The final push to tidy up before ‘open season’ was greatly aided by about 70 willing volunteers who turned up for the final Members’ Working Day on 3 February.  Two new aviaries, one very large and one even larger, have been completed, with the African Hooded Vultures and Yellow-billed Kites occupying one while the pair of Steller's Sea eagles have settled well into the other, which includes a big new pond for them.

Everyone had to hit the ground running as The Hawk Conservancy Trust opened its doors to visitors on 17 February at the beginning of the schools’ half term holiday.  From the first day we have been busy with all the usual activities and flying displays, as well as experience days (sometimes two a day), including our latest addition for youngsters between the ages of 12 and 15, the Junior Falconers’ Experience.  Our new Vulture Restaurant with the African species we collected from Italy is held every morning before the 12.00 flying display. 

Staff and birds have been getting to grips with the new 3.30pm ‘Woodland Owl and Hawk’ flying display, which is proving very popular.  At the moment we are flying several owl species in this display – Tolkein the Milky Eagle Owl, Cinnamon the Siberian Eagle Owl, Chestnut the Tawny and Galaxy the Spectacled Owl are all finding their way round the new arena including the myriad perches available to them.  Parsley, one of the new young Harris’ Hawks whom Jane has been training over the winter, gives a lovely demonstration of how versatile and manoeuvrable he is in and out of the trees and Woodfrey the Brahminy Kite is learning his way round the arena and will hopefully be showing the audience how Brahminy Kites fish, once he’s become more confident with the pond.  At the moment while the falconers are teaching him this skill, there are many potential comedy moments, as whichever of them has wellies on has to wade into the pond to strategically place food in position for him. 

We hope many of you will visit The Trust soon to see all these new attractions!

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