Starlings where have you gone my darlings?

My favourite garden bird has to be the good old Blackbird. How could it not be as they have sung to me so beautifully over the years. I remember well during infant school times in the 1980's lying in bed on light easter and early summer nights listening as a blackbird sang from a telegraph pole or top of a tree. I also remember plenty of Starlings in the gardens and fields. So the news today from the RSPB that Starling numbers have crashed by 70% since those days is not good at all.

It seems this country could have a revolution over tax on pasties and full on fist fights are breaking out at petrol stations for reasons unknown, as a strike isn't even on at the moment. The plight of Starlings it seems is way down the pecking order for most people. However, it really should have been the top news story, people should be waving banners and tieing themselves to the gates of 10 Downing Street!

Being from an old coal mining region most people are familiar with the reason miners used to take canaries down the mines. It was so if they dropped dead the miners knew there was a gas leak and if they didn't get the hell out of there they'd be the next ones to snuff it. The Starling, the bees are all the canaries in the mine, warning us that something is not right. It seems we think every other living thing can drop dead around us and its no great shakes. Well, I reckon in the grand scheme of things it's more important than VAT on sausage rolls!

Nigel Farage Tweet's Common Sense

Tweet of the day.

At least one politician isn't a total idiot.

Nigel Farage‏@Nigel_FarageReply
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We wouldn't have to build so many new houses if we hadn't had uncontrolled immigration. And the other 3 parties want more people to come!

440 new Homes per Village Required

As you might have read recently, the government is going to try and build an unprecedented 2 million homes to cope with the out of control population boom, mostly due to mass immigration and subsequent extra births. Just this weekend the newspapers were reporting they want to build a new town in the already overcrowded Midlands of 100,000 people.

So, I was wondering what if instead of building large towns on greenbelts they instead allowed a few extra houses to be built in every village in the UK, would this solve the problem and how many houses would each village have to build to make up the 2 million new homes.

After a bit of digging around there is according to the Rural Communities department, 4,520 villages of fewer than 20,000 residents in the UK. Before knowing the number I thought perhaps 10 houses per village might be enough. However, this is not the case. To build 2 million new homes by just adding the houses to villages rather than towns and cities would require every village in the UK to build 440 new homes!

I don't think many villagers would be happy at all to see this number of houses built. It would mean many would double in size and 440 homes takes up quite a large area, not just an extra few homes at the top and bottom of a village entrance. Of course building solely onto villages will not happen, but it does give a very good indication of the scale of new housing that is about to take place. However, as I have wrote before and will no doubt write again, this is what the people of the UK have voted for. They voted over and over again for poltiical parties that allowed mass immigration on an unprecedented scale. Just last year net migration was 250,000 people, a city the size of Nottingham.

Having said that, the system whereby people only get to vote once every 5 years in a 'catch all' voting system so people are also thinking about the NHS, education, etc doesn't mean that they were voting in favour of huge immigration. In fact all polls for decades have showed a majority against allowing mass immigration (the politicians were well aware of this but ignored the will of the people). If a referendum had of taken place in the 1970s on the issue this country would now have a steady population of about 55 million, not 62 million heading fast towards and past 70 million.

Horse Chestnut Leaves Unfurling

I love seeing leaves and shoots on the trees at this time of year beginning to emerge. Here is a Horse Chestnut tree coming to life, no doubt in a weeks time the tree will be a blaze of fresh green.

Spring Bedding Plants

Primulas and Pansies are both great bedding plant options for early spring colour. Ideal for pots and containers. These varied coloured Primulas look great in a container.

New 100,000 Town Planned For Midlands

Oh dear. They want to build a new town on greenbelt near Birmingham for 100,000 people. I'm sure that will go down really well with the people living in the Midlands (It's on the HS2 route). I always knew this would happen, ten years ago I wrote to my MP and said mass immigration would be a disaster for the environment and quality of life for many people in the UK. Of course the reply was how wonderful it would be and there was nothing to worry about. So, millions more people later in just a decade and now a corresponding immigrant birth boom and now the big panic is on as everything begins to burst at the seems. The govt solution CONCRETE, coming to a field near you soon.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/9165205/Countryside-planning-revolution-new-city-proposed-for-Midlands.html

Daffodil Pics

Spring is springing and one sure fire way of knowing it's here is seeing Daffodils all over the place. So here is some of the evidence taken from a walk this afternoon. As you can see there is a variety of colours and sizes and if you're thinking of planting some bulbs later this year you will find there is loads to choose from.













A variety of Daffodil bulbs can be ordered via Thompson & Morgan
Click here

Cucumber 'Green Fingers' F1 Hybrid

These nifty little numbers are new from Thomson & Morgan. They do well growing outdoors with support. Keep picking them when they are snack ready size for a bountiful crop throughout the summer. 4 Seeds £3.99 (that's not a typo, yes just four seeds. Perhaps as it is new variety there isn't many seeds about. Just make sure you don't sneeze and blow them down a crack in the decking.)

