Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

Wikipidea said this Rod.....

The Eagle Owl was not considered to be naturally resident in England, but according to a BBC TV programme (2005), a pair bred for several years in a valley in Ministry of Defence land in North Yorkshire [6]. There was some debate as to whether these birds were escapees or whether they have arrived naturally from the continent, which would only be a short journey from either France or Scandinavia. At the time the program was made, they had reared 20 young to independence, and three young were in the nest. Nothing was known of what happened to those 20 young, except that one of them electrocuted itself on power lines in Shropshire.

Another bird has been sighted several times in Heaton, Bolton, Lancashire. This bird was reported to have died in mid April 2007 due to secondary poisoning, perhaps from eating a contaminated dead rodent.[7] The BBC reported a pair nesting and aggressively protecting their brood from dog-walkers on a nearby footpath in Lancashire, England in late May 2007.

However, a more recent BBC TV programme (2007) reported that the Eagle Owl is becoming more common in the UK and is showing signs that it is becoming established, mirroring the recent rapid increase in the Buzzard population with which it shares some similarities, particularly prey and habitat.

 
Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo and handler, at Bristol Zoo, EnglandThe recent apparent increase in successful wild-breeding has attracted opposition from those who believe the owl to be a danger to native species and young livestock. Perhaps as a result, a few 'new' Eagle Owls have been illegally killed, including the female in North Yorkshire that had successfully reared 23 young, who was shot dead in January 2006.[8] This act was condemned as "disgraceful" by the World Owl Trust.[9]

A new pair in Bowland, Lancashire have been attracting public attention due to having successfully reared 3 young to flight. There have also been reports of a further 2 pairs active in the local area as well as another pair breeding chicks in Northumberland in 2005.[9]

 
Threat postureEagle Owls have also been confirmed breeding in Scotland, with sightings of wild birds confirmed in Galloway, Invernesshire, and Sutherland. The World Owl Trust now believes that the Eagle Owl should be added to the British Ornithologists Union's list of official British birds - indicating the significance of the increase in wild pairs in Britain.

[kinboshi]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

You ever seen one Rod, like a real one? What magnificent specimens they seem to be, those wings so clever, & so complicated.

I think Angell would run a mile if Mr Big Bloody Owl so much as looked at him. He ducks whan a magpie squawks at him! Vicious buggers mind, them Magpies.

Not quite an Eagle Owl, but I've seen a few (or probably the same one) Barn Owls on my way home from DTD, not far from the Ratcliffe Power Station.  Amazing birds to watch in flight, although quite a distraction when you're driving. 

Is that the power station along the, errrm.. A453 ?

That's the fella.  Always someone driving ridiculously slow on it, and there are very few places to overtake safely.  I think you get to Gotham from it as well.

[tikay]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

You ever seen one Rod, like a real one? What magnificent specimens they seem to be, those wings so clever, & so complicated.

I think Angell would run a mile if Mr Big Bloody Owl so much as looked at him. He ducks whan a magpie squawks at him! Vicious buggers mind, them Magpies.

Not quite an Eagle Owl, but I've seen a few (or probably the same one) Barn Owls on my way home from DTD, not far from the Ratcliffe Power Station.  Amazing birds to watch in flight, although quite a distraction when you're driving. 

Is that the power station along the, errrm.. A453 ?

This one?......(fell for it). Note the coal-laden roll-over rail freight wagons in the foreground.

[Karabiner]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

You ever seen one Rod, like a real one? What magnificent specimens they seem to be, those wings so clever, & so complicated.

I think Angell would run a mile if Mr Big Bloody Owl so much as looked at him. He ducks whan a magpie squawks at him! Vicious buggers mind, them Magpies.

Not quite an Eagle Owl, but I've seen a few (or probably the same one) Barn Owls on my way home from DTD, not far from the Ratcliffe Power Station.  Amazing birds to watch in flight, although quite a distraction when you're driving. 

Is that the power station along the, errrm.. A453 ?

That's the fella.  Always someone driving ridiculously slow on it, and there are very few places to overtake safely.  I think you get to Gotham from it as well.

So a fair chance of running into Batman too....

[tikay]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

Wiki also said this purler......

In June 2007, an Eagle Owl nick-named 'Bubi' landed in the crowded Helsinki Olympic Stadium during the European Football Championship qualification match between Finland and Belgium. The match was interrupted for six minutes.[3] After tiring of the match, following Jonathan Johansson's opening goal for Finland, the bird left the stadium.[4] Finland's national football team have had the nickname Huuhkajat (Finnish for Eurasian Eagle-owls) ever since. The owl was named "Helsinki Citizen of the Year" in December 2007

Imagine anyone being interested in a football match between Finland & Belguim!

[tikay]

OK, off to buy myself in for tonight. Gotta find the damn place first, what with the Postcode being wrong. Back in 36 hours or so then.

Been besieged by PM's offering to donate towards Reece's new DVD, amazing.

Mother Hen also made an extraordinarily kind gesture for Reece. What a top Hen.

Meant to be an easy day today, but the PM & e-Mail count is over 70 already, jeez. Still, better to be busy then dead.

When I get back, I got to get my writing head on & do my Sky Poker Blog, which I enjoy, but I have to "switch off" blonde while I write, or I lose focus. So bugger off.

