Saturday, August 30, 2014

Oregon Zoo In Flight - Part 2

(Previously: Part 1)

The California Condors are the newest additions to the Oregon Zoo. I've counted two.




 I've seen the Condors kind of playing. One will fly over to the others' branch, and the other will fly to a different branch, and the first one will chase the other. They'll also spread their wings, as if to show off.


Heck, maybe they're mating.


If you're looking for big, majestic birds that are slightly more appealing (and eat fewer carcasses), just head up the leafy pathway, to Eagle Canyon.




Most days, the eagles just sit there. But if you get lucky, you might catch one or both of them playing/washing in the stream, or even flying!

Meanwhile on the Northwest Trail...



You may be surprised to learn that the Oregon Zoo has a lot of ducks. There are some in beaver exhibit. There are bunch in this pond, too, and some are particularly feisty towards one another.




Well, only some.

There are ducks in the two main African aviaries, and there are ducks on the ol' Farm....


Welcome to "The Duckery!"


I love these ducks. They aren't very people-friendly (well, pubic-friendly... they seem to love their caretakers), but they're darn cute, the way they waddle and quack.




Quack?

Although they don't fly, I felt it would be wrong to leave out the penguins. Unfortunately, the Oregon Zoo's penguin exhibit isn't ideal for photography... the windows are foggy and smudged and the place is kind of dark.


Just pretend that the water=air, and the penguin does kinda look like she's flying!


Nosedive!


Finally, there are some birds at the Zoo that you may never see in a permanent exhibit. Tucked away and cared for who-knows-where, some of the most interesting of our feathered friends only come out for educational talks and the summer show Wild Life Live. In years past, this show included birds flying over the heads of the audience; that was cut this year because of construction projects. Despite that, many wonderful birds did get to come out and say "hi" for a few minutes this summer, including owls, hawks, macaws, and Pierre the Hooded Vulture!



















Want More? Check Out:


No comments: