I have been to a few collections this year not as many as last year and must admit I have really enjoyed all my visits to each one of them.
I have also been to many nature reserves and on a few bird watching cruises as well and can't wait to do more next year.
All collections have been reached by public transport some more difficult than others.
The collections I have visited this year were –
London zoo (2), Chester zoo (1), Birdland park & gardens (1), Hagley falconry centre (1), Cotswold wildlife park (2), All things wild (Honeybourne) (2), Blackpool zoo (1), Welsh mountain zoo (1), Slimbridge WWT (2), Cotswold falconry centre (1) & Akamba tropical house (1)
Will be visiting the Butterfly farm (Stratford-upon-avon) very shortly
My favourite 5 from this year please bear in mind I am a bird lover –
5 – Cotswold wildlife park –
A great collection well spread out exhibits don’t seem to be on top of each other and plenty of areas to rest. Collection wise it as a great mix of species from Insects to Giraffes and birds from all over the world in some great exhibits.
4 – All things wild –
A great small collection with some very interesting species and well laid out now with Golden Jackals a lifer for me this year and more to come.
Staff wise very friendly and helpful food wise a little expensive for the quality but that was the only downside of my visits, helps by being just down the road from the rail station and when they move they won’t be too hard to reach by public transport.
3 – Birdland park & gardens
What can I say about this place that I haven’t said before a early year visit is great here not to busy so you can see all the species they have on display and some that aren’t even signed yet.
No matter whether they have new species or not I truly enjoy my visit here.
2 – Slimbridge WWT
This was a very close to this year’s winner but finally lost out by having no flighted displays.
It is going through a refurbishment at the moment but it’s still a great day out, if your like me it’s one of only a few places were you get the chance to see captive species and yet you also get the chance to see wild birds and many of them for that matter in the same visit.
The Wetland area was coming on really well on my last visit and can’t wait to see the end result and a couple of other new exhibits were taking shape as well.
1 – Cotswold Falconry Centre –
Visited here early in the season as usual and had a great time only a few others around as the weather was a little wet and it’s a fair walk from the main road to the collection
I know some of the exhibits need updating but we could say that about all collections if we looked hard enough.
The staff are very friendly and they talk to people with great enthusiasm about the birds.
They have all types of birds of prey from Owls, Eagles, Vultures, Hawks and Falcons all the species are beautiful and well cared for
They have great displays for a small collection and the keepers give great information on each species displayed.
Can’t wait to go back here at least a couple of times next year
What are your highlights for 2020 and what made your visits great for you.
My visits already sorted for 2020 -
Germany - March (23 days - Dresden, Berlin & Colgne)
Birdworld & Underwater world.
Birdland park & garden
London zoo
Blackpool zoo
Cotswold falconry centre
Hawk conservancy trust
Slimbridge wwt
Cotswold wildlife park
Crocodile world
West midland safari park
Yorkshire wildlife park
Akamba tropical house
All things wild
Lotherton hall.
Twycross zoo
Longleat safari park
May add a few more later but will be concentrating on getting 150 wild bird species photographed this year
I have also been to many nature reserves and on a few bird watching cruises as well and can't wait to do more next year.
All collections have been reached by public transport some more difficult than others.
The collections I have visited this year were –
London zoo (2), Chester zoo (1), Birdland park & gardens (1), Hagley falconry centre (1), Cotswold wildlife park (2), All things wild (Honeybourne) (2), Blackpool zoo (1), Welsh mountain zoo (1), Slimbridge WWT (2), Cotswold falconry centre (1) & Akamba tropical house (1)
Will be visiting the Butterfly farm (Stratford-upon-avon) very shortly
My favourite 5 from this year please bear in mind I am a bird lover –
5 – Cotswold wildlife park –
A great collection well spread out exhibits don’t seem to be on top of each other and plenty of areas to rest. Collection wise it as a great mix of species from Insects to Giraffes and birds from all over the world in some great exhibits.
4 – All things wild –
A great small collection with some very interesting species and well laid out now with Golden Jackals a lifer for me this year and more to come.
Staff wise very friendly and helpful food wise a little expensive for the quality but that was the only downside of my visits, helps by being just down the road from the rail station and when they move they won’t be too hard to reach by public transport.
3 – Birdland park & gardens
What can I say about this place that I haven’t said before a early year visit is great here not to busy so you can see all the species they have on display and some that aren’t even signed yet.
No matter whether they have new species or not I truly enjoy my visit here.
2 – Slimbridge WWT
This was a very close to this year’s winner but finally lost out by having no flighted displays.
It is going through a refurbishment at the moment but it’s still a great day out, if your like me it’s one of only a few places were you get the chance to see captive species and yet you also get the chance to see wild birds and many of them for that matter in the same visit.
The Wetland area was coming on really well on my last visit and can’t wait to see the end result and a couple of other new exhibits were taking shape as well.
1 – Cotswold Falconry Centre –
Visited here early in the season as usual and had a great time only a few others around as the weather was a little wet and it’s a fair walk from the main road to the collection
I know some of the exhibits need updating but we could say that about all collections if we looked hard enough.
The staff are very friendly and they talk to people with great enthusiasm about the birds.
They have all types of birds of prey from Owls, Eagles, Vultures, Hawks and Falcons all the species are beautiful and well cared for
They have great displays for a small collection and the keepers give great information on each species displayed.
Can’t wait to go back here at least a couple of times next year
What are your highlights for 2020 and what made your visits great for you.
My visits already sorted for 2020 -
Germany - March (23 days - Dresden, Berlin & Colgne)
Birdworld & Underwater world.
Birdland park & garden
London zoo
Blackpool zoo
Cotswold falconry centre
Hawk conservancy trust
Slimbridge wwt
Cotswold wildlife park
Crocodile world
West midland safari park
Yorkshire wildlife park
Akamba tropical house
All things wild
Lotherton hall.
Twycross zoo
Longleat safari park
May add a few more later but will be concentrating on getting 150 wild bird species photographed this year
