Rupert

Almost exactly a year ago I posted about my love of vultures but since they don't tend to visit the bird feeder I had to make do with a naff photo out of a bird book.

Today I looked at vultures, photographed vultures, bought a cuddly vulture and adopted a vulture. This is him. He is a Ruppels Griffon Vulture. The lady at Trotters World of Animals told me the bird man would be very pleased as the vulture is unpopular as an adoption animal, losing out to cute and fluffy meerkats and otters. I have a free pass to go back and see him in the next year. I think I will enquire as to when they fly him as I would really love to see him fly!

There were lots of other brilliant animals and birds there and I really recommend a visit to this place if you are ever in the area. Give yourself a few hours as there are a lot of animals in large enclosures. Generally I am not a fan of primates but I did really like the gibbons, this sweet little face would have been my blip if it hadn't been for Rupert. I don't know if the link goes directly there but it is the next one if not. We also saw a bird of prey flying display from a Buzzard and a Barn Owl.

We came here via Bassenthwaite and the Osprey viewing point. That is also recommended. The Ospreys are really far away and only viewable through a scope (provided but doesn't get set up till 10) but that doesn't really matter as there is much entertainment provided by the bird feeders. We saw red squirrels, vast flocks of Chaffinches, Nuthatches (which I have never seen before) a beautiful Jay and a whole flock of Stock Doves. Two nice and knowledgable fellows there too who set up the scope and told us where to look. We went down to the hide on the other side of the lake but saw no birds at all apart from some distant cormorants. We did see an Otter though.

A brilliant day out and my favourite of the holiday I think.