Fuji My family and other animals (with sincere apologies to Gerald Durrell...)

Lightmancer

Legend
Location
Sunny Frimley
Name
Bill Palmer
When you are a grown-up, with grown-up kids, the zoo isn't the first place you think of for a day out. We have three offspring by previous marriages, aged 22, 24 and 26 respectively. None live with us, and my wife's son and daughter are currently based overseas, running a restaurant (long story...). They came and stayed with us last week for a bit of a "re-charge" before the long, hot Summer season.

Well, what to do at the weekend? Four adults equate to a minimum of five opinions of what constitutes a decent cup of coffee let alone an enjoyable day out. After nearly an hour of haggling I said, almost in desperation - "Let's go to Marwell Zoo". To my surprise everyone thought this was a great idea.

The day dawned wet and miserable, but the forecast was good. We decided to risk it and hope that the inclement start to the day would keep the ratio of shins to pushchairs to a manageable level, as indeed proved to be the case.

Marwell isn't a huge zoo, but it is well laid out and it treats it's animals with care. For this read that their enclosures are large enough and sufficiently well laid-out that it would theoretically be possible to circle the entire zoo without seeing a single animal - well except for the meerkats, that is, but they are publicity-tarts that will perform at the drop of a lens-cap.

It's long-lens territory, so I took three with me; the 18-135, 55-200 and the compact and bijou Samyang 300mm. That last came in most useful as I struggled manfully with shy wildlife and mesh fencing. I can't wait for the roadmapped superzoom to arrive - it would have been the only lens I would have needed to carry on a day like this.

Anyway, here are some of my favourites from the day; enjoy.
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Marwell Zoo Great Grey Owl XT1 300mm
par Lightmancer, on ipernity

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Marwell Zoo Cloud Leopard 1 XT1 300mm
par Lightmancer, on ipernity

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Marwell Zoo Meerkat 1 XT1
par Lightmancer, on ipernity

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Marwell Zoo Tiger 1 XT1 300mm
par Lightmancer, on ipernity

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Marwell Zoo Giraffe 2
par Lightmancer, on ipernity
 
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