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!