nature notes

I think this albatross might get on well with Mrs.G if she ever got as far as Glaslyn.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/05/wisdom-the-albatross-the-worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-has-another-chick-at-age-70
 
I thought that as well Marigold. There was a Manx Shearwater that was 55 a few years ago. A ringed Oystercatcher was re trapped last year age 34. Could make for a good gathering
 
The birds around us have to make do with the hair from my hairbrush dropped out of the window in the nesting season. You must get a better class of birds, Marigold!
 
Hen-Gen said:
Amazing. Mind you a mere blip in the life of the Immortal Jellyfish!
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Saying things like that can send a person off on hours of reading - leading to Ocean Sunfish and the really cool bit: '...Cassiopea xamachana which when triggered will release tiny balls of cells that swim around the jellyfish stinging everything in their path. Researchers described these as "self-propelling microscopic grenades" and named them cassiosomes.'
 
Its really interesting that the reason for pigeons toes getting messed up in big cities is because of human hair and their habit of circling around when creating a nest. It only happens in big cities due to the amount of hair that is discarded just generally and nothing to do with leaving hair out for nesting it seems. Apparently, having no toes doesn't affect pigeon mating preferences in the slightest (or ability to feed and get on due also, I guess, to being in the city) so the behaviour, and the effect, continues without being selected out.
 
A bit random, all this! As an aside I have a load of fluff from my winter use of the tumble dryer going begging and wondered if it would be suitable to put out for nesting, or do you think it would be dangerous?

The last couple of weeks have been sunnier and warmer here and it is really noticeable that the bees are around again, particularly on a large camellia. We also have some blossom out (and I read some organisation is trying to promote 'blossom time' in UK towns, a bit like the cherry blossom time in Japan) on some fruit trees, almond, apricot, peach and plum. However, its not the worker bees I have noticed so much, but what I think must be drones. They keep hanging about a bench we have outside, south facing, and the bees are on it, on me on it, and on the house wall. Although I used to be a beekeeper, I realise I have no idea what the drones do whilst they are waiting for the queen to make her mating flight!

I am also noticing what I think are moth chrysalis' - would this be right, for the time of year? There are a couple of whitish/silvery ones attached to a white wall, which haven't moved for almost a week, although I need to go and check they are still there.
 
My friend puts fluff out from the tumble drier and a Robin uses it for nesting every year.
probably Mrs Biscuit as several species of moth overwinter as larvae. I was reading about overwintering moths that produce their own anti-freeze to cope with winter. I must look up cassiosomes. Nice thing about nature, you never stop learning
 
Marigold said:
I forwarded the link to our daughter, who is doing an M.A. involving stories and myths around ancient cultures, and she has replied

‘ Amazing, I loved that. I have shared it with the other MA students, one of whom lives on Vancouver Island, is descended from some of those people and is making a traditional blanket as her final creative piece for the MA. I'll be very interested to hear what she has to say!”
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Sara has had a reply from the friend on her M.A. course, about the wool dogs.

“Here is what my fellow MA student Shawna had to say about the wool dog article. Fascinating Shetland connection.

Sara, thank-you for tagging me into this article!! I have not seen it before. Super intresting to me as although I am Sooke by blood, I was adopted as Cowichan and I have lived in and working for Cowichan Tribes for 25 years. And I know Silvia Olsen who is mentioned in this article - she was part of our fibre gild. Yes, weaving and knitting and fibre arts is a big tradition here. And yes, it is claimed here that before European contact, women wove blankets out of dog and mountain goat hair which has been part of the history here. Many dog hairs, and other types like alpaca, Lamma, etc are hard to bind together so you need wool or another combination to make fibres bind. Here is what I know Cowichan Tribes: it was the largest tribe in BC dating back 10,000 years according to some experts. Historically Canoe voyages and trade among other tribes was a common way of life here on the coast. Once trading started with European explorers/settlers who came here, two things happened in a short time. One European looms and manpower in the Hudson Bay company whipped out the regular trade and economy with there cheaper versions of woven blankets, second they came with diseases small pox, measles, TB and wiped out the native population. Cowichan a tribe of 15, 000 people then, went to fewer then 1000 with in one generation. Cowichan and Haida Gwaii and other coastal villages had the same devastation . Then colonization forcing people on to reserves, kidnapping children to residential schools etc - so as you can see the shear trauma and mere survival of the people wiped out traditions, manpower, production and the trade economies. Women still continued to make blankets and some fibre arts as it is part of the ceremonial practise here, as this is a matriarchal society. But many stopped making woven blankets and took up knitting needles and turned that into a economic trade as sheep now introduced to the Islands here by Scott's. Cowichan is world famous today for Cowichan Sweaters. However still, in the last 15 years, a fight continues to keep Hudsons Bay company and other from reproducing them and calling them Cowichan Sweaters, as in the misappropriation of a hundred of years earlier. One recollection here is that a women came front the Shetland Islands and settled here in the Cowichan valley in the early 1900 and taught the Cowichan women how to knit,.... the cowichan sweaters are heavy knit wool with traditional coast Salish designs of eagles, bears and whales.”
 
I thought so as well.

Reminded of the origin of Calgary Bay in Canada- it was named after the childhood holiday destination Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull where we have also spent many a happy time.
 
Sara has been shearing her own wool dogs (Cockerpoos, thus half poodle.)
Here’s the first fleece, from Nutkin;

50ED9C14-E8D5-43D8-8DD2-9FDD4B4D6F50.jpeg

And here she is, with her friend Acorn, who hasn’t been done yet.

49F613C6-D05D-4E71-A3C7-AC6A4FFF13B5.jpeg

Not exactly nature notes but I couldn’t resist!
,
 
:D :D :D Do you think the dog waiting to be shorn is telling the other one " that you shouldn't be getting hair cut in lockdown"
 
Good one BYM! That photo is made for a caption because the dogs are facing each other as if having a chat. I know somebody who made a shawl out of fine dog hair from a chow. I also have a friend who has an enormous persian cat. He is shaved every March (its warm enough here in Portugal) but they leave a pom pom on the end of his tail, and his face is still furry. He looks like a very annoyed poolion (thats a poodle crossed with a lion).
 
Fascinating article as always thanks for sharing.

First Osprey arrival yesterday, B25 a Rutland female, at 16.20, She was first last year as well
 
Just read about a whale found dead that had a stomach full of that plastic strapping, and disposable cups, even more depressing
 
Saw two partridges in the garden this morning, first ever sighting of them. Presume they were red-legged not grey as they legged it away through the fence. (Sorrrreeee!)
 
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