Our zoo membership expired yesterday; we chose not to renew. My wife and I hadn’t gone in months, with paid-parking changes one of the major factors keeping us away. Technically, members don’t pay to park, but confusion and congestion diminished the attendance experience.
I wonder how many members the zoo has lost because of the end to free parking for all. Matters are worse at Balboa Park, where many museums report attendance declines of 20 percent or more. Technically, both places are walkable destinations from our apartment: 3 km (1.9 miles) to the zoo, 3.3 km (2 miles) to the park. But the aforementioned confusion and congestion remain deterrents. Sigh.
The Featured Image, a White-headed buffalo weaver, is the kind of wildlife we will miss seeing and for which I purchased Nikon Zf to shoot. The bird is native to central, west Africa and can be found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and nearby countries.
The photo is converted to JPEG from RAW, unedited and composed as captured. Vitals: f/8, ISO 400, 1/500 sec, 200mm; 10:07 a.m., April 4, 2025. Attached lens: NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, which I highly recommend.