You've got to love TripAdvisor. It's a brilliant way to gather as many peoples opinions on a place or activity and can be a real help to businesses to adapt. Trouble is it opens you up to all sorts. Muncaster is just next door to Ravenglass where there is a ruin of a Roman Bathhouse - there's a TripAdvisor page for this and despite the incredible fact that it's still standing (with many Walls intact) after nearly 2000 years people still write on the website that it's "just a few walls". I imagine they'd say the same about the Coliseum or after a visit to Pompeii! Mostly visitors have been very kind about the change this year at Muncaster and the displays have been especially well received. We've had countless messages and accolades on social media raving about them. Some don't agree but I have firmly believed throughout the season that the displays and the birds in them have very rightly made us very proud at Muncaster. I certainly wouldn't do them if I thought they weren't to the highest possible standard. What we have produced this year is going to be better next year and better again the year after that. To anyone who hasn't been very pleased with our displays this year I apologise but I think they've been excellent. After all this was our first season and Rome wasn't built in a day. Then again, Rome was 'just a few walls'. 

We have been busy making alterations to the covered area for the tethered birds in the centre. The ground was getting very waterlogged under there and so we've put a membrane and 6 tonnes of gravel down which should do the trick! The birds can now sit out in all weathers (practically) without getting wet heads, feathers or feet. The rest of the team here at Muncaster have also been an absolute godsend over the last week or so as they have been helping us deconstruct some of the old aviaries 'next door'.  This year we've only been using what was called the Owl Garden but we hope to expand into the other large area of the centre when we re-open in the spring. Lots of exciting times ahead as we build up to that opening but a heck of a lot of work to do to it first. 

The Wildlife Pond has also moved on a pace and is now recognisably a public area. Until a couple of weeks ago it was very overgrown and very 'wild'. Emma has been working with the garden staff to create new habitats for wildlife and a renewed area for visitors to enjoy come next spring. This was one of the projects we discussed on the Friends of Muncaster evening in September so it's good to see us being true to our word. 

The hardy birds are still flying and doing a Stirling job in some harsh conditions. As I type this I'm not sure that I won't get blown away today let alone the birds! They'll be flying at 1:30pm everyday until 23rd December, weather permitting.  We had out first cancelled show this week due to high winds. Trees were coming down in the woods so I think we made the right call. A couple staying in Ravenglass had come specifically to see us fly so they still got a close up look at some of the birds and a 'VIP tour'.