Good News for Boobys

Hi

You may remember that (shortly before disappearing off the face of the internet) I posted a link about making the Chagos Archipelago a Marine Reserve. Well if you don't know, the Chagos Marine Reserve was declared the world's biggest no-take marine reserve, and a year later it's nice to read some good environment-related news for a change.

I might start posting again, I haven't decided yet. Everything birdy that I see is posted by Parus in a much more sweary and grumpy fashion (who steals my photos half the time too).

He doesn't get to post stuff like this though.

By the way, if you want to see something very cute, come along to London Zoo and meet our new(ish) baby gorilla, he's a bit good.

Coo-eeee!

I have been to Norfolk this week, and haven't even had the time to write about it before disappearing elsewhere. Such are the demands of running a zoo.


Spent a very pleasant couple of days around Norwich/the broads with the boy, and managed to grab a couple of life ticks in between various zoo-based commitments (lesser-spotted woodpecker, common crane, tree pipit, eider and stone curlew).

For today though, I am in the Lake District en-route to Mull, and very nice it is too...

My garden and other exciting habitats...

Today I upgraded my feeders in my garden, with tree hooks and peanuts and everything. The birds are emptying the feeders about twice a week at the moment, so thought it was worth increasing my tree's food-holding capacity (yes due to tree-related we only have one tree).

(here is where I would have put a photo of my new feeders, but the boy still has my camera, so you'll have to wait until my next post.)

...Since writing this I think next doors cat got one of our collared doves. They're stupid birds, but I quite like them. They try and fail to nest on the skydish next door every year, with great amusement for me. I went and threw a load of water on the cat and chased it away, but I can't find the bird, just loads of feathers. Bastard stupid hybrid cat thing...

On an unrelated but still important note, you should go and sign this. It's a campaign to protect the Chagos Archipelago (one of the world's largest coral atolls) by making it a marine protected area. It's a group of 55 tropical islands owned by the UK, and is all very interesting stuff. Theres some really interesting videos to watch too, so go have a look.

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.

Good Riddance 2009

I never profess to be a "proper" birder and am rubbish at keeping track of what I have actually seen, but what with the other half going on about falling short of 200 this year, I thought I'd sit down and work out my bird list for 2009.

2009 total: 173

life list: 182

Not too bad really considering the general lack of outings in the second half of this year, and that I missed out on my big autumn holiday. Generally 2009 has been totally shit, so 2010 doesn't have to try too hard to be an improvement really.
Highlights for 2009 include a pair of montagu's harrier, barn owls, penduline tits, a bittern flying right over our heads, and spoonbills (which are always awesome). Oh, and the robin in Hanningfield attacking Parus. My favourite birds of 2009 had to be the white storks in France, but due to their frenchness don't count to my total. They are just ridiculously big...
Birds missing from my list that really shouldn't be include whooper/berwicks swans, eider, garganey, any exciting herons, golden eagle, osprey, red kite, dipper, lesser spotted woodpecker, dartford warbler, tree sparrow.... loads basically.
The aim for 2010 will be to make the big 200, and if the trip to Mull goes ahead this should be easily achieveable. I would also like to get a decent sight of a kingfisher, to make more of an effort with seabirds, and to finally work out whether or not brambling are a myth. More importantly, I would like to see this "smart looking black and red bird" that my mum claims to have seen in our garden. If we have a bullfinch here i want evidence!

The target zoo-wise will be to try to get away from my desk a bit more and take some photos of all the awesome stuff that lives there. We have a new male gorilla that is shaping up to be a handsome chap, and have had plenty of very cute babies of late. Personally I have my fingers crossed for mini aardvarks.


So here is to a better 2010...

Might look cute but has been singing like a car alarm all day...

i do work in a zoo, honestly

First, a little update on my personal living collection: We are still awaiting the arrival of my free fish...

The Cat is fully supportie of my foray into the world of aquariums by the way :)

In other news, Regent's Park has been looking so awesome lately that I thought I should probably share it with you (and because I know at least one person quite likes botany).

Hoorah, tulips everywhere :)

Meanwhile, in the zoo there have been loads of animals looking quite pleased with all the sunshine and leaves on trees etc that we've been getting. Coming into baby season, so it's really quite cute :)


After reading about some Choughs in Cornwall, I thought it might be an idea to point out that we have some nesting in Regent's Park too. Sort of.


The enclosure that these guys are in is REALLY difficult to take photos of, because the mesh is angled perfectly to catch your focus every time (not included in this blog post: about 56 similar photos of chough completely hidden by dirty great big grey lines).
For this reason you do not have any photos of baikal teal, night herons, wood ducks, radjah shelduck... But I did get a nice photo of a sparrow pretending to be a reed warbler.

ohmygodz

look at this!

I took that photo, I am now a published photographer and that, muahaha!

tortoises are awesome

Especially giant ones.

This is an Aldabra giant tortoise (Geochelone gigantica), the Seychelles equivalent of the Galapagos tortoise.


She lives next to the komodo dragon, and so maybe somewhat overlooked. I am now officially a fan of her though, and thought you should be too.


I've always liked tortoises, but these damn reptile enthusiasts have even almost convinced me to get a snake. Worrying.

Now I am going to go watch some program about Darwin. See, topical and everything...