Uploaded on Jan 13, 2012
On February 23rd 2013 the inventor of this amazing machine passed away in a car accident. Sadly the SK Ornithopter goes with him. Thank you for your invention Sean. You will be missed

http://youtu.be/VVGHX5Vtf0Q

Love, love, love this graphic..lol..the looks on their faces!

Thanks Carly, can't imagine what they are thinking!! LOL

Happy Thanksgiving!

Donna, I have no idea how you come up with these graphics but it sure is fun to see. I enjoyed everybody else's cards too.
 
Dot in PA

I am a crazy card nut!! Thanks Dot!

Enjoy your day with Family & Friends! Blessings!

Maybe Shaky can merge this with Loch of the Lowes Osprey 2014 discussion! 

Done.

Thank you!!

Maybe Shaky can merge this with Loch of the Lowes Osprey 2014 discussion! 

DC, left just as Shaky zoomed in! Figures!!

DC

Beauty

[chivvying]

Nov. 21

Thanks to all those who have sent video etc.  I do actually have access to these through our recording video, but can’t see any clear pattern as to direction of exit flights, especially those with food.  Often the bird has gone to the roost tree, and in at least one case, the adult has come back to the nest box to finish the food.  This is clearly not a good sign.

But I haven’t abandoned all hope.   If Aspro is still alive and well, she should be flying by now (43 days old), or at least being more active, and there should be more obvious signs.

I’m going out now for a scout about and will be around over the weekend as well to have a look and a listen.

Nov. 22

I’ve gone painstakingly through all the tapes since the ‘tumble’ and apart from the first two days, there has been a distinct drop in activity.  The last food brought into the box by Beau was (as far as I have been able to tell) on 17th November.  This was taken by Swift up into the roost tree opposite.  She then returned with some of the prey still intact three minutes later and then ate it.  This doesn’t look a bird who is feeding a youngster, so that doesn’t look good.   Since then Swift has spent most of the time in the box, about half that time on the ledge, and the rest in the box asleep (or having a yawn, see below) with an occasional swap with Beau, presumably so she can hunt.  It’s not impossible that they are still feeding Aspro, but I don’t think it is very likely at this stage.   However, I am very happy to be proven wrong and will still keep searching during this coming week, but can’t come in tomorrow (singing with our choir in the cathedral).
The lack of chivvying as we search has been worrying from the start, but I was hoping that the youngster had somehow ended up some distance away and was gradually finding its way back (and that still is a possibility).

chiv·vy or chiv·y  (chv)
v. chiv·vied or chiv·ied, chiv·vy·ing or chiv·y·ing, chiv·vies or chiv·ies
v.tr.
1. To vex or harass with petty attacks: political opponents who chivvied the senator.
2. To maneuver or secure gradually: "had spent two weeks chivvying this division toward combat readiness" (Tom Clancy).
v.intr.
To scurry.
n. pl. chiv·vies or chiv·ies
1. A hunt or chase.
2. A hunting cry.

I love his "Weeeeeee"

[Love it!!!]

http://youtu.be/u1la5c48oT4


There’s nothing unusual about birds perched on a tree’s branches.

But what about when they all decide to fly away at once?

According to Liveleak were the video was originally posted, this was filmed in Zaandam, North Holland, Netherlands.

The man capturing the footage can hardly believe his eyes either.

As he says, “Weeeeeee!�

Before, the tree weighed down by birds:      Love it!!!

No actual news as yet.  I’ve been looking at the tapes and have noticed when the adults have left with food (a good sign) and tried to focus on that area when we have been out searching.   But the adult birds, despite clearly seeing me/us have not made a pipsqueak (a bad sign).     I have spent hours walking right around the campus on my own and with friends and colleagues (even bringing in my dogs last night (on leads, of course), which I thought provoke the adults into attacking, but they scarcely turned a hair.

Going through the tapes of Saturday when the accident happened, I noticed that Aspro had a good feed (perhaps an eastern rosella) an hour beforehand and during that day there were several periods of  major strong wingflaps around the box (another good sign).

I was also able to catch Aspro standing right on the ledge so I could measure her and she is definitely a she, almost as tall as Swift, but much slighter, of course.

Again, thanks to those who have sent words of encouragement (and particularly to Yvonne for the tape of one of the exits).   I apologise for not doing an update yesterday as promised, but I had nothing but bad news to report and was hoping that looking at more of the exits and landings might help.

 

Jeanne reported that a car crashed into the Cross Rds Bldg last night.  No damage that I can see from this angle.

Gotta love these cameras!!!