Tuesday 11 June 2013

A selection from Wingham

The first few photos follow on from my previous post quite nicely, with a bee posing on the allium. There are also still some bluebells still hanging on in the wooded area near me. Not in their best form but their shadows in the small patch of sunlight on the tree trunk in the 3rd photo down made it look almost magical. 

Bombus lapidarius (I think)



Helophilus pendulus on some hawthorn blossom


I wasn't working at the pub on Saturday so my mum and I decided to take a trip to Wingham Wildlife Park (formerly Wingham Bird Park) because I was thinking of applying to volunteer there. When I was much younger, maybe 4 or 5 I was taken there with my cousins, I think we got chased by a peacock. Well in 15 years or so it has certainly changed and expanded considerably. They now have tigers, lions, wolves and a variety of small mammals, reptiles and birds. So it's basically a small zoo.

Most of the enclosures were pretty good, with places for the animals to hide from the public and things for them to do. However, we weren't impressed with some of the living conditions for the birds of prey... They have a huge kids play area which has clearly had a fair amount of money spent on it, and I just wonder why they haven't spent their money on improving the aviaries which, although we are not experts, could clearly be deemed inadequate. I don't disagree with zoos, they are great for exposing children to incredible animals that otherwise they may only ever see on the TV, and I understand that captive animals wouldn't survive in the wild, but seeing 2 beautiful owls in approx 7x7x5 foot cage with just one perch and isn't acceptable.

Rant over and other than that it was a good day. A fairly amusing moment occurred whilst walking through the flamingo enclosure (you were allowed) when we noticed lots of tiny black fluffy moorhen chicks. The parent bird was hidden in the reeds and a young couple point them out to their small child and said something along the lines of "Ahh look do you think they are flamingo chicks?!" I quickly but hopefully not patronizingly informed them that they weren't.

I took a few photos, but only when I could get one without a bit of wire fence in, or something similar...

Red panda looking like he is trying to whisper something... pssstt

Scrunched up nose

Meerkats having a stretch - funny critters!

Alert!

Heavily pregnant goat - which species of goat I cannot remember

Drake mallard

Pelican

Crested crane - it was so near that I couldn't fit its whole crest in my frame!

Cool hairdo!

Pretty female mallard

Cuuuute mallard duckling

Bengal Eagle Owl feathers

Peacock

Relaxing in the shade

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree

Scarlet swallowtail I think

Owl eye butterfly I believe

 Yesterday I started voluntary work for the Kent Wildlife Trust and helped for a few hours down at Oare marshes. There was a fair crowd looking at the Bonaparte's gull. I took my camera, but upon arrival at Oare, realised that my SD card was in fact still in my laptop. How unhelpful! Not that I probably would have been able to tell it from another gull anyway! Maybe later in the week I'll pop down again to see what all the fuss is about!!

That is all from me for today, thanks for reading :)



15 comments:

  1. Lou great images I like the shadows of the flowers caught in the suns rays and the resulting shadows cast onto the tree behind it.
    I think your "rant" is justified, I used volunteer for a Bird of Prey centre and those conditions don't sound ideal, they should also have and area they can go to, to get away from the public if they're stressed,sadly aviary sizes is debatble and when prosecutions arises sometimes it is deemed "appropiate size for number and size of birds" so can be a real legal nightmare.

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    1. Thank you Douglas, they certainly didn't have a hidey hole that I could see. Unfortunately I don't have the funds to take them to court but will certainly write a comment to them!

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    2. Lou, you should try the RSPCA as they might already have had complaints etc and they're legally obliged to investigate any complaints.

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    3. Yes I think this may be a good idea!

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  2. Hi Lou Wonderful set of shots and varied.I loved the bears and Meekats. They made me smile. Yes it is sad when these beautiful birds are confinded. Margaret

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    1. Thank you Margaret,I'm glad you enjoyed them :)

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  3. Great again Lou :) Like the bluebells and the Red Panda shot!
    Admittedly, the owl enclosures at Whipsnade are not the largest, but they do have plenty of space outside of public view and necessary enrichment. Guidelines for sizes and adequate features will exist. I imagine, and hope, this zoo meets the legal requirements but sometimes these may not be the best in the first place! Some zoos will push the boundaries and put public viewing experience first before animal welfare where they can get away with it; eg. One massive enclosure with more than enough space for two snowy owls, or divide it into four and put a harris hawk, burrowing owl and a falcon in there too... I know which of the two scenarios I would rather see!

    Tom

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    1. I know which scenario I would prefer also! Hopefully they were only temporary enclosures. Maybe I'm being too optimistic though. I just think that surely some shrubbery wouldn't cost too much?!

      p.s I think kookaburras are amazing too! Would be awesome to see one in the wild!!

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  4. Ps. I bloomin love kookaburras! :)

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  5. Hi Lou, followed you here and what a great blog. Wonderful photos and I'll stick you on the sidebar! I think the hover-fly is my favourite. Completely agree about the birds of prey. This is a problem I find everywhere. Is it possible they're attempting to stop them from any flight so they don't hurt themselves? Not good enough if it is. They always look so mournful sitting there.

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    1. Hi Em, thank you for visiting and following :) I had a brief look at yours earlier and thought it was brill! I've added you to my sidebar also. I'm not sure about them trying to prevent flight, we saw some falcons flying into the side which was pretty distressing :(

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  6. Hi Lou. Thanks for the follow on my blog, I've also put you on mine :-) Loved your photos and I also agree about cage sizes, it's upsetting to see them that way. ps- looks like the second red panda shot is laughing behind his paw to me, maybe at whatever it was he was whispering in the first... CT :-)

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    1. You are welcome! I enjoyed your wellies post and the post about things you had learnt made me giggle to myself! Yes the red panda certainly seemed like a cheeky chappie! Thanks for following my blog and commenting :)

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  7. Hello, I've just discovered your lovely blog. Beautiful photos. I love the pics of your 'local' pollinators, and the butterflies in the local wildlife park are gorgeous, too.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comment Wendy! I'm glad you have enjoyed your visit to my site! I had a quick look at yours and thoroughly enjoyed reading about the different flowers the bees like!

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