(A friend made a bet that I wouldn’t use this song title as a blog title, so I have!) 
My day was spent catching up on the cleaning of the aviaries today. I didn’t do much else but then there was an awful lot of catching up to do. With weeks of freezing winter weather and no water supply, the aviaries were in quite a state.
Today was mild but not as nice as yesterday at all. The sunshine proved to be brief and today we had grey cloud and drizzle. I didn’t mind that at all as I was wearing full waterproofs for cleaning. It was tiring and dirty work. It isn’t always a glamorous job being a keeper, and that’s a fact. Anyone who wants to get into this line of work thinking it’s all about standing talking to people with an impressive owl on your arm, or flying one in a display really needs to think about the days like today.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining one bit. As I think I’ve said in another blog, once you have cleaned all the enclosures and stand back and look at them you do get a sense of satisfaction. Knowing that the animal that lives in that pen is in the best place, well looked after and well fed does give you a good feeling. Even when you are wearing clothes covered in mud, grime and owl droppings!
Well with there being so much cleaning to do I actually didn’t get all the way round in the day. To give each aviary a really good and thorough scrub and rake I only managed about a third of the centre on my own today. Imagine if all of the aviaries were built and occupied! (Like …next week!) I really need to get into a daily routine and then it will only take a fraction of the time. Now all of the hosepipes and water supply are repaired I can start that routine.
So, guess what I’m doing tomorrow? Yep more cleaning!
One thing did make me chuckle on my rounds today though. While I was cleaning Lofty the Barn Owl’s aviary he followed me round, as if supervising my work. He is a friendly soul – especially now he’s at his flying weight, he’s more likely following to see if I will feed him! I had to laugh as he landed and perched on the rim of the bucket as I was scrubbing the droppings from the wall. I turned round to rinse the brush and found an owl sitting looking up at me! He did this everywhere I moved to. I put the bucket down, started to scrub at the wall, turned around and there he was again! He did get his reward, as did they all, once I called it quits for cleaning today. I went round with the feed bucket next and Lofty was first in the queue. Having said that, the Great Grey Owls were both ravenous again even though I feed them the same daily amount as the Snowy Owls, Siberian Eagle Owls and Great Horned Owls. Soon they will be in good fitness and condition, hopefully ready to breed by the end of March. Wouldn’t that be great? We already have Great Horned Owl eggs being incubated by mother owl, who will be next?
Oh well I think I’d better sign off and go get some rest ready for tomorrow, I’ll need it. Til then, gnite!
