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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: Birdman on 13:38:45, 21/03/21
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I already saw my first Sand Martin of the year last Wednesday (17th March), some birds are flying around with twigs and lots of bats flying around here too! (http://walkingforum.co.uk/Smileys/alive/smiley.gif)
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We have two Magpies who are gathering twigs to shore up their nest in a tree on the other side of the road. They are in competition with cats, blackbirds, and seagulls.
As regards birds, I visited the church in Foots Cray near Sidcup last summer, and all around me in the trees there were hundreds of screeching Cocateals, definitely parrot-type birds and orangey in colour. I presume they escaped from somewhere and have just multiplied in numbers. Are they in other parts of London and in other parts of the country as well??
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Not my observation but nuthatches in Stover park, Devon are already feeding young.
GWM I imagine the cockatiels are ring necked parakeets which as you say were originally escapees - possibly from Chessington zoo or from a film set ideas differ. They have been very successful and as well a large flocks in the southeast are spread, to my knowledge, as far as Exmouth and Plymouth.
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The banks are full of primroses, daffs and celandines. The pussy willow is out and the snowdrops are nearly over.
The rookery in the trees at the foot of our garden is full of new nests and the rooks are cleaning up my lawn clippings for me. Loads of rook porn in the garden too over the last few days. Blue tits have moved into the nesting boxes and plenty of sparrow porn in the bushes by the back windows so yes, spring is sprung.
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Skylarks singing their hearts out on Hampsfell.
..no sign of the Ospreys on Foulshaw Moss yet though - any day now, I suspect.
https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/cams/osprey-cam (https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/cams/osprey-cam)
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Isn`t it wonderful. We have a resident Wren and a pair of Robins courting . The Robin is ripping our old hanging basket linings into tiny shreds for nesting material and the sound of the Wren singing its heart out is so uplifting..Spring , bring it on . :)
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As regards birds, I visited the church in Foots Cray near Sidcup last summer, and all around me in the trees there were hundreds of screeching Cocateals, definitely parrot-type birds and orangey in colour. I presume they escaped from somewhere and have just multiplied in numbers. Are they in other parts of London and in other parts of the country as well??
I'm not aware of any orangey birds in large numbers. The common exotic bird in greater London is the Rose-ringed Parakeet (also called Ring-necked Parakeet). It can be called a UK bird now because it has been a breeding bird here for about 50 years now and numbers are increasing. They originate from excaped (or deliberately released) cage birds and is originally an Asian bird (mainly India and Nepal).
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Seen last Wednesday on my walk in Pennington/ Keyhaven Marshes (my favorite birding spot in the South of England):
1 Brent Goose
2 Greater Canada Goose
3 Mute Swan
4 Shelduck
5 Shoveler
6 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
8 Mallard
9 Pintail
10 Teal
11 Tufted Duck
12 Red-breasted Merganser
13 Pheasant
14 Woodpigeon
15 Moorhen
16 Coot
17 Little Grebe
18 Oystercatcher
19 Avocet
20 Lapwing
21 Golden Plover
22 Curlew
23 Black-tailed Godwit
24 Turnstone
25 Ruff
26 Dunlin
27 Snipe
28 Redshank
29 Spotted Redshank
30 Greenshank
31 Black-headed Gull
32 Mediterranean Gull
33 Great Black-backed Gull
34 Herring Gull
35 Lesser Black-backed Gull
36 Great Northern Diver
37 Cormorant
38 Spoonbill
39 Grey Heron
40 Little Egret
41 Marsh Harrier
42 Buzzard
43 Kingfisher
44 Kestrel
45 Peregrine Falcon
46 Magpie
47 Jackdaw
48 Rook
49 Carrion Crow
50 Raven
51 Blue Tit
52 Great Tit
53 Skylark
54 Sand Martin
55 Long-tailed Tit
56 Chiffchaff
57 Goldcrest
58 Wren
59 Starling
60 Blackbird
61 Song Thrush
62 Robin
63 Stonechat
64 House Sparrow
65 Dunnock
66 Pied Wagtail
67 Meadow Pipit
68 Rock Pipit
69 Chaffinch
70 Greenfinch
71 Linnet
72 Goldfinch
73 Reed Bunting
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Blimey! That's more species than I see in a year.
