Stilllearning Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Walking back to the house yesterday, and I heard a sound of honking up in the sky. It was a couple of large skeins of cranes heading in a northeasterly direction This is always a wonderful sight, and IMO, a sign of the ending of winter. Mind you, it is snowing again here now, as I write this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 You are very premature in your hope, a very strong Statospheric warming event has just taken place and later next week the European winds will reverse their normal flow and become a bitter Easterly for a week or two...or longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilllearning Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Having had snow and -5C last week, and snow today, and weather forecasts that are about a sale accurate as a horoscope, I have decided to go by nature. The cranes were a lovely sight, and sound, and there are lesser celandines and violas in flower, so spring, whilst not yet sprung, is on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Just now, Stilllearning said: Having had snow and -5C last week, and snow today, and weather forecasts that are about a sale accurate as a horoscope, I have decided to go by nature. The cranes were a lovely sight, and sound, and there are lesser celandines and violas in flower, so spring, whilst not yet sprung, is on the way. Your old boat has a lovely grass roof!! No mud, its artificial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilllearning Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 9 minutes ago, matty40s said: Your old boat has a lovely grass roof!! No mud, its artificial. And how much rust hidden underneath one wonders? The new owners are lucky that it had a really good paint job not long before we bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X Alan W Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 45 minutes ago, Stilllearning said: Walking back to the house yesterday, and I heard a sound of honking up in the sky. It was a couple of large skeins of cranes heading in a northeasterly direction This is always a wonderful sight, and IMO, a sign of the ending of winter. Mind you, it is snowing again here now, as I write this. They passed over us some 7/8 days back Dept 46 Lot & we have a dusting of snow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilllearning Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 We often see smaller groups of cranes wheeling round above us, then joining into larger skeins and flying off. It may be because our town is on a hill with a large Collégiale church, and they use it as a navigation aid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bob Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Stilllearning said: Walking back to the house yesterday, and I heard a sound of honking up in the sky. It was a couple of large skeins of cranes heading in a northeasterly direction This is always a wonderful sight, and IMO, a sign of the ending of winter. Mind you, it is snowing again here now, as I write this. Flock of Cranes you say? No........ not here.......until I looked at your location?????? Oh you lucky person. In the UK there is now a quite well established 'flock' of them down on the Somerset Levels where they have been released having been reared... up at Slimbridge. They are all ringed so the project can monitor their movements. My best has been seeing a group of 3 of them flying over Cardiff heading from the levels back to Slimbridge. One pair bred in 2016 and one chick survived. Quite a few of the released ones go back to Slimbridge. I've only see one 'wild' crane in the UK and that was up in Fair Isle (Shetland) last summer. Your are so lucky having so many down your way. ...but as Matty said, the SSW is going to make it a bit chilly in 10 days time.....maybe. We are all doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 The last day of winter is February 28th. I am setting off on my summer cruise about on March 1st if its not raining of course therefore the summer will begin on that date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said: The last day of winter is February 28th. Tuesday 20th March here 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac of Cygnet Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 22 minutes ago, mrsmelly said: The last day of winter is February 28th. I am setting off on my summer cruise about on March 1st if its not raining of course therefore the summer will begin on that date You've got to be joking. Just 5 years ago, March 21st....... And I was working locks on the Rochdale with snow up to my knees in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearley Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 33 minutes ago, mrsmelly said: The last day of winter is February 28th. I am setting off on my summer cruise about on March 1st if its not raining of course therefore the summer will begin on that date We too shall be cruising from 1 March as that's when the Wolverhampton 21 reopen but Spring doesn't start until 20/21 March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 27 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said: You've got to be joking. Just 5 years ago, March 21st....... And I was working locks on the Rochdale with snow up to my knees in April. Yes it can happen. The first week of april in fact most of april 2011 was bright sunshine t shirts and barby weather I have decreed that is going to happen this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bob Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 I remember a cricket match between Lancashire and Derbyshire being postponed due to snow back in the early 70's. In Matlock I think on June 1st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 2 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said: You've got to be joking. Just 5 years ago, March 21st....... And I was working locks on the Rochdale with snow up to my knees in April. Ah yes the frozen north, as any fule kno... