leg purchases.

For a long time I have wanted a walking cane with a handle in the shape of a leg, but until recently they have eluded me. Then I came across one, and then a second, and those are the 2 metal handled examples in the picture. The third one is, I think, a nicer one because it is carved, and whilst I am not used to walking with a stick (yet!) in a short trial run, I found the handle nicely fitted in the palm of the hand.

The other photos include something that I had never seen before. I have seen many examples of trench-art, particularly those ostensibly made by soldiers in the trenches from discarded pieces of brass etc, from military shells. So when I came across one in the shape of a shoehorn, whilst we at an antique fair near Exeter last week, it had to be added to my collection.

…. And the same with the weeny leg shaped piece of mother-of-pearl which s shown on the shoe-horn to compare the size.

Whilst we were away in Exmouth last week, I went on another of the bird watching trips up the Exe to Topsham and back.    Not very different from the February trip and nothing to add to my static 2019 count. A Rock Pipit was a nice sighting on a marina wall, a Peregrine was visible on one of the spires on Holy Trinity Church, and there were lots of Oos and Ahhs for the Avocets.

Just wish the “spotter” had been the competent David Smallshire; our spotter lost his bearings in using a clock face basis (North 12.00; East 3.00 etc.) Let’s hope it is DS when I go next February.

I had a call from Gill, who was thrilled to have a Jay drop in for a brief landing in her garden. She has seen them doing a fly-through to a nearby oak, but this one was obviously getting more sociable…or hungry!!

Finally……………  147 years ago - on the 30^th November 1872 - the first ever International football match -  watched by 4,000 spectators - Scotland v England.  Result 0-0  

Merry Xmas!!   (well, if all goes to plan, the next blog will be around Hogmanay!!)