Random Discussion

[Colin_T]

Owls are gorgeous animals and I must say that it's not often that you see them.

Owls are nocturnal predators and whilst they look nice, they do kill things.

I was cycling home from the shop one night when I heard a squawking noise. I stopped and looked up to see an owl on a power line. It had a small bird being held against the wire with one of its feet. The bird was squawking away and struggling to escape. The owl bit the birds throat out and the noise stopped.

 

[Essjay]

I hear owls rather than see them. I can't remember which species it is that the male has one call and the female a different one, but there's one of them flies around here that makes the "toowit" call. The opposite sex makes the "twhoo" call but we don't hear than as often.
If any owl experts can tell me which species that is, and if it's the male or female we hear I'd be interested to know

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Owls are nocturnal predators and whilst they look nice, they do kill things.

I was cycling home from the shop one night when I heard a squawking noise. I stopped and looked up to see an owl on a power line. It had a small bird being held against the wire with one of its feet. The bird was squawking away and struggling to escape. The owl bit the birds throat out and the noise stopped.

Killing is ugly sometimes, but it's how nature works. Predators gotta eat, too!

 

[Ch4rlie]

I hear owls rather than see them. I can't remember which species it is that the male has one call and the female a different one, but there's one of them flies around here that makes the "toowit" call. The opposite sex makes the "twhoo" call but we don't hear than as often.
If any owl experts can tell me which species that is, and if it's the male or female we hear I'd be interested to know

It’s the females that go “tuwhit” and the males go “tuwhoo”.

There’s a much easier way of remembering this -

female looks at male and says ‘twit!’

male looks all around and says ‘who?’



It’s barn owls by the way that makes these calls.
Have seen them flying at night time before, majestic sight to behold, really lovely!

 

[Colin_T]

Most of the owls here don't make any noise and quite often I startle them when out walking at night. The bats however do make noise. There used to be some bats that hung around a street light eating the insects. Every night when I cycled past I would hear this squeaking noise. I didn't know it was bats then but every time I went past this light it sounded like my bike was squeaking. I stopped the bike and the squeaking stopped, so I hopped back on and rode off and the squeaking started again. I stopped and checked the bike but it was fine so continued cycling and the squeaking happened when I was moving but not when I stopped.

This went on for months and was driving me nuts. My bike didn't squeak during the day, at least I didn't hear anything, which I put down to not being able to hear squeaks because of the noise from traffic. It only happened at night when it was quiet, and only after I went past this street light.

One night I was out cycling with a friend and we went past the light and my bike started squeaking. I slowed down and stopped and my friend who was cycling behind me yelled out bat. We stopped I said what. He said a bat just swooped my bike. So we hopped back on and continued cycling and a moment later he yells bat again.

We rode along for about 10 minutes and he kept yelling bat. Eventually we stopped and had a chat about it and he said there was a bat swopping down trying to catch the red rear light on my bike. My friend had a red rear light on his bike too but the bat wasn't interested in his light, and was only interested in mine. I did further tests over the next few weeks and found it was one particular setting on the light (flashing red LEDs) that attracted the bat. From then on I just had the light on solid mode until I got past the light and my bike didn't squeak again after that.

Basically the bat was using sound (squeaks) to try and home in on the flashing red light on my bike.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Colin is very right about sleep, light and exercise. Also eating healthy helps too.

Yup!

Daily exercise: pushups, sit-ups, curls, crunches, pull-ups, chin-ups, runs, etc.

Especially do these when you are stressed. Exercise is one of the best ways to deal with stress.

Eating healthy: Stay away from sodas, candy, sweets, etc.

Try to eat high protein foods. Salmon, peanut butter, eggs, broccoli, spinach, shrimp, peanuts, etc.

Sleep: Sleep is very important. Not sure how the time works over there, but I wake up at 7:00 AM and I go to bed at 8:50. That gives me good sleep, for the next day.

Just some suggestions. I’m an exercise freak.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Yup!

Daily exercise: pushups, sit-ups, curls, crunches, pull-ups, chin-ups, runs, etc.

Especially do these when you are stressed. Exercise is one of the best ways to deal with stress.

Eating healthy: Stay away from sodas, candy, sweets, etc.

Try to eat high protein foods. Salmon, peanut butter, eggs, broccoli, spinach, shrimp, peanuts, etc.

Sleep: Sleep is very important. Not sure how the time works over there, but I wake up at 7:00 AM and I go to bed at 8:50. That gives me good sleep, for the next day.

Just some suggestions. I’m an exercise freak.

Bacon is high in protein. And it's gluten free. So it must be good for me.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Bacon is high in protein. And it's gluten free. So it must be good for me.

Bacon can be good for you, in small amounts. It is high in sodium and is usually high in fat. (Or at least the kind my mom gets)

But it can be good for you, as long as you eat it in moderation.

Now this is for body building, but it’s still in the basic fitness realm:https://www.fitbod.me/blog/bacon-and-bodybuilding

 

[kwi]

We should be using fats rather than carbs as our primary energy source, the low fat diet is the biggest ever failed social experiment.
And it can be traced back to the overproduction of corn.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

We should be using fats rather than carbs as our primary energy source, the low fat diet is the biggest ever failed social experiment.
And it can be traced back to the overproduction of corn.

No, we should be using protein for our primary energy. If you eat foods like bacon, you need to make sure the other meals throughout the day, have higher protein.

“Bacon is good for bodybuilding as long as your overall macronutrient goal for the day is achieved and you eat bacon in moderation. For example, since 70% of the calories from bacon come from fat, you’ll want to ensure that your other meals throughout the day have a higher protein intake, but lower to moderate amounts of fat. If you are going to eat any bacon, make sure it’s back bacon.”

 

[kwi]

But most of us aren't body building and excess protein can be harmful.........

 

[Ch4rlie]

But most of us aren't body building and excess protein can be harmful.........

I'm definitely not body building, in fact not even exercising enough, am a lazy so and so truth be told!

Though I sincerely do LOVE a nice bacon roll or two!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

But most of us aren't body building and excess protein can be harmful.........

That doesn’t just relate to body building. I’m not a “body builder”, but I still exercise pretty hard, every single day. I want to be in the Navy SEAL’s when I get old enough, and I don’t want to be the guy that can’t even do 15 push-ups in a row, on the first day. I also don’t want to be the skinny if that everyone laughs at. (Been there, done that.)

Now someone that isn’t concerned about muscle growth, bacon would be just fine for them. I was just saying for me, bacon isn’t healthy enough.

I'm definitely not body building, in fact not even exercising enough, am a lazy so and so truth be told!

Though I sincerely do LOVE a nice bacon roll or two!

Ah, come on, you can’t be that bad!

Why not exercise? It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just a brisk walk every day is really helpful. It helps to relieve stress and it helps to clear your mind.

 

[kwi]

I do cycling and running, used to do triathlons until my tool time got cut short by kids, also passed the PRC for the Royal Marines, but didn't join up as I failed the medical......go figure.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I do cycling and running, used to do triathlons until my tool time got cut short by kids, also passed the PRC for the Royal Marines, but didn't join up as I failed the medical......go figure.

Nice, Royal Marines are tough stuff. One of the best light infantry group in the world.