Bird Of Prey Day

A couple of weeks ago we held a special "Bird Of Prey Day" at the Sanctuary as an event to give the general public an insight into the art of falconry, a subject often raised by visitors who - inspired by the sight of many of the birds in action at the centre - would like to know more about this fascinating topic.

Where's The Birdie? "It's behind you!" - albeit just a mere speck in the sky as the falcon was preparing to stoop back to the flying arena and wow the audience with his speed and ariel dexterity.
 

A Ferruginous Buzzard comes in for close scrutiny

To the enlightenment of many, falconry is not a sport as such but is part of a culture which has important connections with both the practice of wildlife conservation and an awareness of the importance of maintaining a balance of biodiversity.

In the demonstration arena the day consisted of three flying displays, a fantastic gun dog display put on by our good friend Frank Walker and a demonstration by our colleagues from “The Warren Hill Raptor Project” who brought along “Shelby” the Bald Eagle.

Nigel King from Barleylands came with his Striated Cara Cara to demonstrate how these fascinating birds scavenge for food in their native country, the Falkland Isles, where they act rather like a common magpie as they pinch washing off the clothes line and rummage in the bins for food. 

Nigel's Cara Cara ran from pillar to post to dustbinas he demonstrated his scavenging skills

The South East Falconry Group put on a great show of birds and we were lucky enough to be joined in the arena by them flying some of their falcons.

Away from the field we were joined by a variety of specialists and clubs who provided a wealth of expert knowledge on 'best practice' when it comes to contemplating keeping a bird of prey privately. We also owe a debt of thanks to Roger and Kevin from our partners the Thornham Owl Project, who had an array of interesting literature and information on providing, erecting and managing nest boxes plus other hints and tips for those passionate about conserving our native wild owl and other bird of prey species. Also on hand were those who make and sell falconry furniture (accessories) and equipment.

All in all it was a very successful day where experts, novices and those that were just interested in falconry were able to share in the experience.

Bird Of Prey Day

A couple of weeks ago we held a special "Bird Of Prey Day" at the Sanctuary as an event to give the general public an insight into the art of falconry, a subject often raised by visitors who - inspired by the sight of many of the birds in action at the centre - would like to know more about this fascinating topic.

Where's The Birdie? "It's behind you!" - albeit just a mere speck in the sky as the falcon was preparing to stoop back to the flying arena and wow the audience with his speed and ariel dexterity.

To the enlightenment of many, falconry is not a sport as such but is part of a culture which has important connections with both the practice of wildlife conservation and an awareness of the importance of maintaining a balance of biodiversity.

In the demonstration arena the day consisted of three flying displays, a fantastic gun dog display put on by our good friend Frank Walker and a demonstration by our colleagues from “The Warren Hill Raptor Project” who brought along “Shelby” the Bald Eagle.

A Ferruginous Buzzard comes in for close scrutiny

Nigel King from Barleylands came with his Striated Cara Cara to demonstrate how these fascinating birds scavenge for food in their native country, the Falkland Isles, where they act rather like a common magpie as they pinch washing off the clothes line and rummage in the bins for food.

Nigel's Cara Cara ran from pillar to post to dustbin as he demonstrated his scavenging skills

The South East Falconry Group put on a great show of birds and we were lucky enough to be joined in the arena by them flying some of their falcons.

Away from the field we were joined by a variety of specialists and clubs who provided a wealth of expert knowledge on 'best practice' when it comes to contemplating keeping a bird of prey privately. We also owe a debt of thanks to Roger and Kevin from our partners the Thornham Owl Project, who had an array of interesting literature and information on providing, erecting and managing nest boxes plus other hints and tips for those passionate about conserving our native wild owl and other bird of prey species. Also on hand were those who make and sell falconry furniture (accessories) and equipment.

All in all it was a very successful day where experts, novices and those that were just interested in falconry were able to share in the experience.

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New rehabilitation aviaries in demand

Our Raptor Hospital has been very busy over the last few months as the intake of cases has increased, so much so we have had to build two more rehabilitation aviaries to house the number of injured wild birds we have nursed back to health. These rehabilitation aviaries are designed to give their temporary tenants a quiet and safe place to recuperate as the last leg of recovery before being released back to the wild.

Our team have been working hard to get the aviaries completed as quickly as possible - Steve and Doug here are but a few of the brilliant volunteers that have helped with the new building work over the past few weeks. 

