Nice Weather For... Penguins?

I seem to be somewhat chained to my desk at work now, so it's easy to forget that I work in a zoo. Seeing as this white stuff seems to be sticking around for a while, I figured it might be about time I got out and had a look at how the animals are getting on. In a purely scientific way of course. Here are my initial findings....

Otters like the snow. They also like people dressed in big green zoo coats, but I think that has more to do with the association of FOOD. Sadly I didn't have food, just a camera. They sussed me out pretty quick.

Foods?!?!

Meerkats don't really like snow. But they do like heat lamps. Fortunately they had this one sorted.


Some penguins like the snow, but I think penguins that are supposed to be in Africa might like snow less than others. I will have to look further into this one.

Not sure if like snow...

This would have been a more extensive study, but I needed to get back in the warm, plus I had lots of random phone calls to answer. I know one thing for sure though- I don't like the snow, it's seriously getting really really boring now. The odd snow day is nice, but this has been more than three weeks of pretty much constant snow, and I'm running out of jumpers... I wouldn't mind as much if it wasn't for the two hour early morning commute every day and the distinct lack of gritting in Havering. Fingers crossed for a thaw tomorrow in time for band rehearsal, and I might even be able to go out this weekend and see something other than a big blanket of white and some angry robins.

snowy day activities

In the spirit of those "rainy day" activity books that were always shoved at me when I was younger and bored, I took the oppurtunity of a snow day a couple of weeks ago to MAKE SOMETHING.


Oh yes that's right- a decorate your own mug kit. It involves two of my favourite things- making a mess and drinking tea. Can't really lose here surely?

So I began by preparing my workspace and adhering to the strict rules laid down in the instructions (put down paper on your workspace, don't consume the pens, only bake your mug between 2.30 and 3.45 on a thursday but not if there is a full moon the previous night) .

(Here is where you would expect to find a "before" shot of my mug. I forgot to take one.)

So... I carefully coloured in my mug, making sure to stay within the lines and all that, and then left for 24 hours to dry. After this I baked my mug :)


So... The results. Well it was a good use of snowy day time, and did produce an adequate tea-holding vessel (surely half the point of this activity).


However, the green and brown colours have come off a bit since washing it for the first time, where the pink and yellow seem to be fine. I think I will need to give it a second coat, but as a stuck-indoors activity and bearing in mind the final product I will give it... 6.5/10. I would have given it an 8 if Percy's friends were Aardvarks. The cow looks a bit evil to me :-/

snow day :)

I suppose you noticed it was quite snowy today then?
I woke up to this sight and decided not to bother trying make my way across to camden, which turned out to be a good decision as the zoo was closed, with only emergency staff coming in (lions still need feeding and all that...).


Birds in the garden were performing nicely in the garden, particularly three long tailed tits who hung around all day. They can be very photogenic when they want to be... Also some very confused blackbirds hunting leaves amongst the snow, and bizarrely a blue tit checking out the nest box by the window (note to self- clean out nest box).


We ventured outside a bit later to see my grandparents, make some snow angels, chase around some ducks in the snow and build a snowman. Some awesome views of blizzardy goodness :)



We have at least 7-8 inches of snow on the ground this evening, so may well be facing snow day: the sequel tommorrow. We will see...


Meanwhile, here is a nice photo of a long tailed tit in flight :)