A Day at the Zoo

Friday, I got to go with Alyson on a field trip to the Birmingham Zoo. We had a blast! Here are a few pictures from the day.

Alyson's first request of the day was to see a zebra. We managed to find one pretty quickly which freed us up to do a little more leisurely exploring (not that we were in much of a hurry to start with). We managed to find a few more interesting creatures along the way. I really think she was most excited about the fact that she could just let loose and run!

Shortly after arriving we attended a brief educational program where the kids were shown and taught about various reptiles including a turtle, a gecko, a snake and an alligator. At the end of the program the children (and parents - I passed on this one) were given the opportunity to pet the snake and alligator. Aly jumped at the chance.

Aly made sure to use only 2 fingers and stroke the animals in a downward motion, as instructed.

I think our favorite exhibit of the day was the Lorikeet Aviary. So much so that we visited a second time later in the day. You could purchase a small cup of nectar and carry it in with you (you can see the small cup in Alyson's hands) and you can see the results. They were so much fun. You could barely get through the door before they were all over you. They were very gentle and when they finished the nectar, they were on their way again looking for the next visitor.

Yes, that is a Lorikeet sitting on Alyson's head.

The worker said they were also very facisnated by the screens on digital cameras. I was attempting to get a shot of one that landed on my hand while I was taking pictures of Alyson.

This is all Alyson was good for on the ride home. I could barely get her awake to get her off the bus. She definitely made the most of her day!