tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post7678129424199503967..comments2024-03-29T01:41:15.713+00:00Comments on Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds: Ralph Hancockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-12227854754582314642020-09-22T01:12:11.096+01:002020-09-22T01:12:11.096+01:00It's probably a bowdlerised translation of Cac...It's probably a bowdlerised translation of <i>Cacafuego</i>, the nickname of the Spanish galleon <i>Nuestra Señora de la Concepción</i> captured in the Pacific by Sir Francis Drake in 1579. 'Spitfire' became a slang term for a cannon before it was extended to explosive women.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-83909659825703507872020-09-22T00:34:10.303+01:002020-09-22T00:34:10.303+01:00I always meant to ask: are Spitfires named after d...I always meant to ask: are Spitfires named after dragons, or after fiery, feisty women?Tinúvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-80340206216009605892020-09-21T05:15:39.049+01:002020-09-21T05:15:39.049+01:00There are two families each of Greenfinches and Ch...There are two families each of Greenfinches and Chaffinches in this small area. Greenfinches in the park have recovered well from the respiratory virus outbreak, but all the Chaffinches except young ones (I think the pictured one was young) are still suffering from that foot disease, which I think is due to another virus.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-82220987351146827462020-09-21T05:05:08.493+01:002020-09-21T05:05:08.493+01:00A beautiful day-all about to get autumnal mid-week...A beautiful day-all about to get autumnal mid-week. Lucky you having Greenfinch & Chaffinch. Haven't seen either locally for a few weeks; the former had been around in small numbers. We had a couple of good (presume continental) flocks of Chaffinch back in the winter otherwise I heard just 2 singing birds in the springConehead54https://www.blogger.com/profile/18423862602236191493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-7092545251344589722020-09-20T21:34:28.121+01:002020-09-20T21:34:28.121+01:00The Merlin makes a very distinctive sound. When I ...The Merlin makes a very distinctive sound. When I heard four at once I thought it was going to be a Lancaster.<br /><br />The short wing tips of the Spifire Vb were ugly but improved roll rate and climb rate from low altitudes. Spitfire wing tips were removable and different kinds could be substituted by ground crew depending on the mission. High altitudes needed full size tips.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-4134819317337290792020-09-20T20:58:08.546+01:002020-09-20T20:58:08.546+01:00What a splendid sight! I wish I could have listene...What a splendid sight! I wish I could have listened to the roar of the mythic Merlin engines. Always loved that name for the engine, the mythical protector of Albion.<br /><br />Those tiny stubby lovely, lovely wings!Tinúvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.com