Our brilliant volunteers play a big part in helpingto build the new aviaries quickly - thanks, guys!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal supporters Eastern Concrete, who once again have come up trumps by donating the materials for the base of the aviaries.

Although we are busy with the increased number of visitors during the summer holidays (we hesitate to say 'weather permitting' due to the very wet weather we, like the rest of the country, have endured of late) we still have to keep on top of all the little jobs and couldn't resist showing you this image of Dean repairing the roof in our mews room - a small but vital job - and it keeps him out of mischief!

New rehabilitation aviaries in demand

Our Raptor Hospital has been very busy over the last few months as the intake of cases has increased, so much so we have had to build two more rehabilitation aviaries to house the number of injured wild birds we have nursed back to health. These rehabilitation aviaries are designed to give their temporary tenants a quiet and safe place to recuperate as the last leg of recovery before being released back to the wild.

Our team have been working hard to get the aviaries completed as quickly as possible - Steve and Doug here are but a few of the brilliant volunteers that have helped with the new building work over the past few weeks.

Our brilliant volunteers play a big part in helping to build the new aviaries quickly - thanks, guys!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal supporters Eastern Concrete, who once again have come up trumps by donating the materials for the base of the aviaries.

Although we are busy with the increased number of visitors during the summer holidays (we hesitate to say 'weather permitting' due to the very wet weather we, like the rest of the country, have endured of late) we still have to keep on top of all the little jobs and couldn't resist showing you this image of Dean repairing the roof in our mews room - a small but vital job - and it keeps him out of mischief!

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An Owl, A Pussycat and a Python

Listening to a podcast of BBC Radio 4's arts programme "Front Row" earlier this week, we chanced upon a feature about a collaboration between the Royal Opera House and The Mayor Of London Presents initiative who are staging the Cultural Olympiad timed to coincide with the sporting events in Stratford, London E20 taking place over the next few weeks.. 

Together ROH & MOL commissioned Monty Python's Terry Jones and composer Anne Dudley (musical director of the forthcoming film of "Les Miserables" starring Russell Crowe) to write an opera based on Edward lear's whimsical limerick, "The Owl & The Pussy Cat". The result is being performed on a boat passing along London's canals, with forthcoming performances at Graham Street Gardens on Sunday July 29th and Mile End Park on Tuesday July 31st, free to all-comers.

You can listen to the podcast or read all about the venture by following the links below, but what caught our ear was mention of an extraordinary piece of film on YouTube featuring… an owl and a pussycat. To quote The Guardian newspaper, Jones says he was inspired by the online film depricting the chummy real-life antics of a cat called Fum and a barn owl called Gebra. "The owl flies over the cat dangling a mouse and the cat tries to grab it. Then there are shots of the cat rubbing up against the owl and being pecked." 

Unusual companions - stills from the Fum & Gebra video

If you click here you can see the clip, though we're not convinced it's a mouse being dangled by the owl but rather, its jesses. And we're in two minds about some of the contents of the clip itself too, though the relationship between the cat and the owl is something quite unusual to behold so is worth a look.

Meanwhile if you'd like to catch the last two London performances of the opera on the 29th & 31st July , it's being performed on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' and you can find out all about these events here, read The Guardian article in full here and listen to the Front Row podcast here.

The opera is being staged on a 'beautiful pea-green barge'as spectators of the Little Venice performance look on

One other tid-bit: did you know the Royal Mail created a new postcode especially for the Olympic Park - London E20 2ST.

An Owl, A Pussycat and a Python

Listening to a podcast of BBC Radio 4's arts programme "Front Row" earlier this week, we chanced upon a feature about a collaboration between the Royal Opera House and The Mayor Of London Presents initiative who are staging the Cultural Olympiad timed to coincide with the sporting events in Stratford, London E20 taking place over the next few weeks.

Together ROH & MOL commissioned Monty Python's Terry Jones and composer Anne Dudley (musical director of the forthcoming film of "Les Miserables" starring Russell Crowe) to write an opera based on Edward lear's whimsical limerick, "The Owl & The Pussy Cat". The result is being performed on a boat passing along London's canals, with forthcoming performances at Graham Street Gardens on Sunday July 29th and Mile End Park on Tuesday July 31st, free to all-comers.

You can listen to the podcast or read all about the venture by following the links below, but what caught our ear was mention of an extraordinary piece of film on YouTube featuring… an owl and a pussycat. To quote The Guardian newspaper, Jones says he was inspired by the online film depricting the chummy real-life antics of a cat called Fum and a barn owl called Gebra. "The owl flies over the cat dangling a mouse and the cat tries to grab it. Then there are shots of the cat rubbing up against the owl and being pecked." 

