Maisie
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the bird-centric focus!
- Eurasian Black Vultures are sitting on a new egg. The first was taken for incubation but proved not to be fertile. The male is getting on a bit and has a touch of arthritis, so the keepers think he may not be treading the female properly, which is why the eggs aren't fertile
- Griffon Vultures have no eggs yet, but the male is only 4 and may still be too young
- 3 nests with Waldrapp's Ibis chicks
- The Choughs had eggs, but they were found broken. I hope they have another clutch.
- An enterprising Whistling Duck has built its nest into the structure of the Black Vultures' nest!
- The Red-Billed Blue Pies have moved into the old Spectacled Owl aviary opposite the Wildlife Garden. They had their first egg within about 10 days of meeting (must've been a shotgun wedding!). The first egg disappeared, but the female appears to be sitting again.
- Our favourite Azure-Winged Magpie has a mate from the aviary by the Elephant House and seems to be getting OK with him, despite her having been previously kicked out of the flock for bad behaviour.
- The off-show pair of Tawny Frogmouths have 1 chick, and the on-show pair are sitting on 4 eggs! There is some discussion about whether to hand-rear 2 of those if all 4 hatch as it'll be their first clutch, and 4 is quite a beakful.
- The lone Grey, Milky and Barn owls are going elsewhere. Hawk Owls may be coming to replace them, but most likely not until after the summer.
- The Grey Owl pair are indulging in some very sweet mutual preening. Even though the male's only a year old, fingers crossed for successful breeding!
- Jackson the Red Bird of Paradise is moulting and looks DREADFUL!
- The other male RBoPs were unexpectedly friendly, all coming to the aviary mesh. Must be a spring thing...
- Female RBoP is in a partitioned-off section at the back of the RBoP aviary. Males not yet showing much interest, but again fingers crossed.
Elephant news:
- Birma has settled well into her new home (See Birma thread)
- Sithami confirmed pregnant, Jangoli almost certainly also pregnant, but not far enough along for lab confirmation. Thi mated last week.
- Nurnberg are getting 2 elephants, including one from Chester. Probably Tunga, since a deal has been done to relocate him, and negotiatons are going on to place Raman. It'll be a shame to see the group of 3 playful youngsters broken up, but I suppose it's necessary to allow the next generation to come along.
- Jangoli's tail used to be manipulated and have cream applied when there was a hands-on system of elephant keeping. Since the protected contact scheme was put in place, that hasn't been possible, which led to her kinked tail atrophying and dying off. She has since been trained to present her tail to the keepers for it to be cleaned and dressed.
I think that's it...!
- Eurasian Black Vultures are sitting on a new egg. The first was taken for incubation but proved not to be fertile. The male is getting on a bit and has a touch of arthritis, so the keepers think he may not be treading the female properly, which is why the eggs aren't fertile
- Griffon Vultures have no eggs yet, but the male is only 4 and may still be too young
- 3 nests with Waldrapp's Ibis chicks
- The Choughs had eggs, but they were found broken. I hope they have another clutch.
- An enterprising Whistling Duck has built its nest into the structure of the Black Vultures' nest!
- The Red-Billed Blue Pies have moved into the old Spectacled Owl aviary opposite the Wildlife Garden. They had their first egg within about 10 days of meeting (must've been a shotgun wedding!). The first egg disappeared, but the female appears to be sitting again.
- Our favourite Azure-Winged Magpie has a mate from the aviary by the Elephant House and seems to be getting OK with him, despite her having been previously kicked out of the flock for bad behaviour.
- The off-show pair of Tawny Frogmouths have 1 chick, and the on-show pair are sitting on 4 eggs! There is some discussion about whether to hand-rear 2 of those if all 4 hatch as it'll be their first clutch, and 4 is quite a beakful.
- The lone Grey, Milky and Barn owls are going elsewhere. Hawk Owls may be coming to replace them, but most likely not until after the summer.
- The Grey Owl pair are indulging in some very sweet mutual preening. Even though the male's only a year old, fingers crossed for successful breeding!
- Jackson the Red Bird of Paradise is moulting and looks DREADFUL!
- The other male RBoPs were unexpectedly friendly, all coming to the aviary mesh. Must be a spring thing...
- Female RBoP is in a partitioned-off section at the back of the RBoP aviary. Males not yet showing much interest, but again fingers crossed.
Elephant news:
- Birma has settled well into her new home (See Birma thread)
- Sithami confirmed pregnant, Jangoli almost certainly also pregnant, but not far enough along for lab confirmation. Thi mated last week.
- Nurnberg are getting 2 elephants, including one from Chester. Probably Tunga, since a deal has been done to relocate him, and negotiatons are going on to place Raman. It'll be a shame to see the group of 3 playful youngsters broken up, but I suppose it's necessary to allow the next generation to come along.
- Jangoli's tail used to be manipulated and have cream applied when there was a hands-on system of elephant keeping. Since the protected contact scheme was put in place, that hasn't been possible, which led to her kinked tail atrophying and dying off. She has since been trained to present her tail to the keepers for it to be cleaned and dressed.
I think that's it...!
we were there around the time the presenter talk was happening.
