Happy Birthday, Dobby!

Anyone who walks the Thames upstream of Runnymede knows about Dobby. The rest of you won't have a clue, so allow me to introduce you.

Reader, Dobby. Dobby, Reader.

Dobby is a European Eagle Owl with ginormous eyes and ears. Forgive the quality of the photo, but following some problems with adolescents who had nothing better to do than torment European Eagle Owls there are two layers of fine chicken wire between him and the footpath to protect him. He lives in a big enclosure in a garden full of cage birds and free-range chickens.

Ten years ago today, he hatched. Congratulations.