Zoo Trip #26: British Wildlife Centre

My presence on Blip has been largely negligible in the last few days, as all the computer time I had to devote to photographic pursuits has been spent readying the 400+ images I took at the British Wildlife Centre on my return from my stay in East Sussex, and whittling the final set down to 223 pictures.

The British Wildlife Centre has been on my bucket list since I first heard of it when DawnC posted a blip from there some time ago, but it proved slightly out of reach for a day trip as the drive from home is about two and a half hours. However, from Battle it took only an hour, and I arrived before midday.

The Centre seems to specialise in species that are indigenous now, including a few that "shouldn't" really be here, such as mink and some types of deer. Feeding times were frequent throughout the day so it was possible to see and learn about most of the animals held there. There were some I had seen and photographed before, some I had seen but never taken a picture of, such as the fox or the stoat, and some that were completely new to me, such as the pine marten, red squirrel or the European otter (the ones in zoos tend to be of the Asian short-clawed or American river varieties), and it was one of these that I chose to blip, finally settling on the red squirrel because I got better pictures of it than the other species. It was a sunny, warm afternoon and the light was especially harsh.

It was marvellous to see all the deer, Scottish wildcat (kittens being fed, adults skulking in the shadows), badgers, polecats, foxes and birds of prey, including the owls, whose spectacular displays completed the day's experiences.

Flo was a fox cub who was rescued as an orphan and has such a trusting, friendly nature it would be impossible to release her. Biscuit lives with Ellis in another enclosure and is a grand old dame now. I had a great day, and the keepers were all enthusiastic and clearly cared well for all their charges, so I hope to make it back there again. One, Izzy, appeared grinning from ear to ear and maintained her delight at her dream job until the very end.

L.
22.9.2013

Blip #1051
Consecutive Blip #004
Day #1254

Alternatives:
Albur, The Red Deer Champion
Frodo (Red Fox)
Red Squirrel Feeding
Being Checked over By A Pine Marten
Florence (Tawny Owl)
Snowy Owl (Henryk)

British Wildlife Centre, 31 August 2013 (Flickr set)

Lenses: Pentax 18-55mm kit lens, Sigma 70-300mm macro

Zoo Trip series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
The Automatic - Monster (2006)

One year ago: Zoo Trip #24: Scarlett