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This is FedEx's Panda Express taxiing at Edinburgh Airport earlier today. It flew in from China carrying the two Giant Pandas who will call Edinburgh Zoo their home for the next 10 years. The plane itself is not one that would usually land at Edinburgh (a Boeing 777F) and that in itself drew people in to see it. Its unusual livery and rather exceptional cargo drew crowds of people and hoards of press in to catch the first glimpse of an animal that has created more excitement than any other in the UK in years. I didn't for a minute think that I would see the Pandas. I wanted to see the plane in its cool livery and, well I like planes, so the thought of seeing something that was a rare sight in Edinburgh was a little exciting too. As it turned out, we found a spot where we could actually see the plane sat on the tarmac, and from not too far away either. They spent a lot of time hanging about - probably doing press conferences and checks and all sorts - during which time the majority of us were trying to make sure our fingers didn't freeze to camera lenses, chain link fences, etc. Eventually a door opened in the side of the plane,
near the tail and the first crate was brought out. I could, through my zoom lens, make out that there was something in the crate, but not much more. However, Yang Guang in the second crate was much more active and I could see him moving around and watching through the perspex walls (yes, I promise that is a Panda face!). This is hardly the best picture ever - from a great distance and with heat haze from a generator causing a disturbance - but I got to see Yang Guang in the flesh before the vast majority of people in the country! Maybe not the most awesome claim to fame ever, but I'm very pleased about it. Some time later they were finally all loaded up and ready to go. Once the press and dignitaries were shipped off to the zoo to see their arrival there, Tian Tian and Yang Guang were off again, this time in Panda branded lorries! It's safe to say that they don't travel discreetly. And I can't wait to see them properly. There will be a few member preview days at the zoo from the 13th to the 15th of December and I have my ticket booked to go visit on the Tuesday the 13th. If it's not too busy I might try and get back on the Thursday too! Working part time definitely has it's advantages ;-)
I wanted to end on a totally awesome photo. It's pretty hard to plan these things though. Luckily, it was a lovely sunny day and I decided a trip to the zoo was in order. Unfortunately, I didn't get out as quickly as I would have liked and so there was limited daylight. And I don't think this is the most perfect photo ever. But do I like it and it symbolises getting out the house, going to the zoo, having a great time watching the rhinos playing, watching this monkey clinging onto the ends of very bouncy branches and managing to not fall, very nearly landing on my bum after doing a cartoon slide on ice next to the red river hog enclosure, watching the sun bears trying to get into coconuts and, best of all, finding out that the two new Bali Starlings are offspring of the existing pair. So aside from it being a nicely posed photo, the sunlight being in pretty much the right place and the background being nice and natural, this photo is awesome because of the day I had.
I love taking photos of the chimps but it is not easy. Inside it is only really possible when they are up high near the big lights, otherwise the light levels are too low. And even then, you are looking at very low shutter speeds usually so getting a sharp photo isn't that easy. This one isn't perfect but it's not bad. I still love it because I love the way the light makes the facial expression so dramatic and enigmatic.
Aren't they cute?! This is the first time I've seen them and although they are about 2/3 the size of the adults they still have that babyish look about them. And while baby animals are cute, I have discovered that they are 10 times cuter in snow! This is not a perfect shot but it was too cute to pass up. They were lined up because there was an idiot yelling and they all looked at him, got closer and closer together, then backed up and arched their backs before mum and dad led them off down the hill. People really irritate me. I got quite a few good photos today - or photos that I liked anyway.
I was at the zoo today! There was lots to see as usual but I think this wee guy was the most interested in us. He sounded and looked like he was trying to talk to us - what about, I'm afraid I have no idea. There was one point where he was climbing on something right under the balcony we were stood on and he reached up towards the electric wires which stop them climbing out as if to grab hold and climb up closer to us. He was met with a chorus of "NO! Don't touch that!" from me and my friend! Luckily, he didn't, nor did he the second time he looked like he was going to do the same thing :-)
PS - I say "he" but really, I have no idea!
It was kinda dark and rainy today so this shot is rather darker than I would have liked. I probably could have taken it down another notch or two but I thought it looked ok on the camera screen - it can be so hard to tell though! Tibor seemed to be very much enjoying his bone today and we all enjoyed watching him sit with it so close to the perspex. Poor boy has had his eye removed now, but apparently his vision had decreased to the point of being blind in that eye and he had Glaucoma in it which can be very painful, so hopefully he is a lot more comfortable now. My parents had a one eyed fish called Horace a long time ago and if you went up to the tank when he was swimming blind side to you, when he turned round and saw you he got a fright - poor Horace! We'll need to be careful not to sneak up on Tibor like that and give him a fright!
This probably isn't technically the best picture I got at the zoo and it isn't a particularly good portrait of the wolf but I just really like it.
This is one of 2 new arrivals at the zoo! The two brothers have come all the way from Cambodia and have only been here 2 days but seem to be quite happy in their new surroundings. This guy was having a good look at all the humans but didn't seem in the least bit fazed by us and went off to try and figure out how to open a coconut. They are beautifully black and glossy and have wonderfully expressive faces which wrinkle up in the most fantastic way. They also have exceptionally long tongues which were dutifully stuck out at us all - I have no idea if this was meant as an insult or as a "look what I can do!". They were kinda hard to expose - this doesn't seem quite right to me as the black isn't black enough but any darker and you lose all detail. I'm happy with this though :-)
Awwwww! The otters were waiting for their keeper to bring them dinner - their attention was focused on the path to their enclosure, they kept standing up on their back legs to peer out and see over the wall, and then were climbing up on this log to get a wee bit higher to see if they were coming yet! The keeper still hadn't come when I moved on so I hope they didn't have to wait too long :-) I really like the out of focus leaves in the background - they're nice and abstract without being unidentifiable... if that makes any sense. The patch on the otter's neck that is over exposed annoys me a bit but it's only a small bit and you really just have to take what you can get because you cannot reason with the sun! Overall I think it's rather a nice picture - and pretty cute!
Update: I have just discovered that this is the female otter - Elena - identifiable by her pink nose :-)
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