This morning started with a french press coffee.  Nuff said.  Last night, as we were walking through the hotel I noticed a post entitled “Owl Experience,  Friday”.  I asked the front desk about the owl situation and they shied away from commitment saying, “It depends on what mood the owls are in whether they come or not.”  I feel that way every morning so I was game to see their mood.  As I walked up, the morning sun revealed a completely different landscape than the melancholy last evening.

as always, click to enlarge

And then Alan (a fine Irish chap in a bespoke tweed suit with a button-missing waistcoat and bird doo doo on his back) drove up in a van and out came an owl.  Her name is Ferbie.  She’s a Tawny Owl, rescued from a “Harry Potter Home”, a movie buff who thought they could raise an owl but found it was harder than portrayed .  Ferbie is a diva.  She has to be first out the hatch each morning otherwise she grabs the handlers glove and throws it at other owls.  She is very affectionate and loves soft strokes.

She even decided to perch on my arm.

Alan was a fount of owl info and Ferbie was more than willing to accept the coo’s of the gathered crowd.   Then Alan took Ferbie back to the van and brought out a Falcon.

The hood is handmade by a Spanish craftsman and the falcon is calm when the hood is on.  Take it off and he starts to quiver.  He sure is a beaut.

This guy can kill a deer so if he want’s, he sits in the front seat.  Wayne went up and saw him and another white owl.

Time for a homemade breakfast.  In our lodge.

Then it was off for a drive on the “Ring of Kerry”.    Every piece of info I read exalted the Ring of Kerry.  I assumed I would be underwhelmed.  I leave this slide show for you to decide.

We got to the end of the road, time to turn around, but not before a little Charlotte had her way with us.  Such a sweet dog.

Look Ma, only one leg on the ground.