ESCOT PEACOCK, OTTERS AND PANIC

Escot is one of those places I don't actually mind taking Origami Boy. A great place for children and adults that we probably visit once a year. It has a great beech maze, red squirrels (who evaded the camera I'm afraid) and many other fabulous wildlife and play areas. We met a friend and her son there in the morning, had a picnic lunch after getting lost in the maze for some time and than ducked into one of those indoor soft play things while the rain tipped down for half an hour. A trudge through the woods and then the boys ran off saying "we're going to the rope swing". Twenty minutes later, and a search involving the manager of the place and exchanged mobile numbers around the whole site, they were found but I experienced a feeling I've been lucky enough to avoid for the last nine years. Whilst I knew logically that they were unlikely to have left the site, the rising panic as I rushed round looking everywhere, dragging a Snippet around after me on his lead (he's not keen), was such a terrifying sensation. Other than my accident, I have never been more glad of the existence of mobile phones. The manager rang me to say he'd found them and harsh words were had with boys....they hadn't even noticed we weren't there! Anyway, we needed tea after that and headed for the cafe via this strange Peacock who was getting VERY hissy with a Guinea Fowl who was completely ignoring him.

This lovely Mallard:

Not sure if this is a Peahen or not.....it was in with the Red Squirrels:

Pussy Willow with a bee.....a live insect! First for a while I can tell you....

A fabulous spider on a wall.....

A metallic Wild Boar.............

A Eurasian Eagle Owl.....

And finally, a group of Asian Short-Clawed Otters........Snippet was straining to get to them in assassin-mode.

 

Tea was drunk and we felt better. Origami Boy and I, having arrived early had been there for five and a half hours; long enough thank you. Sorry this is a bit brief but we got back late and, to be honest, I'm quite keen to get to bed! Until next time, here's one more picture of those delightful Otters. Have a lovely weekend.