Nige's Owl

First of all, I want to thank Nige for last night. He was the perfect host, even if we did come to blows over my attempts to take his picture for this blog. He did, however, allow me the very great honour of posing with his owl. The claws were sharp and the beak rather strong but the experience of meeting Nige was one that I would recommend to all. As for the owl, it was perfectly docile, even though it was was bit too happy to take a nip out of the Madeley earlobe. According to Nige, my ears do resemble baby mice, which just goes to show you that there’s nothing the man doesn’t know about English wildlife.

The highlight of the evening was Nige’s three hour presentation on the current state of English moths. I thought it could have gone on for another three hours and not one of his guests would have been any more bored than they were in the first five minutes. I was simply spellbound. Judy later told me that she had never seen such excellent photographs of the English Frilly Bumswain Moth, which made it an especial shame when she left early. No sooner had Stephen Fry arrived to pick her up in his taxi than she was professing her love for all moths. She intends to show them her devotion by starting her own collection this very night my massacring hundreds of them using the 100W light bulb she’s rigged up in the garden.

Nige was typically Nige throughout the evening, of course. Ebullient and gregarious, he was congenial to the last. Although, I must say, for a man who keeps owls, he is surprisingly lacking in nocturnal habits. When I was still sitting in his living room at a quarter past midnight, I got the distinct impression that he wanted me to leave. I honestly thought he’d nipped out to refill his drink. He came back fifteen minutes later dressed in his pyjamas and wondering why the living light was still on.

Yes, I was a little embarrassed, but the night ended happily. Despite having left his teeth to soak in the upstairs bathroom, Nige wished me well and promised me his very next hatchling.

Nige, I salute you for a wonderful evening. Next time, you must allow me to play host and I’ll let you frolic with my beaver.