At work there was quite a commotion when one of the landscapers noticed this pair of screech owls and their 5 chicks in a small tree next to the gift shop! They got a lot of attention from animal lovers with binoculars and cameras. The next day they were seen a couple trees away, behind the gift shop where it was a bit quieter. Nice to see these wild predators doing well here.


Right next to the front door of the gift shop this evergreen tree was sprouting an unusual growth. A very quiet still dove pretended I didn't notice it, and then so did I.

Sugar maple, 10/12/15

This summer, Franklin Park Zoo has a camel ride. This is the camel handler, and his male dromedary Nero.

Staff and volunteers pull together to get the cover back on the butterfly pavilion.

Snowy outback.

Bird's World in the snow. This is the oldest building in the zoo, built in 1913, when "Oriental" architecture was fashionable.


In the same location: peacock tracks in the fresh snow.

At this point I feel like I'm just documenting the steady decline and demise of my camera.

Here's our male pygmy hippo, Inocencio, swimming by the Hippo Theater window. FYI the last few pics were originally posted on instagram. If you're interested, I'm @urbpan there too.

Franklin Park Zoo's main food concession, decorated for fall.