Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Good for you mate, they're not kids for long, enjoy it while you can.

[Geo the Sarge]

Given that there isn't much else to do, I am going to try and kick the kids out of bed for this. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day

We are lucky in that we live very close to a country park, so should be able to get most of the sounds from the garden.  I am not sure how compatible it is with the Sunday Million, but will give it a go one time.

You'll be fine. The dawn chorus is over by the time the sun is up. You're more likely to hear it while playing the night before's session.

They are both up for getting up beford dawn.   Don't know how they will handle the reality; am pretty sure the elder one will follow it up though.  I hate mornings, but am trying to do new things with them.

I am out at 5:30 each morning walking the dog. I use a phone app called Bird Up which records the birdsong and identifies the birds for you (very quickly) It has a 30 day free trial. I am now able to identify quite a few bird calls/songs without the app.

Apologies if you already know about this

Geo

[RED-DOG]

Given that there isn't much else to do, I am going to try and kick the kids out of bed for this. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day

We are lucky in that we live very close to a country park, so should be able to get most of the sounds from the garden.  I am not sure how compatible it is with the Sunday Million, but will give it a go one time.

You'll be fine. The dawn chorus is over by the time the sun is up. You're more likely to hear it while playing the night before's session.

They are both up for getting up beford dawn.   Don't know how they will handle the reality; am pretty sure the elder one will follow it up though.  I hate mornings, but am trying to do new things with them.

I am out at 5:30 each morning walking the dog. I use a phone app called Bird Up which records the birdsong and identifies the birds for you (very quickly) It has a 30 day free trial. I am now able to identify quite a few bird calls/songs without the app.

Apologies if you already know about this

Geo

Incredible.

Technology never ceases to amaze me.


I seem to remember that you did some great bird photography a wile back. Do you still do any?

[Doobs]

Given that there isn't much else to do, I am going to try and kick the kids out of bed for this. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day

We are lucky in that we live very close to a country park, so should be able to get most of the sounds from the garden.  I am not sure how compatible it is with the Sunday Million, but will give it a go one time.

You'll be fine. The dawn chorus is over by the time the sun is up. You're more likely to hear it while playing the night before's session.

They are both up for getting up beford dawn.   Don't know how they will handle the reality; am pretty sure the elder one will follow it up though.  I hate mornings, but am trying to do new things with them.

I am out at 5:30 each morning walking the dog. I use a phone app called Bird Up which records the birdsong and identifies the birds for you (very quickly) It has a 30 day free trial. I am now able to identify quite a few bird calls/songs without the app.

Apologies if you already know about this

Geo

I think you are safe to assume that I haven't heard of most apps.  I give up pretty easily when it comes to mobile, but will give it a go.  Cheers

There are a lot of birds singing around are garden most of the day and it is pretty noisy if I run deep in the poker, but the kids miss it, and I can't identify many birds by song.  My youngest is pretty good at identifying birds by sight.

I am quite enjoying a few bits of thw lockdown.  My youngest has become proficient on her bike and have had some proper adventures with my eldest cycling round the countryside.  They are now seeing the World as we used to as kids.  Normally she is hard to drag away from the screens, but right now she is just happy to get outside.  She normally does a lot of exercise, it is just I don't usually have much part in it other than as driver.   

[Geo the Sarge]

Given that there isn't much else to do, I am going to try and kick the kids out of bed for this. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day

We are lucky in that we live very close to a country park, so should be able to get most of the sounds from the garden.  I am not sure how compatible it is with the Sunday Million, but will give it a go one time.

You'll be fine. The dawn chorus is over by the time the sun is up. You're more likely to hear it while playing the night before's session.

They are both up for getting up beford dawn.   Don't know how they will handle the reality; am pretty sure the elder one will follow it up though.  I hate mornings, but am trying to do new things with them.

I am out at 5:30 each morning walking the dog. I use a phone app called Bird Up which records the birdsong and identifies the birds for you (very quickly) It has a 30 day free trial. I am now able to identify quite a few bird calls/songs without the app.

Apologies if you already know about this

Geo

I think you are safe to assume that I haven't heard of most apps.  I give up pretty easily when it comes to mobile, but will give it a go.  Cheers

There are a lot of birds singing around are garden most of the day and it is pretty noisy if I run deep in the poker, but the kids miss it, and I can't identify many birds by song.  My youngest is pretty good at identifying birds by sight.

I am quite enjoying a few bits of thw lockdown.  My youngest has become proficient on her bike and have had some proper adventures with my eldest cycling round the countryside.  They are now seeing the World as we used to as kids.  Normally she is hard to drag away from the screens, but right now she is just happy to get outside.  She normally does a lot of exercise, it is just I don't usually have much part in it other than as driver.   

It's very simple to use and if you have lots of birds around the garden it is ideal, your lass will soon be able to put songs/calls to the birds

Geo

[Geo the Sarge]

Given that there isn't much else to do, I am going to try and kick the kids out of bed for this.  