Unusual companions - stills from the Fum & Gebra video

If you click here you can see the clip, though we're not convinced it's a mouse being dangled by the owl but rather, its jesses. And we're in two minds about some of the contents of the clip itself too, though the relationship between the cat and the owl is something quite unusual to behold so is worth a look.

Meanwhile if you'd like to catch the last two London performances of the opera on the 29th & 31st July , it's being performed on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' and you can find out all about these events here, read The Guardian article in full here and listen to the Front Row podcast here.

The opera is being staged on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' as spectators of the Little Venice performance look on

One other tid-bit: did you know the Royal Mail created a new postcode especially for the Olympic Park - London E20 2ST.

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Work Experience - A Reader Writes!

My name is Harry Studd and I have just completed my two weeks of work experience at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. 

When I arrived at the Sanctuary at the start of the project, the first thing I was taught to do was how to transfer some of the flying display birds who spend their nights in the mews room to the outdoor weatherings by one of the falconers, Matt. This was brilliant, just picking the birds up from their boxes and placing them on their perches for the day. 

This is me with my favourite owl, Cecil

Cleaning out the aviaries was an important job

To keep them from flying away the falconers tether the birds to their perches with a soft leash with what’s known as a falconers knot. The knot itself is very simple but difficult to perfect because you have to do it with one hand as you have a bird on your other wrist, so when I took the birds out for the first few times Matt helped me with my knot and taught me how to do it.

Every day at the centre I had a specific morning routine, which included getting the birds out of the mews room, followed by a cup of coffee, and then cleaning out and wiping down the birds' boxes in the mews room, followed by preparing the birds' food which included chopping up frozen chicks, rats and quail into pieces. At first I found this work quite gruesome but after a few days I got used to it.

Then I helped clean out the aviaries of some of the birds that fly in the displays, and some of the big aviaries which held Tawny Eagles, a Black Vulture and a Steppe Eagle. 

I made a good friend, Luke, at the centre

Another thing I did quite often during work experience was PAINTING!!! I painted the flying owl aviaries and the outside of the falconers hut, which took up a lot of time but was worth the hard work. Sometimes I got the paint onto the aviaries and buildings beside all over me.

I learnt a lot about all of the owls at the centre from the flying displays and also asking the falconers questions about the birds. I found out quite a lot I didn't know especially that there are many myths about owls - e.g. all owls are nocturnal and that owls are very smart - which are not true. Many owls are not nocturnal because they fly at dawn & dusk, and owls are not very bright, either. This is because their brains are proportionately quite small compared with the size of their head as they have big eyes and ears which leaves very little room for a brain. If we take Cecil as an example, when we look him we can only see about 30% of his eye because they are shaped like Cornetto’s - we can only see the 'ice cream' part at the top and the cone part is actually inside Cecil’s head. Also Cecil is a lot thinner than he looks - without all his feathers he would look a lot thinner!

Ash, the Common Buzzard on the glove of one of the falconers

Cecil is a Spectacled Owl which I flew three times whilst I was at the Sanctuary and that was the best part about my work experience. Also during the time I flew Auckland, a Little Owl and Cobweb, a Barn Owl.

My favourite bird at the centre has to be the Common Buzzard, Ash - this is because he is a great flyer and has a great personality.

It wasn’t just me on work experience as we had another boy from Thomas Mills High School whose name was Luke Mercer. We got on very well and enjoyed each other’s company and had a good laugh together. We did most of the jobs together like cleaning the aviaries and painting as well as flying the birds which he and I thoroughly enjoyed and want to do again.

I would just like to say thank you to everyone at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary who had to put up with me for two weeks and I can’t wait to come and help in the summer. See you then!

Words by Harry Studd (15)
Pictures by Luke Mercer & Harry Studd

Work Experience - A Reader Writes!

My name is Harry Studd and I have just completed my two weeks of work experience at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. 

When I arrived at the Sanctuary at the start of the project, the first thing I was taught to do was how to transfer some of the flying display birds who spend their nights in the mews room to the outdoor weatherings by one of the falconers, Matt. This was brilliant, just picking the birds up from their boxes and placing them on their perches for the day. 

This is me with my favourite owl, Cecil

To keep them from flying away the falconers tether the birds to their perches with a soft leash with what’s known as a falconers knot. The knot itself is very simple but difficult to perfect because you have to do it with one hand as you have a bird on your other wrist, so when I took the birds out for the first few times Matt helped me with my knot and taught me how to do it.

