Peahen Racing

This photograph captured just one moment from a day of comic moments. The better than predicted weather lured me out of the house this morning and to the airfield for a catch up coffee with flying friends.

The runway was open today after a waterlogged day yesterday caused its temporary closure. The Parachute Club managed to get one lift in this morning before the pilot made the decision that it was too boggy for another safe take off.

As I traversed the muddy field with my friend and her toddler he had us rolling up with laughter as he attempted to say 'parachute' and instead said 'poochute'. Immature I know but so funny. His insatiable cheekiness is a trait inherited from his dad - my former flying instructor whose sense of humour is pure gold.

At lunchtime I met mum and dad at the Castle for a walk and a visit to the Bird of Prey Centre. The bitter cold weather was bearable for the wonderful wildlife we met on our wander around.

Yellow billed geese greeted us by the duck pond followed by a muster of peacocks when I snapped this photo. The peahens were racing down the path closely followed by a proud Peacock keeping an eye on his hareem. It was such a funny sight. Also in the photo is my mum with her cute child-like gloves watching the Peahen Race!

We popped by the Bird of Prey Centre to chat to the Falconry team and had the chance to see the beautiful owls, Harris Hawks, Falcons, Eagle, Kookaburra and Vulture that make up the 22 birds at the Castle.

I was delighted to see my personal favourite Mozart the European Eagle Owl looking back to his splendid self after his recent moulting. I've got a Falconry Experience booked for next month and I can't wait! Buzz and Woody the barn owls were bickering today, as brothers and sisters often do, and made us chuckle as they kept sitting on top of each other!

As we walked back across the estate we fed some hungry black swans by the Great Water. A flock of seagulls made it pretty much like a scene from Hitchcock's The Birds and I took an interesting photo of the gulls hovering in the wind that almost made my Blip today.

But in the end it was the comic timing and spontaneity of this hilarious moment of 'Peahen Racing' that summed up the joviality of this lovely Sunday afternoon with my family and friends at the Castle.