Visited Walsrode yesterday, here are some of my findings:
5 Pheasantry-style exhibits have been build for the birds of paradise. 2 are occupied by a single male 12-wired BoP, 2 by a single male King BoP and one by a male Raggi's. Normally, the animals have a choice wether to stay inside out of sight, or go outside.
Yesterday, because of the warm weather, the Raggi's BoP and for a few hours the King BoP were shut outside. The Raggi's BoP wasn't on colour, it was a rather drab male. I don't know wether that's season or perhaps it was an inmature animal. Both the Kings are on colour but seemed shy and nervous. They preferred to stay inside and once shut outside, mostly remained in the shadows and behind the bushes. But once in view, they are a spectacular sight to (even though for a few seconds tops), behold.
In the "Tropenhalle" there was only a single male 12-wired BoP on show, probably male "Von Dyke". It also had a sign saying 2 chicks hatched. Since there are 2 males on show in the aviary's, I wonder wether these are the 2 chicks or if they acquired more specimens.
Other notable species:
- Long-wattled umbrellabird (single animal, probably the one from NoP Oerle NL)
- Couple of Guianan CotR
- Single male red CotR
- Sickle-billed vanga was back on show
- One of the red-necked cassowaries has made room for the Bennet Cassowary
- Many golden-headed quetzals on show, at least one male on colour
- Asiatic (lesser) adjutant on show
- Storms' stork on show
- Green-tailed trainbearer, sparklink violetear and amazilia's on show
And also about 30 to 40 other species that are seen nowhere else in the world...
A small new path was created to a new "behind the scenes" set of aviaries. From the path to these aviaries, you could see the horned screamers in one of the existing "behind the scenes" aviaries.
Most notable absences:
- Not a single montezuma oropendola seen or heared during the day. Frustratingly only a african gray parrot mimicking an oropendola call

- No cormorants in the coast-aviary (so also no Guanay cormorant)
- No Asiatic open-billed storks on display
We had another spectacular day.
If there are any questions, fire away
