Finding each other
Was it a coincidence to beat all coincidences, or did some uncanny homing instincts come to the fore?
When her Indian ringneck parrot called Chiko went missing from her Shepparton home recently after taking advantage of being unexpectedly freed from his cage for a while, the parrot’s owner, Angie Goxhaj, feared it was the last she would see of her beloved pet.
But her bond with the bird was so strong that she mounted an extensive search and offered a reward, hoping she would be proven wrong.
And she was glad she did.
While having coffee two days later with a friend, she got the call she was praying for — Chiko had been found — alive and well.
But it was where Chiko had turned up that had Angie in somewhat disbelief.
It was at her workplace, more than 1km from where she and Chiko lived.
And Chiko had never been to that address before going missing.
Satellite spotting
Hands up those who went Starlink satellite spotting over the weekend?
Well, if you did and missed the brief night sky spectacular, it may have been because you received directions that weren’t quite on the ball.
Social media came up with the satellite emerging from a north-westerly direction on Sunday at about 9.17pm, but in fact, it appeared from a south-westerly direction heading north-east.
It has been described as having the appearance of a train of white lights, a string of pearls or a luminated barbed wire fence.
Whatever your perception, it was a magnificent sight zooming across the night sky.
Just in case you aren’t up with all this Starlink satellite stuff, the satellites are the property of Elon Musk, an analytical data-based problem solver, and there are 5504 in orbit, of which 5442 are operational.
And if you get a chance to get a snap and are a bit slow doing it, forget about chasing it on foot.
It circumnavigates the world every 90 minutes, so it would be a bit hard to catch up with.
Starlink provides satellite-based internet connectivity to underserved areas of the planet, as well as competitively priced service in more urbanised areas.
Warm days to end summer
Kyabram was greeted with a late burst of summer weather last week which sent the temperatures soaring.
On February 28, the mercury peaked at 38°C, the second hottest day of the summer behind February 4, when it reached 39.7°C.
Kyabram has also had one of the longest breaks for the summer months without rain.
No rain has been recorded since February 23 when just 0.6mm fell.
February produced a total of 17.4mm which is below the average of 26mm.
It took the year total to 155mm.
The wettest February on record was in 1955 when 209mm were recorded.
Horrible year on the roads
2023 was a year to forget on Moira Shire roads.
Eight car crashes claimed the lives of 13 people, including five in one accident, the state’s deadliest collision since 2011.
Cobram Highway Patrol Sergeant Bill Dockrey is astounded by the carnage, which was 70 per cent higher than the previous year when there were just 10 deaths in the whole of the Wangaratta police area, which includes the Moira Shire.
Clean up the carriages
State Nationals leader Peter Walsh is calling for the Victorian Government to remove and safely store abandoned railway carriages at the Echuca railway station.
The Member for Murray Plains has declared the graffiti-strewn carriages are a symbol of the government’s inability to manage finance and, in a play on words, described the situation as a ‘‘disgraceful trainwreck’’.
‘‘They have become an irresistible canvas for graffiti vandals who have daubed them in colour from one end to the other,’’ Mr Walsh said.
Councillors to return
Strathbogie Shire should be back managing its own affairs by the end of this year.
State Member for Euroa Annabell Cleeland said she has had confirmation that the current administration of Strathbogie Shire Council will end with October’s local government elections.
An interim administrator was appointed to run the council late last year after a report by Municipal Monitor Peter Stephenson that resulted in the suspension of all members of the Strathbogie council.
Still in the region
Our recent inquiry in these columns about any magpie geese still around the Kyabram area has brought a response.
The question was raised after two magpie geese were spotted on Shepparton’s Victoria Park Lake.
A Traps reader took this photo next to the Ern Miles Reserve last October and said they have been regularly seen in the Fauna Park and are still breeding there.
‘‘They can also be seen flying overhead morning and evening in formations not unlike straw-necked Ibis — in flocks of up to 10 or a little more. They roost in the fauna park.’’
Milestone day for Jean
Up at Yarrawonga, they have been toasting Jean Mathieson.
And so they should.
On Monday, February 25, Jean had a birthday – her 106th birthday, in fact.
Keeping good health through a love for gardening is one of the reasons Jean is offering for living so long, and if she makes it to 107 next year, she will hold the record of being the town’s oldest citizen – ever.
You can do it Jean.
Did you know
1. Measured in straight flight, the spine-tailed swift is the fastest bird. It flies 106mph (170km/h).
2. Second fastest is the Frigate, which reaches 94mph (150km/h).
3. Millions of trees are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury nuts and then forget where they hid them.
4. There are more than 150 million sheep in Australia, a nation of 21 million people.
Square dinkum
G’day
I recently signed up for an exercise class at the gym, and they sent out a memo telling me to wear loose-fitting clothing ...
‘‘Are they serious ... if I had any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn’t have signed up in the first place.’’
Hooroo!!!