Birds, originally uploaded by http://andrewskelton.net.
Well I’m feeling rather pleased with myself, after a concerted effort I’ve managed to complete all the slides, including nice transitions and animations, so all I’ve got left to do is write some notes against each slide. As I’ve mentioned before when discussing adding content to Flickr and this Blog, I find the blog much easier as the words are in my head where as I have to have media of some sort to upload to flick – it’s the same for the slides vs notes – to produce the slides I have to have content to add where as the notes can stream, ramble or waffle away out of my head. Hmm, I don’t think I should count my chickens and all that – there is still a lot of words to get done… and this blog as well, guess my evenings are going to be rather chock -a-block until Sunday (and Sunday isn’t going to be much better – I’ll have to drive back then).
Of course, all my planning and forethought could come to naught unless the weather decides to smile upon me. I’ve checked the 5 day forecast, taking me up until Saturday I might well be in luck with Saturday being sunny and warm (for the time of year). I have had a bit of a brain wave, should worst come to worst and it pours down with rain, something I’ve wanted to try for a while and which seems now to be finding favour amongst a number of wildlife photographers – Hi-Key portraiture pictures of flora and fauna. I have all the equipment necessary bar some sort of mess to enclose something in a light tent so it could be a great backup idea, however before I even suggest it, I need to have a chat with the Zoo’s Curator and staff to ensure that flash photography won’t unduly affect any of the animals, after all their well fair is paramount – and whilst I don’t mind putting myself through stresses and strains for a photograph I certainly don’t want to do the same my wildlife subjects.
Our aquarium is going well, in fact, it’s going a little too well; the two snails that hitched a ride into the tank with the plants have now become 222 (or so it seems) and it’s now becoming a battle to contain their numbers. Whilst I don’t mind their presence, they do after all eat lots of algae, I don’t want them to take any of the resources away from the aquarium’s primary residents, the fish and the shrimp. At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any negative impact on these inhabitants but the snails have been warned and may well be evicted if they don’t watch out.
The shrimp are a constant source of fascination, and in the month that they’ve lived at our abode they have shed their skins twice.. not once.. but twice, Dear Reader. I’m rather amazed by this but by all indications this means that they are thriving and many sources state that it should be a matter of time before we hear the patter of tiny crustacean feet, that is of course providing there are males and females present in the tank (which there are). We have a deep scarlet colour Cherry Shrimp that I think is the female and when examining her/it last night I’m sure the underside of her thorax is extended, which could indicate a possible pregnancy (it’s often referred to as a Saddle) – the decision now is whether to start a second, smaller tank just for the offspring or let them run loose in the current one. Aah the decisions of being a parent!
Andrew Skelton: 
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