BIRDS BIRDS BIRDS BIRD BONANZA BIRDS EVERYWHERE
Turaco needs to know if you're ready for the birds.
Are you ready for all these birds? Turaco doesn't know if you can handle them. There's a lot of birds behind the cut. More than you possibly can take.
Since the dealer's room didn't close until 4:00 and the aviary closed at 5:00, I wasn't able to go with nambroth and eldarath to see the birds at the National Aviary :( However, I was determined to see the birds, even if I couldn't go with them and geek out. Luckily, lauragarabedian wanted to go too! So I had another bird-enthusiast to go with!! :D
The first thing we saw were TOUCANS. Bouncy toucans. There was also a SLOTH in the enclosure which I was certain was taxidermied and not real, but Laura saw it moving ever so slightly. Oh sloths, you baffle me.
Then came the PENGUINS. They were swimming all over the place, literally coming right up to us. We literally could have touched them, but of course we wouldn't do that. They also had their names printed on tags around their wing-flippers! There was "Simon", "Elvis", and what appeared to be "80".
They were also paddling and splashing everywhere. Penguins get to have all the fun.
We went into the Grassland exhibit, but the lighting is weird in there so I wasn't able to get very good photos. The Wetlands, however, had good lighting and I had a photo-fest with all the wonderful birds.
Of course, the first of the birds to greet you are the INCA TERNS with their marvelous white moustaches
This fellow decided to show off his lovely wings to me. I happily took photos of him while he showed off.
WORM TIME. Humans = worm machines.
Then something familiar caught my eye. It was a GUIRA CUCKOO. I was introduced to these awesome birds by corvus_animus and as soon as I saw this guy in person I fell in love, too.
Guira Cuckoo peeps at the human, hoping perhaps delicious worms will fall out of my camera.
I did not have worms, but we arrived just in time for feeding, so he got his worms and protected them fiercely from other, unworthy birds.
"I WILL EAT ALL THE WORMS. ALL OF THEM."
"Can't I just have one?"
"NO."
I took lots of photos for Sage, so here is more cuckoo than anyone can handle.
They really are prehistoric. He even did his best little dinostomp impression.
Then it was off to the rooftop raptor program! We were about to see zooming raptors and we were excited. But before we were allowed to get in the elevator, this falcon asked if I was tall enough for the ride.
*whew* Thank goodness. That was close.
We got front-row seats and the first bird out was a falcon that they were going to fly at a lure. I couldn't wait :D Unfortunately, once they released the bird from the glove, it flew around a few times...and then went to chill with the penguins. :x Dammit. Oh well. Just another excuse to come back next year!
Since the bird was very tired, they brought out the next star of the show, a black vulture. Vultures are the best when it comes to hunkering down and bouncing around.
At first the vulture looked very foreboding...
...but then it boogied.
Then it was time for KITES.
KITES ZOOMING EVERYWHERE.
KITES OVER OUR HEADS. SUPER CLOSE. MY HEART. IT BEAT.
This kite decided it was easier to just let food drop to the ground and then grab it there instead of twisting in the air to catch it. The trainer knew about this little plan and stomped on the food before it could get it.
"Um, hey."
"EXCUSE me I WANTED that."
"FINE. SEE IF I CARE. MY LIFE IS MEANINGLESS. THE WORLD IS NOTHING BUT A BLACK ABYSS OF DARKNESS. I'LL BE OVER HERE. ALONE. IF YOU EVEN CARE."
After the raptor program, we went to an indoor flight show called WINGS! I'll admit...it was pretty hokey. :D I loved it anyway, though. They abused the hell out of the Lion King soundtrack as well as Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter. I just about lost it when they started playing PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN when they took the bald eagle out, though, complete with patriotic scenes from the U.S. with FIREWORKS on the screen. Oh I lol'd.
There was no photography in there, though, but there was still the rainforest!
Victoria Crowned Pigeon's GOTTA ROCK.
This photo is magical. I forget what kind of bird this is (EDIT: Nicobar Pigeon! Thank you corvus_animus and nambroth for IDing it for me!), but staring into its feathers is like staring into an enchanted galaxy.
