Zoo Take Two

So as usual it has been ages since I last posted, and it is going to be a running theme for this year I hope that what gets me posting again is going to the zoo. As I said before, I have a years membership to the zoo, courtesy of my lovely sisters, and I have now used it for a second time. Hayley and I went today particularly because of the baby penguins that are hatching at the moment, so we didn't want to miss them. The weather was not looking good at all this morning but seeing as I had my pass, we didn't want to cancel, the penguins won't stay wee forever. So we thought it would be worth it even if it did thunder and lightning as predicted as long as we say the main animals we both wanted to see. And as you will see the weather did vary today, we had almost everything except thunder and lightning. It went from warm and sunny to hailing and raining and back to sunny multiple times, but we lucked out and were under shelter for the most part when things went bad. 

Something I nearly forgot about was the Dinosaurs exhibit they put in at the top of the hill, we didn't think we would make it all the way up there but when we did we were surprised to see how good the exhibit was, I didn't expect them to move so much and make noises as well. It was a lot of fun to go through, and made me think of the Royal Tyrrell Museum back in Drumheller, but with a bit more whimsy. There was even a dinosaur there called Edmontonia which was discover in Edmonton, funnily enough, but really made me think of Canada, which was a lot of fun.

So all in all another successful day at the zoo, and now for the photos, I expertly whittled them down from 92 so you wouldn't be scrolling forever.

 

         

       

 

 

   

       

     

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Edinburgh Zoo

I know I have posted about the zoo multiple times, but it is something I am always excited to go and see with whoever is visiting, I have even contemplated getting a members card so I can go whenever I want. Caryn also really loves the zoo, so unsurprisingly we went to the zoo for day three. 

The best part of the zoo other than getting to see some of my favourite animals is I always see something different, whether its the owl I have never managed to find before or the panda actually walking around, each time you go it feel completely new. We also lucked out pretty good with the weather, the day before was really raining out in Falkirk and we got pretty soaked, and the day after wasn't too great either, but I had to work. Caryn and Jackson went on their own adventure.

Because of the nice weather, loads of the animals were out and about, so we were treated to the African Hunting Dogs running and playing in the enclosure, the one below is  a bit tuckered out, the penguins are always about, but I caught one mid dive. The owl as I mentioned, I had never managed to find, like the Lynx in the Calgary Zoo, I don't even think there is one in there, but since Jackson was able to spot the owl, who knows he could be there. We caught the end of animal antics where the hornbill flew all around us, Jackson also got an amazing video, but it wasn't sharing on here. The zebras are always one of my favourties, but we didn't linger too long as we had our ticket for the Giant Panda viewing at 1:30. 

When we got in to see the pandas both of them were in their indoor enclosures, Yang Guang was sleeping, but Tian Tian had just come in from outside. Normally you are ushered around from one bit to the other by zoo staff, but maybe because its kind of the off season you had a wee bit more free reign. So we wandered outside and had a bit of a rest and waited, and Tian Tian didn't disappoint, she wander outside and right up to the glass and round and back inside again. It was pretty amazing, she came back out and in again a few more times, but after the first time, more and more people were outside, so maybe that frightened her away.

We stopped to eat before the penguin parade, which had a Gentoo Penguin and three King Penguins. The rhinos were out and about and the Red River Hogs had just been fed and all the piglets were running about trying to get a good bit of the food. Another of my favourites, the Sun Bears, were wandering down into the front of their enclosure, I think they are mostly my favourite because they look as though they are wearing too big pajamas! And one of Caryn's favourites, the Pygmy Hippo, came all the way outside to have a great big yawn before trundling back inside.

As you can tell from the exceedingly large introduction and walk through, I had an excellent time at the zoo and I can only hope Caryn and Jackson had as much fun as I did. And I can't wait for the next time I get to go to the zoo.