Raptors

You guys know that I enjoy birdwatching and that I often go looking for birds of prey. Today was very special. I've seen a bald headed eagle, a vulture, a peregrine falcon, a handful of Harris hawks, saker hawks and others. Live, in the open (actually the eagle and the vulture were in enclosures). No photos for obvious reasons but some of the hawks were about to be flown so they were in their hoods and jessies and a few of the guys were having a chat with us with one of these beautiful animals pecking at the leather glove on their fist. A lot of places keep raptors but this is the biggest collection I've seen by far. They are partnering with an external company to form a social enterprise which I think is a brilliant idea; they are already breeding the birds and have a great record of success. By the way; I hope you all know that the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on the planet - more than 200 mph in a stoop (and that's where Shakespeare got "She stoops to conquer" [Edit - Goldsmith it seems rather than Shakespeare. Must have wrote it before he became a college...]

I also enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and sunset and views out over the sea so all up a good day despite the best end of 6 hours driving.

The Saab doesn't have the built-in Bluetooth rig that I had in the Mazda so I've taken a photo of the earpiece thing I have to wear if someone wants to talk to me while I'm driving - if they want to talk by telephone, I don't bother with it if they are in the car, obvs. I've resisted one of these for ages even before the Dr Who episode but now I have one I wear it when I go shopping because I'm as indispensable as everyone else in Morrisons and I cannot spend any period when I can't be contacted. Clearly the phone is generally turned off at the weekend but the earpiece reminds everyone else that I am important.