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Linnaeus

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Does anyone on here remember Flimwell Bird Park, Kent, open for a few years in the 1990s, a very good collection of pheasants and waterfowl and I had many a happy day there when my children were very young. I also recall a waterfowl collection at Forest Row in East Sussex from my own childhood - did anyone else ever go there? Another vague recollection from many years ago is of a small zoo open for a very short time at Heathfield, East Sussex, if anyone has any details of this it would be greatly appreciated.
Linnaeus
 
Linnaeus said:
Does anyone on here remember Flimwell Bird Park, Kent, open for a few years in the 1990s, a very good collection of pheasants and waterfowl and I had many a happy day there when my children were very young. I also recall a waterfowl collection at Forest Row in East Sussex from my own childhood - did anyone else ever go there? Another vague recollection from many years ago is of a small zoo open for a very short time at Heathfield, East Sussex, if anyone has any details of this it would be greatly appreciated.
Linnaeus
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I have only scant information about the three places you mention, and never visited them. Flimwell Bird Park was opened in 1989 and closed sometime pre-2001; it had a collection of 110 bird species. Heathfield Wildlife Park and Bird City, as it was at one time called, was also known as Heathfield Wildlife Park and Gibraltar Gardens and was owned by Dr. Gerald Moore and his family. The "zoo" opened at Easter 1973 and closed circa 1984. It held a few mammals including (a?) zebra, bison, llamas, red deer and a modest collection of birds including flamingos, parrots and pheasants. I know nothing about Forest Row other than the fact there was a bird collection there. Perhaps some other "chatters" are able to provide more information or even a few photographs?
 
zooboy said:
It held a few mammals including (a?) zebra, bison, llamas, red deer and a modest collection of birds including flamingos, parrots and pheasants. I know nothing about Forest Row other than the fact there was a bird collection there. Perhaps some other "chatters" are able to provide more information or even a few photographs?
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I visited Forest Row once. I only remember the zebra 'pair'. The stallion was in fact a Hartmann's zebra -though not sure if they were aware of that.
 
Pertinax said:
I visited Forest Row once. I only remember the zebra 'pair'. The stallion was in fact a Hartmann's zebra -though not sure if they were aware of that.
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Thanks for that, I remember very little of Forest Row other than some pheasants, and virtually nothing of Heathfield. Quite a coup to have a Hartmann's, even if they didn't realise it!
 
Linnaeus said:
Thanks for that, I remember very little of Forest Row other than some pheasants, and virtually nothing of Heathfield. Quite a coup to have a Hartmann's, even if they didn't realise it!
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I took a photo of them though heaven knows where it is now. Nor do I know what happened to them after it closed.
 
Hi the Forest row park was called spring hill willdfowl Park think plus had possibly flamingo and think Rhea too
 
Degu 5 said:
Hi the Forest row park was called spring hill willdfowl Park think plus had possibly flamingo and think Rhea too
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Now you have reminded me that the place was called Spring Hill, I realise that I have a postcard of a Rhea there. The copy on the back says: "Spring Hill Wildfowl Park, Forest Row, East Sussex. Ossie, a South American Ostrich, shares popularity with Blue and White Peacocks, Flamingos, Cranes, Black and White Swans. Most of the birds wander in the grounds of a 15th century Ashdown Forest Farmhouse."
 
Linnaeus said:
Thanks for that, I remember very little of Forest Row other than some pheasants, and virtually nothing of Heathfield. Quite a coup to have a Hartmann's, even if they didn't realise it!
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I should have said Heathfield for the Zebras, not Forest Row, I think.. It was the one with the zebras I visited anyway, not the other.
 
Hello all, I am sure someone can help me with this flamingo issue! I know I saw both P. andinus and P. jamesi somewhere as a child; I have never been to Slimbridge where I know both have been kept so it wasn't there so I am assuming it was London Zoo. I visited both Bentley Wildfowl and Arundel WWT quite frequently in the 1970s and early 1980s so they are possible candidates but I am not sure if they held these species. Any advice gratefully received!
 
Linnaeus said:
Hello all, I am sure someone can help me with this flamingo issue! I know I saw both P. andinus and P. jamesi somewhere as a child; I have never been to Slimbridge where I know both have been kept so it wasn't there so I am assuming it was London Zoo. I visited both Bentley Wildfowl and Arundel WWT quite frequently in the 1970s and early 1980s so they are possible candidates but I am not sure if they held these species. Any advice gratefully received!
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According to zootierliste:

Former holders of Andean and James' flamingo:
- Birdland
- Chester Zoo
- London Zoo
- Flamingo Zoological Park - Closed 2001 (Never heard of this place)

Colchester has also held ONLY Andean flamingo.
 
Mattaki said:
According to zootierliste:

Former holders of Andean and James' flamingo:
- Birdland
- Chester Zoo
- London Zoo
- Flamingo Zoological Park - Closed 2001 (Never heard of this place)

Colchester has also held ONLY Andean flamingo.
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Many thanks Mattaki, it must have been London because I remember trying to distinguish the two species.
Linnaeus
 
zooboy said:
Now you have reminded me that the place was called Spring Hill, I realise that I have a postcard of a Rhea there. The copy on the back says: "Spring Hill Wildfowl Park, Forest Row, East Sussex. Ossie, a South American Ostrich, shares popularity with Blue and White Peacocks, Flamingos, Cranes, Black and White Swans. Most of the birds wander in the grounds of a 15th century Ashdown Forest Farmhouse."
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Many thanks zooboy
 
Mattaki said:
According to zootierliste:

Former holders of Andean and James' flamingo:
- Birdland
- Chester Zoo
- London Zoo
- Flamingo Zoological Park - Closed 2001 (Never heard of this place)

Colchester has also held ONLY Andean flamingo.
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Flamingo Gardens is Christopher Marler's place. It is famous, and will come up as 'Olney' on searches, and there is plenty of info and guides etc about it around, including the Zoo History section on here which is where this thread should have been posted. My ex-wife was curator when the bird collection was at its largest with every spp of flamingo, every spp of crane, every spp of pelican etc.

Spring Hill Wildfowl was a private collection which like others of its era (Daw's Hall, Busbridge, Smallborough etc) opened to the public to add other income when the demand for and trade in ornamental waterfowl took a tumble.
 
Linnaeus said:
Does anyone on here remember Flimwell Bird Park, Kent, open for a few years in the 1990s, a very good collection of pheasants and waterfowl and I had many a happy day there when my children were very young. I also recall a waterfowl collection at Forest Row in East Sussex from my own childhood - did anyone else ever go there? Another vague recollection from many years ago is of a small zoo open for a very short time at Heathfield, East Sussex, if anyone has any details of this it would be greatly appreciated.
Linnaeus
Click to expand...
I
Linnaeus said:
Does anyone on here remember Flimwell Bird Park, Kent, open for a few years in the 1990s, a very good collection of pheasants and waterfowl and I had many a happy day there when my children were very young. I also recall a waterfowl collection at Forest Row in East Sussex from my own childhood - did anyone else ever go there? Another vague recollection from many years ago is of a small zoo open for a very short time at Heathfield, East Sussex, if anyone has any details of this it would be greatly appreciated.
Linnaeus
Click to expand...
I lived at springhill wildfowl park forest Row in 1986 when I was 16! It was owned by a lovely man called Mr pendry and my dad was his gardener.i used to help out in the gift shop.we lived in a cottage on site-lake view cottage.
 
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