October 2009 Sightings

[Piers]

That's an interesting point Jack even though TM 425390 would still be the correct 100m square. Convention states that you do not round up grid refs, but there does appear to be some room for latitude here ( ) if you're trying to direct someone to a specific point for practical purposes rather than just the 1000m, 100m or 10m grid square. Intresting.

Felix.

[Jack Harrison]

What it really comes down to is:

(a) Are you trying to direct someone to a particular square?
(b) Or are you being pragmatic and giving them a ref they can find on an OS map?

Both scenarios occur and there is no “always right” or “always wrong”.

I’m still trying to find that WLH tree

Jack

[Zonda]

Written directions are best, even if it's 'third holly bush past rickety gate'

[Zonda]

Yesterday, i fumbled around in the Abbotsbury area. I saw more Red Admirals in one place, than i've seen all year, along with some fresh Painted Ladies,,,all on ivy. Some fresh looking Small tortoiseshells were also in evidence.

[Jack Harrison]

Zonda said:

I saw more Red Admirals in one place....

But you didn't give us a 96 digit map reference. Shame on you
Jack

[Zonda]

I could give you a 6 digit map ref. but you're probably bored to the teeth with map references now, as are the rest of us. A 96 digit map ref. would take you to the leaf it was perched on.

[Jack Harrison]

Zonda:

A 96 digit map ref. would take you to the leaf it was perched on.

I am going to work out if 96 digits would give a precision smaller than the dimensions of an atom. I won't do it right now, but when I go to bed tonight. Doing silly sums like that sends me to sleep far quicker than does counting sheep.

Jack

[Zonda]

I prefer lager.

[Rogerdodge]

Jack
By my calculations, a 96 digit Map Ref will refer you to a square of side 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 Meters.
That's 42 noughts.
That's a lot smaller than atom.

I may, of course, be wrong.

[NickB]

......he would be within 50 metres (in each direction) of that tree at the very worst. Jack

..in danger of not seeing the tree for the wood, is that ?

[tmhotten]

After a mild grass frost on the Surrey/Hants borders (well on Chobham Common), it was nice to see a couple of Speckled Woods flying in the afternoon sunshine alongside the Basingstoke Canal at Winchfield (SU772533). Sadly the various reported immigrants have not yet passed me.

Terry Hotten

[Zonda]

By my calculations, a 96 digit Map Ref will refer you to a square of side 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 Meters.
That's 42 noughts.
That's a lot smaller than atom.

How on earth did that fact pass me by?????

[Simon C]

By my calculations, a 96 digit Map Ref will refer you to a square of side 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 Meters.
That's 42 noughts.
That's a lot smaller than atom.

I may, of course, be wrong.

It certainly is! It is aproaching a million times smaller than the Planck length, which current theories have as the smallest length over which anything can be known.

I'll get my coat.

Simon

[Zonda]

Simon,,, you may be the 12th wonder of the world.

[Jack Harrison]

Roger:

By my calculations, a 96 digit Map Ref will refer you to a square of side 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 Meters.
That's 42 noughts.

Damn you Roger. How will I get to sleep tonight without a silly sum to work out? I think I'll have to make do with Cava instead.

Jack

[Piers]

Roger:

Damn you Roger. How will I get to sleep tonight without a silly sum to work out? I think I'll have to make do with Cava instead.

The Cornish Audio Visual Archive ??

Nice choice, should send you off in no time.

Felix.

[Vince Massimo]

Please excuse my interruption of this riveting discussion but I actually have some sightings to report.

At 10.30 today I joined a privileged handful of people to meet up with Neil Hulme at Brandy Hole Copse north of Chichester to witness a rare event. At exactly 11am a male Queen of Spain Fritillary was spotted in the main meadow. Neil recognised the individual as being one that hatched at the site approximately 7 days ago, so it still looked quite fresh. It only hung around for about 10 minutes, but reappeared on the path alongside the maize field at 12.30. It was then to be found there almost continuously until 3.45 when I left the site. Whilst searching for other individuals we found much more of the larval food plant (Field Pansy) along the edge of the maize field.

Other species seen were:- Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Comma, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Large White and Clouded Yellow.

Cheers,
Vince

[Susie]

Beautiful shots, Vince, I particularly like the second one. Mine would have been that good if I had got to take it.

[Jack Harrison]

How boring can you be Vince? There you are talking about a mere Queen of Spain Fritillary when many of us are discussing significantly more important matters like counting sheep and advanced mathematics.

“Male” Queen of Spain? Little chance of them breeding if they are so confused.

Discuss.

Jack

[geniculata]

after finding the first frost of the season on the ground this morning in a garden in the new forest, things soon warmed up.

By mid morning there were 9 fresh looking painted lady on the verbena, numbers swollen overnight from only one or two seen in the last few weeks, plus six speckled wood, 2 comma, 2 red admiral, and lastly a worn small copper. Also in the warm sun were common darter and southern hawker with the gentle backing vocals of wood cricket's chirping away.

gary.