Ime off to Looe again in my BX.

[Mothman]

Well, ime off to Looe again for my annual trip, first break since the begining of last September caring for mum.
Will be taking my 'new' TZD Estate [not Sophie this time] to give her a good work out, all packed and ready to go for next Friday at 4 am.

Hope to catch a few sharks, all to be tagged and released of course. A skipper mate had one on last Sunday which was huge, followed it for 5 miles, snapped off after 4.5 hours. the shark we all saw on TV a couple of weeks ago, estimated at 550lb took 1.5 hours to bring to the surface on 50lb line was no comparison. This one could not be moved. Either a 1000lb Thresher shark or a Blue fin Tuna. Nothing seen however.

Fingers crossed both the TZD make it and i catch a monster, cant wait.

Andy

[MULLEY]

Thats nothing, it took me 45mins to land a 8.5lb carp a few weeks ago, it must have been on steroids......

[saintjamesy89]

Andy, is this you're job? Population sampling? Or is it a hobby/side job thingy. Only reason I ask is that i'm interested in ecology and conservation and all that stuff but don't know how to get into it with a measly bachelors degree (most research posts seem to require a masters or previous phd).

[Mothman]

Andy, is this you're job? Population sampling? Or is it a hobby/side job thingy. Only reason I ask is that i'm interested in ecology and conservation and all that stuff but don't know how to get into it with a measly bachelors degree (most research posts seem to require a masters or previous phd).

No bud, just a hobby, been doing it since i was 17, caught my first shark in 1973. Had 100s since.
However through the SACGB we have in the past been taking DNA skin samples for Birmingham University and through this have acertained that the Blue shark population is the same genetically worldwide and from the tagging programme that they live about 20 years, no tags being returned after this time.

However my big interest is moths, terrible declines of species over the years and this year is the worst i have seen in 35 years of recording.

Andy

[saintjamesy89]

My Steve is into moths too, we often set up a trap here and there around the country and towns near us. They do come in some fabulous varieties colours and patterns!

According to our books and ID guides this years moths are quite late, insofar as those usually seen in March and April are about now, and as you say they are few and far between.

[Mothman]

Not just late bud but in very small numbers and many species just aint there at all that should be. I hope that there isnt an ecological disaster taking place.
Ive never known it so bad. Mind you, ime taking my 40 w Actinic to Looe. Hope i get something i dont get in Sussex.

Andy

[saintjamesy89]

The weather has been shocking this year, cme being a plant person, there have been that many confused plants flowering too early and normal frosts killing off the buds, repeat flowerings knackering the plants, really bad seed germination and young plant failure. I work in a garden centre and have done for the past 5 years on and off and we've had lots of customers with these complaints this year so far - tomatoes have been awful, no plants cos they all bolted and petered out at the suppliers and seed snot germinating either.

[Mothman]

Because of the few moth numbers at night, i have seen bats flying under oal tree canopies in daylight as i fear they may have been starving. In the UK, we have lost 90% of our bats over the past 30 years, this summer could be the last straw.
I hope not.

Andy

[saintjamesy89]

I've also heard of the bat woes, a friend of mine is doing her phd on bat populations in and around London. She's comparing her data to past records and it'll be intersting to see if she can see why this is happening. Although I expect habitat loss, noise pollution (messes up their visual ultrasound system) and parasite load are major suitors for the role - and that's apart from food availability (which I expect is linked to habitat loss and other issues).

[Mothman]

Light pollution ime sure will be a big factor too.
Just look at Europe at night to see how few dark places there are!!!

Mind you, i do this most nights i can run a moth trap during the year. 125W Mercury Vapour running every night!!
However, i do have one of the best set of moth records other than my county recorder in East Sussex.
Funny that ime into BXs as well.must be quite odd!!



Andy

[Mothman]

Andy, is this you're job? Population sampling? Or is it a hobby/side job thingy. Only reason I ask is that i'm interested in ecology and conservation and all that stuff but don't know how to get into it with a measly bachelors degree (most research posts seem to require a masters or previous phd).

I think you will just have to persevere in your search for a job. I know someone who did her doctorate in ant populations etc yet now specialises in bumblebees. I was with her over the May Bank holiday releasing Short- haired bumblebees at the RSPB reserve at Dungeness, you may have heard of this in the media, quite an experience for me i might add!!

Andy

[Mickey taker]

Thats nothing, it took me 45mins to land a 8.5lb carp a few weeks ago, it must have been on steroids......

took me nearly 20 minutes to land a cod last night











the queue in the chippy was massive

[Wooscary]

Our tomatoes look to be doing ok, and the bats come every night. But the only population I can vouch for in any numbers is slugs.

[saintjamesy89]

Yep, bad year for many things, but bloody good year for slugs and snails!

[Dollywobbler]

And midges. Slugs and snail are eating all of our crops while the midges stop us wanting to go outside and defend the food! Ugh!