Rebecca On The Wing

Tag: wildlife

  • The Greenway

    The Greenway

    The Egan’s Greenway is an unexpected jungle in the middle of smoke-belching industry and deckchair tourism. The mundane sounds of traffic are deafened by the furious chatter of cicadas – enormous insects that seem prehistoric. Their strange call is like the sound of angry water sprinklers, growing louder and faster until it reaches an alarming…

  • Searching for Spoons

    Searching for Spoons

    After so much excitement, I’ve neglected my camera recently and wanted to finally spend some proper time searching for Florida’s wildlife. I’d been told about a good spot for wading birds, and knew that the inhabitants included my new favourite bird, the roseate spoonbill. I set out before sunrise and reached the water just as…

  • More to See, More to Zoo

    More to See, More to Zoo

    Last week I visited Jacksonville Zoo, which boasts “more to see, more to zoo”. And it certainly delivered, with a broad range of exhibits including some very special ones that I’d never seen before. A particularly unique exhibit was Wild Florida, a collection of species native to the state. I discovered just how big alligators…

  • Meet the Neighbours

    Meet the Neighbours

    After a busy week getting to grips with my new routine in Florida and getting stuck into all sorts of exciting work at the SEZARC lab, I was invited onto a tour of the White Oak site. Having only had glimpses up until now – mainly the white rhinos whose enclosure runs alongside the road…

  • Landing in the Sunshine State

    Landing in the Sunshine State

    I’d never been to America before. It was a vast, distant land that I didn’t think I’d have the chance to visit very soon, perhaps not until my thirties or even later. However, after weeks of planning and preparation here I am in Florida, the Sunshine State. For two whole months. The journey here was…

  • Volunteer Interview

    Volunteer Interview

    I have now completed six volunteer shifts at Paradise Wildlife Park and although at times it’s been challenging, especially in the recent 30 degree scorchers, the experience so far has been extremely rewarding. I’ve worked on three of the six sections – paddocks/farmyard, small mammals and primates – and each has offered me new experiences.…

  • Fresh Inspiration

    Fresh Inspiration

    Recently I’ve become a writer who doesn’t write much. I have ideas, many a day, of what to write, but somehow I never get round to making them a reality. I’m blaming this latest case of writer’s block on my new occupation, so I’ve decided to write about that. I have been accepted as a…

  • A Manic Few Weeks

    A Manic Few Weeks

    The past few weeks have been a whirlwind! I have now completely moved out of Carlisle and come back home in Hertfordshire to spend time with my family and Cockapoo puppy, who at five years old is finally starting to calm down. I’ve been back for a fourth visit to the Warner Bros Studio Tour…

  • The Farne Islands – Part 2

    The Farne Islands – Part 2

    After sharing the waves with a herd of very curious seals, it was now time to get changed on a boat with thirty other people. This was a challenge, especially as getting a wet wetsuit off required the flexibility and strength of a contortionist. I teamed up with another girl to make a temporary changing…

  • The Farne Islands – Part 1

    The Farne Islands – Part 1

    Our trip to the Farne Islands was looking like it would be a day of unforgettable wildlife encounters. We boarded the boat at Seahouses kitted out in wetsuits, boots, hoods and clutching snorkels in gloved hands. The clouds were light in colour and I had faith that the sun would soon break out. There was…