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Baby Birds
Mar. 30th, 2008 03:54 pmThe great crested grebes on Canada Water have hatched a couple of chicks. And there are ducklings too.
( Photos behind the cut. )
( Photos behind the cut. )
Baby Birds
Mar. 30th, 2008 03:54 pmThe great crested grebes on Canada Water have hatched a couple of chicks. And there are ducklings too.
( Photos behind the cut. )
( Photos behind the cut. )
In irritation at comments on news sites, I've been checking Wikipedia. If Heathrow T5 gets its problems largely sorted out by next weekend, which still seems entirely possible, then it will rank as a triumph of efficient British management and engineering, by comparison with almost every other airport project of similar scale in the history of the world.
Compare with Singapore Changi (half the airport was still being built at the time it opened), Hong Kong International (cargo traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (domestic traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Paris Charles de Gaulle (the ceiling of the new Terminal 2E collapsed, killing four people, and the entire terminal is now being demolished and rebuilt), Denver International (opened 16 months late with a baggage handling system that never did work and was eventually scrapped) and even Tokyo Narita (riots killed several people, and opening was delayed due to sabotage).
The only surprising thing about the trouble at Terminal 5 is that it seems to be coming under control already, mere days after opening.
Compare with Singapore Changi (half the airport was still being built at the time it opened), Hong Kong International (cargo traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (domestic traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Paris Charles de Gaulle (the ceiling of the new Terminal 2E collapsed, killing four people, and the entire terminal is now being demolished and rebuilt), Denver International (opened 16 months late with a baggage handling system that never did work and was eventually scrapped) and even Tokyo Narita (riots killed several people, and opening was delayed due to sabotage).
The only surprising thing about the trouble at Terminal 5 is that it seems to be coming under control already, mere days after opening.
In irritation at comments on news sites, I've been checking Wikipedia. If Heathrow T5 gets its problems largely sorted out by next weekend, which still seems entirely possible, then it will rank as a triumph of efficient British management and engineering, by comparison with almost every other airport project of similar scale in the history of the world.
Compare with Singapore Changi (half the airport was still being built at the time it opened), Hong Kong International (cargo traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (domestic traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Paris Charles de Gaulle (the ceiling of the new Terminal 2E collapsed, killing four people, and the entire terminal is now being demolished and rebuilt), Denver International (opened 16 months late with a baggage handling system that never did work and was eventually scrapped) and even Tokyo Narita (riots killed several people, and opening was delayed due to sabotage).
The only surprising thing about the trouble at Terminal 5 is that it seems to be coming under control already, mere days after opening.
Compare with Singapore Changi (half the airport was still being built at the time it opened), Hong Kong International (cargo traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (domestic traffic was moved back to the old airport after months of chaos), Paris Charles de Gaulle (the ceiling of the new Terminal 2E collapsed, killing four people, and the entire terminal is now being demolished and rebuilt), Denver International (opened 16 months late with a baggage handling system that never did work and was eventually scrapped) and even Tokyo Narita (riots killed several people, and opening was delayed due to sabotage).
The only surprising thing about the trouble at Terminal 5 is that it seems to be coming under control already, mere days after opening.
Hugo Nominations
Mar. 21st, 2008 09:06 amNote that due to a fortunate coincidence with the scheduling, you can purchase a DVD containing all three Hugo-nominated episodes of Dr Who, and no others, for £6.98 from Amazon.co.uk.
Hugo Nominations
Mar. 21st, 2008 09:06 amNote that due to a fortunate coincidence with the scheduling, you can purchase a DVD containing all three Hugo-nominated episodes of Dr Who, and no others, for £6.98 from Amazon.co.uk.
Eggcam Update
Mar. 20th, 2008 11:48 amNo photos of eggs today, I fear, as ( there seems to be something large and white in the way. )
Yes, Petronella seems to have finished laying and started incubating, so there are six or seven eggs and (all being well, which it wasn't last year) you should all expect cute cygnet photos around Friday 25 April.
Yes, Petronella seems to have finished laying and started incubating, so there are six or seven eggs and (all being well, which it wasn't last year) you should all expect cute cygnet photos around Friday 25 April.
Eggcam Update
Mar. 20th, 2008 11:48 amNo photos of eggs today, I fear, as ( there seems to be something large and white in the way. )
Yes, Petronella seems to have finished laying and started incubating, so there are six or seven eggs and (all being well, which it wasn't last year) you should all expect cute cygnet photos around Friday 25 April.
Yes, Petronella seems to have finished laying and started incubating, so there are six or seven eggs and (all being well, which it wasn't last year) you should all expect cute cygnet photos around Friday 25 April.
Expecting the splish-splash of tiny feet
Mar. 14th, 2008 12:58 pmNo, not those kind of tiny feet...
The swans have clearly not read the bird guides that say they should use the same nesting site every year, because when the nice Trust for Urban Ecology people dumped a load of reeds at our end of the dock for use as nesting material, they decided to come and sit on the pile and call it a nest, instead of lugging reeds back to the corner where they have nested previously. So we can keep a closer eye on them this year.
( There are three eggs so far. )
The swans have clearly not read the bird guides that say they should use the same nesting site every year, because when the nice Trust for Urban Ecology people dumped a load of reeds at our end of the dock for use as nesting material, they decided to come and sit on the pile and call it a nest, instead of lugging reeds back to the corner where they have nested previously. So we can keep a closer eye on them this year.
( There are three eggs so far. )
Expecting the splish-splash of tiny feet
Mar. 14th, 2008 12:58 pmNo, not those kind of tiny feet...
The swans have clearly not read the bird guides that say they should use the same nesting site every year, because when the nice Trust for Urban Ecology people dumped a load of reeds at our end of the dock for use as nesting material, they decided to come and sit on the pile and call it a nest, instead of lugging reeds back to the corner where they have nested previously. So we can keep a closer eye on them this year.
( There are three eggs so far. )
The swans have clearly not read the bird guides that say they should use the same nesting site every year, because when the nice Trust for Urban Ecology people dumped a load of reeds at our end of the dock for use as nesting material, they decided to come and sit on the pile and call it a nest, instead of lugging reeds back to the corner where they have nested previously. So we can keep a closer eye on them this year.
( There are three eggs so far. )
