Notes from today, very sunny and ipso-facto very busy, but a good visit!
- All of the animals in the paddocks today, except the gemsbok and giraffes
- As before, the netting is still off the weaverbird site for some reason. :/
- There was a wedding going on at the Hall today, and Suki and Juba the off-show cheetahs watched it all without been seen from the top of their hut.
- Speaking to a keeper, I found at the work going on in the Wild Ass Stallion Paddock is not just re-fencing... nor is it a new enclosure, unfourtunately. The 'spare' stallion has gone to a European Zoo to breed, and his old paddock will be converted into a permenant wedding marquee.
- I asked the same keeper about the wildebeest situation, and said they are planning to introduce them into the paddock in the Summer, but are aware of the problems their tempers can cause and are still negotiating whether to let the wildebeest out first, the zebra out first or build a divide. She also mentioned that while Rooney has the usual black wildebeest temperment, Oriana was hand-reared and when she goes up to the fence she just wants a tickle.
- The serval enclosure is making good progress, with the windows and safety barrier fitted. It looks like netting over the top will be the next stage.
- By far the most interesting sight of the day was nature at work when a duck with nine young had stupidly decided to swim around the otter pond. It looked like she might make it when the otters swam up to the bank without noticing, but the one behind caught sight of them in the corner of his eye, and swum slowly towards them. Then, in a flash it leapt out towards the nearest duckling, which it caught after a very short chase and carried it away to the shrubs in it's mouth. The mother was going crazy, but of course could do nothing as the otter kept swimming along and carrying it up the bank, the duckling still alive in it's jaws.
- Finally, World of Lemurs seems full of life again, with all the outdoor enclosures inhabited and the new poles up. The only empty bit is the old mouse lemur enclosure, which is devoid even of jumping rats.
- As expected, the new walk-through aviary in the old tamarin enclosure in Encounter Village is quiet at the mo with just Hammerkop, Little Egret and Madagascarn Teal in an aviary where little has been changed since it's previos incarnation. However, here's hoping when the planned new species arrive over time.
- Some move-arounds in Tropical World: Fregate Island Beetles in the old Green Tree Python vivarium, Green Tree Python in the old Fregate Island Beetle vivarium, and Boulenger's Horned-Headed Lizards in the old Beaded Lizard vivarium.
- The Gift Shop Cafe sells your basic drinks, cakes, biscuits, crisps etc., but is very nicely laid out.
- And once more I got the giraffe house to myself at the end of the day, stroking Tia and Kwame's muzzles too.
I am hopefully going to go tomorrow, but Im still confused about whether I can post stuff I find or not. 
