MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

Let the race begin

Think of the Hawk Conservancy Trust and what comes to mind? Raptors, naturally. And well yes, it is true that we house numerous birds of prey, representing everything from the tiny Ferruginous Pygmy Owl to the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Andean Condor.

However we also have a number of non-raptor residents which you may meet during a typical day on the park. Probably the most noticeable of these, because they wander all round the grounds, are the chickens. The largest, a Pale Brahma cockerel, struts around like a lord with his ladies and can usually be seen in the picnic area or by the staff table at lunchtime, where he has a nasty habit of sneaking up quietly behind some unsuspecting person and crowing very loudly. He has been threatened with the cooking pot on more than one occasion by various members of staff, especially when he persists in trying to join in with important lunchtime football conversations.

Runner-ducks (walking!)

In the past the chickens were useful for incubation purposes, but since the advent of the hospital and our incubation room complete with hi-tech equipment, they have become more or less redundant. They do however keep the resident staff supplied with eggs for breakfast, and one pair of Brahmas has a chick this year.

White-faced Whistling tree ducks (or are they really White-faced sleeping tree ducks)

Our ferrets are great favourites, especially with the young visitors. We hold a daily ferret race during the holidays, and at weekends in the term time. They help us to raise some extra pennies for our hospital. We also take them racing at local village events for the same purpose.

Piglet and Lady the Sika Deer

Then there are the Indian Runner Ducks; they provide great entertainment at the end of the 12 o’clock flying display, again particularly for children, when they race across the arena to much cheering and egging on, towards a bowl of grain and lettuce. Occasionally if one or two of them are not hungry or it is a particularly hot day, they will opt for a swim in the pond on the way to the bowl.

We also have White-faced Whistling Tree Ducks. These extremely attractive small ducks, with their distinctive markings and sweet whistling calls, come from parts of Africa and Central and South America.

Up at the top of the park next to the hides, in a large semi-wooded enclosure are two sleek female Sika deer, both beautiful and shy, unless we are taking them apples and carrots for breakfast, in which case they often come straight over to us. As they are on Clive’s section, he has taken it upon himself to give them names, and has called them Lady and Piglet, in reference to their eating habits!