Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

We had a pigeon fly in the conservatory a couple of days ago. I fed it grain and it keeps coming back. Its even ventured into the kitchen and lounge.

Oh, also had a new Sky box fitted yesterday, apparantly it can record two programmes while watching another. We've not put it to the test yet but will probably try and record the F1 Monza Qualls on Saturday.

Yogi.

Day off... what a luxury! Just had a lovely peaceful lunch in the garden, talking to the fish and frogs in the pond (they can't touch you for it although the dog thinks I'm doolally). Also been amazed at the number and variety of butterflies in the garden today, never seen so many at one time! They apparently approve of my wildlife garden "Butterfly Section".

Just returned from an amazing day out at RAF Halton House. They have an Open Day once a year (free to get in!) and it is the first time OH and I have been - first time we knew it was on, actually (says it all about our local paper!). Thankfully this is a working House so it is one of the few Rothschild houses (if not the only one) where you can take pictures inside the house (National Trust owned ones tend to object, strongly). We also visited the Trenchard Museum and thereby did a shuttle bus tour of RAF Halton to get to it. Lovely grounds as well. They are functional shrubby rather than herbaceous border type. Evidence of loads of rabbits but actually didn't see, or hear, any wildlife - a noticeable absence of birds. Perhaps they dislike the gliders, which were numerous. Loads of photos to download - when I recover!

Gill

Edit: And we entered a raffle for a framed picture and and have just had a phonecall to say we won it!

just googled Halton House coz i never heard of it
What a magnificent place -

Went to Santa Pod yesterday for the European Finals - here's a few photos.






A Top Fuel car.




Andy Carter's Top Fuel car. Andy is a local lad from Rushden and already the European Champion.





Andy on the move. I managed to get a piston off Andy, and he signed it. Its now in my glass cabinet along side all my other motorsport memorabilia, of which I've quite a bit.





Not Top Fuel, but still reaching speeds of 239 mph in 6 seconds over the quarter mile.






Not Top Fuel but a Top Methonol car with its hood off, and very quick.






The complicated workings of a drag bike.





A Top Fuel bike just off the start and doing over 120 mph in less than 3 seconds.





Another photo of Andy's Top Fuel off the start line. These cars are producing 8000 hp, reach speeds of over 310 mph in a little over 4 seconds and can burn 40 gallons (gallons not litres) of fuel in the quarter mile run. Its a mind blowing experience watching two off these beasts launch themselves off the start. Your body goes numb, your fillings fall out, your eyes rattles in their sockets and your body does involuntary functions that your only aware of later. And they set off the car alarms in the car park half a mile away. Its an awesome sight and one not to be missed.





A Top Fuel car about to slam itself into the wall at over 250 mph.





This thing slammed into the wall right where we were, missing the car nearest to us by a mere couple of metres. We were stood up against a chest high fence with a five metre gap to the wall where this car slammed into. We saw it coming from the other side of the track at over 250 mph. The 8000 hp from the engine forced the drive shaft to shatter and the rear wheel came off and started bouncing towards us. To witness one of these machines coming towards you and out of control is quite an adrenaline rush. Thankfully the driver was ok with only a bruised wrist as he was still holding the steering trying to control it when the front wheels hit the wall.

The driver was called Stig Neergaard (The real Stig) from Denmark.

Another selection of photos from yesterday.




The hood going onto a Top Methonal Funny Car.





Hows this for a bike, not built by Jaguar but by Harley Davidson.





A Top Methonal Funny Car on the move.





The Blades Aerobatic Display Team who visited us during the day.





Another shot of a bike.

Hi Yogi

Looks like you had a good day yesterday. Love the photos.

Max

Yeah, always enjoy going to Santa Pod - especially with Top Fuel being there.

Yogi.

RAF HALTON OPEN DAY

Trenchard Museum

One of three gliders above the house and base all afternoon (OH thinks they were "boys toys" time!)










Ejector Seat






Field Altar




Gill

Hi Joey... The picture / painting is No. 1 School of Training 1920 - 1990 i.e. at RAF Halton.

Here's a few of the outside of this des res!

Back


Front


Side


Grounds





I am still trying to find out what the constructions were (shown above and below) which are in the woods...











The house was constructed in approximately two years. To achieve this speed, large blocks were used - these are best seen by enlarging the side view. Unfortunately, using such a technique has meant that, now, some parts are crumbling slightly - have a look at the lower sections of pillars supporting the balcony outside the glass doors on the back view. The RAF / MOD is doing a lot of on-going maintenance work to repair this - hence the scaffolding.

Gill

Hi Gill

Like the pics.. looks a nice place.. I had never heard of it until you posted!


Joey

Good set of photos Gill. Your photos have inspired me to visit one day esp as I'm into Aviation.

Yogi.

Hi Joey - you wait until you see the few I have done of the inside....!

Gill

Thanks Yogi... I fear you'll have to wait until next September to visit as, as far as I am aware, the Open Day is an annual event. It really was gob-smacking though, and the nice part is that it is a "working" house i.e. it's the officers' quarters I've been to a number of National Trust properties and those are like musty and dark museums. This house felt what it was - lived in.

Gill

Hi Yogi... superb photos. How you manage to get vehicles moving that fast so sharp I will never know - I have trouble with static houses

My friend's husband would be green with envy over that Harley - he's HD mad (and even older than me!).

Forgive my ignorance but who are The Blades? (don't shout at me!)

Gill