Anyway, spring is definitely bursting out all over :)
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Seen last Wednesday on my walk in Pennington/ Keyhaven Marshes (my favorite birding spot in the South of England):
No Cetti's or Dartfords ?
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No Cetti's ?
They were singing all over the place, but I didn't manage to SEE one (you know how well they hide in the dense bushes) and I only count what I actually see. Therefore, the Tawny Owl I heard is also not on the list.
btw I just see I forgot to list the Great Crested Grebes, of which there were many.
or Dartfords
Unfortunately not. These are a bit hit and miss. I was fully expecting them because it was a sunny day without much wind. Also dipped on Ringed Plover, which is usually common here. But that's the cool thing about it. You see rather unusual things (like fantastic close views of a pair of Great Northern Divers) but some common birds I didn't see. It is different every time :)
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That's some list there Birdman - not bad going for so early in the UK!
I was quite pleased to spot what I think was a little egret the other day. It was flapping its wings off due to the 2 buzzards circling overhead - you could see the "yikes" on its face!
Other signs of spring here are the hedgerows leafing up, spring blossom appearing and the birdsong generally ramping up a notch :)
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Time was when Egrets were occasional summer visitors to the south coast. Sign of the times!
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Seen some marsh marigolds out today, as I killed nearly 5 hours while my car was MOT'd (£163.78 :( )
And a heron. And a kestrel.
Yesterday, butturbur and a mire/swamp area with a din of loads of frogs spawning. Further on, two swans nest building.
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. . . I killed nearly 5 hours while my car was MOT'd (£163.78 . . . )
@ Pleb
My car is in for its ticket too. It's staying overnight; discs and pads arriving tomorrow. The brakes alone are £150 ish,plus a few bits like wipers and bulbs. On top of that an oil and filter change. So over £200 all up. :(
Yes, yes - I know that's off topic. But the jackdaws and the wood pigeons in my garden are in full spring mode - much courtship going on. The songbirds are being more discreet.
@ Mel
Good to hear you saw an egret - lovely elegant birds.
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My car is also due its annual appointment o Wednesday to keep the warranty going. I shall spend the time wandering down the Taw estuary on the SWCP to see what I can see - depends a lot on the tide.
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@ Pleb
My car is in for its ticket too. It's staying overnight; discs and pads arriving tomorrow. The brakes alone are £150 ish,plus a few bits like wipers and bulbs. On top of that an oil and filter change. So over £200 all up. :(
Yes, yes - I know that's off topic. But the jackdaws and the wood pigeons in my garden are in full spring mode - much courtship going on. The songbirds are being more discreet.
@ Mel
Good to hear you saw an egret - lovely elegant birds.
As soon as the wind drops pigeons are at it lol. No wonder half look haggard. ;D
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. . . pigeons are at it lol. No wonder half look haggard . . .
;D
I know how they feel! Well, I used to . . .
Where's the 'haggard' smiley?
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Pigeons are always "at it", they'll breed in every month of the year.
Saw my first butterfly of the year yesterday, a single male Brimstone.
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I saw my first Swallow yesterday!
My list from yesterday (Pennington & keyhaven Marshes) included a few really nice ones: excellent views of a Water Rail (minutes long, foraging in front of the reeds), a Garganey drake and a Merlin!
