OVERSEAS WILDLIFE

[Placido]

High time we had a special topic for this fascinating subject.
This pic, above, stopped play today and created much excitement - it's a Hadeha ibis (pronounced Hah-dee-hah 'cos that's the sound it makes when it wakes you up in sub-Saharan Africa at 4 o'clock in the morning).
The bowler lost patience after a little while and sort of flapped his arms at it; the crowd immediately erupted into frenzied booooooo-ing and he desisted. Play continued and the ibis continued to field in the general direction of short extra cover.
It stayed in the outfield for the entire day's play and at the close of play had a run out and 2 catches to its name .

[Jacksparrow]

I'm pleased to hear that the Ibis refused to be diverted from it's purpose. However with young Mr Stokes peppering the outfield with cricket balls it was somewhat foolhardy.

[Placido]

I was wondering exactly that !! Was there a special Spot-Bonus for cartwheeling the ibis ??!! (England seem to have a Special Bonus for everything except actually attempting to win a game.)
Wonder whether it will be there today or, like all England fans, has had enuf .

[Placido]

Update!!: The ibis was late this morning but when it appeared the paying public erupted into loud spontaneous applause , so that was nice.
Late on in the day, Vernon Philander (no, 'onest), came close to fetching it one down at fine leg but all was safe.
The ibis took itself off to a quieter area - right in front of the stumps 'cos England was bowling . Quite safe there.

The odd thing is that, unusually on a cricket ground, there isn't a single bird there apart from the ibis .

[Jacksparrow]

Feral pigeons are the more usual denizens of the outfield but they can post a lookout to sound the alarm should there be a missile heading their way. The Ibis clearly feels that that over-staffing and having to share the goodies is too much of a downside so Health and Safety must take a back seat.

[Dunnock]

Wildlife bridge in Utah

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-55165349