Operation Ostrich

We were planning on visiting Silja's, my wife's, cousin, his wife, and her aunt in Sanford, North Carolina on our way from Chesnee, South Carolina to the Dismal Swamp of Southeastern Virginia.  We were last out here during my big year in 2016, stopping by after Hatteras pelagics.  I have not seen Silja's aunt Mary Ann in a decade.  I looked at some ideas and then on Harvest Host, a site for more intriguing camping options, I saw the Misty Morning Ranch near Robbins NC.  It was an Ostrich Farm.  When the cousins heard we were camping at an Ostrich farm, they volunteered to drive over to see us.  I guess we were more interesting then their backyard in the pines.  How often do you get to have a picnic on the side of a road at an Ostrich farm?

A quick review of how we got here...this is day 12 of our 2021 epic RV tour

So, we pulled into the farm on the outskirts of the little town and set up shop right next to "Ed," one of the male ostriches.  Ed was an interesting neighbor and provided something to watch while we caught up old family stories and I "slaved" on the BBQ.

I have seen wild ostriches in Africa but I have never heard one, the deep almost frog like sound the male woke me up with this morning was a highlight of the day.  His little dance was also good for amusement many times. 

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They even entertained the kids, Silja's cousin's two grandsons.

They have well over 100 birds here and they are mostly a meat and leather operation.  The family that runs this moved here from California a few years ago looking for cheaper land, and got into ostriches of all things.

After the tour of the operation, saw the hoard of chicks, we petted the farm cats, saw two pot-belly pigs that had just been dropped off. We bought some ostrich meat for later, and we got to camp for free for the evening.  I am not sure on a cost benefit model if the prices on the sustainable ostrich meat was worth the night of camping, but well, it was something to do.

Anyhow, as the trip turns more into birding, this was a bird that won't count for anything, but well, it was interesting

Olaf