Todays “Good news” headline ?

Our beach is full of weird creatures at the moment, including Portuguese Men of War.
🪼 🪼
I'll look out for Doris, the dog is usually beady eyed at finding strange stuff.

We saw a sea mouse for the first time on our beach last week well that’s what we think it was I heard there were Portuguese man of war around but that’s weird because they come from warmer seas and I can tell you our sea is freezing right now

Found these recently.

Worty Doris sea slug 🌞
Yesterday radio 4 was reporting scientists had found a left leaning slug. The search was on to find a left leaning female slug as his mate
And it’s not 1st April

Yes RoaiesMaw, welcome distractions

But is it sexist to call “it” Doris?
Or politically biased to speak of “left leaning slugs”?
(awaits outrage from the easily offended)

I bet it would rather be called Doris than Boris

🤣🤣🤣🤣

henetha

I bet it would rather be called Doris than Boris

Well they are hermaphrodites so could identify as either. Though probably not furries!

henetha 😂😂😂

so could identify as either
This is verging on the controversial 🤣🤣🤣🤣

What’s is it ‘Joseanne’

Slugs are probably like snails in that their sex organs are twisted one way. So only right-handed (or right-twisted ones can mate with right-twisted ones. Left twisted ones are be coming rarer for lack of mating partners. They are all hermaphrodites though.

Their shells spiral the other way round, too. Heard about this on a science podcast.

Joseann

Found these recently.

I know that somewhere in my brain I know what they are!

Is it something to do with geese?!

Ah yes, goose necked barnacles. I think that's it. A delicacy. Thanks.

Goose barnacles I think.
I have only seen them once or twice despite living by the sea for all of my childhood,

www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/marine/crustaceans/goose-barnacle

It was once thought that barnacle geese hatched from goose barnacles. When 2 barnacle geese turned up in Scotland, people wondered where they had come from. No one had ever seen a barnacle goose nest or egg before. Then, when someone realised that the goose barnacle shell resembled the barnacle goose's head, they decided that the geese must grow attached to ships and then emerge as feathered birds!

I don’t care whether slugs are clear-skinned or warty, or what they identify as, as long as they stay out of my kitchen.

Only two have made their way in this year, but I’ve discovered both by way of stepping on them in my bare feet.

RosiesMaw

But is it sexist to call “it” Doris?
Or politically biased to speak of “left leaning slugs”?
(awaits outrage from the easily offended)

Aww come on, don't set them off, please.

Oh, several fun stories lately, the circus lion that got loose in Italy, had a stroll round the town (imagine local cats looking out, going "oi you, this is MY street" - then "oops, you're a big lad aren't you"?).

Also the emu that got loose somewhere, was caught on a doorbell cam ringing the bell.

And in the States recently, again caught on CCTV, a family had a takeaway delivered, the driver put the stuff in the porch, rang the bell and left - all prepaid of course. Seconds after he went, a small black bear appeared, picked up the bags and went back into the bushes.

The goose barnacles will have been dislodged by the stormy seas and brought ashore. I remember finding some on a piece of driftwood years and years ago.

My favourite of the day was from the traffic news. A swan landed on an A road (A38?) and road was closed until it decided to move on.

Oh yes, I remember this back in the spring, and thinking, "Only in Devon!" (There's not much real ccrime for the police to attend to!) 🦢 🚔

henetha

I bet it would rather be called Doris than Boris

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

From todays Times
Good news to start the day: For 28 years Panang, an Asian elephant, has been separated from her mother, Ceyla-Himali, by the 150 miles between Munich and Zurich.

In that time Panang, 34, has gradually risen up the social hierarchy among the elephants in Hellbrunn zoo, while Ceyla-Himali, 48, has another two living offspring that have yet to meet their sister.

Now mother and daughter are to be reunited. The keepers in Munich have spent weeks preparing for Panang to be shipped to Switzerland in a customised heated container so she can settle down with her relatives in an atmosphere that more closely resembles how elephants live in the wild.