1 Brent Goose
2 Greater Canada Goose
3 Black Swan
4 Mute Swan
5 Shelduck
6 Garganey
7 Shoveler
8 Gadwall
9 Wigeon
10 Mallard
11 Pintail
12 Teal
13 Tufted Duck
14 Eider
15 Pheasant
16 Woodpigeon
17 Water Rail
18 Moorhen
19 Coot
20 Little Grebe
21 Great Crested Grebe
22 Oystercatcher
23 Avocet
24 Lapwing
25 Grey Plover
26 Little Ringed Plover
27 Curlew
28 Black-tailed Godwit
29 Turnstone
30 Ruff
31 Dunlin
32 Snipe
33 Redshank
34 Spotted Redshank
35 Greenshank
36 Black-headed Gull
37 Mediterranean Gull
38 Great Black-backed Gull
39 Herring Gull
40 Cormorant
41 Little Egret
42 Marsh Harrier
43 Buzzard
44 Kestrel
45 Merlin
46 Peregrine Falcon
47 Jay
48 Magpie
49 Jackdaw
50 Carrion Crow
51 Raven
52 Coal Tit
53 Blue Tit
54 Great Tit
55 Skylark
56 Swallow
57 Cetti's Warbler
58 Long-tailed Tit
59 Chiffchaff
60 Wren
61 Starling
62 Blackbird
63 Song Thrush
64 Robin
65 Stonechat
66 House Sparrow
67 Dunnock
68 Pied Wagtail
69 Meadow Pipit
70 Water Pipit
71 Chaffinch
72 Greenfinch
73 Linnet
74 Goldfinch
75 Reed Bunting
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I saw my first Swallow yesterday!
So did I. O0
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Bluebells were out today.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Bbbx2SY1/20210331-112319.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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The first Sand Martins arrived at our local nesting colony yesterday. There were also lots of Small Tortoiseshells on the wing, te first butterflies of the year for me.
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Seen today included:
- Jack Snipe!
- My first Common Whitethroat of the year
- 2 Yellow Wagtail
- 5(!) Garganey drakes
- Water Pipit
- Several Blackcap singing
- Tons of Sand Martins flying around now.
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There is one 50yd very dense hedge that I run beside most days just below Portsdown Hill here in Portsmouth. I ran past it this morning and it was teeming with so many small birds, I think they are sparrows, they make a lot of noise and are incredibly active flying in and out of the bushes and branches. They arrive every year.
My niece lives on a housing estate in Maidstone, Kent and they too have one 100 yd tall and dense hedge (owned by the Council) that runs alongside about 6' from their house and garden fence. Some locals have been trying for a few years to get the hedge cut down because it too, teems with hundreds of sparrows at this time of the year, and some neighbours never stop complaining about them. With the help of other neighbours and the Council, my niece and her family have been able to resist their demands.
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I've already seen an adder and frog tadpoles (plenty spawn) :)
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There is one 50yd very dense hedge that I run beside most days just below Portsdown Hill here in Portsmouth. I ran past it this morning and it was teeming with so many small birds, I think they are sparrows, they make a lot of noise and are incredibly active flying in and out of the bushes and branches. They arrive every year.
My niece lives on a housing estate in Maidstone, Kent and they too have one 100 yd tall and dense hedge (owned by the Council) that runs alongside about 6' from their house and garden fence. Some locals have been trying for a few years to get the hedge cut down because it too, teems with hundreds of sparrows at this time of the year, and some neighbours never stop complaining about them. With the help of other neighbours and the Council, my niece and her family have been able to resist their demands.
Sparrows hah! We also have loads of them but they are as nothing compared with the combined Rook and Jackdaw colony at the foot of the garden. Both have learned to use our feeders, a rook trying to be a Blue Tit is quite a sight. Sitting in the garden in summer is best done wearing ear defenders.
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Saw my first Willow Warbler today (singing).
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Opened the bedroom curtains one morning last week as a Blackbird flew past, closely followed by a Bird of Prey (Brown coloured .. Hawk?), then another Blackbird following behind... dramatic start to the day!
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Opened the bedroom curtains one morning last week as a Blackbird flew past, closely followed by a Bird of Prey (Brown coloured .. Hawk?), then another Blackbird following behind... dramatic start to the day!
Almost certainly a female sparrowhawk
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Almost certainly a female sparrowhawk
Thanks for info O0
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Heard a Willow Tit the other day, couldn't see it no matter how hard we looked but if ever a bird actually went tweet tweet tweet it's that one!
