Members Newsletter July 2009

Centre News

The Raptor Foundation celebrated its 20th Birthday in June by holding its first Falconry Fair.

A year of planning and the only thing we could not plan was the weather but that did not let us down. It was wonderful to see all the public helping us share the magical day. The volunteers were here to help show the centre off too, nothing was to much trouble for them, from sharing their knowledge of the birds to helping with the flying displays. A big thank you for their help.

The birds must have sensed it was a special day as they all performed brilliantly. The big question is will we be doing it again, watch this space.

The Fair has started the season off really well, let's hope the weather will stay with us until September and make it a cracking summer.

Hospital News

February 2009 - May 2009.

There has been a baby boom at the Raptor Foundation since the start of the year. Sheba and Free Spirit started things off in February by surprising us all and not only incubating in the snow, but also going on to hatch out 4 babies. They then had a second clutch of 3 babies making it 7 for this year.

One of our female European Eagle Owls that shares an aviary with 7 males got together with one of them to produce our first 2 baby European Eagle Owls to be born at the centre. Both are doing well and are about to start training to join the Flying Display Team.

The Kookaburras have done it again and this year have raised 3 youngsters that only a mother could love. They look prehistoric until they get their feathers. All three will be going onto new homes once they are fully-grown.

Another first at the Raptor Foundation is the birth of 4 Kestrels. The parents are both wild disabled that have been with us for several years and it's a great achievement to see them producing young. 2 of the young are going to be hacked back into the wild; the other 2 will be staying at the centre.

Raptor Foundation's First Falconry Fair

By Lizzy Dening

Peregrinate- to travel. And travel they did.

The crowds of visitors who turned up to help celebrate the Raptor Foundation's twentieth birthday over the 13th and 14th of June, were treated to informative talks, dazzling displays and (against all odds) marvellous weather.

I arrived at midday Sunday, slathered in sun-cream, and in time for the day's first display. Sitting with the sun on my back watching some of Britain's most striking inhabitants swirl across the sky was a perfect way to celebrate the valuable work that the Foundation do for raptors from around the world, and listening to the commentary it became clear that the birds at the Foundation are all seen as individuals by the volunteers.

We were told that Jill, the Common Buzzard, was a grumpy character with spectacular potential (although she was remarkably well-behaved on this occasion), and that Shianne, the Forster's Caracara was the noisy one. Boy, they weren't lying about that! But watching Shianne over-turning baby cups to find meat, I could tell that the staff worked hard to find new ways to challenge each bird with specific needs. The Foundation will accept any raptor in need of a home, no matter what state it arrives it, or how it will react to being flown. Each case is treated sensitively, and to the bird's ability, and we were able to see some of the training processes when some birds were flown on lines (creances).

The display was hosted by the gregarious Terri Page, who managed to squeeze plenty of information in during the flights, for example I had previously never realised the complicated digestive processes of raptors (except owls), involving a "crop" in which to store food before it travels to the stomach. The handlers are able to determine, through head movements, when the bird is getting full and should be called back in. Due to this behavioural knowledge, the flights went smoothly, and all the birds were safely returned to their cages to sleep off their meals.

After seeing the dramatic swoops of Harris Hawks, the determined focus of a juvenile Kestrel and the majestic grace of a Peregrine Falcon, members of the crowd were allowed to try giving a Barn Owl a fly. Naturally I had a go, and was surprised by the light weight of the bird, making me realise further how vulnerable British birds of prey can be, despite their talons.

Wanting to know more about the beautiful Barn Owl, I attended the afternoon talk by BTO ornithologist Peter Wilkinson, who proved to be a fascinating man. We were given a glimpse into the work he does for the Trust, seeing photos of him up a tree, or surrounded by fluffy baby owls. We were told about the recent success of projects to increase the numbers of Barn Owls back in the wild, and told of ways we could encourage these charismatic creatures back into the countryside, for example putting up special nest boxes, and leaving long grass to encourage vole numbers. Other talks given during the Falconry Fair were on bird ringing, and 100 years of the BTO.

The Raptor Foundation has such a positive atmosphere, with volunteers eager to answer questions, and clearly full of respect for the birds they handle. The Foundation has come a long way since it began twenty years ago, and I personally can't wait to peregrinate to their thirtieth anniversary events.