Bravo ITV Tonight programme, how nice to see a straight forward true to the person programme without any need for drama, or lies, well done, it was on why one woman's son had become the 200th soldier to die in Afghanistan and very moving to watch.

I was waiting for the new Attenborough programme LIFE which was good, not as good as I had hoped, but pretty damn good. The Brits do make the best wildlife programmes (and the best adverts!) but I have come to the thought that I am not sure I really like Leopard Seals!! Although I have to say I feel sorry for the camera teams, because in the follow up - how we did it programme, they mentioned that cameraman David Bailey was on a ship with them. I can only hope it was not David Bailey of still's camera fame because I have worked with him and a ruder more unpleasant little rat you would be hard put to find!

The picture is of some of the Eurasian Griffon Vultures at the feeding station in Spain, pretty cool, and I am a crap photographer, I hope some of my friends got much better ones.

It has been another glorious day, for some perhaps boring there have been so many, but a bright clear morning, sunshine sifting through the leaves and giving deep shadows in both the morning and evening light. The birds flew well, we flew Bay Middleton and Pretender together (two Harris Hawks). Bay Middleton was a little nervous, but they both did well.

Yesterday Fortina the African Peregrine was flying well and a mentally deficient pigeon decided to fly after her!! Not a good idea, she watched and turned and streaked after it. They both headed out for about three fields and then I guess the pigeon dived for cover because, thank goodness Fortina turned and came back. Peregrines!!!!! Deception the Yellow-billed Kite caught a thermal yesterday too and got up good height and stooped, Adam had a grin on his face for hours afterwards!

We moved to winter flying times today, which would have meant we finished earlier had it not been for the fact that Adam and I looked for high powered torches on the internet. Honestly it would have been quicker to get in the damn car, drive to Gloucester and go to Country Wide to get them by the time we had finished. I am blowed if I think the internet is quicker! Tomorrow we should finish a little earlier I hope.

Talking of cars, apparently only I can suceed in getting my Range Rover to overheat, I am blowed if I know why because if they can't go at the speed I am doing, which is not that far over the top, they are not the old Range Rovers I used to know and love. We will see if the thing will survive a drive to Bridgewater this coming friday. I hope so as it is getting tedious watching the temperature guage I have to say.

Its a hectic week with a lot going on and staff time is short. It looks like I am doing the demonstrations on my own on Saturday, so that should be fun! Come and see! Owl evenings start soon, we should have all the torches by Wednesday and we will rehearse some of the owls in the near future. Simon is off to India before they start, we will miss him, but he will be doing valuable teaching.

Pups are well and I think that Acer might be starting to understand about going out for a pee, which will save a ton on kitchen towels! It looks like it will be a colder night, we put all the young birds in the indoor hawkwalk in case and when I gave the dogs a run before dark we could see our breath pluming out, so I lit the fire, which was very comforting, its soooooooooooooo good to have a home again.