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Bandarai — Lenny

#animal #animals #bird #centre #coloured #eagle #eagleowl #falconry #graphite #lenny #nature #owl #pencil #uk #turkmenian #birdofprey #birdsofprey
Published: 2015-05-25 13:03:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 1867; Favourites: 99; Downloads: 0
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Description

Lenny is my beautiful Turkmenian eagle owl.

On the 16th April 2012, I came into work as normal. I was cleaning out some of our small aviaries, when my boss shouted to me from the brooder room.

"Oi, love? Do you want a baby eagle owl? This one needs a mum!"

This wasn't what I expected when I went into work! I remember bouncing up and down lots and running over to my boss and giving her a hug as a simultaneous "Yes please!" and "Thank you!".

Two weeks previous, 3 tiny little baby eagle owls had hatched and were being looked after by their mother.
But she had rejected her babies before, so we weren't surprised when we had to take them away from her after she was refusing to feed them.

So, the tiny little owl came home with me. His brother and sister went home with their 'mums' - two other staff members.
He was a lot of hard work. Fed 4-5 times a day at first, and what goes in must come out!
Lots of mess, lots of keeping a little baby owl out of mischief. And lots of toes pounced on when I walked through the house.

10 weeks later, at the age of 12 weeks, he was fully grown.
And flying in the house.
(This is not as fun as it sounds.)

So it was time to be trained for free flight!
After only 3 days on the training line, he flew free for the first time.

And he has been just as amazing since.

He not only flies to me beautifully, but also clients who come in for experience days. He is a star in one of our flying displays. And he has even carried a ring in for a marriage proposal.
Ohh, I could tell so many stories of you. I feel privileged to be your mummy!

Thank you, Lenny, for the last 3 years.

Let us hope there are so many more. I love you, little buddy!



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I should add a note: Owls do not make good pets! They should not be kept as pets!
I work at a bird of prey centre - Lenny lives there.
I love him very much, but he is not my 'pet'. He is one of my many winged-colleagues!

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Artwork © Bandarai

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Comments: 35

Shanglon [2017-09-04 17:16:44 +0000 UTC]

I love the stunning details and the chromatic contrast with vivid eyes *_* I also enjoyed the story. Lenny is a very cute name

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Bandarai In reply to Shanglon [2017-09-06 13:04:04 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much! <3

I named him after my Grandad <3

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Glamrgrl104 [2015-09-20 00:17:03 +0000 UTC]

WOW so much detail. I love your story about Lenny too.

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Bandarai In reply to Glamrgrl104 [2015-09-20 17:48:54 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much! c:

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ThorinFrostclaw [2015-08-26 13:50:22 +0000 UTC]

wait...that's a drawing?? When I saw the thumb, I thought it was a photo!! O_O
Holy shit. Just...holy shit. Dem feathers, dat detail. Holy...shit. O__O

That first photo, though...a ball of featherfluff. omg. XD And boy, he grew up to be super handsome.

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Bandarai In reply to ThorinFrostclaw [2015-08-26 18:01:57 +0000 UTC]

Haha, thank you so much!

I know right?! He changed so much so quickly. I love baby eagle owls, they're just balls of fluff with two feet and a face XD

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DarkAfi4 [2015-06-22 19:08:52 +0000 UTC]

Wow, amazing work with pencil! :3

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Bandarai In reply to DarkAfi4 [2015-06-23 20:23:20 +0000 UTC]

;-; Thanks ever so much, dear!

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kad-portraits [2015-06-13 07:37:01 +0000 UTC]

Nice!

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Bandarai In reply to kad-portraits [2015-06-13 17:12:31 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!~

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Giiana [2015-06-12 14:06:50 +0000 UTC]

Lovely work and super detailed!! Love the contrast of Black & white with his eyes and the background. The feathers are just gorgeous. AND THE WOOD! Is this traditional?? *____* 

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Bandarai In reply to Giiana [2015-06-12 18:51:39 +0000 UTC]

;_; Thank you so much for a lovely comment!

