cold & wet

Once again I have been guilty of neglecting my blog. It has been a while since I have put anything up.

Saying that not a lot has been happening so there hasn't been that much happening which is out of the ordinary. Not unless you count the weather.

The only way I think I can describe the weather is that I think we have had almost every type since my last post. There has been a lot of rain and the ground is cutting up easily and becoming very muddy in places as it is saturated. I have to be careful where I walk on the grass in front of the centre to try and keep it nice and grassy for the birds to weathered on (This means to sit on their perches outside). So far I am managing but certain parts are becoming increasingly muddy.

The last week in November was particularly wet and then in December it got a bit cold and the snow came and went with a bit more snow, gale force winds and some more rain. All in all difficult weather for flying birds in.

Bookings have been a bit thin on the ground but they always are at this time of the year and with the way the weather has been people don't think about going outside. Saying that we have still been doing 3 or 4 bookings a week and we have got all the bookings done as we have been a bit lucky with the weather.

The birds are all doing ok with a very small team actually flying at this time of year. What with the weather and the short days it is difficult to find time to fly many of the birds. Also the cold can slow things up with frozen locks and snow to clear. Meaning there is even less time to fly anything.

At this time of the year the number of birds flying is at it's lowest level. At the moment we only have 6 birds flying which are used in the activity days. A lot of the birds are being given a well earned break after the summer display season. Also it is safer for Midge (White Faced Scops Owl) and Taz (Kestrel) to be given as much food as they want as the margins are so small between life and death for these small birds. Taz at the moment is sitting at 8.5oz his flying weight is 6oz. It may not sound much of a difference 2.5oz but when you think about it he has increased his weight by over a third which is a lot. When Taz is at 8.5oz and eating as much as he wants I don't need to worry about him no matter how cold it gets. Saying that the weather is getting milder at the moment so it will be getting easier for the birds.

The birds have been getting fed all sorts at the moment. I was given a dozen adult cockerels a few weeks back. There is a lot of good eating in a good sized cockerel for the birds. I can give 8 birds a good feed from 1 cockerel and that includes the eagle. We have also been using squirrel, quail, mice and some rabbit on top of the usual day old chicks. The birds are eating well at the moment.

I do need to be careful what I am feeding some of them  as I am quite busy over the festive period with bookings with 2 demonstration and a number of smaller bookings for people either at Cameron House or at the centre.

Talking about the festive period it will be the normal routine even on Christmas Day. I will be in the centre for part of it. Birds will be put out front of the centre as normal and fed. All the enclosures and aviaries will be cleaned. Just because it is Christmas Day doesn't mean it won't happen. Saying that I will finish up early and only do a half day once I have cleaned everything and fed all the birds.

The only down side at the moment is I normally try and find time to go out and fly a bird for myself but with the way the weather has been I haven't been able to get out so far. Hopefully in the new year I can get that sorted.

Well there is not much more to say except  have a great Christmas and New Year and thank you for reading my blog.

742