No, Phillip, I didn’t
intend any pun. I guess my main confusion is this: most people say “swoop”,
but I suspect, as you say, it should be “stoop”, and I notice many
punters go worse it would seem and say “ ... in one foul swoop.”
Yuck.
And Thanks, Geoffrey, for
the quote from Macbeth. Must check exactly what the Bard wrote.
But can’t find my Shakespeare, believe a brat has removed it and
hasn’t replaced it on shelves in correct position so when they
reappear later they will dispatched forthwith on search and secure
mission and, if mission unaccomplished, there’s gonna be big trouble in little
cul de sac.
John Layton
From: Philip Veerman
[
Sent: Sunday, 8 November 2009 5:25 PM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: [canberrabirds] Hello! New computer. Vroom!!
Sorry this is hardly altogether relevant but it might be amusing I
suppose. I think the question related to "Stoop" rather than
"Swoop"............ "Stoop" being the word applied to an
attack by - especially a Peregrine Falcon and its characteristic dive. So I'd
say John was using a pun, but I reckon it is just as valid.
24
Castley Circuit
Kambah
ACT 2902
02
- 62314041
-----Original
Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Sunday, 8 November 2009 2:13 PM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Hello! New computer. Vroom!!
Shakespeare, Macbeth:
MACDUFF, on hearing that his
family has been murdered:
“All my pretty ones?
Did you say all? O hell-kite!
All?
What, all my pretty chickens and
their dam
At one fell swoop?”
SERVANT:
“Yes, milord.
Vrooom!!”
From: John Layton
[
Sent: Sunday, 8 November 2009 1:23 PM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] Hello! New computer. Vroom!!
Thirteen years ago I bought a computer. Last week it gave up
the ghost, must have been a lemon. So today I have my new machine
up, running and loaded for bear with spanky new Windows 7. Vrooom!!!
This is my first email, so bear with boy with new toy. Late
yesterday afternoon went for a drive along Parkwood Road, Holt, which may
appear a nondescript semi-rural thoroughfare but has revealed some
interesting birds lately, eg Brown Songlark & Horsfield’s Bushlark
last week. Yesterday was surprised to see five Wood Ducks huddled around
a few remaining rainwater puddles right at the edge of the bitumen. Couple of
Masked Lapwings nearby and a number of Australasian Pipits here and there along
the roadside fence. Saw a Nankeen Kestrel hovering, suddenly it descended
in one fell stoop (is “fell stoop” correct and, in this instance,
appropriate? It’s an _expression_ I’m never sure about.)The kestrel
was only down for a few seconds in long grass before flying off rapidly
as if heading to a favoured feeding perch but couldn’t see if it carried
anything.
John Layton.
