Members Newsletter March 2009

Centre News

This is a really big year for the Raptor Foundation as it celebrates its 20^th birthday. To mark this occasion we are holding our first Falconry Fair on 13^th/14^th June. For more information see our website.

To the surprise of everyone at the Raptor Foundation our breeding pair of eagle owls, Sheba and Free Spirit have done it again. The problem is though they were three months early. The first egg was laid on 4^th January, quickly followed by a second and a third. They shouldn't lay until March or April. The weather was already bad when mum (Free Spirit) started incubating, but then came the snow and everyone crossed their fingers that she could keep the eggs warm enough. After about 30 days we started checking the eggs and we were overjoyed when in mid February the first egg hatched, then the second and finally the third on Valentines Day. This was the best start to the year we could have asked for, here's to the rest of 2009.

Hospital News

November 2008 - January 2009.

School Visits.

The Raptor Foundation has extensive experience with school visits, both at the centre itself and also taking a selection of our birds into schools. We are able to tailor the visit for children of all ages from Foundation Stage onwards through to A & AS levels and we also have experience in visits to schools for children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities.

At the Raptor Foundation itself, we can cater for visits of up to 90 children. Alternatively, we can visit the school and bring a selection of birds. Our talks will be tailored to the children's age range and cover subjects such as habitat, conservation, behaviour and the adaptations of the different types of birds of prey, our barn owls are ideal to demonstrate silent flight as they fly over the children.

For older children we can cover topics such as the physiology of the birds, food chains and effects of environmental change. We will also discuss the birds of prey found throughout the UK, letting the children know what they may see and what to look and listen for. Other subjects covered can include owning and handling birds of prey, falconry and how birds of prey are used both now and in the past for such purposes as hunting and pest clearance.

The birds can be a wonderful inspiration for creative writing and also report, explanation and instructional writing. The birds can also be a focus in Art, Geography and History projects.

If you think your children's school may be interested please ask them to contact us for details of availability and cost of either visiting the centre or our team coming out to your school. Our prices are very competitive and all inclusive. We are happy to allow photographs to be taken throughout the talk and, if time permits, with children or staff members. There is no additional charge for allowing photography.

Our staff and volunteers who provide the talks are CRB checked for The Raptor Foundation.

Lawrence says he had a great Experience !

It was a cold sunny morning when I got the phone call from Dave, "are you doing you hunting experience day today?" Today! I replied with a hint of panic in my voice, I thought it was Friday; I'll be there in thirty minutes!

So in a flash, Liz and I fished out our thermals and waterproofs, rushed down to the Foundation ready for a day's hunting.

On arrival we were greeted and treated to a delicious cooked lunch, which warmed us up ready for our hunting experience.

We were introduced to Cheyenne the Harris hawk, our hunting companion, by Mark, our guide for the day, he kitted me out with glove, hunting bag and snacks, to keep Cheyenne returning to us, hopefully!

In a flash we were in the van heading out to a local sight, ten minutes away. Soon we were parked up and had spotted a stray pheasant, about a hundred yards away, in a small spinney, with the wind behind us, we approached quietly releasing Cheyenne into the trees, ready to swoop at any opportunity of prey.

Walking down the side of the spinney trying to flush out any hidden prey, I missed Cheyenne swoop down into the bushes behind me, unsuccessfully, but returning to the glove for a small treat.

After successfully negotiating a couple of slippery deep ditches we walked down the side of an old railway track releasing Cheyenne into the tree tops, following closely behind us, suddenly swooping over the other side of the cut and out of sight, luckily Mark had her tracker on, and after a small scramble through black thorn and bramble she was back on the glove.

Half a mile further on we found some promising looking scrub releasing Cheyenne into some near trees she soon spotted and gave chase to a hefty looking pheasant, in an instant feathers flying, it was all over, and after a fair exchange of treats for pheasant we had tea sorted.

On the way back to the van a hare broke cover, and the chase was on, after a few sharp twists and turns the hare had evaded Cheyenne's razor sharp talons.

Not to worry tea was in the bag, Cheyenne had done her job!

A thoroughly enjoyable experience!

A big thank you to all at the Raptor Foundation especially Mark and the heroine Cheyenne!

Lawrence Taylor