Owl be seeing you!

A day out to be cheered up by Foster Mummy and Man Wonderful today. I've been totally spoilt! FM cooked the most delicious Dal and flat bread for lunch and then we went for a spot of charity shop shopping in the little nearby town of Plympton.

I read recently about a local man, who has pet owls and takes them for a walk every day. People talk to him about his owls and he and his owls are delightful I was mesmerised by them. I love birds, they always lift my spirits, even the finches all over the blackberry bushes are delightful. Here is the news article about Mr Russell....I feel as if I've met someone really special today! Another part of my spoilt rotten day!! Well I met the owl man and his owls today.

Owl Man: I feel famous

WALKING AGAIN: Russell Burt and a feathered friend

PLYMPTON'S "Owl Man" Russell Burt says the support he received during his dispute with Plymouth City Council has made him feel famous, writes Gayle McDonald.

The 74-year-old pensioner was banned from walking with his owls in Plympton after the council said they posed a health and safety risk to the public.

Readers of The Herald rallied behind Mr Burt, who has been walking his owls for nine years. The council has now said Mr Burt is allowed to walk with his owls in public.

Since the dispute, Mr Burt has received media attention from national papers, radio stations and magazines. He even heard about it when he was on holiday in Italy.

He says: "I feel famous. I didn't realise how liked I was.

"I would like to thank The Herald and everyone who showed their support."

Family friend Zoe Forsyth said all the attention had been quite a shock.

She added: "He's just a little old man who likes to walk his owls."

Mr Burt shows his owls at local care homes and events. He does not charge but accepts donations to Woodside Animal Welfare Trust.

He has seven owls including Ben, a Bengal eagle owl, and Spot, an African spotted eagle owl. FROM 'THIS IS DEVON' 24/08/10

Here I am with one of Mr Russell's owls. I love English eccentricity, I knew a man in Fowey, when I lived there, who used to take half a dozen ferrets for a walk on leads to the British Legion for his pint every day! Long live individuality!!!
Plympton was a fabulous place to shop, with plenty of independent local retailers. I bought a couple of bags of local tomatoes.
I bought three tee shirts for £1 each and a long tunic style jumper for £2.95 from the Hospice shop and Woodside Animal Shelter shop. We also went to the local craft shop and I bought three balls of wool for £1.50. FM and I had a really good root around and we managed to buy everything we wanted off the sale rails in the charity shops. So my shopping splurge cost £7.50 and I think it was worth that to have lunch and be taken out by wonderful friends and meeting the owl man was just magic.