Field Trip

I was looking for The Sign of the Beaver in the children's section & mis-remembered the authoress. George...George..., something George? I found Jean Craighead George, who wrote one of my favorites from childhood, My Side of the Mountain & found a sequel, Frightful's Mountain. I do let Victor choose his own books, but I select things that I think will interest him as well as being somewhat thick for myself because I almost never make it to the adult section.

I started it when we got home & discarded it as too boring, 2 chapters into it. He picked it up a week later & spent every spare moment & taking quite a few moments that weren't spare to devour it. He told me every day I should read it declaring the books greatness. So I gave it another go, & he was right. It IS a great book.

Halfway through my reading a giant brown owl was hunting in the middle of the day on the front of our property. It kept flying back & forth, crossing the highway & completely disappearing as soon as it landed if you weren't watching it. It was massive & very neat to watch. We think it was hunting a cardinal, the chickens were surely under cover. W/ all of this interest being sparked, I felt a field trip was in order. Happily, The Carolina Raptor Center is only a couple of county's away. We went!

We listened to different presentations during lunch time & I was surprised at how well they did, respect & attentive-wise. I knew they were hungry. Respect to the speaker that is, they have no crowd ettiquette. Victor has no concept of raising a hand to be called on & assumed all of the questions were directed at him personally. He answered quite a few correctly. I don't sit w/ them but rather behind them. This way they can feel their independence but I can give them a tap if needed. Happily it was a very small group, & showed me what we've got to work on.

British invasion: Viclotte w/ a Surrey barn owl.

The golden eagle. There is a nesting pair of balds but they get privacy for their brooding & weren't on display. You can watch them on the Eagle Cam though.

Miranda only enjoyed the first hour, this was when we were leaving.

Getting a tickle from an owl wing.

They had osprey's, falcons, owls, eagles, corvids & hawks. Veterinary care is given to about 1,000 injured/ poisoned birds a year. I was surprised to find that the bird I enjoyed most was a vulture. But South American, not like the ugly North Americans. Although I certainly appreciate their function.

All in all it was a fun day, I'd like to go back when Miranora are older.

The King or Painted Vulture