So what’s loose on this one
If you think magpies have a reputation for stealing shiney trinkets, you should meet the cheeky monkeys at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire
Read more – Shad does Longleat
Shad does Longleat
Category Archives: Shadow on Tour
All about my trips
Shad does Huxley’s Birds of Prey, Horsham
spectacled owl
This spectacled owl (don’t you just love that name by the way?!) is one of the many falcons, eagles, owls, buzzards, hawks, kestrels and other character birds (such as kookaburras and ravens) who put on a spectacular show for visitors at Huxley’s Birds of Prey Centre in Horsham.
Shad Does Bognor Regis Illuminations Gala 2013
I do like to see people getting involved in local events and supporting their community. Thats what happened last Sunday evening at the town centre and seafront for the Bognor Regis Illuminations Gala.
Read More – Shad Does Bognor Regis Illuminations Gala 2013
Sometimes a walk along the beach can surprise you
Bognor Pier at Sunset
This picture is a little reminder to me that its always a good idea to have my camera with me, I was out with John during the spring and spotted this beautiful sunset behind Bognor Regis Pier…..
http://www.bognorregisbeach.co.uk/information/bognor-regis-pier
How old is the pier? – 148 years old as of 2013 First built by the Bognor Promenade Company, the original Bognor Regis pier took some 18 months to complete and was opened on the 4th May 1865. Costing £5000 to construct, Bognor’s first pier consisted of a basic jetty which was some 1,000-ft in length with a kiosk at the shore end where for the sum of 1d, visitors could stroll down to the end of the pier and admire the views that the pier provided. Unlike the majority of piers that were built at that time, Bognor Pier was a private undertaking constructed with the help of local labour. In 1876 the pier was purchased by the local council for the sum of £1200, after which a small bandstand was added. Some 35 years after initial construction, the first pavilion was built at the seaward end, opening on 9th July 1900. The following year, saw the construction of a landing stage at the seaward end to allow paddle steamers to dock. By 1906 the landing stage had become redundant due to the fact that larger more modern vessels found the docking facility rather inadequate. Due to ever increasing maintenance costs and an estimate for repairs mounting to £ 11,000, the Council of the time made a decision to sell Bognor Pier in 1908 for just 10s. 6d (about 50p in today’s money) to Messrs. Shanley and Carter. Over the next few years, they invested almost £30,000 into the pier. After this initial investment and major restoration, the pier pavilion was once opened again in 1909, in time for the Easter Bank holiday
http://www.bognorregisbeach.co.uk/information/bognor-regis-pier
Irina + Cub
Irina’s cubs are growing fast they are now now roughly 16 weeks old.
Shad does “Airbourne”
Get your flying jackets, helmets and goggles on! I went all Top Gun on Sunday, at the Eastbourne International Airshow (known as ‘Airbourne’) on the seafront.
Read more Shad does “Airbourne”
Shad Does The Selsey Lifeboat Day
Cats don’t usually like water. The closest I’ll come to it, apart from drinking it, is when I perform one of my mad dashes through the shower when John’s about to go in there. I consider it an integral part of my exercise regime and it gives me a buzz to see if I can run across the shower tray before the water hits it. Don’t know why, just does!
Anyway, there’s a big puddle of water at the beach that you’ll never catch me in. Its very popular with humans who enjoy swimming in this salty wet stuff during the warm weather.
But when you come a cropper at sea, who will come to your rescue? Its the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. And last weekend the Selsey RNLI put on their lifeboat launch day with lots of exciting activities including a lifeboat launch and rescue display, a raft race,
http://www.selseylifeboats.co.uk/
and an incredible parachute display by the talented ‘Tigers’ (from The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment’s parachute display team). As part of the army, they are used to carrying out their duties on land, but did a grand job of getting their feet wet today.
My most memorable moment is the HM Coastguard Helicopter which flew in to help with the rescue display. Its got an on-board automatic vessel identification system and loads of other 21st century techy stuff that makes it ideal for helping people in distress at sea.
The brave crews and dedicated staff at the RNLI consist mostly of volunteers and the organisation is entirely supported by voluntary contributions. Their rescue equipment and kit is very expensive and last year they launched their lifeboat 27 times to help swimmers, kayakers, anglers and sailors out of trouble.
I captured some of the action on camera as you can see. The boats kicked up quite a spray on the calm waters and I got a sore throat from meowing in support of the raft racers. In case you’re wondering, I make it across the shower without getting wet almost every time!
http://www.selseylifeboats.co.uk/
Shad Does The Hawk Conservancy Trust
Now I know domestic cats have a reputation for hunting birds, but you’d have to be a very brave cat to go after these magnificent birds of prey. The photos of these brilliant birds were taken when John and I visited the Hawk Conservancy in Hampshire last week.
These beautiful birds feed on insects, other birds and small animals and rely on their keen senses, acute hearing, powerful talons and strong beaks. We strolled around the grounds looking in the large aviaries and across the grassland area and viewed the local wild birds from the hides and saw some spectacular flying demonstrations.
One such display was part of a re-enactment of medieval village life which saw staff and visitors dress up in costumes to play a variety of roles including beekeeper, hay-turner, washerwoman and ploughman. Everyone was enthusiastic and looked up in awe as the birds glided, circling overhead, before swooping down towards us. The vultures came so close to me that I felt the breeze from their huge wings brush against my whiskers as they soared past. I swear they were targeting me, possibly due to my sweet feline scent, apparently vultures have a keen sense of smell. Its a good job I’m generously proportioned – any smaller and I might have been grabbed as a juicy snack!
The Hawk Conservancy do much more than look after birds and entertain the visitors. They fight for the birds who cannot speak for themselves, especially as many of them are in decline and at risk of disappearing from the countryside altogether due to habitat loss and peculiar humans who want to trap and kill them. The charity works in conservation, education, rehabilitation and the research of birds of prey as well as breeding and environmental enrichment projects. It was a remarkable day and hats off to the keepers and handlers who train the birds and work in perfect harmony with them. The skies were blue with a few puffy clouds so as not to be too bright, and the winds were gentle, ideal for flying. This experience has given me a renewed sense of respect for my flying friends (except perhaps the pigeon that taunts me from the tree at the bottom of my garden)!
Shad Does Butterflies Birds and Beasts
I like insects, in fact I’ve been known to chase and catch a few in my time, its in the genes. But what I saw today weren’t your traditional creepy crawlies.
Read More – Shad Does Butterflies Birds and Beasts
Chainsaw Carving
As regular readers will know, John and I support wildlife and animal organisations as much as we can, and we enjoy having a stroll round some of our local zoos.
We took a wander through Marwell Wildlife Park the other day and came across a talented man with a chainsaw.
This man can work a log of wood into the most intricate and unique sculptures of natural and abstract objects from wizards and sharks and dragons to flowers and giant love-hearts. His latest project at Marwell is a totem pole and with a crocodile at the base.
http://www.forestrycrafts.co.uk/Marwell-Wildlife-Park.html
The chainsaw was really noisy and he was wearing protective equipment and clothing but he used that chainsaw professionally and, like a hot-knife cutting through ‘whipped-cream’, he created some impressive and realistic shapes.
As a member of the feline species, I have an impressive shape myself, sleek and sassy, so I sat for a while posing near-by just to peak his interest!
An update shot from 21st August
shadthecat 