is this a jokeHiya mikem, sorry If I've misinterpreted your remark, and apologies in advance if that is the case, but it seems (to me, anyway) as though you are using the word 'dinosaur' as a term of abuse . . . 'retired cavers', 'old fogies', etc.
The fact is that the dinosaurs were a spectacularly amazing and successful group of animals, perhaps the most successful of all the (big) animals who have ever live on this poor old Earth. And many people think that they did not die out, but live on as birds. Note – not that birds are descended from dinosaurs, but birds are actually living dinosaurs. There is some discussion as to whether the 4 classes of terrestrial vertebrates – birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles – should be reorganized into 5 classes – mammals, amphibians, reptiles, (endothermic) dinosaurs (to include birds) and (endothermic) pterosaurs (who were neither dinosaurs nor reptiles).
Is this the answer to the missing dinosaur report? Nessie has evolved and flown out of Penyghent Pot. Should people be looking in nests in trees in the area?No; why don't you Google 'Are birds dinosaurs', and see what you get. Meanwhile, to whet your appetite, here's a picture of a Deinonychus, a 3-m early-Cretaceous theropod dinosaur in all her fully-feathered glory. But, don't be fooled by the cutsy, big-bird appearance; see those big claws on her feet? They're wicked weapons – sharp sickle-shaped claws that are 5 or 6 inches long. If you bumped into her and she was hungry, she'd probably stand on one leg and disembowel you with one slashing strike from her sickle on the other foot before eating you. And don't think that you could run away! With her light, strong hollow bones (like those of a bird), her long shin bone when compared with her thigh bone, her advanced breathing system (again, like those of birds, which are considerably more efficient than those of mammals) and her endothermic metabolism, she could probably run very quickly – certainly faster than you or I could.View attachment 17737
She might have flown home, so we should be looking in famous trees on her route NorthShould people be looking in nests in trees in the area?
this is really a beautiful photographShe might have flown home, so we should be looking in famous trees on her route North
View attachment 17741
Suppose you need to say "was", I suspect most people are aware of the intervention of a few idiots so the tree was chain sawed a few weeks ago. The site's been sorted although some damage to The Wall happened and possibly the resultant timber will be used somewhere near by, maybe Housesteads. The NT and others hope to provide a replacement or the stump will send up shoots presently. However Nessie won't find that perch available for many years to come.this is really a beautiful photograph
Said by an old man in John Heywood's original 1546 text.OTOH "There's no fool like an old fool!"