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day

We are lucky in that we live very close to a country park, so should be able to get most of the sounds from the garden.  I am not sure how compatible it is with the Sunday Million, but will give it a go one time.

You'll be fine. The dawn chorus is over by the time the sun is up. You're more likely to hear it while playing the night before's session.

They are both up for getting up beford dawn.   Don't know how they will handle the reality; am pretty sure the elder one will follow it up though.  I hate mornings, but am trying to do new things with them.

I am out at 5:30 each morning walking the dog. I use a phone app called Bird Up which records the birdsong and identifies the birds for you (very quickly) It has a 30 day free trial. I am now able to identify quite a few bird calls/songs without the app.

Apologies if you already know about this

Geo

Incredible.

Technology never ceases to amaze me.


I seem to remember that you did some great bird photography a wile back. Do you still do any?

Hi Tom,

wouldn't call it great photography but yes I have started taking my camera with me most mornings. Since moving out of the city and getting the dog I walk each morning and evening with the dog for about 2 hours at the moment. Due to lockdown we stick to local pathways of which there are many really good walks. We prefer the hills however I'd need to drive to the Pentlands and all car parks are closed and access limited and monitored by the Polis.

I'm just back from this mornings jaunt but have a few chores to do so will stick some pics up later. Hope you and yours are well.

Geo

[Geo the Sarge]

So anyway,

About 18 months ago I decided I wasn't enjoying working in the banking group after close to 19 years (I had went there straight from finishing my time in the Army) the whole environment had got nastier especially after 2008/9 and the bailouts. I felt the place just became unbearable.

I won't go into too much detail, suffice to say my attributes of organisational and admin abilities and my honesty and straight talking which were coveted by others and helped me progress in the group at the outset was no longer the fashion and I was never going to be a "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" sort of guy, I decided to leave.

As I mentioned to you in December we moved out of the city in October to a former mining village close to Roslin, home of the Chapel made famous in the Da Vinci code book and film. My intention was to spend a couple of months settling in and then go looking for a canine walking partner, my youngest son jumped the gun a bit and in November surprised me with an early Xmas:

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

We named him Bramley, for no other reason than it was a name that came up and I liked it, he's now almost 8 months and a complete joy:

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

Each morning at around 5:15 he wakes me if I'm still sleeping by coming to my side of the bed and gently nudging me in the face with his cold nose. We're usually up and out by 5:30, the sunrise this morning was particularly good:

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Karabiner]

Is he a fox terrier Geo?

Nice to hear from you btw.

[Geo the Sarge]

Before lockdown we would drop Mrs Geo off at work then head to Portobello beach or up the Pentland hills. At that time I was only carrying my phone which I used to take pics. Currently we restrict ourselves to the many wonderful walks that start around the village here and I've started taking my camera with me.

The dawn chorus around here is tremendous an as I said to Doobs earlier I put the Bird Up app on my phone to help identify the birds I was hearing. Unfortunately my sight isn't what it used to be and it's more difficult finding the blighters in amongst the trees.

A selection of some of the better images I've been able to capture:

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

Is he a fox terrier Geo?

Nice to hear from you btw.

He's a Border Collie Ralph although he does have a bit of a foxy look about him.

Hope your well sir.

Geo

[Geo the Sarge]

As you can imagine, Bramley loves being out and about and over the last wee while I've introduced him to sheep, rabbits and horses which are all abundant in this area (there are quite a few large stables round and about this way.

I've tried to teach him that they are no threat to him and there's no need to bark/chase, he's really taken to it and always greets the horses in the morning:

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

It became apparent that there was an abundance of Wrens in the area with the hits I was getting on Bird Up, I was aware of the call of the wren from escapades in years gone by and probably my favourite image that I've captured over the years was of a wren sitting atop a tree stump. They can be incredibly hard to capture due to their size and also their shyness. Unfortunately I can't locate that image anymore.

But you can never mistake the call of the wren once you know it as it can be one of the loudest and clearest of the lot. On Wednesday I set myself the goal of persevering in an area I knew there were a number of them to see if I could catch a glimpse and at best if I could capture an image.

I positioned myself on a small bridge in that area and just sat down, took about an hour, however I was rewarded. Not the greatest pics I've taken but I know you will understand the great pleasure they give me:

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Cracking pics Geo. The wren pics are fabulous, great bokeh in the close up.

I especially like the pic of the blue tit on the wire. Not easy to get such nice focus and exposure with that bright background. you must have a very steady hand. Are you still using the same camera BTW?



I like your collie. Liver and white ones are a bit unusual, they remind me of Australian cattle dogs.

Click to see full-size image.

Nice to see you're doing the responsible thing and making sure he's sound with livestock.


That looks like a nice part of the world your in now.

Great to hear from you.