The Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre

Just a few miles from Launceston (the historic capital of Cornwall), the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre is well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

The otters at the centre seem so much more relaxed that those at Buckfastleigh and even the New Forest or Chestnut Centre. Rather than going back indoors after their feed they stayed outside for over an hour swimming, playing, going down slides and even sleeping out in the open.

Biggy, Smalley and their father Raymond (asian short-clawed otters):

Although I've seen European otters before at Buckfastleigh I'd never had such a good opportunity to photograph them. William and Harriet:


I'm not sure who this is:

A very relaxed otter:

This is Dasher, a three-legged muntjac:

There were other muntjac in the woods at the Centre, but we were unable to spot them.

Jack the kestrel:

We both thought he was adorable. Ian asked to hold him for a minute and they were kind enough to let him.

A wallaby in the grounds:

and an adorable duckling:

Sulking

Polly has a thyroid condition which requires us to give her a tablet once a day. The first day took 6 attempts, the second day it went down straight away. Today it took 5 hours of on and off attempts. Once we understood how to hold her jaw it's actually quite easy to get her to open her mouth. The problem is that if we fail to get her to swallow the tablet the first time she becomes angry and growls and snuffles which makes it more difficult for her to swallow.

This is Polly after she finally swallowed the tablet today.

She's actually a very sweet cat, but she sure can sulk!

Please cross your fingers that we all get the hang of this process soon.

Along came Polly

From today Ian and I are going to be fostering 15 year old Polly from the Cats Protection Centre near Exeter. Polly has been at the centre for a long time and because of her age no one has offered to adopt her. We're giving her a home at Frog End so that she can enjoy her old age in peace. By fostering her we're also receiving support (mostly medical) from Cats Protection to help look after her.

We picked Polly up this morning and she soon found a patch of sun to sit in.

Welcome Polly.

Cornwall

We've just returned from a lovely couple of nights in Cornwall. Despite living in Devon for 6 years I'd yet to venture into Cornwall. It was well worth the wait and we'll definitely be going back soon.

I loved all the unprounouncable placenames and also the pub names: the Weary Friar, the Springer Spaniel, the Who'd Have Thought It Inn and the Swingle Tree Inn being just a few in the area where we were staying.

We visited the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre, Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Cabilla Woods Nature Reserve, Tintagel and Polperro, all of which were fantastic and will probably get blogs of their own when I've sorted through the 900 photos I took.

For now here's a photo of Harriet - a European otter

RIP William

A very special resident of Frog End sadly passed away this week. William moved in only two months after we did and very quickly made the place his home. He was with us through all the changes to our house and garden and even approved of most of them (the ponds became his personal drinking bowl for a year or two, the deck his sun lounge, the radiators his paw warmers and the French doors gave him hours of entertainment staring into or out from the house).Although already in retirement (aged 13) and beginning to show the signs of the skin cancer that was to plague him for the rest of his life he arrived and remained a very cheerful and friendly tabby.

William's first week - October 2007

In the lounge - November 2007

Drinking from the pond - August 2008

Helping to open Christmas presents in Formby - December 2008

On the newly laid lawn - May 2009

Enjoying the new bench and the lawn - June 2009

Taking it easy in the kitchen - June 2010

Enjoying some sunshine with his new friend the fig tree during his last week - September 2011.

William you were a very special puss and will be hugely missed.