That sinking feeling.....

So, there I am, half way to 108 today, the same day 100 years after the launch of the Titanic in 1911.  And what a beautiful day it has been, with bright sunny skies and fair-weather cumulus, although a cool breeze.
A visit to Nosterfield NR, where I was greeted to the sight of a stoat tackling a rabbit, with two other rabbits trying to distract the mustelid - a bit one-sided, with the stoat, although smaller, being able to drag the rabbit off into the long grass where it was swiftly dispatched.  The adult Mediterranean Gull was still on the island in exactly the same place among the Black-headed Gulls, and continued to be harassed.  Were the Black-heads making half-hearted mating attempts, or just mobbing it?  The chicks on the island wandered around the Med Gull, and one received a sharp peck.  Is the Med Gull breeding?

A drive on up to Dallowgill, one of my favourite places, where I had Whinchat, and brief flight views of a Ring Ouzel, which was later heard singing.

Dallowgill

There were some of my favourite butterflies around, the exquisite Small Coppers, and plenty of Grouse about, uttering their distinctive calls, and bursting into their flickering flight over the heather moors.

Red Grouse, male

Red Grouse, female

Back to the Titanic.....

Launch of the Titanic, Belfast 1911

................which of course sank without trace within a year of its launch.  Today, officially my last day before redundancy, let's hope I fare rather better!

I can't finish on a down-beat note so here is my favourite Titanic joke....

The Great Magisto, was pleased to have got a job as the ship magician on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.  On the first night in front of the enthralled crowd, the magician started to perform his tricks, but was constantly interrupted by the ships parrot.  He would do one of his tricks, and the parrot would squawk 'it's up his sleeve, it's up his sleeve'.  He did another trick, and again the parrot screeched 'it's in his cloak, in his cloak'.  And so it went on, for the next few nights much to the exasperation of the Great Magisto.....
Then disaster struck, the ship hit the iceberg, and the magician was thrown into the water with the impact, but managed to cling to a bit of flotsam.  Much to his annoyance, the parrot fluttered down and perched on the same bit of driftwood, but for several days just did not utter a word.  The magician eventually spoke to the Parrot, and said 'I can't believe you have not said a word for days, especially when you did nothing but interrupt me during my act'.  The parrot cocked its head to one side, looked quizzically at the magician and said 'ok, I give up!...Where did you put the boat?'.