Every day at the centre I had a specific morning routine, which included getting the birds out of the mews room, followed by a cup of coffee, and then cleaning out and wiping down the birds' boxes in the mews room, followed by preparing the birds' food which included chopping up frozen chicks, rats and quail into pieces. At first I found this work quite gruesome but after a few days I got used to it.

Then I helped clean out the aviaries of some of the birds that fly in the displays, and some of the big aviaries which held Tawny Eagles, a Black Vulture and a Steppe Eagle. 

Cleaning out the aviaries was an important job

Another thing I did quite often during work experience was PAINTING!!! I painted the flying owl aviaries and the outside of the falconers hut, which took up a lot of time but was worth the hard work. Sometimes I got the paint onto the aviaries and buildings beside all over me.

I learnt a lot about all of the owls at the centre from the flying displays and also asking the falconers questions about the birds. I found out quite a lot I didn't know especially that there are many myths about owls - e.g. all owls are nocturnal and that owls are very smart - which are not true. Many owls are not nocturnal because they fly at dawn & dusk, and owls are not very bright, either. This is because their brains are proportionately quite small compared with the size of their head as they have big eyes and ears which leaves very little room for a brain. If we take Cecil as an example, when we look him we can only see about 30% of his eye because they are shaped like Cornetto’s - we can only see the 'ice cream' part at the top and the cone part is actually inside Cecil’s head. Also Cecil is a lot thinner than he looks - without all his feathers he would look a lot thinner!

I made a good friend, Luke, at the centre

Cecil is a Spectacled Owl which I flew three times whilst I was at the Sanctuary and that was the best part about my work experience. Also during the time I flew Auckland, a Little Owl and Cobweb, a Barn Owl. 

My favourite bird at the centre has to be the Common Buzzard, Ash - this is because he is a great flyer and has a great personality.

Ash, the Common Buzzard on the glove of one of the falconers

It wasn’t just me on work experience as we had another boy from Thomas Mills High School whose name was Luke Mercer. We got on very well and enjoyed each other’s company and had a good laugh together. We did most of the jobs together like cleaning the aviaries and painting as well as flying the birds which he and I thoroughly enjoyed and want to do again. I would just like to say thank you to everyone at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary who had to put up with me for two weeks and I can’t wait to come and help in the summer. See you then!

Words by Harry Studd (15)
Pictures by Luke Mercer & Harry Studd

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Release Day

This being the time of year when fledgling Tawny Owls are finding their way around, during the last few weeks we have acquired a total of five babies who have either been brought into us as 'orphans' or have had to be rescued in various states of repair. We're pleased to report that we've been able to been able to release all five of them back to nature fit and well

The first owlet had wandered too far away from its nest to be put back and had obviously been absent-without-leave from home for quite a while as it was very hungry by the time it was brought into us.

The second and third owlets were lovingly picked up by a kind Labrador - yes, Labrador - whilst out with its owner. Again the babies could not be put back in or near their nest immediately as the lady dog-owner was walking in a wood and had no idea where exactly they had been retrieved from.

The fourth owlet was rescued in a very poor and extremely smelly state as it had fallen in a sceptic tank and was basically just a little lump of poop. At first it was actually difficult to see what type of owl it was until it had a bath… and guess who got that job? Several bowls of stinky water later, we had one very happy, poop-free Tawny Owl chick.

… and then the others get the idea!

And last but not least, the final Tawny baby was found all alone and very wet, too wet to be left where it was found* so after a good dry up and feed, owlet number five joined the other four in the recuperation aviaries awaiting release.

The first of the few… one Tawny Owlet takes flight…

A few weeks ago it was decided all the babies were ready to be taken to a safe & secluded site where they were placed in a Hack Box - basically a false nest where they are fed daily until willing and able to fend for themselves: while in the box the babies get used to the sights and sounds of the surrounding area where they will eventually be released. I am happy to say that day came around last week and in beautiful warm & sunny weather, we had the pleasure of watching them all fly off very happily into the surrounding woods, all 'as free as a bird'.

* P.S. We always suggest that 'found' baby Tawny Owls should never be picked up but whenever possible left where they are, as their parents usually know of their proximity and will still care for the youngsters even though they may be out of the nest. 

