Stuff and things and things and stuff.
First wedding of the year was this past Saturday. It went extra-swimmingly. The weather was pretty nasty (although not as bad as was forecast) and due to weather fears, the bride shuffled the schedule around quite a lot at the last minute, which didn't leave me with enough time to get some of the shots I wanted to get (such as all the girls goofing around together). However, I think the couple will be happy with the shots we did get anyhow. For the curious, you can see the slideshow here: http://www.libbiemistretta.com/robingrant/ This was a REALLY fun couple to work with! I adored them.
Volunteering with the raptors is awesome. I think it's just what I've been needing. It's nice, hard, freezing cold physical labor and plenty of fresh air, which has had the welcome effect of making me smile the whole time I'm there. I don't think I've felt quite so happy and excited about life in a long time. Not that I'm regularly unhappy, of course - it's just that getting out into a different environment, being around animals, and learning new things has really invigorated me and pepped me up. I've been feeling like writing much more - it's not something I force myself to do now, but something I look forward to - and I've been feeling like working in the studio much more as well. Apparently a change of pace, some air, and proximity to potentially dangerous birds was just what I needed to recharge my creative batteries.
One of the birds, a spectacled owl, seems to have a bit of a crush on me. He's so cute. He's badly imprinted on humans (all the birds are at the zoo because of "injuries" that make them unfit to live in the wild, whether they be physical injuries or psychological injuries like imprinting. The zoo doesn't imprint any birds, but does take in some that are already imprinted.) Today he was staring intently at me, bobbing his head, and making the cutest little hoots whenever I came near his mew. Aww. One of the keepers said that if he had had any food in his mew he would have been offering it to me. The other keeper said that when I left for lunch, he was agitated and tried to fly after me a few times. He has a crush on me!
Another of the birds, the Harris' hawk, wants to murder me. But he'll come around.
Today after cleaning and weighing I practiced jess and leash skills. It's incredibly difficult to do it correctly without waving your glove hand all over the place (which would dump your bird or make it climb up your arm if you actually had one on your fist.) And doing the complicated maneuvers with the leash with only one hand is also pretty tough. I suppose I just need more practice. The keeper I work with the most told me that we'll see how well I remembered my leash stuff next Monday - if I'm doing well, I might get to handle a bird for the first time! He said it will definitely be the spectacled owl, since he loves me. <3<3<3
I'll have to get somebody to come to the zoo with a camera when I start handling the birds in front of the public. I want a million pictures of me with the raptors. They're incredible. Each one is so fascinating and beautiful. I love the way they all have unique personalities, and how sensitive each one is. I want to hug them all, but they wouldn't appreciate that much. One of the docents whom I met today said that she's been volunteering with the raptors since 1993. She said it "gets in your blood." I can tell that already!
I think the most beautiful sight I've ever seen is the barn owl's flight. He is so graceful, and as silent and white as fog. I love watching him. The way owls lean forward and pause before they fly is the most graceful thing. I could hang out with owls all day long. Well - except for when the barn owl starts to do his "car alarm" call. Good lord, that is a horrible, piercing, repetitive shriek, and he did it all day long. I'll forgive him because he's such an amazing flyer.
Barn owl:
Spectacled owl:
Click here to see a picture of my boyfriend. Scroll down to the Spectacled Owl shot.
Harris' hawk:
Also a Western screech owl, who I didn't talk about, but believe me: He's cute. Very cute. I'll write about him soon.
Volunteering with the raptors is awesome. I think it's just what I've been needing. It's nice, hard, freezing cold physical labor and plenty of fresh air, which has had the welcome effect of making me smile the whole time I'm there. I don't think I've felt quite so happy and excited about life in a long time. Not that I'm regularly unhappy, of course - it's just that getting out into a different environment, being around animals, and learning new things has really invigorated me and pepped me up. I've been feeling like writing much more - it's not something I force myself to do now, but something I look forward to - and I've been feeling like working in the studio much more as well. Apparently a change of pace, some air, and proximity to potentially dangerous birds was just what I needed to recharge my creative batteries.
One of the birds, a spectacled owl, seems to have a bit of a crush on me. He's so cute. He's badly imprinted on humans (all the birds are at the zoo because of "injuries" that make them unfit to live in the wild, whether they be physical injuries or psychological injuries like imprinting. The zoo doesn't imprint any birds, but does take in some that are already imprinted.) Today he was staring intently at me, bobbing his head, and making the cutest little hoots whenever I came near his mew. Aww. One of the keepers said that if he had had any food in his mew he would have been offering it to me. The other keeper said that when I left for lunch, he was agitated and tried to fly after me a few times. He has a crush on me!
Another of the birds, the Harris' hawk, wants to murder me. But he'll come around.
Today after cleaning and weighing I practiced jess and leash skills. It's incredibly difficult to do it correctly without waving your glove hand all over the place (which would dump your bird or make it climb up your arm if you actually had one on your fist.) And doing the complicated maneuvers with the leash with only one hand is also pretty tough. I suppose I just need more practice. The keeper I work with the most told me that we'll see how well I remembered my leash stuff next Monday - if I'm doing well, I might get to handle a bird for the first time! He said it will definitely be the spectacled owl, since he loves me. <3<3<3
I'll have to get somebody to come to the zoo with a camera when I start handling the birds in front of the public. I want a million pictures of me with the raptors. They're incredible. Each one is so fascinating and beautiful. I love the way they all have unique personalities, and how sensitive each one is. I want to hug them all, but they wouldn't appreciate that much. One of the docents whom I met today said that she's been volunteering with the raptors since 1993. She said it "gets in your blood." I can tell that already!
I think the most beautiful sight I've ever seen is the barn owl's flight. He is so graceful, and as silent and white as fog. I love watching him. The way owls lean forward and pause before they fly is the most graceful thing. I could hang out with owls all day long. Well - except for when the barn owl starts to do his "car alarm" call. Good lord, that is a horrible, piercing, repetitive shriek, and he did it all day long. I'll forgive him because he's such an amazing flyer.
Barn owl:
Spectacled owl:
Click here to see a picture of my boyfriend. Scroll down to the Spectacled Owl shot.
Harris' hawk:
Also a Western screech owl, who I didn't talk about, but believe me: He's cute. Very cute. I'll write about him soon.