At the desk opposite mine

[Chuffy]

anyway Chuffy... did you get that application in?

Interview on Tuesday 11th.

 

[NickM]

...a V of six herons over the village here, clearly emulating geese efficiencies...

Speaking of which, can anybody point me to a scientific explanation of why flying in a V formation is more efficient if you have flapping wings?

I probably won't understand it, but you never know...

 

[NickM]

...egrets (I've had a few)...

I hope their brothers don't find out.

 

[Fnaar]

You'd like my commute along the Exe Estuary. Herons, egrets (I've had a few) and plenty of other long beaked wadey things.

But then again, too few to mention...

V-formation info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_formation
I often see a heron in the mornings, walking the dog (ie I am, not the heron...) It ate 2 cygnets this summer time, the b@stard, but it looks really graceful doing its thang....

 

[NickM]

V-formation info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_formation

Hmmmm... "citation needed". There must be a paper out there somewhere...

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Interview on Tuesday 11th.

Good luck... I just had my Promotions Panel yesterday... however the process takes a long time, and I won't know the result until April (although I'll know by January if they've decided not to put me forward for promotion at all...).

 

[Fnaar]

Hmmmm... "citation needed". There must be a paper out there somewhere...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1608251.stm
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v413/n6857/full/413697a0.html (needs subscription, which I don't got)
Dr. Weimerskirsch seems to be the chap

 

[NickM]

Thanks - I'll have a look later - I really must do a smidgeon of (hawk, spit) work before I leave at twelve.

That's smidgeon, not pidgeon

 

[NickM]

Good luck... I just had my Promotions Panel yesterday...

Senior Lecturer? Reader? surely not Professor?

They don't know about your forum habit, presumably?

 

[Arch]

There's an alternative explanation on the heart rate/flying in a V thing, BTW - although I dont have a reference for it, a colleague mentioned it over lunch once. Oh, reading the BBC article properly, it's hinted at:

"Flying in a "V" also has social advantages: it allows birds to communicate with each other while on the wing."

Birds that flock feel safer in flocks, and if they are flying in a formation in which they can see another bird in front, they are more relaxed - hence the lower heart rate. And the field of vision of many birds make it easier to see something off centre to the front, rather than directly in front. So it's probably a combination of the two factors, aerodynamics and stress minimisation.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Isn't it more efficient aerodynamically to cycle just to one side and behind someone, rather than sitting six inches from their rear wheel?

 

[Arch]

Good luck... I just had my Promotions Panel yesterday... however the process takes a long time, and I won't know the result until April (although I'll know by January if they've decided not to put me forward for promotion at all...).

I spent yesterday in a set of talks by candidates for a lectureship post. All very interesting, and confirmed to me that I have bugger all in the way of academic ambition compared to all these young thrusting post-docs.

On the other hand, I heard from someone that I've (well, my MSc dissertation has) been referenced in an chapter in a book, by someone well known in the field, which is the first time that I'm aware of, and I'm stupidly chuffed about it.

 

[laurence]

Interview on Tuesday 11th.

good luck mister.

the two i've had so far have really stressed me... i've barely slept the night before and been very wired all day afterwards... even the relaxing surrounding of wetlands hasn't calmed me down.

as for V formation... if you fly behind wouldn't you get wake turbulence? i've also heard that the birds take it in turns to lead, like a team time trial, so it would suggest an aerodynamic advantage is to be had by those behind

 

[NickM]

Isn't it more efficient aerodynamically to cycle just to one side and behind someone, rather than sitting six inches from their rear wheel?

Depends on wind speed and relative direction, and your own speed - vectors, and all that. And possibly on whether you are riding along flapping your arms like wings.

 

[laurence]

oh... and there are no pigeons to be seen yet. maybe they have gone for brunch.