Quick update...

I have been in France this weekend, so will be making a proper post in the week with some photos etc. Don't get too excited on the birding front though...

In other news, I have tentatively introduced my first fish into my new tank...


Well these are my original fish, but I have to start somewhere. I carefully left my favourite minnow in the old tank for now just in case, but all going well should be there for the weekend so i can go buy some proper new additions. I find this exciting even if nobody else does :)

ecosystemical awesomeness

Today I built an ecosystem. On my desk.


Took ages, but it's AWESOME. Very excited about getting fish to fill it with, but will be a few weeks down the line until it's fully up and running. Compared to my previous tank (only 14 litres) this is a considerable upgrade, and a worthy use of my birthday money in my opinion.



The minnow clan are excited that they will have a new home very soon. I will keep you updated on this one as it progresses...

London has parks and other stuff

I have nearly written about 4 posts in the last couple of weeks but a certain person keeps beating me to it and, even worse, keeps stealing my photos with it. I'll summarise it to blah blah OMFG I SAW A BARN OWL IT WAS ---------------THIS BIG-------------------- amusing angry geese blah blah waxwings have very bad taste and are rubbish blah blah etc etc.

Anyway. I've had a busy few days going to lots of lovely places and being all civilised. Went to the Natural History Museum which was crammed full of school kids and out of date taxonomy. Really cool place, but it's the first time I ever really noticed that it's looking a bit tired and in need of updating. I just find it odd that they have something as massively rare as a Javan and a Sumatran Rhino in their collection and not even COMMENT on their conservation status. Darwin exhibition was good, but I think it could have been better considering the scale of the subject they're talking about.

Stopped in Hyde park on our way back home, and it's starting to look like Spring is around the corner. This Squirrel was making it hard to prove my point though...


These things move around A LOT. They also like shoes, in case you wanted to know.


Getting closer here. Just a shame he is pointing exactly the wrong way...


Hooray, nomnomnomnomnom....


Turns out tourists do have their uses- standing next to one throwing bread in the air can make some nice photos.


Anybody know what this is? Red-crested Pochard + Tuftie I reckon...

I promise more full sentences in my next post and less dross. Maybe.

ohmygodz

look at this!

I took that photo, I am now a published photographer and that, muahaha!

snowy day activities

In the spirit of those "rainy day" activity books that were always shoved at me when I was younger and bored, I took the oppurtunity of a snow day a couple of weeks ago to MAKE SOMETHING.


Oh yes that's right- a decorate your own mug kit. It involves two of my favourite things- making a mess and drinking tea. Can't really lose here surely?

So I began by preparing my workspace and adhering to the strict rules laid down in the instructions (put down paper on your workspace, don't consume the pens, only bake your mug between 2.30 and 3.45 on a thursday but not if there is a full moon the previous night) .

(Here is where you would expect to find a "before" shot of my mug. I forgot to take one.)

So... I carefully coloured in my mug, making sure to stay within the lines and all that, and then left for 24 hours to dry. After this I baked my mug :)


So... The results. Well it was a good use of snowy day time, and did produce an adequate tea-holding vessel (surely half the point of this activity).


However, the green and brown colours have come off a bit since washing it for the first time, where the pink and yellow seem to be fine. I think I will need to give it a second coat, but as a stuck-indoors activity and bearing in mind the final product I will give it... 6.5/10. I would have given it an 8 if Percy's friends were Aardvarks. The cow looks a bit evil to me :-/

snow day :)

I suppose you noticed it was quite snowy today then?
I woke up to this sight and decided not to bother trying make my way across to camden, which turned out to be a good decision as the zoo was closed, with only emergency staff coming in (lions still need feeding and all that...).


Birds in the garden were performing nicely in the garden, particularly three long tailed tits who hung around all day. They can be very photogenic when they want to be... Also some very confused blackbirds hunting leaves amongst the snow, and bizarrely a blue tit checking out the nest box by the window (note to self- clean out nest box).


We ventured outside a bit later to see my grandparents, make some snow angels, chase around some ducks in the snow and build a snowman. Some awesome views of blizzardy goodness :)



We have at least 7-8 inches of snow on the ground this evening, so may well be facing snow day: the sequel tommorrow. We will see...


Meanwhile, here is a nice photo of a long tailed tit in flight :)

tortoises are awesome

Especially giant ones.

This is an Aldabra giant tortoise (Geochelone gigantica), the Seychelles equivalent of the Galapagos tortoise.


She lives next to the komodo dragon, and so maybe somewhat overlooked. I am now officially a fan of her though, and thought you should be too.


I've always liked tortoises, but these damn reptile enthusiasts have even almost convinced me to get a snake. Worrying.

Now I am going to go watch some program about Darwin. See, topical and everything...