Enough is enough

Yesterday a KLM Boeing 737 took off from Amsterdam, climbed all the way to 41,000 ft and came back down again. Why? To observe and detect the ash cloud that is supposedly spread over much of northern Europe. What did they find? Nothing...no ash was detected. The aircraft was spotlessly clean when it returned to Amsterdam.

The satellite imagery that I have seen on the net is pretty inconclusive. Clearly the ash cannot be physically seen in the air so we are reliant on infra red imagery to detect it. Yet the imagery from the Met Office shows the "significant levels" way to the north of the UK.

The case that the news items always relate back to is that of the British Airways 747 which suffered multiple engine failure over Indonesia....but in that instance the cloud was all too visible to the crew with visibility severely restricted. Clearly that is not the case now, or again the ash cloud would show up using standard optical imagery...besides which we would easily see it from the ground.

The met office sent an aircraft up....but only in to the lower levels that jets would climb through...not levels at which they actually operate. Yes, they said that they detected "significant" ash, but the aircraft was not exactly covered in the stuff when it returned. But, that aircraft only operated at levels that private flights are still being allowed to operate at....so in otherwords they detected ash at low levels, but the CAA has not considered it sufficient to ban private flghts! How then, can they justify banning flights at higher fleght levels?

In truth of course there has been volcanic ash in the atmosphere since the planet formed; the question is "What density is significant?" No-one so far has provided an answer to that question. Surely with all our technical abilities and resources that question can be answered or at least someone can say that the levels are currently in excess of that which aircraft engines can safely operate?

Every year we have several incidents where huge volumes of Saharan dust blow up into the stratosphere, clearly visible on all optical satellite images. On occassions this has found its way all the way north to the UK. When it has fallen to low level, it produces a very murky sky, and we see hard evidence by the dust covering our cars. Yet in these circumstances flights operate as normal, they fly through the dust, and so far without any damage being caused.

The VAAC (Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre) has said that the ash cloud is 60% Silica. Guess what the sand from the Sahara is made of? In reality I fear that it is simply a case of, yes there is some ash up there, the public know that an aircraft nearly crashed once because it flew through ash, so lets just ban all flights...that way no-one is responsible if there is an incident.

There are aircraft available with testing equipment that could be used to give accurate readings of the ash levels up there. The aircraft concerned are operated by NASA. Have we, or any affected country asked them for assistance?

In the meantime the public suffer, businesses suffer and whole aviation industry suffers.

Bank Vole

This is a Bank Vole, who we have christened Victor....seems an appropriate name. We've seen him (although in reality it could be a her) scurrying around underneath one of the bird feeders for the last couple of days, clearing up the seed that inevitably falls to the ground. Similar in size to a Wood Mouse but with a much blunter nose and shorter tail. You have to be very patient to photograph one, they move with amazing speed and agility...press the shutter and by the time the picture's taken the vole is about 3ft away and you've just photographed some soil!

Volcanic Sunset

The sunset wasn't spectacular but there was a definite unusual shade of green, which we were warned might be the case. This picture was taken about 30 minutes after the sun went down.

UK and Northern Europe Airspace closed

This is a screen shot as of 1930 this evening. UK controlled airspace and most airports are closed (news reports suggest all our closed, but our local airfield has remained open all day with several light aircraft movements). The situation is similar in Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and northern France. Current expectations are that UK airspace will not reopen until 0700 tomorrow morning, at the earliest. There is no visual evidence of the ash cloud although it is noticeable that the sky (which has been clear all day) is definitely hazy around the edges. Expectations are for a colourful sunset....we will see.

Its not just Icelandic banks that cause grief!

This is a screen shot from an aircraft tracking programme called Plane Plotter. It shows aircraft positions in "real time". The lack of aircraft north of a line from Swansea to Ipswich is not due to a fault in the system, but is a result of a volcanic ash cloud (that resulted from an eruption in Iceland) drifting over much of the country. As a safety precaution all major airports north of this line were closed which has resulted in many cancellations and diversions. Aircraft normally overlfying the UK (between North America and mainland Europe) were rerouted much further south than usual so as to avoid this area and the possible risk of ingestion of the ash.

RAF training flights

Captured by my better half, this is one of several RAF Dominie T1 training aircraft (military version of the HS125 executive jet) operated by 55(R) Squadron based at Cranwell. They are used for aircrew and navigator training. This particular example passed overhead us at about 1,000 ft probably on a practice approach to our local airport at Haverfordwest.

