Panic? Not me!

Tanker drivers at five of the seven main supply companies have voted in favour of industrial action over terms and conditions. Industrial action in fact means industrial inaction, ie, a strike. The union must give seven days' notice of its intention to call its members out on strike. In the meantime, the government and all the other pundits say to Joe Public "Don't panic. Be sensible."
So, what's the sensible thing to do? Fill up your tank, right? Right. So, everybody and his brother go out and, as a sensible precaution, fill up their tanks. Result? Petrol stations run out of fuel.
This isn't panic buying, of course, but the outcome is the same. Makes you proud to be British. And, as a bonus, you can always blame the government.

"There's a crow in my owlbox!"

This cri de coeur has become more frequent in recent years. In fact, the "crow" in question is a Jackdaw, which is a cavity nester, unlike the Rook or the Carrion Crow. And the reason the complaint about "crows" taking over nestboxes meant for Barn Owls or Kestrels has increased is because the number of Jackdaws has increased, and quite markedly so over the last few years. You may or may not love this small corvid, beady of eye and grey of nape, often seen tumbling around in groups calling its name, a sharp "jack", but you can't deny that it's a successful creature.
According to the BTO, the reason it has increased is because it adapts very quickly to changes in the environment, and in particular can exploit new food sources, which means it has an improved chance of raising more young. It also exploits nesting opportunities, and will usurp a Barn Owl or Kestrel nestbox given half a chance. In other words, it's a generalist; the more specialist a creature is, the more vulnerable it is to change, because it simply can't adapt. Think of the Giant Panda, one of Nature's dafter inventions.

How much???

Not sure what we can do with the following information, except spit:
  http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/

Let's hear it for Lord Lilford!

There it is, a pretty box made from offcuts, lovingly installed in a tree, base lined with cosy woodshavings, a really fetching circular entrance and a dinky inspection door. All it lacks now is a pair of Little Owls to take up residence. In some East Midland counties, this diminutive owl is known as Lord Lilford's Owl, after the aristo who introduced it from the Continent and on to his estates. It's a fronzy wee beastie, with frowning stare and an endearing way of bobbing its head which suggests impatience, irritation or curiosity, but is simply the bird's way of establishing parallax to determine the distance of objects. Why is it that scientific explanations are so often so dull compared to popular beliefs?
Anyway, here's a Little Owl frowning - or whatever you think its facial expression means.

Victor Wooten "Yesterday"

A real tour-de-force on the bass guitar. Worth a few minutes of anyone's time!

Holy Swifts!

Rehabbing a hummer

This really is a challenge for any rehabber!