Dateup

I am still working on the next far too long wall of text update post. Albeit in widely-spaced bursts.

Very widely-spaced bursts. 

But I am making progress.

Unlike in my mission to Start Spring by seeing a freaking Wheatear on Patch [or at all, for that matter].

 

It's been seven goes, now. 

I saw my first Swallow of the year today - flew across the road on my way to work [going W or thereabouts. The Swallow, not me.] - and have also seen Sand Martins, but no Wheatear, so it is still WINTER. This is Official.

 

I don't care about all the sunshine and flowers and things. 

Be Seeing You...

Speaking Of.

After writing that post last night, I happened to notice that rarest of things; clear skies!

 

Spurred into action, I dragged my li'l old reflector telescope outside and managed to see Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter - and all four Galilean moons!! -, Mars, and Venus. Score.

Saturn and Venus weren't in great position, but Jupiter was on fine form [and I've not had all four Jovians for a while, I can tell you] and getting Neptune at all [and at the same time as Uranus] was very nice. Uranus found first and by pure fluke, I just landed on it. I am - as you may guess from my name - very old-fashioned in my astronomy and don't even have a sight [yes, even cable ties are too much for me....], let alone a computer-controlled aiming mechanism, so getting on stuff is not easy. Though it does make succeeding much more satisfying.

Today I tried the Nose after work, hoping East winds and the fact they've started arriving would get me a Wheatear. They did not. I barely saw anything, it was so foggy.!

Oh well.

We persevere.

Be Seeing You...

Observation.

I wrote that, didn't I? "Definitely this month"

It's not irony if it's certainty.

Anyways, I am working on my next wall of text post and it will be with you directly.

Be Seeing You...

[[P.S. I have done a seawatch. My first since the day before I broke myself {the, er, first time; it got a bit cumulative} and it was - despite iffy weather and poor duration, oh and no shearwaters  - wonderful to be back. This will be in that post. Whenever you see it. If you haven't fallen asleep by that bit.]]