Weathergirl

There are 3 'courting' couples in my pond and about 5 males milling around. They were quite active a couple of days ago when it was warmer and lots of calling. But they are now quiet and I don't think they will be spawning until it warms up again.We also have a couple of newts in the pond. Herons are the worst around here, will eat the frogs and the fish if they can get to them. We have a metal grid over our pond and it seems to deter them. But our neighbours ponds on either side get decimated almost every year and it all happens early one morning! I can usually tell, as we don't see the fish for a few days as they are terrified.

Back in the late 1970's Blackbirds were nesting from mid February onwards. I know as I used to look for nests and made a diary and map of where they all were. Used to love the half-term as I always found lots of nests, by then end of May it was all over. They can survive cold springs, but wet/cold springs are not good for all nesting birds.

In the last 10yrs of living here, this is the most sustained high winds I've ever experienced. Normally it's over within 12hrs, but this has been going on for almost 36hrs now. Glad when it goes away, the noise is driving me barmy!

Back in the early 90's there was a huge thunderstorm over west Cardiff and non-stop strikes. Got to my parents and at the time had one of those car radio's that you took out for security. Big metal box thingy. Well, got out of the car and could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up, legged it into the house and the next thing we know, lighting had hit the road just 50yrds away. We all fell to the floor as it was so scary! Next thing we knew, the TV, fax machine (dad had an office)were all fried. Thankfully the computer had been disconnected as my dad always did this in thunderstorms. So, don't carry metal objects if you feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up!

We all need to say "No more snow! Horrible stuff!" and maybe the weather gods will annoy us with a big dumping? Well see what happened before Xmas, all those people praying for good weather so they could fly away Anyway, warm weather in the middle of winter is never good for hibernating animals or birds as they can get caught out big time if the weather changes drasticaly. Just let us have a warm spring like 2003, is that too much to ask? :smiliz19:

Do you think the schools might be closed tomorrow? :winky:

Personaly, I know that birds can just die of fright, especially at night. I used to have an Aviary in the garden with 10 cockatiels. One night a cat attached one of our chickens and it was bitten on the head and make a hell of a commotion and this all happened at night and the poor cockatiels in the Aviary next door just fell off their perches dead! The report about only one species of fish dying, now that is very strange

I was in Kaprun, Austria last August and one evening they had a MASSIVE thunderstorm and the heaviest rain I'd ever seen. Then they set off their sirens (air raid siren sound)so it was all a bit scary!

I've travelled down from York to Bristol today and there is NOT that much snow! Only a very small dusting and then nothing south of Birmingham. The only place that has snow is York northwards and a small patchy amount around. Even the Pennines don't have any snow!

Well Mr Laminate Floori is dropping lots of hints, that this winter is going to be cold. Had no idea he did bodybuilding in competition and may be coming our way :ph34r:

I remember this very well. I lived in Cardiff at the time and the friday evening it started the snow was very 'gritty and I remember thinking to myself how rubbish it was, but the wind was in the east and bittingly cold. Later that night my mum woke us up to show us how heavy the snow was and for the rest of the night I had my bling open so that I could see the 'shadow' of snow falling outside as we had a street lamp outside the house. The next day it just kept going and we stayed in. I think it snowed all the next night and in the morning we opened our backdoor and were met by a wall of snow half way up the door! We had to dig ourselves out into the back garden. There was no school that week and all the kids would go up to the local hills where there were massive snowdrifts and we spent ages digging tunnels (very dangerous now I come to think of it). But we did see quite a lot of dead frozen cats in the street and birds. And to think we only had single glazing and no heating....brr!!!

Winter in the West, will be where it's best (fingers crossed)

Just you watch! He will forecast a mild/stormy winter and he will be right by predicting the opposite of everyone else...as usual :unsure:

Well around 8.15 our power went off for 45 mins. Almost missed Torchwood. Did not hear any thunder but lots of heavy rain!

Currently 7.5c and its ALL WHITE OUTSIDE, with hail stones :shock: would not be surprised if we had a clap of thunder as the sky is black.

Hi everyone, Been snowing quite heavily here since 2pm and now there is 2cm covering. Sky still looks full of it. Will be quite tricky this evening as it all turns to ice!