Do the birds speak Spanish?

This morning I took Wren to the zoo. Lately, he has tired of watching Diego but one of the last episodes he watched was about rescuing orphaned raptors in a lush rainforest. When the birds were old enough to be released they were taught to 'migrate' with a song and exhortation in Spanish. Wren has watched this episode a couple of times.

At the zoo, he usually enjoys seeing the raptors on display on their perches. As we were passing we saw a docent bringing out a falcon.

"WHAT IS THAT BIRD" Wren shouted over the conversation with some kids in the front row.

"It is a peregrine falcon" replied the docent, who we later learned was a Burt.

"Does the birds speak Spanish?" asked Wren, with authority.

The docent did not know how to reply to that and carried on explaining that the bird used to live on the West Seattle bridge but was injured in a territorial battle with another falcon. Apparently, there are only 6 or 7 breeding pairs of peregrines in Seattle even though there are enough pigeons to feed many more. The birds are aggressively territorial and will nest of protected ledges in the city. There are a 'famous' pair who have nested on the WaMu tower for many years, watched by tweeters and researchers.

When I explained that Wren had seen falcons in Diego and those falcons spoke spanish AND that we liked birdwatching at "The Fill," Burt suggested we check out the tweeter website where NW birders report sightings and birdlists from around Seattle. I am not sure which Tweeters he meant as there seem to be a multitude. I shall do more research after I get some sleep.

Also at the Zoo we saw the hippos out the water, weaver birds with their nests, bears eating meat and nannies losing their wards.

Wren ate a soft pretzel with too much salt and rolled pennies down the money pit.

It was a good visit.

Note

I am sorry I am doing so poorly with updating the blog. Preparing a resume and doing job research has taken a lot of my time. Coupled with that I am in a medically intensive period myself. I am seeing a PT twice a week to get to the bottom of the neck problems I had a month ago (and a year ago). I am also due for a full skin-check after the skin cancer that was burned off my collarbone area last month. PLUS, I have to go for an abdominal u/s to "follow-up" on a cyst that was seen on the CAT scan I had as part of my Great Unable To Eat disease a few months ago.

I am not 'sick' but I have a sudden rush of medical appointments which are a real nuisance as they must occur in my non-Wren time which is my only real time for job-search and blogging.

They should be over by the end of next week and I will be able to socialize and run and volunteer at Frost's school and read up on International Public Health and Halloween Crafts and Beginning Marimba skills etcetera.