Manky Monkey Motors

Taz was working till late yesterday evening, so on the spur of the moment, when I finished work at lunchtime I went straight from Basingstoke to Woodcote in Oxfordshire to the annual steam & vintage rally. Haven't been to this one before but it was a very pleasant way to while away a couple of hours. Lots of steam there & a good selection of vintage as well, plus the usual country craft & auto jumble stalls. Also aerobatic displays, a steel band, a brass band, a large beer tent etc.
It's on again today if you're at a loose end. 8 quid entry for adults. Less than 10 miles from junction 12 of the M4, near Theale in Berkshire.

Photos online here:

http://mankymonkeymotors.co.uk/photos.htm

As I pulled into the carpark these 2 were working the thermals in the valley below. They swooped & whirled & glided amazingly acrobatically. Huge birds. Must've had a wingspan of maybe 3 feet or more. Not sure if they were buzzards or kites. I know one has a forked tail & the other a straight one, but not sure which. I'm guessing kites cos I don't think buzzards are that agile. Fantastic to see these creatures making a comeback in the British countryside. They came within 50 feet of me over the grassy carpark, but I didn't have my zoom lens with me so could only grab this fuzzy shot.

By pure chance there's also an internatinal falconry show on this weekend, just a few miles down the road from the steam show at Englefield House, Theale, Berkshire. As I was driving past the main gates, an enormous falcon shot across the road at tree top height ahead of me. What a stunning sight.

Definitely kites with those tails - and I found this....


http://www.chilternsaonb.org/caring/red_kites_where.html (http://www.chilternsaonb.org/caring/red_kites_where.html)

I had no idea they were so common in that area.

If you drive up the M1 out of London, they're all along the sides of the motorway for maybe 20 miles or so. Loads of them. I'm no expert on ornithology, but they look fabulous.

Apparently motorways are very good for wildlife - the verges provide a haven for wild flowers and small mammals - and therefore predators!

Nature making the most of whatever comes along.

I love the stationary engines at these fetes. I always find the idea of displaying them slightly funny - don't know why! ;D
When I visited my dad in Twyford (Berkshire) the other week he had Red Kites circling really low over the roof of his house which is just a normal semi on an older estate so not in the middle of the countryside or anything - I was amazed to see them so close. I'd seen them over the M40 before but as (I think) they go for carrion didn't expect to see them above houses. :o

I was at the Ardingly steam & vintage show in West Sussex today, (photo gallery online tomoorow). There were rows & rows of stationary engines, plus a huge pumping engine mounted on the back of an artic' trailer.
I always think owning a stationary would be a good way to do all the shows for free. Unload it from the back of your car, fire it up & you're set for the day. There is something quite hypnotic about watching them chugging away though.
Kites eat crows? Great, we could do with some here -bloomin' rooks keep eating all our bird food & frightening all the little critters away.
SmallHog, your event photos are still in the pipeline -don't worry, we'll get 'em online soon, promise.