And lastly A ROLLER. I love your pointy feathers.
Are you ready for all these birds? Turaco doesn't know if you can handle them. There's a lot of birds behind the cut. More than you possibly can take.
Since the dealer's room didn't close until 4:00 and the aviary closed at 5:00, I wasn't able to go with nambroth and eldarath to see the birds at the National Aviary :( However, I was determined to see the birds, even if I couldn't go with them and geek out. Luckily, lauragarabedian wanted to go too! So I had another bird-enthusiast to go with!! :D
The first thing we saw were TOUCANS. Bouncy toucans. There was also a SLOTH in the enclosure which I was certain was taxidermied and not real, but Laura saw it moving ever so slightly. Oh sloths, you baffle me.
Then came the PENGUINS. They were swimming all over the place, literally coming right up to us. We literally could have touched them, but of course we wouldn't do that. They also had their names printed on tags around their wing-flippers! There was "Simon", "Elvis", and what appeared to be "80".
They were also paddling and splashing everywhere. Penguins get to have all the fun.
We went into the Grassland exhibit, but the lighting is weird in there so I wasn't able to get very good photos. The Wetlands, however, had good lighting and I had a photo-fest with all the wonderful birds.
Of course, the first of the birds to greet you are the INCA TERNS with their marvelous white moustaches
This fellow decided to show off his lovely wings to me. I happily took photos of him while he showed off.
WORM TIME. Humans = worm machines.
Then something familiar caught my eye. It was a GUIRA CUCKOO. I was introduced to these awesome birds by corvus_animus and as soon as I saw this guy in person I fell in love, too.
Guira Cuckoo peeps at the human, hoping perhaps delicious worms will fall out of my camera.
I did not have worms, but we arrived just in time for feeding, so he got his worms and protected them fiercely from other, unworthy birds.
"I WILL EAT ALL THE WORMS. ALL OF THEM."
"Can't I just have one?"
"NO."
I took lots of photos for Sage, so here is more cuckoo than anyone can handle.
They really are prehistoric. He even did his best little dinostomp impression.
Then it was off to the rooftop raptor program! We were about to see zooming raptors and we were excited. But before we were allowed to get in the elevator, this falcon asked if I was tall enough for the ride.
*whew* Thank goodness. That was close.
We got front-row seats and the first bird out was a falcon that they were going to fly at a lure. I couldn't wait :D Unfortunately, once they released the bird from the glove, it flew around a few times...and then went to chill with the penguins. :x Dammit. Oh well. Just another excuse to come back next year!
Since the bird was very tired, they brought out the next star of the show, a black vulture. Vultures are the best when it comes to hunkering down and bouncing around.
At first the vulture looked very foreboding...
...but then it boogied.
Then it was time for KITES.
KITES ZOOMING EVERYWHERE.
KITES OVER OUR HEADS. SUPER CLOSE. MY HEART. IT BEAT.
This kite decided it was easier to just let food drop to the ground and then grab it there instead of twisting in the air to catch it. The trainer knew about this little plan and stomped on the food before it could get it.
"Um, hey."
"EXCUSE me I WANTED that."
"FINE. SEE IF I CARE. MY LIFE IS MEANINGLESS. THE WORLD IS NOTHING BUT A BLACK ABYSS OF DARKNESS. I'LL BE OVER HERE. ALONE. IF YOU EVEN CARE."
After the raptor program, we went to an indoor flight show called WINGS! I'll admit...it was pretty hokey. :D I loved it anyway, though. They abused the hell out of the Lion King soundtrack as well as Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter. I just about lost it when they started playing PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN when they took the bald eagle out, though, complete with patriotic scenes from the U.S. with FIREWORKS on the screen. Oh I lol'd.
There was no photography in there, though, but there was still the rainforest!
Victoria Crowned Pigeon's GOTTA ROCK.
This photo is magical. I forget what kind of bird this is (EDIT: Nicobar Pigeon! Thank you corvus_animus and nambroth for IDing it for me!), but staring into its feathers is like staring into an enchanted galaxy.
And lastly A ROLLER. I love your pointy feathers.