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Surely it went willow tit willow tit willow!
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Surely it went willow tit willow tit willow!
;D ;D ;D O0
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Winters returned, new snow on the summit of Moelfre this morning, and a windchill to even make a snowman wince.
Spring has been and gone,
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Wind chill a balmy -10 deg C on top of Helvellyn, an improvement on the -16 yesterday!
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Wonderful walk again in Keyhaven/ Pennington Marshes.
I saw my first Housemartins of the year and also my first Reed Warblers.
Total list from today :)
1 Brent Goose
2 Greater Canada Goose
3 Greylag Goose
4 Mute Swan
5 Shelduck
6 Shoveler
7 Gadwall
8 Wigeon
9 Mallard
10 Pintail
11 Teal
12 Tufted Duck
13 Pheasant
14 Woodpigeon
15 Moorhen
16 Coot
17 Great Crested Grebe
18 Oystercatcher
19 Avocet
20 Lapwing
21 Ringed Plover
22 Little Ringed Plover
23 Curlew
24 Black-tailed Godwit
25 Turnstone
26 Ruff
27 Dunlin
28 Snipe
29 Redshank
30 Spotted Redshank
31 Greenshank
32 Black-headed Gull
33 Mediterranean Gull
34 Great Black-backed Gull
35 Herring Gull
36 Lesser Black-backed Gull
37 Cormorant
38 Spoonbill
39 Little Egret
40 Marsh Harrier
41 Buzzard
42 Kestrel
43 Merlin
44 Peregrine Falcon
45 Magpie
46 Carrion Crow
47 Raven
48 Blue Tit
49 Great Tit
50 Skylark
51 Sand Martin
52 Swallow
53 House Martin
54 Cetti's Warbler
55 Willow Warbler
56 Chiffchaff
57 Reed Warbler
58 Blackcap
59 Whitethroat
60 Dartford Warbler
61 Wren
62 Starling
63 Blackbird
64 Song Thrush
65 Robin
66 Stonechat
67 House Sparrow
68 Dunnock
69 Pied Wagtail
70 Meadow Pipit
71 Chaffinch
72 Greenfinch
73 Linnet
74 Goldfinch
75 Reed Bunting
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Another wonderful spring day, this time in the Acres Down Area, new Forest :)
I saw my first Redstart of the year. Also two species that are here year round but still my first sighting of the year: Goshawk in display flight and Lesser Spotter Woodpecker drumming, calling and appears to be excavating a new nest hole.
Complete list from today:
1 Stock Dove
2 Woodpigeon
3 Goshawk
4 Buzzard
5 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
6 Great Spotted Woodpecker
7 Kestrel
8 Jay
9 Carrion Crow
10 Coal Tit
11 Blue Tit
12 Great Tit
13 Long-tailed Tit
14 Chiffchaff
15 Blackcap
16 Firecrest
17 Wren
18 Nuthatch
19 Treecreeper
20 Blackbird
21 Song Thrush
22 Robin
23 Redstart
24 Stonechat
25 Meadow Pipit
26 Chaffinch
27 Bullfinch
28 Goldfinch
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Noticed that you have not listed Tree Sparrow, are they in decline there as well as many other places?. We have a few small colonies around Nottinghamshire and always nice to see.
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Noticed that you have not listed Tree Sparrow, are they in decline there as well as many other places?. We have a few small colonies around Nottinghamshire and always nice to see.
Tree Sparrow is not common in the areas that I visit near my home. And yes, they are lovely!
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I saw my first bee fly of the year this afternoon, visiting some daisies at my feet whilst I was sitting in the sun, putting Ledergris on my boots.
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I saw my first bee fly of the year this afternoon, visiting some daisies at my feet whilst I was sitting in the sun, putting Ledergris on my boots.
We watched a bee fly 'hitting' on some miner(?) bees as they were entering holes in a cob wall, yesterday
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Interesting creatures - I only first came across them last spring. Guess that they didn't like the Orkney weather.