CLICK HERE to order

Onion ‘Doux des Cevennes’

New from Thomson & Morgan. Onion ‘Doux des Cevennes’ is a popular variety in France (If the French like these onions who are we to argue?!). A heritage variety that has a mild, delicate flavour. 200 seeds just £1.99


CLICK HERE to order.

Water - Greece v UK

I didn't catch the person's name being interviewed, or what organisation he was representing, today on BBC Radio 5 Live, but it sounded like he was from either the govt, or a charity. The fact that he quoted, which I thought was very astounding, was that per head of population hot and dusty Greece has more fresh water available than the UK!

So although their climate is a lot drier, the Greek population is one that is sustainable when compared with the amount of water they have available... whereas of course ours is not.

It was no surprise that this spokesman was saying the usual about using a thimble full of water to solve the problem and stayed well clear from the massive elephant in the front room guzzling up the water with its trunk.

I have not had a single answer to my questions to the organised monopoly currently making hundreds of millions of £££ from our water. Well, I'll give them a few days but don't hold your breath. I don't think they know the answers and if they do, they don't want to tell the public as it certainly won't look good.

Since I sent the questions I have also mused over the possibility that our water has been made into an increasingly expensive commodity. High population and demand with everyone on meters is surely a much more lucrative proposition for big multi national corporations than owning a plentiful supply and just getting a low subscription from customers every year.

Green - Death of a Forest

Green: Death of the Forests is a new film by filmmaker Patrick Rouxel. It explores the impact of deforestation and the exploitation of natural resources in Indonesia from the point of view of a dying orangutan. It's tragic what we are doing to the planet.



Watch the full film online here;

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2012/03/20123131323627439.html

You can also buy a DVD on Patrick Rouxel's website and he is happy for it to be shown at public screenings. So perhaps it would be ideal for a showing at your local gardening club, church, WI etc.

http://www.greenthefilm.com/?cat=7

Don't Be a Tosser - Take Your Litter Home

A landowner in Northumberland has been criticised for putting up signs to try persuade people from dropping litter onto the roadside after she has experienced a large rise in the amount of litter she is having to clear up. As well as coming across plastic bottles, beer cans etc she has also found used condoms and needles.

The signs were inspired after a trip to Australia. The words on the signs are

DON'T BE A TOSSER - TAKE YOUR LITTER HOME!

Some people in the nearby village of Stamfordham have been complaining about them and some have even been ripped down. It's a shame they don't direct their fury at the people leaving used condoms for walkers and children to come across. Theres enough sheep in the fields without the public turning into them. Good for Jo Riddell for having a backbone and trying to stand up for keeping the countryside litter free. It's time dropping disgusting litter like drugs stuff and condoms was a much more serious offence than dropping a crisp wrapper.

As for litter droppers being called Tossers. I think thats a perfect description. They're spoilt brats who care for nobody but themselves.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2118784/Stamfordham-rubbish-row-Landowners-offensive-anti-litter-signs-cause-uproar-villagers.html

Lexus Lanes

Apparently in the USA private toll roads are known as 'Lexus Lanes' as they are mostly used by people with more money, so of course driving executive cars such as Lexus', BMWs, Mercedes etc.

Yesterday the government announced this concept is going to come to the UK, so the Rollers & Bentleys don't have to share the tarmac with the riff raff in Fiestas and Fiats. It seems the very people who wanted mass immigration for cheap nannies and plumbers now want to avoid the consequences of over population so will build there own personal roads to avoid the congestion.

You might think that if there is to be new roads they would be open to all but it seems not. These toll roads will also be private businesses who will make handsome profits after they have built them. The govt said they can't build them as we haven't got any money, but that didn't stop them spending £300 million blowing up Libyans. I wonder how much road that would have built?

Imagine what these roads are going to do to the countryside, slashing across the landscape. As I've said on other posts we have had 3 million immigrants in ten years, David Blunkett who was Home Secretary even said he saw no upper limit, well I suppose theres not if you accept living like a sardine and having more pollution, landfill, sewage works, huge housing estates, motorways etc.

I wonder what Swampy is up to these days?

Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day to all Irish readers. Here is a great Celtic garden to visit in Co. Galway. There is currently two gardens in Ireland featured in the Gardens to Visit section. I did contact more, but did not hear back. It's surprising how many of these gardens and stately homes employ marketing staff, but can't find 15 minutes to return an email so they can get a FREE webpage on a garden site that get's thousands of visitors a month. If you know of or work for a garden in the UK or Ireland and you would like a page, get in touch and I will send you the info email.

