So lets think of spring!

I believe that I stupidly said at the start of this very long winter that with global warming we might not see snow again - huh! How wrong can you be. Three times we have had snow, the first lot was when we were closed and we did not have the bitter east wind with it, so it was significantly
pleasanter than the other falls, plus we were closed, so it did not matter as much. We probably had about 6 inches then. The second lot was after what seemed like weeks of bitter east wind coming up the field, so not only was the ground well frozen, but the driving wind gave us some impressive drifts and we had to close for a couple of days because no one could get here including staff! This lot and I hope the last for this winter came on another bitter east wind, but not quite so much and not drifting in the same way, so we were able to stay open. I was sorry not to see our photographers though! We saved birds for you.

Not yorkley but the same colour!

During the second fall we did fly some birds, I tried Yorkley - that was on the friday morning, he had
a nice time out, until about 2.45am on Tuesday morning!! However he flew well in the snow yesterday and did come back! My Kite stole my hat on the second fall, it will not recover and is full
of holes.

The incubation course went well, we had about 15 people on it and Holly worked very hard with over 400 chicken eggs so that people could look at development. Our own eggs are starting to hatch, we have three luggers, and other eggs due in the next couple of weeks, it is nice to have chicks for Easter.

We have got a good flying team going, Benbecula continues to improve, I have a merlin (Hadar) going loose, but the weather has put a stop to her until the snow goes, similarly Datura went loose on Wednesday but again with the weather I have not been able to have him loose again yet. I will not be sorry to see the back of the snow - it really does hold up a ton of things here. Hopefully the goshawk will not take long to get going either. So plenty of birds to fly and work with - and for you to photograph.

My poor daffodils are looking very sad, although it is amazing how they recover. However the back lawn looks more like the battle of the Somme because we are having to have a
new water pipe in all the way from the meter through by the house to the weighing room and needless to say the weather has not helped. It will be months before it recovers.

The little black puppy has now gone and Flax is joining the team outside on occasion, I have to say most of the birds do not like her, but hopefully they will get used to her. Some I suspect will not! She is charming though and getting very good at coffee time when they all
have their toast.

Easter is on its way come and see what we have done in the cafe, try the food, watch the birds and we will look forward to seeing you.