A blog post not so much about wildlife today, but about technology (or planes to be specific)... with a little (linked) footnote about my feelings regarding wildlife.

Before I met my wife (Anna) I had only taken two flights in my life - one shuttle from Heathrow (I think then) to Renfrew (to explore the highlands) and one long-haul from Heathrow (certainly) to Singapore (for a holiday won by a pal in a raffle - we ended up in the most famous hotel in the world, "Raffles", of course). Our family never took a holiday abroad (we couldn't afford to) so I never had a need to get on a plane.

Since meeting Anna and eventually marrying her, I've been lucky enough to fly a little more often. We've flown to Kephalonia twice (I proposed on our first holiday to that Greek island), Chicago (for one of my twin sisters' wedding), Sri Lanka for our honeymoon (thanks to the generosity of my cousin Richard, where we MUST return as all kinds of wildlife there just smashed me in the face every single day), the Maldives (incredible marine life) and to rural Turkey (possibly the most relaxing holiday we've experienced with stunning wildlife also).

So in my entire life so far - I've boarded a plane (that will take off and go somewhere) only eight times. Whilst I appreciate that is more than many, compared to many others (including my family and extended family) its nothing at all.

I'm certainly no "jet-setter". Nor, indeed, am I a "plane spotter", although planes have always fascinated me. Like many small boys (of my and previous generations I guess), I delighted in making Airfix model Spitfires, (De Havilland) Chipmunks (the plane my father learned to fly in at RAF Leuchars), Messerschmitt 109s and Lancaster bombers when I was very small. I have also been lucky enough to visit Duxford a couple of times. The first time I went to Duxford I remember clearly snooping around the inside of a (De Havilland) Comet (the world's first production commercial jet liner) and a French Concorde (what a beautiful plane - I don't half miss Concorde).

I've been lucky enough to have seen (and been interested in) some unforgettable sights from the planes I've flown on - and indeed the small prop plane I was lucky enough to parachute out of over Silverstone a few years ago.

Singapore (and her harbour) from the air at night is spectacular and the Maldivian atolls (from the air during the day) would blow anyone's mind. The sight I most remember from a plane however occurred on my flight to Singapore. I don't tend to sleep on planes - they're FAR too exciting (I'm glued to the "Indiana jones style map" on the screen on the seat ahead of me or peering out of the (often too frosty!) window). 

Whilst flying to Changi airport (Singapore), as we crossed northern India, I peered out of the window and saw the snowy line of Himalayas to the north in the gloom (incredible) and watched, fascinated, as the monsoon thunderheads flashed purple and blue below us in the Indian dusk sky. The in-flight map suggested our pilot was attempting to avoid the bigger storms by detouring around them (to avoid excessive turbulence I guess) and I spent a good hour or so transfixed and amazed by what I was seeing and feeling (the turbulence was probably quite bad - I have little experience to compare).

I used to get very excited when seeing Concorde in the sky and these days, living (and working up until a few months ago) so close to Farnborough meant my heart would start racing if I heard the incredibly distinctive Merlin engine of the Supermarine spitfire in the sky. Watch this clip entitled "goosebumps" and see if you get those "goosebumps" like me! I've never been to any airshow (perhaps I should?!) but on my trips to the Highlands, I used to love seeing the Swedish SAAB jets scream noisily along Glen Lyon (I don't suppose the buzzard liked it - but I did!) and I am still occasionally curious as to where the plane that I'm looking at (leaving contrails high in the sky - my own photo) has been or where it is going.

Anna and I have lived pretty-close to Heathrow all the time we've been together and at present we live about 20 miles west of Heathrow (and teensy bit south). A few years ago I took this photo of a plane flying in front of the moon. It was well-received on line (most photos like that are photoshopped it seems but mine was not edited at all - that's what I saw) and I speculated that I'd like to know where that plane was going (it had just taken off from Heathrow about 30 miles to the east of our house at the time) - find out who was on the plane and sell them the photo - informing them that THIS was THE PLANE they flew on.  I rather think that in this day and age, to make any (serious) money from photographs - you need to appeal to the very human ego, rather than just take photos of birds or insects - that's not personal enough (generally) for most people to consider buying. So if you take photos of animals and birds - take photos of people's pets instead. If you take photos of ducks - take photos of the scullers on the misty dawn river instead (and then sell them the photos - I think they'll buy - although I've not had time to try that yet).

A friend called Darren (cheers pal) suggested I should (in future) check out the desktop flight radar website to find a plane I'd (just seen).

I haven't had much time to really check out that website in the last few years - up until last night, which (finally!) brings me to the point of this blog post.

Since moving to our house a little over a year ago, I've noticed that each weekday evening (or night I suppose) there is one plane that clearly has just taken off from Heathrow and flies very low over our house at 22:00hrs (give or take). Same plane sound, same time, same route. All the other planes follow different routes - but not this one. I've always wanted to know where this thing is going.

So... last night I made it my business to click on the flight radar website and find out.

Of course, the wind has changed over Blighty in the last day. The prevailing westerly (or sou-westerly) has flipped and we now have a gentle easterly (and with it the possibility of snow or at least sleet and much colder temperatures to that we have experienced of late).

Rather like birds, planes "prefer" to take off and land INTO the wind, so instead of this 10pm plane taking off on a route originally pointing west from Heathrow and flying over our house 20 miles away, it is taking off pointing east, to the North Sea at present (and not flying over our house).

But, because the flight radar website is so good and I know pretty-well exactly when this plane takes off from Heathrow each weekday night - I clicked a few buttons and am pretty sure that the 10pm flight over our gaff (when the prevailing wind is right) is a Qantas flight to Australia.

I may be wrong (I'll wait for the wind to change again before knowing for sure) but that's what it looks like to me.

Incidentally - whilst attempting to find out what the "10pm plane" was I had a great deal of fun watching flights from Geneva, Madrid, Mumbai, New York and Oslo all line up north of us and west of Heathrow to land. I cannot recommend the flight radar website enough - it's incredibly accurate and (although a waste of time I guess) really fascinating. Click here to visit the website and have a play around with it - you can even get a (virtual) cockpit view from the plane you're watching far below!

Now you may not find that at all fascinating - it's just another plane travelling somewhere after all - and living so close to Heathrow, I must see them all the time.

Well.... yes I do (see them all the time), but very occasionally I look at a plane and mentally strip away the metal fuselage in the air but leave the passengers and seats in place - and hey presto! It has turned into the best rollercoaster ride in the world - and (in this case) the longest - all the way to Australia!

Rather like my very childlike fascination with wildlife (if I see something I'd like to know what it is - & what's the point of it, what does it do, where does it go?) my (mild) interest in planes is pretty similar I think.

No... I'm no "plane spotter" but nor am I a "bird spotter". I'm just interested in what I see - I'm very thankful for my excellent (at present) eyesight and never forget to "use my eyes" as much as I can.

It's a very basic, child-like thing (all kids are interested in looking at moving things and finding out about them - especially animals).

It's something I haven't seemingly grown out of - and nor do I intend to in a hurry...a big kid is how I guess I'll remain!

Planes, animals, birds.... I'm just interested.

Footnote.

You know, when someone asks me "When did I become interested in birds or wildlife?" I generally respond along the lines of:

"Like you (I guess), I was pretty-well born with this curiosity (or fascination or interest). But unlike you, I've never actually lost it.

Tell me....when did you lose yours"