Release Day

This being the time of year when fledgling Tawny Owls are finding their way around, during the last few weeks we have acquired a total of five babies who have either been brought into us as 'orphans' or have had to be rescued in various states of repair. We're pleased to report that we've been able to been able to release all five of them back to nature fit and well

The first owlet had wandered too far away from its nest to be put back and had obviously been absent-without-leave from home for quite a while as it was very hungry by the time it was brought into us.

The second and third owlets were lovingly picked up by a kind Labrador - yes, Labrador - whilst out with its owner. Again the babies could not be put back in or near their nest immediately as the lady dog-owner was walking in a wood and had no idea where exactly they had been retrieved from.

The fourth owlet was rescued in a very poor and extremely smelly state as it had fallen in a sceptic tank and was basically just a little lump of poop. At first it was actually difficult to see what type of owl it was until it had a bath… and guess who got that job? Several bowls of stinky water later, we had one very happy, poop-free Tawny Owl chick.

And last but not least, the final Tawny baby (featured in a recent blog) was found all alone and very wet, too wet to be left where it was found* so after a good dry up and feed, owlet number five joined the other four in the recuperation aviaries awaiting release.

The first of the few… one Tawny Owlet takes flight…

… and then the others get the idea!

A few weeks ago it was decided all the babies were ready to be taken to a safe & secluded site where they were placed in a Hack Box - basically a false nest where they are fed daily until willing and able to fend for themselves: while in the box the babies get used to the sights and sounds of the surrounding area where they will eventually be released. I am happy to say that day came around last week and in beautiful warm & sunny weather, we had the pleasure of watching them all fly off very happily into the surrounding woods, all 'as free as a bird'.

* P.S. We always suggest that 'found' baby Tawny Owls should never be picked up but whenever possible left where they are, as their parents usually know of their proximity and will still care for the youngsters even though they may be out of the nest.

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Birds, Bees and other New Arrivals

Summer is gradually making its way here to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary and as well as our passion for our native Birds of Prey, we also have a great interest in our Flora and Fauna we find and encourage into the Sanctuary. Here's a round-up of recent activity…

Butterflies & Bees
Our Butterfly and Bee garden is now in full bloom with Foxgloves, Lupins, Lavender and the Delphiniums which have been specially planted to attract and provide rich nectar for the native butterfly & bee species which play such a very important part in our biodiversity.

A Bumble Bee taking advantage of the nectar on offer

A new Red Squirrel joins our colony
Last week we received a new addition to our colony - a young 16-week old female - courtesy of our friends at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey. She is been housed in the new hexagonal squirrel enclosure purpose built by Matt over the winter and she is settling in well . Before long we will be introducing her to one of the males and all being well, the pair should be successful in raising kits which will eventually be donated to one of the controlled Red Squirrel re-habilitation programmes which are flourishing in the UK.

The distinctive bushy tail and tufty ears of the native Red Squirrel are shown to best advantage in this photograph taken for us by Paul Sawer, who runs some of our Photo Days

Woodland Walk Visitor

A recent visitor to the small woodland area behind the centre was this Goldfinch, showing off its colourful plumage

Meerkat Update
You may have read that we introduced a young pair of Meerkats to the centre earlier this year. Although unrelated, they settled in well - so well in fact that this week mum, called Bonnie, produced two bouncing youngsters - which was rather a surprise so early on in her relationship with her partner Bandit, bringing new relevance to the term "speed dating"! Watch this space for more news & pictures of the youngsters.

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Have at thee, varlet!

A couple of weekends ago, we stepped back in time here at the Sanctuary to host another popular Mediaeval weekend as we welcomed the Black Knights Historical group back to Stonham to work their magic. 

The Black Knight Historical Group girding their loins before the fray

Ian Pycroft and his team arrived on the Thursday afternoon to start setting up their extensive camp, whilst (once again) our typical English summer weather threatened to turn the brightly-coloured selection of tents & awnings into something that resembled a muddy Glastonbury campsite, but fortunately good luck prevailed and the weather turned in our favour, so a good and fairly dry weekend was enjoyed by all our visitors.

Battling Knights are always popular - here they are preparing to 'Have At Thee!'

The weekend entailed many activities and aspects of Mediaeval life, including archery displays, battle re-enactments & yeomanry tactics, minstrels, dancing and cooking-and-tasting demonstrations, whilst the in-camp workshops included coin striking and learning how to make chain mail armour. As falconry was an important part of life in the Middle Ages, what we do here at the centre slotted in nicely with the other activities over the weekend and our flying displays and commentary rounded out the event in a meaningful way.

