Hi,
Following on from the comments to an earlier post I think it would be great if we could all manage to get to Skye. Checking the calendar for June gives the last week-end as 30th June (Saturday) but July 1st for the Sunday. Is that still possible for you Ali?
If not the last whole week-end in June is 23rd/24th.
At this stage I could make either.
PS I don't think organising this over blogger is a major issue? Perhaps we will have to share email address's?
Dates suit me, I reckon I could probably make it... haha!!!
ReplyDeleteI see no real issues using this site to formulate plans, as long as we mainly stick to the original raison d'être, blogging about our progression through the year towards the magical 1000 species tally. Or we could use the PSL website Forum page which is massively under-used (and seemingly mostly used by robots of late)
There's a PSL forum page? Yeah, trouble on here is it slides away and you have to find the entry where the discussion is. Another possibility is we use a draft article since we can all access it and it;s private. In fact I'll post my email in one. I'll fly a kite with the missus for weekend 23/24 June. After that I'll be bothering Spanish inverts for a bit
ReplyDeleteI have a visa for June 23/24 :) In terms of accomodation is there a good nearby place for a tent if the family join me on the trip (or even if not I suppose)? They probably won't since I'll be mostly busy but I'll also need to sleep somwehere - at least a bit. Game on!
ReplyDeleteGreat news Ali. So June 23/24 it is. Hope Tim can also make those dates. Will book time off and start organising my accommodation.
ReplyDeleteYes, can make June 23/24. Just wondered if we should book that bunk-house room and use it as a base? PS Would like to visit Ben Lawers for mountain flowers if possible either on the way up or way back. Of interest to anyone?
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with whatever accomodation suits the group. I can default to tenting but evening microscopy could be nice, although there isn't much evening when it isn't light. If I had more time Ben Lawers would be a good trip but with a full on weekend I don't think I could squeeze it in this time around.
ReplyDeleteIf you guys can confirm arrival/departure I say we go for the bunkhouse room. I'll arrive Friday and leave Sunday. Let's get it booked as soon as we know (today?). It has free cancellation anyway. It would be ideal for setting up microscopes etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm flexible Ali - would suggest we book it for Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening if possible. Agree we should do it in the near future. I'm happy to pick up the whole tab for Sunday night if you and Pete want to get away on the Sunday.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. You may need to book it if you will be the "last man standing"? Otheriwse I can book it - whichever suits.
DeleteJust checked the PSL rankings. Confirmed I am the junior member/apprentice of this mob! Also I can see some very easy gaps that will get fleshed out - nobody leaves Skye without getting into the bryo top 50! We should pick up >50 spp. just along the way. Actually it would be good to know what groups we have an interest in so we can make sure everyone gets the most out of it. Seth will of course be catapulted towards 1350 spp. for his square. Like Team Sky but with less asthma medicine
ReplyDeleteMy bryo list is about 3.1
DeleteI've booked a 4 person bunkbed room (no 6 person rooms available) at the Cowsheds for £80.00 per night, for three nights (June 22nd/23rd/24th) so the cost if there are 3 in the room is £26.67 per night each. I've paid the whole amount, so we can settle up once people have decided what nights they are staying. Hope that's OK - sounds like they get booked up pretty quickly so I took the plunge. Looks like we're going ahead!
ReplyDeletePerfect, thanks :)
DeleteHere's a link to the 4 bed room we'll be in
ReplyDeletehttp://www.skyecowshed.co.uk/rooms-and-pods.php#
Brilliant, well done Tim. I certainly plan to be there the Friday/Saturday. Possibly the Sunday, will decide a bit nearer the time.
ReplyDeleteGood work, chaps. Jackie is the lass that runs the Cowsheds, she's lovely. There aren't any tables or desks in the bunkrooms, but there are plenty of tabletops and easy chairs/sofas in the communal dining/living area. Bring a couple of 4-way gang plugs with you (and maybe an extension lead) because I think the only powerpoints in the room will be one on the wall above each bunk.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, I'm really pleased this is happening! :)
Just had a thought - I should be able to sneak you a folding trestle table (4ft x 2ft approx) and some dining chairs from the storeroom here at the hotel.
ReplyDeleteI'll add a 5m extension and a gang plug to my list of things to bring. We'll have to discuss literature at some point - no need to haul stuff you have but there may be some worthwhile additions
ReplyDeleteMy boss says he's fine to lend you a table, but suggests you ask if The Cowsheds have one first. Literature, blimey yeah I have plenty here (and the use of a van to cart it up to you). But by all means bring more! It'd require a separate post to list all that I have! :D
ReplyDeleteIf it helps, I can email out an Excel file of the species I've seen in my square. Feel free to mark the ones that would be new for you/you really want to see, and I'll do my best to locate them before your arrival (though some may be species I've only seen once or twice myself, or only occur at other times of the year, so I'm not guaranteeing anything)
Spreadsheet would be good Seth (as long as you don't laugh at some of the things I've never seen - my seashore and bryophytes list is barely visible). Can you send it to tim.hodge at btinternet.com. Ta.
ReplyDeleteSent you the spreadsheet, Tim. Sent it to you too, Ali. Both check your Junk Folder, just in case. Pete - I don't have your email. Mine's in the 'draft' post that went up last week. Ping me an email and I can forward you the spreadsheet too. That way I'll be in an excellent position to see who needs what, how best to make use of our time etc etc. As a priority, I think we should take Tim to the beach and not let him go until he's doubled his marine list, then drag him to a tree and double his bryophyte list. Shouldn't take too long :D
ReplyDeleteI now have a spreadsheet that shows me exactly which species you all need to see (and in Ali's case, I have his Top 50 too!) I think the only vertebrate lifer for anybody is White-tailed Eagle for Pete. I watched the resident pair wheeling high over the cliffs for over ten minutes earlier this afternoon. They nest just across the bay, so with luck we shall spy at least one of them up in the air.
ReplyDeleteThere's no way on earth (or Skye) that I'll be able to show you ALL of the species on your individual target lists - some aren't present in June, some were just lucky finds on the day and have never been seen since. BUT...you'll all be leaving with a shedload of new species regardless, and it'll be great for us to all meet up too. Nick Hodgetts is a local bryophyte expert (and pretty good on vascular plants and some lichens too) and he's hoping to be able to join us for a while. He wrote some of the species accounts in the BBS Guide and the Sphagnum crib - he's awesome!
Between now and then, nobody is allowed to injure themselves, fall ill or bring less than perfect weather with them on the day. It's as simple as that, really :)