The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Good idea.
You up for organising something Nick?

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You have a deal that would be nice.

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track action maniac.

The lunatic is out................heres Jonny!

This fine looking specimen is nesting alongside the M6 near my house and visits Clarkie's Cafe very frequently for sustenance.

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Vindicator Sprint, Honda Fireblade RRX 919cc, re-powered by AB Performance. Quick.

Saturday 25th April - end of winter/start of summer?

About three miles out of town I saw several hundred golden plovers this morning. I suspect that these are the last flocks headed to breed in the Arctic tundra. (Some golden plovers breed here, but they are much more common as winter visitors.)

Today in the town I saw the first goldfinch this year and a first pair of swallows. No swifts yet (may be another 6 weeks before they arrive?).

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I am not really an Ornithology man much, but swallows and their kin always impress me, I love hearing them twitter as they chase around houses etc late in the year, and I am always saddened when in late Sept they fade away.
We live not far from Selborne where Gilbert White lived a couple of centuries ago and they believed that Swallows hibernated in hollow trees.

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track action maniac.

The lunatic is out................heres Jonny!

The Black Isle is a long way from the mountains. I got married in Beauly which is just the other side of the water. My wife's late father lived at Tore on the black isle...

but back on subject when I was last up this christmas we drove over the Tomintall road from Aberdeen to the A9. I though I saw an Osprey flying buy at one point...but aren't they migratory?

Don't know too many large black and white BoP's in that area...

Jonners

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Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

Fish eagles are back in Scotland these days, but they are more heavily built than Ospreys.

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track action maniac.

The lunatic is out................heres Jonny!

Ospreys are migratory, they winter in Africa. Their main prey, the brown trout, would be very nearly impossible to catch during the winter because they remain close to the bottom of the deepest parts of the lochs during this time.
It is quite possible to confuse buzzards with ospreys. Buzzards' plumage can vary considerably and a pale one is possibly what you saw Jon? (Buzzards are resident all year round and now very common in the Highlands.)

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Buzzards are most likely the biggest winner of the last 30 years as I only ever saw one in our part of Hampshire up to 1994.
On my return from a ten year stay in Devon the place is littered with them and they are often right over my house circling with their blunt wings held in a V position mewing to each other.

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track action maniac.

The lunatic is out................heres Jonny!

Okay i'll make that a buzzard then...

I did wonder at the time...

Jonners

_________________
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

I saw a brown hare early this morning. First of the year, hopefully not the last, but these once common mammals are very very scarce now. Also saw a whinchat after spending ages looking for them this morning, loads of wrens singing and some stonechats too (doing their best to sing despite being tone deaf!).
Last Thursday I saw a single yellowhammer. Once so common, but not anymore alas.
Heard four cuckoos and saw one in flight, this morning too.

The early morning really is the best part of the day ,
even if you do get bombarded by flies whilst cycling along!

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I've been meaning to post a reply for some time. My other half lives in an appartment that is a mill conversion which is out in the sticks (4 miles from Halifax) and there's quite a bit of wildlife. I've managed to take a photo of this pair of mating Mallards.

Apparently, they've had some ducklings. I've also seen a goldfinch & a heron. There's even fish and frogspawn in the mill pond. I've also seen a kestrel in the area which I named Kes. (in reference to the film of the same name)

Now I've got my nice new camera I'll be able to take some more photos. That photo above was taken from the bedroom a short time ago.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle

I got a pic of the heron when I got back in from work.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle

Sorry to disappoint David, but those mallards aren't actually mating...they're the wrong way round for a start, the one with the green hat goes at the back

MMMMMMMMm and ducks have a habit of raping the poor females so her male needs to be strong.

_________________
track action maniac.

The lunatic is out................heres Jonny!