Brigit's Garden

http://www.gardenandgreen.co.uk/#/brigits-garden-ireland/4553405350

Soil Moisture Levels - UK & Europe

This fascinating map (click for larger image)from an EU department give a snapshot of soil moisture levels throughout the UK and Europe. The orange indicates where soild is drier than average for the time of year and the darker the green the more above average soil moisure is in an area. It seems the South East of England was in the green, except for parts around London. However as you can see North East England and East Scotland are in the orange, indicating the ground is much drier than usual. As I'm from the North East I can say it's a bit of a myth about the north always being wet. The East is in a rain shadow and doesn't get that much rain. However, as I went to university in Manchester, the west is a different matter! ;0)

Spain looks like it is in big trouble with almost the whole country showing their soil is drier than average for this time of year.

Hosepipe Ban Declared

So the water companies have announced a hosepipe ban due to low rainfall. Will this solve the problem? Have too many people been using hosepipes over the winter? No, I don't think so. I don't think banning hosepipes will make much difference, this isn't 1976. We've got an extra 7 million people living here now.

I have sent some questions to the press offices of all the water companies who have anounced the hospipe ban and I'm looking forward to sharing their replies with you all.

See 5 Planets in one Night

Tonight and the next couple of nights it's possible to see 5 planets in the sky with the naked eye. Even better if you have a pair of binoculars or telescope.

Here is a vid from the BBC with instructions about what to look out for.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17324826

Dolphin Rescue in Brazil

Well done to these Brazilians who came to the rescue of a pod of beached dolphins.

Amaryllis

You might have seen Amaryllis bulbs, in the shops, in the run up to Christmas. They have become a popular Christmas gift. They originate from South Africa and are bulbous plants that have long flower spikes.

When you buy them as a gift, they typically come with an attractive plant pot. However, as they are just bulbs when you buy them it is not quite as instant as a bouquet of flowers or a Poinsettia with its deep red or white leaves.

You might be visiting the person for Christmas and not see them for a few months or longer, so it's possible you never get to see what the Amaryllis turns out like, other than an illustration on the box. So here one is, two months after Christmas Day....

Peacocks on the Loose

It started with two peacocks that had escaped from a local country house, and now years later there is a whole flock of them ruling the roost in a Scottish village, knicking cabbages, pooping on peoples conservatories, waking people up with their noisy chatter and looking great with their majestic plummage.

Meet the peacocks of Gargunnock.

Vid here, listen out for the journalists name at the end!!;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17270980

50ft Sperm Whale Washes Up Onto Beach

Heres a video of a report on a Sperm Whale 50 ft / 15 metres in length and weighing approximately 30 tonnes that has sadly washed up dead onto a beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire on the east coast of England. The report says it had a large gash on it's side. I wonder what happened to it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-17260850

Chuggers

Chuggers are being banned from Gloucester. A chugger being someone who is trying to get you to set up a direct debit to a charity or send them a text to donate some money. They stand on busy shopping street in a line and pounce on passing shoppers waving their clipboards enthusiastically, whilst blurting out everything they can before the shopper disappears into the throngs.

I was in Newcastle recently and the main shopping street had a team from WWF raising money for wildlife conservation. Every 10 metres they had someone asking the same thing, would you be willing to donate, I think it was £5, via text message. I'm not much of a mobile phone fan and often go out without one, so I told the chugger, I did not have a phone on me, even if I did I doubt I would have just sent a text message there and then. The cheeky chugger then replied there is a Carphone warehouse just a few shops up and he would wait while I bought a phone!? I continued up the street and watched as the chuggers literally dived in front of people pointing at theio chests as they did so, (they all had these laminate covered flip chart style booklets around their necks). I heard one of them say as I was walking past "this animal die if you don't donate today" or something very similar. It was quite funny how over the top it was.

It was an absolute freezing day in January and you could see the poor chuggers were frozen stiff and it didn't seem as though they were having much success. So I got thinking how they could do better and not annoy the public as much. I concluded they would be much better off having a proper table with leaflets, information boards and standing in a friendly cluster, perhaps in one of the indoor malls. They could stand and talk with the public, show them literature and sign up members, tell them about promotions such as raffles and the latest campaign the charity is working on. They could even have a board with the text number to donate, so people if they want can in their own time stand and donate some money. So, perhaps this might be an alternative to the chugger method, and perhaps it might be more lucrative for the charities?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9123611/Backlash-against-chuggers-as-Gloucester-latest-city-to-ban-charity-muggers.html

Mike de Gruy - Wildlife Cameraman 1951 - 2012

A BAFTA winning BBC wildlife cameraman has died whilst filming for National Geographic in Australia. He was in a helicopter that crashed in New South Wales.

He had filmed underwater footage for BBC Natural History blockbusters; Life in the Freezer, The Trials of Life and Blue Planet. In the 70's he was nearly killed in the Pacific after being attacked by sharks and he got into freezing waters with sea lions so he could better film them being attacked by a pod of orca whales.

The film he captured of a shark leaping from the sea to grab a low-flying albatross is seen as one of the most amazing pieces of wildlife footage ever filmed.

Here is his personal website with more info about him and his work.

http://mikedegruy.com