Puppy Love

It has been 25 days since Eileen went home to the I.O.W. from having a wonderful holiday in Northern Ireland and I have been positing blogs on our birding adventures here since she left!!! 

 

I asked her to send me photos of her 'special new friend' and let us know all about him.  So this is exactly what she wrote. 

 

Also at the end of the post, I answer a question that was asked of me from yesterday's post about the Egret.  I thought you all might like to know the answer.

 

Meet Stevie.

 

Well at 60+ I should have known better. Puppy love is for the young.

It all began one Wednesday morning, a getting to know you session they call it. We have all been there or maybe not.

 

Quite innocent at first, we get on well, a smile, a touch and Oh! that blond hair who couldn't fall for that. I could hear my mother's voice, "It will all end in tears dear he is much to young for you". Well I am not quite as nimble now but I still feel 16, surely I can still keep up.

Head over heels, we agree a first date, you see! He likes me! Thinks I am a softy, soon we would be alone together sharing walks and fireside chats.

I expect you would like to know his name; it’s Stevie a very special nine month old Golden Retriever being trained by Canine Partners to be an assistance dog. He will eventually be helping someone confined to a wheelchair.

I have become his Foster Parent while his Puppy Parent has a few days away.

Just look below at the blonde hair, wet nose and brown eyes.

 

As you would expect he is a bundle of mischief and loves his latest toy, a fluffy octopus, which he shakes and throws around and plops in my lap when it is very soggy. But even at nine months old he is very obedient.

He will sit while having his lead attached, wait while I go through the doorway first, pick up dropped things and bring them to me. He really thinks it a great game and enjoys doing everything. He has also been trained to toilet in a designated area in the garden before going for a walk. What amazing achievements by the Puppy Parent.

This is the web site for more information
http://www.caninepartners.org.uk/Index.htm

 

 I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did and I thank Eileen for producing this for me.

The question from yesterday's post was,

"How do the Egrets manage to keep so white?"

The white color of Egrets absorbs less heat from the sun; darker birds heat up quicker. Being white helps keep this bird of the sunshine cool, but how does a Egret stay so white? It wades around all day in muddy water, yet never appears to have mud or stain on its feathers.

Four factors come into play.

1. The Egret, like most birds, has an oil gland at the base of the tail. It gets oil from this gland on the bill and wipes it on its feathers. The oil waterproofs the feathers, preventing them from absorbing the muddy water. The smooth texture of the feathers helps prevent caking of mud on them.
2. A Egret also spends much time preening, cleaning, and rearranging its feathers.
3.  Herons and Egrets have patches of crumbly feathers called 'powder downs'. The birds grab some of these in the bill and wipe them on their feathers. This coats the feathers with powder. The effect of these adaptations gives the birds a somewhat teflon-like coat that seems to repel dirt.  
4. While much preening is done with the bill, Herons and Egrets also have a comb-like claw on the middle toe of each foot, this built-in comb is used to preen and clean those beautiful feathers.

 

 

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