High level clouds....sort of!

These unusual formations occurred a few weeks back. They appear to have formed out of old aircraft contrails following the passage of several aircraft on a similar routing. However it was complicated by those trails passing through a number of existing cirrus clouds. The end result, if perhaps partly man made, is still quite spectacular.

Squirrels and their nuts!

One has to admire the inginuity of Squirrel's. Here are some photo's of a Squirrel attempting to find a way through the defensive barrier of metal bars that surround the feeder.

This particular Squirrel was getting very frustrated and eventually gave up.

However the way to do it, at the end of the day, is very simple. Just do the same as us, take the lid off!

Normal service has been resumed....!

Its been a while since I've made any contribution to cyberspace. I don't offer any excuses for this, other than the fact that I've just not got around to putting finger to keyboard!

Anyway, Spring is here. After 2-3 weeks of lovely sunny, but cold weather during late February through to mid March it is now dull and wet, albeit a little warmer.

Some recent sightings of the feathered variety include a Pied Wagtail (above) which I photographed perched on the roof of our conservatory (the Wagtail, not me, being the one that was doing the perching!).

Below is a Goldfinch about to sample some sunflower seeds.

Uncle Sam leaving his mark over Pembrokeshire!

Last Saturday saw the return of clear skies and an abundance of overflights by numerous aircraft types. These photo's show (above) an Atlas Air Boeing 747-200 and (below) another 747, this time of Southern Air. These are both freighters of 1980's vintage. The Atlas Air was on a US Military flight from Adana (Turkey) to Dover AFB (Delaware, US). I have not managed to work out where the Southern Air aircraft was going from and to.


The recent build up of forces in Afghanistan has lead to a significant increase in military charters. Other flights that overflew that day operating on behalf of the US Military included World Airways (2 x MD-11's, 2 x DC-10 and a 747), Omni International (2 x DC-10, 1 x 757, 1 x 767), Southern Air (2 more 747's) and UPS (1 x 747). In addition there were 3 USAF C-17 freighters.

Interestingly World and Omni in particular derive most of their business from the US Government with several long term trooping and cargo contracts. This has lead them to acquire additional aircraft, (principally comparitively cheap DC-10's) to compliment their existing fleets. Many people will not have even heard of Omni, yet they operate a fleet of 10 x DC-10's, 3 x 767 and 3 x 757, and have a further 6 x DC-10's in storage. This actually makes them one of the largest providers of aircraft to the US military.

The value of these contracts, which can run into millions, will more than pay for these aircraft, and no doubt once the contracts are complete and/or the military action is over, then the aircraft will be retired or sold on...unless of course there is demand elsewhere in the world.

Bullfinch

I have seen them occasionally at some distance in the nearby woods, but finally we had a visit from 2 male Bullfinches yesterday. Like the Snipe no doubt the cold weather caused them to visit the garden looking for easier pickings. Bullfinch numbers have been in decline for some years and this colourful bird is becoming one of our rarest finches.

Common Snipe

The snows have returned, along with a large number (I counted 25 in all) of Common Snipe. We have seen a few this Winter but never in such numbers. Despite their name, Common Snipe are a comparitively rare sight for most, being largely a bird of open moorlands and wetlands. However I suspect the recent cold weather and snow has mean't they have had to vacate their usual habitats in the search for food, which is mainly insects and small invertibrates which they dig out with their long beaks.


The snow also signalled the return of our local Fieldfare, who has taken up his usual station on the rockery!

High Fliers

The return of some clear weather yesterday gave me (in theory) the opportunity to photograph some high flying aircraft. Sadly not that many high fliers, and most inconsiderately stayed well to the north on the airway which routes from the London area towards Strumble Head. Nevertheless I managed this photo of a KLM Boeing 777. This is flight KL743 routing from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. It crossed more or less directly overhead at 30,000 ft heading west.

The Sentinel, aka Freddie!

Still here after 10 days, mostly spent (by day at least) on or around our rockery. Here are a couple more shots of our resident Fieldfare.

Blackbird, Song Thrush

As the cold weather continues opportunities to photograph the bird life arise that much more easily. The other day I went to put food on the bird table, which at the time was occupied by a Blackbird. It was only at the point when I started to tip some food onto the table that the Blackbird finally flew down to the ground, but even then remaining only a couple of feet away from me.

Although more shy, we have had Song Thrushes also coming up close to us waiting for food. And of course Freddie is still around, guarding his fruit!