Nature Watch, The Green Page,
What Weather or Whatever
Living in Walls it would be criminal not to have a web section devoted to our environment.
Birds: For starters, do we have any local expert who can identify the SBJ's (small brown jobbies) that keep getting blown in from all over. If so, he/she can have a regular slot here. Plenty of Meadow Pipits & Wheatears around in September 2007. Does that heron *hit on anyone else's windows? I see the pair of swans are here again...do they breed here?
The other week a small flock of skylarks decended on Walls. At first I thought they were something more exotic. Kevin simply described them as small dumpy things. I reckon they were dumpy because they chose to arrive here with the snow and were a bit nithered. Since then I have heard larks in the sky...it looks as tho' the residents are back.
We have a curlew regularly visits our home. The grass is full of holes now! It might seem silly, but I think it's great...only five years ago I'd never seen a curlew.
Is it the Wheatears I've been seeing flitting around recently? The BBC mentioned they were headed north from their hols in Africa...well I think ours are back.
Seals: Vaila Sound seems now to be the permanent residence of an extended family of seals.
They are quite playful at times. I like to watch them pretending to be dolphins, leaping out, etc.
Here's a bad picture of the family (herd?) of seals using Walls Marina on 09/10/07.
Has anyone ever seen dolphins or whales in the Sound? If not can you tell me why?
Weather etc: January storms messed up Kevin's wireless network. I understand that the March storms were exceptionally bad. I have a good (bad) photo somewhere & will post it here shortly.
Here's an interesting one. Did you know that you can be sent an e-mail alert if there's a likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights. Have a look at Aurora Watch for more info.
Polecats: Are they really a nuisance? Are hens difficult to keep (with polecats around)? I've been here just a year now & have seen more dead ones than live.
Otters: I've only spotted one and that was not in downtown Walls. Do we have any around here?
Street Lights & Light Pollution: Does anyone else think SIC have gone OTT with lights in Walls. It's as bad as being in a city. Couldn't our taxes be saved by having fewer, or switching some off between the crawling-back-home and early-rising hours?