Well, after the huge electrical storm this week, which knocked out ALL our communications for a time, we are pleased to let you know we are back 'open for business' as they say!

The storm was pretty severe, even by our standards, culminating in a lightning strike to the metal telephone pole which feeds the Sanctuary office. (which went off with one heck of a bang!)
This unfortunately fried everything that the broadband used, amazingly the landline survived the experience.

Top marks to Plusnet, who had everything replaced within 24 hours of me informing them.

There are ongoing issues however with the Helpline, and despite O2 working on the transmitter for some time now, the signal is very hit and miss whilst I'm in and around the Home Reserve. They assure me they are continuing to work on it. O2 have at least provided an App to run on the phone, which uses the WiFi signal from the office to enable calls and text whilst we have no phone signal - that is a big help.

Often people ask me; "how do the wild birds survive such a big storm".
Well, simply put - they are much better prepared than us humans, and well before the storm reaches us, they will be safely sheltered away, often in a conifer tree where there is a protective column of warm air up the centre. As such, if you look around at the start of a storm, there will be a complete absence of birds, yet within a few minutes of it passing, the place will be alive with them again.

Nigel