RANDOM MUTTERINGS

For future reference (for me).
After a brief cold snap, the weather has turned much milder again over the last day or two, the return of the wind direction to a more prevailing wind direction having much input in that.
I think all the bats are hibernating now, as are the hedgehogs.
The only bumblebees alive are the Queens in their nests - the males are probably all dead.
Warm afternoons have brought a few localised hatches of midges and I've seen only one adult Harlequin Ladybird in the last week - on November 26th - will that be the last of the year? I doubt it. I certainly haven't seen any larvae crawling around though, and many pupae have not eclosed, nor will they, I'm guessing.
One, lone Plume Moth is the only moth I've seen for a week or so.

As for my Peregrines....
After a little help from local experts, it seems like there are UP TO FIVE Peregrines in the area around Berkshire.
I know they roost/hunt at Crowthorne and Theale and Reading itself.
The pair that I took a photo of seem both wild (no jesses) and the female that I snapped is the largest Peregrine by far, round these parts. She's HUGE.

Three Peregrines (we think) regularly roost in the town centre (on the Thames Tower, where I've seen them), one of them being a falconers escaped tiercel (with jesses).
For the last two winters, this male has overwintered at Theale gravel pits, and last year attempted to nest with a 'wild' female. Sad to report that Southern Electric's helicopter put pay to that nest on one of the Theale electicity pylons. A real shame.

I seem to be the main person for reporting the birds in town - mainly because I can pass the station every day if need be, on the way to/back from work, and I look up occasionally also.

I'll keep m new camera in my bag, and keep having a look, and with luck, I'll get a decent photo or two soon...

NB. Lunchtime today - and I've just seen one lone winter butterfly (Red Admiral) on the window - so there's a few of those about in this warm spell too...