[Rod Paradise]

The Times reports that in Rotherham, of all places, people in the streets are being terrorised by an European Eagle Owl.

Bloody immigrants!

Therein lies the problem - they were native to GB - and there are breeding pairs in the wild here. BUT the RSPB (to be called the RSBNP in the future mayhaps) won't recognise them as a returned ex-native species and want them culled from the wild - even though long migrations have been shown on the continent. The RSPBNP insist that they can only be escaped falconers (and worse - exotic pet owners) birds & that in no way can the spread of Eagle Owls across Europe have crossed the channel.

You ever seen one Rod, like a real one? What magnificent specimens they seem to be, those wings so clever, & so complicated.

I think Angell would run a mile if Mr Big Bloody Owl so much as looked at him. He ducks whan a magpie squawks at him! Vicious buggers mind, them Magpies.

I've only seen one when visiting with a falconer - they're heavy!! If they're breeding in Galloway then hopefully the young will spill over into Nithsdale and I'll get to see one in the wild.

I've seen Barn Owls (there's a nesting pair near my folk's house and they're noisy buggers when they're feeding the young on the roof above you - if they weren't so beautiful I'd be getting the gun out . There's also Tawny owls in woods near us, had one only just miss me when I was birdnesting* as a kid - we bottled it and didn't go any nearer.

*I know birdnesting is wrong, we realised it as we grew up - BUT we learned a hell of a lot about the countryside by doing it.

[amcgrath1uk]

OK, off to buy myself in for tonight. Gotta find the damn place first, what with the Postcode being wrong. Back in 36 hours or so then.

Been besieged by PM's offering to donate towards Reece's new DVD, amazing.

Mother Hen also made an extraordinarily kind gesture for Reece. What a top Hen.

Meant to be an easy day today, but the PM & e-Mail count is over 70 already, jeez. Still, better to be busy then dead.

When I get back, I got to get my writing head on & do my Sky Poker Blog, which I enjoy, but I have to "switch off" blonde while I write, or I lose focus. So bugger off.

with living round the corner.. can always bell me if u get lost..

[taximan007]

Reece has a new DVD player, sorted, we just spoke on the 'phone

We will give Mureen the cash when we see her.

As well as the kind offers on this thread, Eck PM'd Maureen too.

It's about £90, so I'll collect a bit from those who offered, & give it all to Maureen.

Julian Thew, by the way, has already made a very moving private contribution a while back, & what's left of that is earmarked for a holiday for Reece & the Family after the Op.

Great stuff, well done everybody

[Dingdell]

Mother Hen also made an extraordinarily kind gesture for Reece. What a top Hen.

He does know that Reece is not young enough to play poker legally yet?
Imho offering him unlimited admission to DTD is just plain irresponsible.

[tikay]

I popped across to Manchester G, only got lost twice. (Once going, once coming back). It's 4 miles each way according to Tom-Tom, which admittedly has the wrong Postcode in - the one given by Grosvenor - & I clocked up 17 miles in total. Pfft.

21 runners were still in from yesterday. The only face I recognized was Steve Holden, going OK. He has some game that lad.

I just remembered I also saw Lawrence Gosney & James Akenhead there yesterday. Same table, fireworks inevitable.

Raaby was nowhere to be seen, but reportedly there. Apparently he said he had to pop out for something, & he'd be back in 4 hours. I'm sure I saw him stood outside a boozer.

I tried to get a Print-Out of the Overnights to Post here, but it was too difficult to arrange......

These Fessies have changed, or it seems to me they have. All these 12 year-olds, cap, hoodie, shades, twirling chip-tricks for England, snarling, never smiling. It's a kids thing I guess, this snarly Mr Aggressive in-yer-face. I guess we all went through it, me included. They don't do cooey-wooey either. Every hand it's "I was ahead all the way", "you got lucky", self-deprecation does not appear to be in their tool-kit. A hour on a Table with Woodley or Bling-Bling Jonas usually cures them, they are merciless when faced with attitude.

Amazing how the Fessie scene has changed, too. The "Series" things are all well-subscribed, extremely popular, & good for them. But the workaday Fessies are dying, which is a shame. But deservedly, as Raaby & DTD & Co have upped the bar, & if anyone wants to run a Fessie these days, they gotta do it a bit better than hitherto. Market Forces working it's magic.

I was pleasantly surprised to see, 5 minutes before the start last night, all the Dealers ready, all the ChipStacks out, & we were called to our seats 3 mins before scheduled kick-off. Great stuff. But then they did that thing which creases me up. Repeated announcements, "Will you PLEASE take your Seats NOW, we are waiting to start". There's this really neat trick which a few places have sussed. Just start! The Players soon sit down. Trust me, or you may get stampeded in the rush. Works every time, & is 100% free. The poker world is full of little mysteries.

[kinboshi]

Sigh.  When you were at the casino last time, did you not think to add your current location as a favourite in your Tom Tom?

[tikay]

Sigh.  When you were at the casino last time, did you not think to add your current location as a favourite in your Tom Tom?

Err...how would I now where I was? Is there a button to press, or summat?

Anyway, I'm off there again now. For the 8 mile 4 mile journey.

Be back about 5am I think. Going deep tonight.

[Karabiner]

Tikay's out late tonight..

[Laxie]

You're reading my mind!