Yeah! This is done in pencil on A4 paper.

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Giiana In reply to Bandarai [2015-06-12 19:00:16 +0000 UTC]

Let me just kiss your hands THIS IS TERRIFIC OMG I really love how detailed it is! 

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Bandarai In reply to Giiana [2015-06-13 17:08:10 +0000 UTC]

;.; Thank you again! <333

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WendyMitchell [2015-06-05 06:44:54 +0000 UTC]

Congratulations! This work has been included in our latest Friday Feature!

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Bandarai In reply to WendyMitchell [2015-06-05 17:35:52 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much!

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suzidragonlady [2015-06-04 10:50:31 +0000 UTC]

Very nice, I really like how you did the eyes. The feathers look great too.

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Bandarai In reply to suzidragonlady [2015-06-04 20:16:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you ever so much!

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MagicBirdie [2015-05-31 01:39:50 +0000 UTC]

The consistent vertical lines are quite cool

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Bandarai In reply to MagicBirdie [2015-05-31 20:10:36 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much!

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DaffoDille [2015-05-26 16:41:02 +0000 UTC]

What an experience! How cool to see all your hard work pay off in such a wonderful way. Thank you for sharing. C:

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Bandarai In reply to DaffoDille [2015-05-27 17:33:32 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much for the kind words! He sure is an awesome fella.

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youlittlemonkey [2015-05-26 05:53:49 +0000 UTC]

Amazing I thought it was a photo
Lenny sounds like a wonderful owl
You are so lucky o work with thwm that is my dream

I have a owl group please join

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Bandarai In reply to youlittlemonkey [2015-05-27 17:34:08 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for the kind words!

Working with animals is something I've always wanted to do. ;_; It's a pleasure to come into work every day.

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youlittlemonkey In reply to Bandarai [2015-05-27 21:52:31 +0000 UTC]

You are welcome. I wish I could work in a bird sanctuary with the owls it must be a "hoot" going to work
Someday I would like to open a animal sanctuary. Al my pets I have are adopted.



Thank you for joining the owl group!   

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Bandarai In reply to youlittlemonkey [2015-05-28 17:56:09 +0000 UTC]

Haha!

I work at a falconry centre, so owls are only a small portion of my job. I actually enjoy working with the eagles, kites, buzzards, vultures, caracaras, and falcons a whole lot more! But owls are still very lovely. c:

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youlittlemonkey In reply to Bandarai [2015-05-28 18:29:30 +0000 UTC]

You're so lucky sounds amazing

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Gamma-Wings [2015-05-26 01:28:21 +0000 UTC]

Aww he looks so cute. ^^ That's very neat that you got to raise an eagle owl, he seems like a very nice bird.

Wonderful drawing! It looks very realistic... especially in the thumbnail. I love the contrast between the grey feathers and the orange eyes. 

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Bandarai In reply to Gamma-Wings [2015-05-27 17:35:27 +0000 UTC]

Thanks ever so much for the wonderful comment!

He was the most fun out of all the birds I've got to hand rear....or maybe I just see him as that because he was my first...

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LuxDani [2015-05-25 23:12:59 +0000 UTC]

That sounds like an amazing experience! And such a lovely tribute to your little guy

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Bandarai In reply to LuxDani [2015-05-27 17:36:03 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the comment, love!

It certainly was great fun.

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aRt-is-a-Key [2015-05-25 20:12:21 +0000 UTC]

Really beautiful. I love how you emphasized the eyes, but the detail in the feathers and the branch are also really beautiful. All the best for you and Lenny.

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Bandarai In reply to aRt-is-a-Key [2015-05-27 17:36:51 +0000 UTC]

Thanks very much, I'm glad you like that.

And cheers for the well wishes too! <3

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HinzeKatze [2015-05-25 16:13:28 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful drawing.
You have a really great job and I'm a bit jelouse.

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Bandarai In reply to HinzeKatze [2015-05-27 17:34:37 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much!

It really is great fun, I wouldn't ever want to change it! ;_;

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