Tuesday 22 December 2009

More Snow


Icy roads, frozen padlocks, door locks, and frozen ground. It snowed all day. It started off as the normal small flakes, then big ones, then freezing rain, then normal snowflakes again. We had to abandon our visit to Lomond Shores early because of the weather. At least we got the birds away, boarded and fed early. I just hope the gritters are out tonight.

The photo was taken this morning, the snow was falling too heavily this afternoon to get a decent view.

Sunday 20 December 2009

Snow

The snow is here, not a lot though. We have had the bird feeders up for the wild birds for a few weeks now, today, they made good use of them. I have never witnessed an aggressive Robin before. This one today was bullying Finches, Wrens, Blue Tits, and Tree Creepers. That was until he tried his hand at a Blackbird, he ended up with a good smack.


Took Hedwig down to the Garden Centre for an hour today. As usual, everybody is impressed seeing a Snowy Owl close up. Not sure about the comment, "Is it real?". I still haven't managed to get all of the make-up off of his head after Hallowen.

Frozen pipes again today, got them thawed this afternoon. Because of the wind when it was snowing, we had to leave the hawk doors on, otherwise we would have ended up with very wet and frozen birds.

Thursday 17 December 2009

A Day Out


A visit to Cardross Primary School today. "The Great Hall" theme. I took along the three usual suspects. "Smudge", the Little Owl, (On the right), "Oscar", the Barn Owl, and "Mozart", the European Eagle Owl. The birds behaved very well, and the kids learned a lot. I am sure the teacher will be setting a few questions to check if all of them were listening.

Thankfully, we are becoming busier with requests for Christmas Gift Vouchers. Needless to say, most of the people buying the vouchers have already been on experience days themselves.

The wild Buzzard that was shot in the wing has started moulting. With a bit of luck, and a lot more treatment, he should be fit for release in the new year.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Together


This photograph shows just how close you can get to a Golden Eagle, well, at least I can.

Mama Mia


Today I was asked to help judge a singing contest at "Robin House", the local children's hospice. A cross between X factor, Britain's got talent, and chaos. Both the adults and kids love it. Each singer or group was asked to sing a song from the film "Mama Mia". Very entertaining, and a good laugh. As well as Billy and myself, we had a guest judge, "Oscar" the Barn Owl. He just sat on the back of the chair, totally uninterested, he even nodded off a few times.

Thank goodness the food is coming tomorrow. We used the last of the hawk food tonight. Unusually, all the people who buy food from us seemed to need food at the same time.

Monday 14 December 2009

The "Management"

This is "Aggro", a female American Red-tailed Hawk. Very well named. A very good judge of people, she soon lets us know if she doesn't like anyone.

The one on the right is my pride and joy, "Orla", the female Golden Eagle. Anyone who witnesses the relationship we have goes away in disbelief. Just imagine a possessive, jealous, and selfish woman, then multiply by ten, that is Orla. Still, I wouldn't swap her for anything.
The patients in the hospital continue to show signs of progress. The Buzzard, shot in the wing, has now started to grow new feathers where the flesh was badly damaged. Things are looking up.

The bad weather has really played havoc with the training of the birds. Heavy rain, thick fog, high winds, you name it, we have had it. It is, after all, Scotland.