Zoo Trip #61: Hawk Conservancy (Mon 22 May 2017)

Having discovered before I set off, luckily, that my season ticket for Marwell Wildlife had a run out a day earlier than expected and was no longer valid (I'd bought it online on the 22nd, long after the zoo had closed for the day) I was left at something of a loose end, but decided at lunch time to revisit the Hawk Conservancy Trust where I am a life member.
I bought a late lunch there and sat outside behind the cafe with it, reading a Mojo back number, and then went to see the final display of the day in the Silver Birch Glade Arena, the Woodland Owls display.
Having been several times before, many of the birds were familiar to me - Troy, the tawny owl who was raised by humans and was afraid of heights; Ennis, one of their beautiful great grey owls; and Charlie and Delta, silent and ghostly barn owls. The displays change all the time, and one owl was new to me: Whisper, a southern boobook owl from Australia, slightly resembling a little owl, who at one point landed just a few inches from me to my great pleasure (too close for my lens).
My blip shows Charlie at the start of his (and later Delta's) turn, concluding the event.
On the drive home I pulled up at Wilcot by the canal bridge for a breather and walked for twenty minutes or so to Pewsey Wharf, where I had a quick refresher at the Waterfront pub (see Extra) and sat in the beer garden overlooking the Kennet and Avon. On the way back I met a canal cat and later had a pleasant chat to a woman from a narrowboat.

L.
25.5.2017 (2020 hr)

Blip #2115 (#2365 including 250 archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #008
Blips/Extras In 2017 #170
Day #2615 (515 gaps from 26 March 2010)
LOTD #1350 (#1476 including 126 on archived blips)

Hampshire series
Hawk Conservancy Trust series
Outdoor Places I Have Sat In series
Owls series
Zoo Trip series

Taken with Pentax K-50 (Red) and Pentax HD P-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED WR lens

Hawk Conservation Trust, 22 May 2017 (Flickr album of 22 photos)
A Walk To Pewsey Wharf, 22 May 2017 (Flickr album of 19 photos)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Big Thief - Shark Smile (2017)

One year ago:
Marlborough Waterfront