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerra Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 It would appear some birds have started spring migration. The Cuckoos being satellite tracked by the BTO have started to move north. Still in sub Saharan Africa but have moved between 235 and 1315 miles north. Admittedly they have a long slow migration stopping to fatten up for day/weeks along the way, but they have started north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickent Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, pearley said: We too shall be cruising from 1 March as that's when the Wolverhampton 21 reopen but Spring doesn't start until 20/21 March. If the depth of cold arrives as is forecast then I would imagine everywhere will be frozen solid by then. The event happening in the stratosphere that Matty40s mentioned in an earlier post is record breaking and could potentially lead to some extremely cold conditions in early March. The conditions that Mac of cygnet describes above followed a very similar but weaker stratospheric warming. Edited February 13, 2018 by Rickent more info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 21 hours ago, Dr Bob said: Flock of Cranes you say? No........ not here.......until I looked at your location?????? Oh you lucky person. In the UK there is now a quite well established 'flock' of them down on the Somerset Levels where they have been released having been reared... up at Slimbridge. They are all ringed so the project can monitor their movements. My best has been seeing a group of 3 of them flying over Cardiff heading from the levels back to Slimbridge. One pair bred in 2016 and one chick survived. Quite a few of the released ones go back to Slimbridge. I've only see one 'wild' crane in the UK and that was up in Fair Isle (Shetland) last summer. Your are so lucky having so many down your way. ...but as Matty said, the SSW is going to make it a bit chilly in 10 days time.....maybe. We are all doomed. We were lucky enough to see a wild Crane on the Norfolk Broads in 2016. Didn't manage to catch a glimpse of any when we went back last year though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassedoff Posted February 15, 2018 Report Share Posted February 15, 2018 End of winter? This week has been the hardest winter week in 3 years I no joke. WeT with 50mile winds/ice (Can't move) Muddy as anything, frozen pipes/leaning into the wind. Depressed shouting at my cat and my dog. I look like I've been on a tour of the somme when I've gone for a walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikvah Posted February 15, 2018 Report Share Posted February 15, 2018 Tomorrow is the end of winter for me as it will be my 1st jaunt on the boat of 2018, having persuaded the Admiral of the fleet that 9'C and no frost for a week is Spring (near Braunston). The snowdrops and croci (?crocususes?) are out and daffs are already showing here in Worcs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted February 16, 2018 Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 2 hours ago, brassedoff said: End of winter? This week has been the hardest winter week in 3 years I no joke. WeT with 50mile winds/ice (Can't move) Muddy as anything, frozen pipes/leaning into the wind. Depressed shouting at my cat and my dog. I look like I've been on a tour of the somme when I've gone for a walk. You have of course had three of the softest winters so far on record. Some proper weather coming in a week or so according to that Matty40s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quaysider Posted February 16, 2018 Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 nah - I'm all for Spring is nearly here... I mean, yesterday, the solar panels we putting in 3.8 amps (avoid commenting please pedant police) at 9.30! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted February 16, 2018 Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 4 minutes ago, Quaysider said: nah - I'm all for Spring is nearly here... I mean, yesterday, the solar panels we putting in 3.8 amps (avoid commenting please pedant police) at 9.30! But. But, you've typed we instead of were. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted February 16, 2018 Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 11 hours ago, brassedoff said: End of winter? This week has been the hardest winter week in 3 years I no joke. WeT with 50mile winds/ice (Can't move) Muddy as anything, frozen pipes/leaning into the wind. Depressed shouting at my cat and my dog. I look like I've been on a tour of the somme when I've gone for a walk. We havnt had a winter since 2010 when we were all frozen in a few inches thick for a few weeks and plenty snow. We only get one every few years though so its no big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bob Posted February 16, 2018 Report Share Posted February 16, 2018 1 hour ago, Quaysider said: nah - I'm all for Spring is nearly here... I mean, yesterday, the solar panels we putting in 3.8 amps (avoid commenting please pedant police) at 9.30! But.....But, your MT50 was putting 3.8A in. Your solar panels were only putting in 0.4A 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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