Behind The Scenes

As you know, we bought a season ticket for Lotherton Hall earlier in the year. Though the price has increased over the last couple of years, we've still had our money's worth out of it already. Recently, we received a letter inviting us to a Season Ticket Holders' Exclusive Event, Behind The Scenes at Lotherton Bird Garden.

The event was last night, and a beautiful evening it was too.

The heat of the day was subsiding, and the park looked beautiful in the evening light.

We were able to visit the Bird Garden and meet some of the team who care for the birds. There was a talk about the owls and we got to meet this barn owl, Gascoigne, named after the family to which the property belonged. Gescoigne is four years old and was hand reared by one of the team. He's a beautiful bird, and we learnt some fascinating facts about owls which I didn't already know.

The snowy owl was wondering what was going on.

I love this mural which explains things about different birds. The emphasis is definitely on education in the bird garden and facts about different birds are dotted about all over.

The birds were much more vocal that I've heard them before. I suppose the time of day had something to do with this. I always talk to animals, whether they can answer or not, so I was quite surprised when I said Hello to this bare eyed cockatoo named Goosey and got a reply. I think he though I was a bird too as he kept saying Hello Birdie and calling me a Pretty Boy.

As we walked away he even said Goodbye.

I love these Laughing Kookaburras but didn't realise that they're members of the kingfisher family. There's so much to learn every time you visit Lotherton.

This is a great bug hotel which is situated in the Wildlife Friendly Garden, it's on a much larger scale than the small one I've got in my own garden.

There's a new deer hide at Lotherton which we could have had a preview of but we just didn't have the time, we were so engrossed in the talks which were going on in the bird garden, but I'm sure we'll get to see it in use very soon.

I noticed this sign asking for volunteers to help care for the birds, that's something I could be quite interested in if I had a little more free time on my hands.

At the end, we were given complimentary refreshments in the Stables Cafe. It was lovely sitting outside in the courtyard at the end of the day, watching what I think were House Martins flying in and out of the stables buildings, there were so many of them, they must have nests in there.

All in all we had a lovely time, and I think it was a very worthwhile event, we certainly enjoyed it.