SATURDAY CRITTERS - Animals at Quarr Abbey

As some of you know I am on the Isle of Wight and for one of  my weeks I am looking after Buddy (real name Dinky) and here he is waiting for me to take him out.  We walked to Quarr Abbey and I showed you that on THURSDAY POST but we also saw the young piglets feeding and also the slightly older piglets digging and barking like dogs. (VIDEO at the end of this) We passed 3 horses that were playing Blind Man's Bluff and some larger lambs grazing. We ended up going to a near by beach and watching these two dogs having great fun in the water.

If the video do not appear CLICK HERE

I am linking for Saturday Critters. 

 Many thanks for your visit and also your comments.

FRIDAY'S HUNT and WEEKEND REFLECTIONS - Amsterdam Zoo

Today I am showing you E for Elephants at the Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam and am linking to Fridays Hunt and Weekend Reflections

.Notice 2 different settings were used. Other words are Happy and Drops.

Now here is a HAPPY Elephant.

I am sure this driver was very unhappy when he returned to find his car covered in EXCRETA from birds or perhaps you prefer DROPS from bird poo!. Mind you if you do leave your car until a tree that birds roost in, this is the result!!  

It also doubles as a REFLECTION shot.

Many thanks for visiting and also for leaving comments

GOOD FENCES - Walk to Quarr Abbey

At present I am on the Isle of Wight and the other day I walked with the dog to Quarr Abbey and these are photographs from that walk.  The first few are of the old abbey first built in the 12 century and then you will see the present abbey in later images.  Also I had another glimpse of the American aircraft carrier that I showed you on video on THIS POST where you can see all the planes on board and info about her.  I am linking with Good Fences.

This is the Quarr Abbey in the background but that the other side of that long wall were covered with numerous pears all ripening beautifully.    

In the past I have shared a lot of information and photographs about Quarr Abbey and you will find that in the RHS of the  blog 

under LABELS and then QUARR ABBEY.

Hope you enjoyed seeing all the fences along my walk today.

Many thanks for visiting and also or leaving comments

Furry Animals at Amsterdam Zoo

Now these shots were taken at the Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam 
however I am not sure what they are called.  

Can anyone please throw some light on their names for me?

Thanks for Sue from Elephant's Child we now know that the last image is.

Fennec Fox

The Fennec Fox or Fennec (Vulpes zerda)  is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which also serve to dissipate heat. Its name comes from the Arabic word فنك (fanak), which means fox, and the species name zerda comes from the Greek word xeros which means dry, referring to the fox's habitat The fennec is the smallest species of canid. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to high-temperature, low-water, desert environments. In addition, its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground. It mainly eats insects, small mammals, and birds.

It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity

Many thanks for your visit and also your comments.

WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY - Amsterdam

Now this is a challenge for you on WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.  These images were photographed at the Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam and firstly I am showing you an eye of the bird!  

Anyone recognise it?

OK here is a bit more of it.

Got it yet? 

Last chance.

Surely some of you have it now?

It is a Southern Ground Hornbill. 

This is a large bird, 35.4 to 50.8 in long. Females weigh 4.9 to 10.1 lb, while the larger males weigh 7.7 to 13.7 lb.  Among standard measurements, the wing chord has been measured from 19.5 to 24.3 in, the tail from 11 to 14 in, the tarsus from 5.1 to 6.1 in and the culmen from 6.6 to 8.7 in.

The Southern Ground Hornbill is characterized by black coloration and vivid red patches of bare skin on the face and throat (yellow in juvenile birds), which are generally believed to keep dust out of the birds eyes while they forage during the dry season. The white tips of the wings (primary feathers) seen in flight are another diagnostic characteristic. 

The beak is black and straight and presents a casque, more developed in males. Female Southern Ground Hornbills are smaller and have violet-blue skin on their throats. Juveniles to six years old lack the prominent red pouch, but have a duller patch of grey in its place.  

I have been fortunate to see this bird in the wild in Kruger National Park but obviously did not have as good views of it but someday I will show you those photographs.

Many thanks for visiting and also for leaving comments.