The importance & ongoing relevance of heraldry was explained to all

This year, for the first time we held a separate Mediaeval "Schools" day on the Friday, and two local schools turned up in force to experience and learn about life in the Middle Ages. Various special workshops were constructed for them to take part in, including forming a troop of yeomen and judging by the sounds of the words “awesome” and “excellent” as the children made their way out of the centre, a good day was had by all!

Knead a hand? The culinary arts were demonstrated with gusto!

One of the teachers accompanying a group had these kind words to say about the event: “We were delighted with the Mediaeval Day and with the birds of prey demonstration. The pupils had a great time. The Black Knight people were superb and really captured the interest of the students. Most importantly all of our students left having learned and seen things they had not known or experienced before”

We'll be holding the event again next year, so watch this space and don't miss out on a very interesting day. And thanks, Black Knights, for your creative work and involvement with our visitors - much appreciated!

Mediaeval Fact of the Day…
The Dukes of St Albans have held the title of Hereditary Grand Falconer since 1684, which is a title which is still held by the incumbent today as it passes down the male line of the family.

Have at thee, varlet!

A couple of weekends ago, we stepped back in time here at the Sanctuary to host another popular Mediaeval weekend as we welcomed the Black Knights Historical group back to Stonham to work their magic. 

The Black Knight Historical Group girding their loins before the fray

Ian Pycroft and his team arrived on the Thursday afternoon to start setting up their extensive camp, whilst (once again) our typical English summer weather threatened to turn the brightly-coloured selection of tents & awnings into something that resembled a muddy Glastonbury campsite, but fortunately good luck prevailed and the weather turned in our favour, so a good and fairly dry weekend was enjoyed by all our visitors.

Battling Knights are always popular - here they are preparing to ‘Have At Thee!’

The weekend entailed many activities and aspects of Mediaeval life, including archery displays, battle re-enactments & yeomanry tactics, minstrels, dancing and cooking-and-tasting demonstrations, whilst the in-camp workshops included coin striking and learning how to make chain mail armour. As falconry was an important part of life in the Middle Ages, what we do here at the centre slotted in nicely with the other activities over the weekend and our flying displays and commentary rounded out the event in a meaningful way.

The importance & ongoing relevance of heraldry was explained to all

This year, for the first time we held a separate Mediaeval "Schools" day on the Friday, and two local schools turned up in force to experience and learn about life in the Middle Ages. Various special workshops were constructed for them to take part in, including forming a troop of yeomen and judging by the sounds of the words “awesome” and “excellent” as the children made their way out of the centre, a good day was had by all!

Knead a hand? The culinary arts were demonstrated with gusto!

One of the teachers accompanying a group had these kind words to say about the event: “We were delighted with the Mediaeval Day and with the birds of prey demonstration. The pupils had a great time. The Black Knight people were superb and really captured the interest of the students. Most importantly all of our students left having learned and seen things they had not known or experienced before”

We'll be holding the event again next year, so watch this space and don't miss out on a very interesting day. And thanks, Black Knights, for your creative work and involvement with our visitors - much appreciated!

Mediaeval Fact of the Day…
The Dukes of St Albans have held the title of Hereditary Grand Falconer since 1684, which is a title which is still held by the incumbent today as it passes down the male line of the family.

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Making The Grade

We have a lot of students coming to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, not just to visit, but also often for work experience.  We offer photo days for school pupils and courses for youngsters who take a keen and serious interest in learning how to look after and handle birds of prey.  Recently, we were contacted by some students from Ravensbourne College in London, asking whether our falconers could donate some time to talk about the Sanctuary and the work we do here for the purpose of a documentary film they wanted to make.

Filming gets under way with Maz and a camera-shy Cecil being interviewed by Georgina

The students in question, Sean, Georgina, Jade, Nathalie, Stephen, Scott and Aiste were keen to visit on two dates, 19th April and 17th May.  The objective was to find out all about the Sanctuary’s Education, Conservation and Rehabilitation projects and to film around the Sanctuary.  Matt and Maz were on hand to welcome the students and give them a guided tour and then the students were able to film Maz and Matt talking about various aspects of the Sanctuary, including Matt’s conservation project for rearing and releasing Red Squirrels. 

Cecil learning his lines

One of our visiting Tawny Eagles looks on… 

Maz showed them around the hospital, explaining the equipment and medication the falconers use and going through the procedure of what happens when an injured raptor is brought in to the Sanctuary.  The hospital was actually empty, but quite by coincidence, the students were on hand when a very poorly young Tawny Owl was brought in (that’s another story) so they were able to see the process for themselves.
 
