August 13 2002

The Picture is that of a Hawk. On Sunday August 4 we went down to Lough Ennel near Mullingar. I say near Mullingar but it's also near Tyrellspass at the south end and this is the end we went to. It's called Lilliput. This is where the inspiration for that famous adventure book, Gullivers Travells, came from believe it or not. There is a nice swimming area there for children and adults alike if you felt so inclined and there were many children swimming at the time we were there. There was much screaming and shouting and hollering and splashing and jumping and fighting going on and one would think there was a million children there enjoying themselves. Many of them were in traditional togs but many others were in wet siuts or maybe they were dry siuts, but in any case they looked like the sort of suits a diver wears. that seems like a great idea as the suit gives them boyancy on the one hand and keeps them warm on the other.We went to the jetty where you can hire a rowing boat or one with an outboard motor on it if you wish. I prefer to row. I can experience the smell of fumes anywhere any time so why do it on Lough Ennel. We took our boat and had a very lazy row around the south end of the lake. And Boy! If you want to see swallows in numbers this is the place to do it. We knew they were about because we could see them swooping over the water all the time. But I rowed towards a huge bed of reeds at the south-east corner and suddenly became aware that the whole bed was covered with swallows. Now this is a lot of reeds, maybe a couple of acres. Suddenly the whole flock of birds rose from the reeds and we were totally surrounded by them swooping and diving and skimming past our heads with no more than a foot or two to spare. It seemed like a long time but it was only minutes and just as suddenly the whole flock settled on the reeds again. It was quite an experience. It was a great day there all together. This Sunday August 11 wasn't so great. No boating. But a sojourn in the Hazeler paid off. While I sat there amidst the gaggle of the inebriated, contemplating the grey sky outside, once again a hawk appeared just accross the road very near where the two jackdaws used to hang out. He hovered there rock steady for about three minutes and then plunged to the ground. I dare say his efforts paid off. What can I say. More power to him. He has to live too. It's a strange world though, where for one to live, another has to die.