The baby Great Greys in their new home

Still waiting to complete on this property, which I really seriously hope will happen next week as it is all a little nerve racking. When they say that moving house is the most stressful thing you can do I can believe it. It is all made more complicated as I have to find a property that will be good for me in my old age (no comments please!) and one that will be suitable to have part hived off for the Charity so that we can do the Hen Harrier project. So many places I have looked at have great land, and outbuildings with a good chance of planning for staff accomodation house and the Hen Harrier breeding barn but the house does not work. Or the land is on a 45% slope, or the house needs a new roof - I guess that is what everyone has to deal with. A couple have either been a house to die for, or one literally on the very edge of Dartmoor but no chance of planning for the Hen Harrier stuff. Agggggggggggggghhhhhhhh!!

All the staff bar Holly and Adam have now left and are all in their new jobs, Holly and Adam are planning on leaving at the end of this month. Almost all the birds have gone to their excellent new homes, we only have Peebles who is waiting for her new aviary to be completed, Rhyme Intrinsica who goes this evening, the King Vulture who is going to Cotswold Wildlife Park and will be very happy as she is missing visitors here, and a pair of lanners who will going a bit later. 

Hard Tackle posing in his new home

We have not been able to organise a place for the last female African Fish Eagle who is one of the confiscated birds as yet. Not only do we have to find a home but it has to be aproved by HM Customs who do not move quickly. I have to say I will be very glad never to take confiscated birds again, they are far more trouble than they are worth. So apart from the damn Fish Eagle, there is only one Lanner to find a home for, my beautiful Common, who used to do all my external demonstrations.

Adam is furiously rushing to Wales on a daily basis and is trying to finish off the aviaries so they can move all their birds and stuff. I believe that Holly is going through her clothes today!! That will be a mammoth task!

It is like a ghost ship here now, and by next month will just be me, the seven birds I am keeping and the dogs. A very odd feeling that will be after 55 years of the Centre being open. 

I will be going up to the North of England to collect the young Hen Harriers who are going to be brood managed this year, and then up again once they are grown enough to go into the release aviary, so I will not be bored. I just have to hope that my elderly Range Rover survives another trip or two. I did think about geting a new (er) car, but think I will wait until I have moved or killed this one which will be sad as I love it. 

Young Hen Harrierrs being reared for Brood Management

Adam got me to go into a Land Rover dealers the other day. New cars smell horrid. But although I hate to admit it I did like the new Land Rover however they are way out of my price range and anyway there is an 18 month waiting list!!! I forget which car it was but one of them lowered which would be good for the dogs, but it will all have to wait for a lottery win I suspect!! Ever onwards and upwards.....