At this time of year, the flying display birds are also in their prime and the students were able to film the raptors in all their aerial magnificence. 
 
The information and footage collected will be used to help Sean, Georgina, Jade, Nathalie, Stephen, Scott and Aiste to complete a final major project for their degrees in production and hopefully we will be able to attach the film footage to our website for everyone to see.  Matt and Maz were very happy to give their time and expertise to help the youngsters and of course we wish them all great success with their project.

UPDATE

Click here to see the film made by the students of Ravensbourne College on You Tube - well done, gang, and thanks for choosing us as the subject for your project!

Birds, Bees & other New Arrivals

Summer is gradually making its way here to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary and as well as our passion for our native Birds of Prey, we also have a great interest in our Flora and Fauna we find and encourage into the Sanctuary. Here's a round-up of recent activity…

Butterflies & Bees

Our Butterfly and Bee garden is now in full bloom with Foxgloves, Lupins, Lavender and the Delphiniums which have been specially planted to attract and provide rich nectar for the native butterfly & bee species which play such a very important part in our biodiversity.

A Bumble Bee taking advantage of the nectar on offer

A new Red Squirrel joins our colony

Last week we received a new addition to our colony - a young 16-week old female - courtesy of our friends at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey. She is been housed in the new hexagonal squirrel enclosure purpose built by Matt over the winter and she is settling in well . Before long we will be introducing her to one of the males and all being well, the pair should be successful in raising kits which will eventually be donated to one of the controlled Red Squirrel re-habilitation programmes which are flourishing in the UK.

The distinctive bushy tail and tufty ears of the native Red Squirrel are shown to best advantage in this photograph taken for us by Paul Sawer, who runs some of our Photo Days

Woodland Walk Visitor

A recent visitor to the small woodland area behind the centre was this Goldfinch, showing off its colourful plumage

Meerkat Update

You may have read that we introduced a young pair of Meerkats to the centre earlier this year. Although unrelated, they settled in well - so well in fact that this week mum, called Bonnie, produced two bouncing youngsters - which was rather a surprise so early on in her relationship with her partner Bandit, bringing new relevance to the term "speed dating"! Watch this space for more news & pictures of the youngsters.

Making The Grade

We have a lot of students coming to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, not just to visit, but also often for work experience. We offer photo days for school pupils and courses for youngsters who take a keen and serious interest in learning how to look after and handle birds of prey. Recently, we were contacted by some students from Ravensbourne College in London, asking whether our falconers could donate some time to talk about the Sanctuary and the work we do here for the purpose of a documentary film they wanted to make.

Filming gets under way with Maz and a camera-shy Cecil being interviewed by Georgina

The students in question, Sean, Georgina, Jade, Nathalie, Stephen, Scott and Aiste were keen to visit on two dates, 19th April and 17th May. The objective was to find out all about the Sanctuary’s Education, Conservation and Rehabilitation projects and to film around the Sanctuary. Matt and Maz were on hand to welcome the students and give them a guided tour and then the students were able to film Maz and Matt talking about various aspects of the Sanctuary, including Matt’s conservation project for rearing and releasing Red Squirrels (read more at here).

Cecil learning his lines

Maz showed them around the hospital, explaining the equipment and medication the falconers use and going through the procedure of what happens when an injured raptor is brought in to the Sanctuary. The hospital was actually empty, but quite by coincidence, the students were on hand when a very poorly young Tawny Owl was brought in (that’s another story) so they were able to see the process for themselves.

At this time of year, the flying display birds are also in their prime and the students were able to film the raptors in all their aerial magnificence.

The information and footage collected will be used to help Sean, Georgina, Jade, Nathalie, Stephen, Scott and Aiste to complete a final major project for their degrees in production and hopefully we will be able to attach the film footage to our website for everyone to see. Matt and Maz were very happy to give their time and expertise to help the youngsters and of course we wish them all great success with their project.

One of our visiting Tawny Eagles looks on…

UPDATE

Click here to see the film made by the students of Ravensbourne College on You Tube - well done, gang, and thanks for choosing us as the subject for your project!

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Far From Home

At this time of year, when our native wild owls are a-courtin’, we try to spread the message that seemingly abandoned chicks are usually better left where they are, because mum and dad are most likely not far away, keeping a weather eye on them.

