Re: Polar vortex

BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]: 

> On 18.08.2023 14.51, Merlyne wrote:
>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]: 
>> 
>>> On 13.08.2023 23.28, Merlyne wrote:
>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>
>>>>> On 09.08.2023 14.19, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 01.08.2023 13.32, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 27.07.2023 15.32, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On 22.07.2023 17.21, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 18.07.2023 13.24, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 12.07.2023 13.22, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> [attributions]
>>>>>>>>>>>> [arbitrations]
>>>>>>>>>>> [artifacts]
>>>>>>>>>> [artifactory]
>>>>>>>>> [artichoke factory]
>>>>>>>> [olfactory]
>>>>>>> [oligarchy]
>>>>>> [obfuscate]
>>>>> [operate]
>>>> [oaklike]
>>> [Oakley]
>> [offramp]
> [osprey]
[ookpik]
>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [gone but not forgotten]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I've already forgotten]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Doesn't bode well for your end
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>of >>>>>> term > exams. You want me to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>paste >> it >>>> back in?] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [exams?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Yes. At the end of the year.]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [So I still have some time then]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [That's not the right attitude. If
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>you >>> don't keep up during the year
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>you'll >>> never be able to get through
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>it all in 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> revision.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I'll copy off your test]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I shall be giving the test.]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Then you'll give me a good mark
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>because 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> we know each other] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [That is not how it works. That is not
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> how anything works. Also it may be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> someone 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> else doing the marking.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [You'll tell me the answers so I get a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> good mark] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [That would be cheating]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [So? do you want me to fail?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I want you to study, apply yourself, make
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the effort, stuff like that] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Why? What's in it for you?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I want you to do well, is all]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I'm destined to fail since I don't even know
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> what I'm being tested about]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [It's about all the vital and interesting
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> information being presented in this very
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> newsgroup. I though that was clear.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Nope. Was as clear as mud. I think I will be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> away that day.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [You are going to make me look bad when no-one
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> passes my test.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Looks good on you since you refused to help me
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> out] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [So my options are to look like an incompetent
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> test-giver or behave unethically? Why do you hate
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> me?] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Deflect!]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What?! Squirrel? Where...?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Apparerntly you've mistaken me for a dog.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So the squirrel wasn't the deflection? What was it,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> then? Surely it can't be the pair of swallows that has
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> built their nest on the door to my garage/storage
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> shed/workshop.... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You have a workshop?
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a long table with a lamp and a couple of vises and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> a lot of stuff on it in the garage. That ought to count.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Not that I can easily get to it at the moment, with the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> nest on the door. The eggs have hatched so it's now a nest
>>>>>>>>>>>>> of baby birds constantly being fed by two very busy
>>>>>>>>>>>>> swallows. 
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> It appears I was wrong. The increased activity I observed
>>>>>>>>>>> must have been a final effort to finish the nest before
>>>>>>>>>>> laying. Probably something to do with a mortgage maturing or
>>>>>>>>>>> some such. So we are all still waiting for the hatching (and
>>>>>>>>>>> the gender reveal party). 
>>>>>>>>>> Hopefully it won't start a fire.
>>>>>>>>> Swallows have more sense than that.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> There'll be 2 of each.
>>>>>>>>> We shall see. All in good time.
>>>>>>>> [waits]
>>>>>>> Nothing further to report yet.
>>>>>> [waits some more]
>>>>>
>>>>> THEY LIVE. I hear them when the parent-birds bring food (and
>>>>> remove droppings). So far I've only seen three wide-open beaklets
>>>>> at a time. 
>>>>
>>>> Do birds clean the nest?
>>> Some do. Mostly (including swallows, sadly) the young'uns just
>>> excrete over the edge of the nest once they a big enough to move
>>> around a bit. 
>> Watch out below!
> I don't use that door at the moment anyway. I will probably be
> available soon, though. The new birds have taken to fly about... Which
> hopefully means the pile of shit below the nest won't grow any
> further. 
> 
You can clean it up.

>>>> I feel like I'm setting myself up for a bad pun here.
>>> When have I ever produced a bad pun?
>> 
>> Puns, by definition, are bad.
> Only the puny ones. They are hard to swallow.
I'm going cold turkey.
> 
>>> Also I don't see a possible pun presenting.
>> Phew!
>> That would make me stark raven mad!
> There's no reason to let your gull rise because of a pun.
I'm starling to get annoyed owl-ready.
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Aww...cute!
>>>>>>>>>>>> Yep. They'll dive-bomb you.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> The last pair I had didn't. They were too busy to worry
>>>>>>>>>>> about me at all. At most they made an extra go-around to try
>>>>>>>>>>> and confuse me - the giant predator - before landing.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Except you aren't a predator.
>>>>>>>>> They don't know that. Also I could be a fire hazard. No smoke
>>>>>>>>> without and such...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Maybe you shouldn't smoke around their home.
>>>>>>> I'm not. I'm smoking around *my' home.
>>>>>> I'm sure that's not how the birds see things.
>>>>>
>>>>> No, they probably see a giant potential predator.
>>>>
>>>> Get off the lawn!
>>> It's my lawn and I'll do what I want. Anyway I'm mostly standing on
>>> the doorstep when I observe the nest.
>> 
>> Ooo! A peeper!
>> {more of a frog joke}
>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I can put in a good word, if you liek.
>>>>>>>>> You speak swallow? These are barn swallows; they may have
>>>>>>>>> quite a strong accent.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I have an app that talks to birds.
>>>>>>> As in making bird sounds...?
>>>>>> Yeah
>>>>>>>> Usually enrages them.
>>>>>>> It's usually male birds that make the most noise. Something
>>>>>>> about how great they are at the sex and bringing up young'uns.
>>>>>>> And they as a rule don't like other male birds making noise
>>>>>>> close by. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Some male birds make the nest. I'm sure some the bragging is
>>>>>> about that. 
>>>>>
>>>>> That too... pretty important part of bringing up young'uns.
>>>>>
>>>> Bragging about making a nest is?
>>>
>>> Building a brag-worthy nest is.
>>>
>> 
>> It's mostly twigs and mud. Low resale value.
> And yet they tend to come back to it year after year. Also the little
> (staying) birds like to use it in winter.

The birds here don't seem to reuse nests. The robins have 2 batches and 
seem to make a new nest each time.
Maybe it's part of the pagentry of laying eggs.