Celebrating 100! With A Zoo Day

Zephyr has been working overtime to learn his sight words. Each morning, we read his primary books and practice using flash cards to reinforce sounding out words.

Well his dad told him, we will go to the Zoo once you hit a 100.

 GUESS WHAT! Last Friday Zephyr made the cut off; I love the dangling carrot to ensure he works towards a educational goal that is meaningful to all of us.

San Antonio does not advocate texting and driving. Awesome!

We got a kick out of this billboard.

It was already shaping up to be a hot day. Zephyr tested the temps first. 

Dad got a boo boo! First Aid was called to clean up this scrap by a stub that was not removed from too close to the sidewalk. 

This kind employee gave him a cold soda while we were waiting. Nice people at the zoo. Then of course we always head to the reptile house; seems our boys love reptiles. (I wonder from who they got that glitch in their personality.)

Green Mamba, we could watch this fiesty snake all day. 

 Cobra

These Geckos were as long as my hand; about 6 inches.

Felt sorry for this bullsnake in with the western diamondback rattler. But for the average lay person to see a bullsnake next to a diamondback is a good thing.  For lots of peeps will kill a snake thinking it is venomous. We don't practice the killing of snakes just because they are venomous.

 Do you see the flamingo in the middle - take note of it standing/sleeping on its knees?

Did I tell you that is was hot? Already in the 90s with high humidity by noon.  

 I was thinking of Melodie (Laughing Duck Farm's avatar here.)

We got a kick out of this jungle fowl cock, following Saenz's every move.  

 Have you ever seen one of these Vulturine Guinea Fowl?  This was our first time.

 The San Antonio Zoo has several American Bald Eagles because they were wounded and lost a wing due to somebody shooting them.  This stately and curious bird is part of a breeding program.  Very sad way for such a beautiful bird to live out its life instead of in the sky.

 The boys and I got a kick out of looking the different types of bird's eggs and nests.  Amazing the variety that birds possess.

 Zephyr in the petting zoo.

 Our boys inside the lory exhibit.  These are some noisey little critters who eat nectar and soft fruits -- and they do bite / try to remove shiny objects like hair clips.

 Just before Zephyr and I went into the Butterfly Garden.  This is where Zephyr and I could spend many hours if not for Dad and Saenz waiting for us. LOL

(Our own painted lady catepillars are just entering the pupa stage.  We will post updates for ya'll tomorrow.)

 

Now this Atlas Moth, was our special find this trip.  These moths get really large with the females having up to a 12 inch wing span.  If you look closely, each wing tip has a 'image' of a snake -- to ward off predators.  Also we learned these beautiful creatures only live a few weeks, do not eat, and have no mouth parts.  Did you know farmers consider some butterfly (catepillar stage) species a pest that cause crop damage?  Who knew but, know we understand why only certain butterfly catepillars are for sale for educational purposes.

Overall, our trip was a wonderful day! Thank you Dad for taking a day off to spend learning new things with us.  So we are off to enjoy a second day with Dad home. Whoop! Talk to ya'll tomorrow.