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December 2008

Here we are nearly at the end of another year, into our winter season, with the park only being open at weekends until mid-February. Please do keep coming on Saturdays and Sundays during the winter though, as there is still plenty to see and do, with all the usual flying displays etc. (although some timings have been brought forward slightly to allow for the lack of daylight hours – see details in the “About Us” section of the main website) and our ever-rotating team of flying birds. For instance, in the woodland arena this year’s Burrowing Owl chick Dick Turpin is now in training, as is our new Eurasian Griffon Vulture El Juan in Reg’s meadow. And don’t forget that Duffy’s is serving up warming winter food including roast dinners, and the gift shop has lots of great Christmas gift ideas.

Meanwhile the annual winter tidy-up round the grounds has started, with tree surgery in full swing throughout November. A bi-product of tree management is lots of new perching for all the various aviaries. Leaf raking is another activity that seems to take up much of our day at this time of year; it’s the downside of our beautiful woodland setting!

A new aviary is planned in the space between Macawber the Eurasian Griffon Vulture's and the Black Kites’ enclosures. It is a big space that looks onto both the lower flying arena and the woodland arena, so will have many potential applications for future use. Other projects for the winter include refurbishment of the toilet block and a new storage room outside Hilary’s hospital for housing such items as wheelchairs.

As Tracey mentioned in last month’s issue, this is the final edition of the Accipiter. However please keep looking out for some of our regular monthly updates that will still be appearing within the various sections of the Trust’s website. Back issues of The Accipiter will also continue to be available to view online for some time.

Thank you to all of you who have been readers of this publication over the last 3½ years.

Merry Christmas and a happy 2009 to you all!

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