Looking across the Birds of the World demonstration area (whistling ducks overhead), towards the Discovery Centre / Cloisters area, with work progressing on the new butterfly / crocodile exhibit, due to open in two months.
Looking across the Birds of the World demonstration area (whistling ducks overhead), towards the Discovery Centre / Cloisters area, with work progressing on the new butterfly / crocodile exhibit, due to open in two months.
Unfortunately I didn't see the ducks arrive or depart - just a few passes overhead; I was distracted by the scarlet macaws which were out at the same time, and which had flopped down on the grass bank behind me. This is why the keepers/trainers are looking over in my direction in the photo. Apparently it was the macaws' first time out for a while, and they thought that was quite far enough. They had to be scooped up by one of the keepers/trainers, although to be fair, they were making their way on foot back towards the arena at the time .
By the time I'd finished trying (and failing) to photograph the macaws, the ducks were already back in the van.
This was just a practice demonstration session; and whether the macaw 'rescue' had curtailed the ducks' display, I don't know.
I think their bit is a simple flying display doing a few laps of the arena as a group, but I haven't seen them in action yet (want to though!). Not sure if these are hand-raised, imprinted birds, though I would have thought they were... Not sure how the training works with them!