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The Snowdrops seemed to have had a longer season this year, as have the Blackthorne Blossom. Frost triggers the Blackthorne into bloom, an early frost followed by a mild spell got an early bloom over a month ago, then the more recent frosty mornings seem to have triggered off another wave of Blackthorns coming into bloom. Looks particularly striking in hedges planting alternate Blackthorne and Hawthorne as the Hawthorne is coming into leaf alongside the white sloe flowers.
Two weeks ago we walked a wood for the first time in a number of years and I was surprised at the spread of Wood Anemone, sadly it was an overcast day and the flowers were closed, tomorrow we cross the Welsh Border, there is a natural bank of Cowslips that has survived I hope to find in bloom. So many are replants nowadays, these remind me of a shaded bank I knew of in my childhood on a canal embankment. The hardier Primrose will welcome us on the hedgerows of the secret parking place that gives entry to a resentful shooting estate (£45/per bird) split by some well placed righteous way. These icons of early spring are not too far off the legal way, though when the Marsh Marigolds come out there, the need to stray may be greater.
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The thing I like about this time of year is just how many variations of green there are in even a short section of hedgerow or woodland.
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I m a keen patch birder .Always fun to find my first summer migrants .So far only Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers Blackcap Swallow and Sand Martin seen although we ve had so may Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps over wintering this year I ve had them both in my garden on the feeders on and off all winter.. On my walk today this afternoon I m expecting to hear either a Whitethroat or Lesser Whitethroats or even an early Reed Warbler. I once found my areas earliest Yellow Wagtail in late March so they re a possible too
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Another lovely day in the New Forest :), this time the Shatterford/ Denny Wood area. I had fantastic views of my first 2021 Cuckoo, that often perched at eye-level and spent some time on the ground too.
Several Redstarts singing and also a few Woodlark. Interestingly, I didn't see any Great Spotted Woodpeckers today but did see the very much rarer Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (heard two, drumming and calling and saw one of them).
Today's list:
1 Greater Canada Goose
2 Mallard
3 Cuckoo
4 Stock Dove
5 Woodpigeon
6 Lapwing
7 Curlew
8 Snipe
9 Grey Heron
10 Buzzard
11 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
12 Green Woodpecker
13 Kestrel
14 Jay
15 Magpie
16 Jackdaw
17 Carrion Crow
18 Raven
19 Coal Tit
20 Marsh Tit
21 Blue Tit
22 Great Tit
23 Woodlark
24 Skylark
25 Swallow
26 Willow Warbler
27 Blackcap
28 Dartford Warbler
29 Goldcrest
30 Wren
31 Nuthatch
32 Treecreeper
33 Starling
34 Blackbird
35 Song Thrush
36 Mistle Thrush
37 Robin
38 Redstart
39 Stonechat
40 House Sparrow
41 Dunnock
42 Pied Wagtail
43 Meadow Pipit
44 Chaffinch
45 Goldfinch
46 Siskin
47 Reed Bunting
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A walk in the Peaks tomorrow, so hopefully my first Cuckoo's of the year. The area I'm walking seems to attract them as well as Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear. Can you ever tire of a posing Wheatear?.
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Here walking today.
(https://i.postimg.cc/2ydR4N9z/P1034045-2.jpg)
The Geese are laying up the hill
(https://i.postimg.cc/Kjp7pRHQ/P1034034.jpg)
The Golden Plovers are back
(https://i.postimg.cc/yNTZrDJ9/P1034030-2.jpg)
The hares are still suspicious and turning brown.
(https://i.postimg.cc/y8s9hhxB/P1034025-2.jpg)
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Beautiful, Watershed.
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Nice Watershed! The wintering Golden Plovers have disappeared here, so it's good to see they have made it safely to their breeding grounds :)
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Nice Watershed! The wintering Golden Plovers have disappeared here, so it's good to see they have made it safely to their breeding grounds :)
I think I recognise that one from the wintering flock on the river Exe ;)
They are so handsome in their summer plumage
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Enjoy your beautiful photos Watershed, keep them coming O0
Is the telephone box still in use?