Murder Most Fowl

I love having Zoo membership. It means we can go all the time, even for just an hour, and not feel like we have to see everything. It's also a handy place to take Jack - I'm desperate to get him outside as much as possible as I'm worried he's going to get some kind of vitamin deficiency if he's not getting fresh air & sunshine every day

Oh boy, he loves his wellies. Wants to wear them all the time & gets very upset when he has to wear normal shoes.

Don't call social services. I'm hiding behind the mushroom stalk and I have a grip of death on the back of his coat.

Craig getting a bonus hug while Jack distractedly watches the Mexican wolves. You have to get your sneaky hugs in whenever you can.

My favourite thing at the zoo today was the birds.

Here's a Woodpecker - I think it's called a "Red-Bellied Woodpecker"?

Majestic Trumpeter Swans, or as Craig likes to call them "vicious little ****ers"

Pair of Bald Eagles - the United States national bird. This pair are called "George" and "Barbara". I would have prefered Hillary and Bill but no one asked me.

My absolute favourite - the Cardinal, Ohio's state bird.

I was an accomplice in the murder of one several years ago and it still upsets me. I saw one right in the middle of my lane while I was driving so I straddled my tyres across it and gratefully thought I'd missed it. Unfortunately, it must have tried to fly up as I went over it. I looked in my rear-view mirror as it wobbled in the road, stunned, only to see a big fat cat dart out from under a parked car and get it. I did wonder if you got charged with a crime for killing a state bird? Seems like you should really (if it was on purpose and not erm, in my particular situation)