Farnboro John
Well-known member
2 from Norfolk yesterday and today.
Nice. A KC135R from Mildenhall and one of those ridiculous but rather wonderful Beluga things that Airbus parts get transported around in.
John
2 from Norfolk yesterday and today.
I preferred the Beluga's predecessor
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/SuperGuppy-F-BPPA.jpg
I preferred the Beluga's predecessor
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/SuperGuppy-F-BPPA.jpg
Could I ask ask how many others have an airport (or part of one) as their patch?
I have worked at Hong Kong International Airport for the last two years and started birding a well-wooded roundabout close to the North Runway as a way to add some interest to lunchtimes that would otherwise be spent mooching about the terminal buildings.
It's a somewhat odd patch as it is actively managed to reduce its attraction to birds in order to minimise the threat of bird strike - only shrubs and trees that are not fruit-bearing are planted - and the combined noise from the aircraft, trains, buses, taxis and sundry other vehicles all contribute to what would be a decidedly unpleasant spot - except for the fact that I have picked up 120-odd species (including a few distinctive races - mostly wagtails) in just over 2 years! My patch thread is in the China section of the website - see the link in my signature.
The aircraft here are mostly typical commercial jet aircraft with a smattering of private jets, but inside Terminal 1 hangs a replica of Spirit of Shatin, a 1910 Farman that made the first recorded flight in Hong Kong, and indeed in Asia.
There's a wonderful historical account of its maiden flight here:
http://industrialhistoryhk.org/sha-tin-airfield/.
Pix of the replica can be seen here:
http://travelforaircraft.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/spirit-of-sha-tin-沙田精神號-walkaround-write/
Cheers
Mike
Hi Barry,
My Dundee Airport and environs (the 1500m radius response area to be precise) list currently stands at 121 species, a number of which might interest you.
Unfortunately what was probably the best spot for migrant waders within the Riverside park has been lost due to the council's remedial works but may reappear in time; there used to be a dip in the meadow nearest the road to the east of the swan pool. Each autumn it would fill with water and it gave me a steady trickle of goodies; Ruff, Little Stint, Snipe, Wood Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank being the high-lights.
Watch out for Whimbrel, they are regulars at the airport both spring and summer. Other bits and pieces over the years include Bean Goose (in the swan pool meadow), Canada Geese (regular fly-overs, a small flock went over the week before last), Kingfisher (at the burn mouth in Invergowrie bay), Yellow-legged Gull, Fulmar (again not unusual to see over-flyers in the autumn especially after a bit of a blow), Merlin, Hobby, Cuckoo and Short-eared Owl (sometimes up to four on and around the airport in good vole years). Additionally I have had a couple of dead birds turn up; Gannet (an immature that died of exhaustion by the runway after a very heavy storm) and Long-eared Owl which got thumped by a car just outside the airport (now in the Dundee museum collection).
Great to hear of the Mediterranean Gull, I hoped one would put in an appearance sooner or later. Nice find :t:
Now if a White-tailed Eagle would just fly up the Tay when I am on duty......
Cheers
Tim G
Dundee Airport
one of those ridiculous but rather wonderful Beluga things that Airbus parts get transported around in.
John
We see those over the house quite a lot, what with Airbus just down the road at Broughton, churning out wings that need transporting to Toulouse (I think?) to stick 'em on the planes.
James
Did anyone watch Guy Martin and the Spit rebuild last night?
Answered the question that I asked two Fridays ago when we watched 2 Spits and a Mess 'dogfighting' over my garden!! Wondered what they were doing as there were no shows on or anything and a really odd place to be doing it, basically over Witterings village. Cool
I thought I'd post a few fun ones from this past September.
The first 3 were flying over my house on the way to a municipal airport. B-17 and two of the B-24. The P-51 was part of the group two. Owned by these people. http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm
They were on tour.
The C-47 just happened to be flying out of the Bar Harbor, ME airport I think having returned from Europe from the D-Day remembrances.
Err I can't admit I'm into planes but I did photograph this...form of...air traffic. Don't know what it is, it looks quite peculiar.
Somewhat related ----- I just finished, 'A Higher Call' by Adam Makos. A revelation of sorts - for me concerning the German Air Force. A German Fighter escorts a crippled B 17 through the coastal flack zone which gives it a chance to return to England. Story of both pilots. The German's though ---- amazing. The American sent the author to him before telling his tale. Fantastic book.