Well after a knock of 149 from one wicketkeeper batsman...we nearly had a contest in the end the most consistent team won. what a shambles at the end...I didn't see it live but neither did some of the crowd or the players!!!

Much too long for an event that is about one day cricket and tense and excitment grew less and less!

They ought to have a knock out event after the initial rounds to make it more exciting.

World Cup Cricket Final

Well its here ...inevitably Australia are there.....and so too are Sri Lanka.

Disappointing semi finals with both SA and NZ capitulating!

So I am backing Sri Lanka because I cant a) stand the crowing from the Aussies
and b) I'm being a "typical" English person and supporting the underdog!!

Also I actually like the way they play their cricket and several of the team are outstanding
batters...and the M's can bowl a bit!!

(Mind I cant help but admire in a grudging way the outmost professionalism of the Oz team ...grrrl..but then I am a Pom!!)

The best team will win ...just hope its a terrific final.

City birds sing for silent nights.

Interesting research this- even more interesting for me is I have met the scientist quoted here..on a birding trip to Cornwall last year during my Big Year birding when I aimed to see over 300 birds in UK and managed to do so!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6591649.stm


Robins in urban areas are singing at night because it is too noisy during the day, researchers suggest.

Scientists from the University of Sheffield say there is a link between an area's daytime noise levels and the number of birds singing at night.

Until now, light pollution had been blamed because it was thought that street lights tricked the birds into thinking it was still daytime.

The findings are published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

"You generally only seem to hear nocturnal singing in cities," explained Richard Fuller, one of the study's co-authors.

"So this led us to think that there was some aspect of the urban environment that was driving this phenomenon."

Light pollution had been widely held as the prime suspect. It was thought to prevent the birds from roosting, leading to them remaining active through the hours of darkness. "That was the stock answer you would get," Dr Fuller said, "that it was basically tricking the birds into thinking it was daylight and tripping some sort of physiological threshold. "But we thought that was pretty unlikely because birds are much more complex than that." He said that there had never been a scientific study to measure the impact of light pollution on the behaviour of urban robins. "So we went out and measured both noctural light and daytime noise levels and we found that daytime noise had a far stronger effect. "We found that night-time light had a small effect, but very much smaller than the impact of noise levels." This led the team to conclude that it was an active decision by the birds to sing at night rather than passively responding to light levels. "The birds appear to be singing at night to avoid competition with high noise levels caused by our cities during the day," Dr Fuller suggested. "Noise levels were 10 times higher in places where birds were singing at night." The findings form a part of a seven-year research programme by the university's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences to measure the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity.

Cricket

9 wickets NINE wickets yes NINE WICKETS

Cant believe it - well I can unfortunately in the BIG game where even tho they didn't deserve it England had the chance to make the semi final what did they do yes.
Stuck to the losing system...same top 3 batters , not go on the attack during the power plays...
keep the wickets so that you blaze through the last 10 overs.

Problem...no one else plays that way any more we cant keep our wickets and we dont get to the last 10 overs!
Well any muppet can see that what has changed? Well our players have grown more and more lacking in any confidence except misplaced confidence of a terrible one day batter who is a great Test Skipper!

We all knew what would happen and it has.....

growl growl.

Wonder if it will make any difference.

Still I shall now enjoy watching the semis and the final.

Do I care who wins? well I would much rather it was the Kiwis or the Sri Lankans-

but then if they are really great matches.....cricket wins and maybe our ECB will watch and learn rather than think we can keep it the same old same old.



Still awaiting my first Swift.....and Swallow... maybe when i travel up to Rutland Water on Friday I'll be rewarded....perhaps Paxton Pits for my first Nightengale too....we will see.

Costa Rica

Well just before I watch the World Cup in the sunny Carib- we have yet another day in sunshine here in London!

Emerald toucanette!! Au natural....I may be able to find mine...on a feeder didn't get as close a shot as Sean's!! Yes there he is!!
Prong-billed Barbet another of my record shots!!













Flamecoloured Tanager.

Yet more photos from Costa Rica

Well the World Cup Cricket throws up continuous surprises....mainly The Irish and the Bangra Boys!! Good on 'em I say!

Well i thought it would be Oz, SA, Kiwis and SL in the finals......will i be correct?
Englands batting looked a bit wobbly at the begining.....come on KP!!!

So to the pics...once again Sean Dennis photos....
1st a Black and White Owl....roosting and living in a village public square...I kid you not along with a Sloth(Two toed) and some other birds!!


Double striped Thickknee and a Jabiru sitting on its nest with chick!














and a Black-headed Trogon.