However, there’s always the exception to the rule and sometimes a youngster clearly hasn’t just taken a bit of a tumble from its nest. A case in point was when one of our falconers received a concerned email from a gentleman, saying that there was a rather bedraggled baby owl in his garden that had been there for some hours. In this instance, the poor bird had obviously strayed rather too far from its nest and had finally taken refuge beside a flowerpot. Head Falconer Matt duly went to assess the situation on his way home from work and was certain that the chick, a young Tawny, had either lost or been abandoned by its parents. Not only was the Tawny Owlet somewhat dishevelled and soaking wet, but was also very thin, which suggested that it wasn’t being fed.

The bewildered Tawny owlet was found nestling behind a flowerpot

Having taken the chick home and put it somewhere warm and quiet, Matt then brought it in to the raptor hospital here at the Sanctuary, where it was given plenty of TLC and much needed food to help build it back up to full health and strength. The Tawny owlet has now been put into one of our special rehab aviaries with three other abandoned young Tawnies of similar age for company. One of the most important things about rearing wild young owls, with a view to releasing them, is minimal human contact, so that they don’t imprint or become attached to a handler. Everything possible is done to allow them as natural an upbringing as possible so that the transition back into the wild is easy.

In around a week or so the four Tawny chicks will be taken to a nearby farm area where we have very kindly been allowed to erect a permanent hack box. Here we provide & replace food on a daily basis so that the youngsters will be fed every day while they adapt to their new surroundings. Once the chicks are ready to go exploring, the front of the hack box will be opened and the process of integrating into the wild will begin. The chicks will continue to be fed for as long as they reappear at the hack box looking for food, but gradually, as they become accustomed to hunting, they will need to be supported less and less. Just like Tawny owlets raised in a nest together, they will naturally disperse and find their own territory. Once the chicks are put out in the hack box, we’ll keep you posted and let you know how they get on.

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Spring Has Sprung (almost)

We all know that spring has finally arrived when we see the first animated signs of material being collected for nest building.  Spring 2012 certainly seems to have been a little tardy weather-wise, but our resident birds at the Sanctuary aren’t fooled and have been busy making preparations and settling down to do what comes naturally at this time of year.

Our first 2012 chick was produced by our well-established pair of Lanner Falcons, Jem and Flint.  Jem is now twelve years old and Flint is fourteen and they have been very successful parents over the years.  Their progeny includes April and Lock who are both valuable and inspiring members of the Sanctuary’s flying display team.  Lanner Falcons can live into their mid twenties in captivity, but obviously mid teens is a good age to still be breeding, so it’s especially encouraging that Jem and Flint have been successful again this year.

Not quite "There Once Was An Ugly Duckling…" - but you get the idea! This young European Eagle Owlet will soon develop into as impressive an adult as its mother, Rheia (resident at the centre for 18 years now).

On the 13th and 17th April respectively, Rheia our European Eagle Owl hatched two youngsters, which are now being hand reared and are doing really well.  They are already destined for new homes, one in Essex and one in York and will be ready to make their respective journeys in a couple of weeks when they are around five weeks old.  This may seem a little young but, in the wild, European Eagle Owlets are ready to leave the nest at about   5 – 7 weeks old.  They are still looked after by both parents for around 20 – 24 weeks and of course will be well cared for in their new homes.

Despite being hatched only 4 days apart, the obvious difference in size of these two month-old European Eagle Owlets illustrates their rapid rate of growth

It’s always nice to have a ‘first’ and this year it was the turn of our Harris Hawks Dewhurst and Muldoon.  Muldoon has never had a clutch before, but produced two youngsters, which hatched successfully on 27th April.
 
Another pair who have been very successful parents are Tamsin and Darwin, our Southern Boobook Owls.  They usually tend to have one or two chicks and were the proud parents of ‘Auckland’ a few years back, a friendly little fellow, not only a favourite during flying displays but also tremendously popular on school visits.  Tamsin and Darwin have definitely produced young again this year, but as yet it’s difficult to say how many. Whenever possible, the Sanctuary’s breeding pairs are left undisturbed, so that they can rear their young naturally.  At such a sensitive time, it can mean that their aviaries have to be left unattended for a while, until the chicks have grown enough so that the parents don’t feel threatened by a human presence.  Obviously the falconers keep a close, monitoring eye on proceedings, in case help is needed, but otherwise it’s exciting to wait and see what spring has brought with it this year.

Spring Has Sprung (almost)

We all know that spring has finally arrived when we see the first animated signs of material being collected for nest building. Spring 2012 certainly seems to have been a little tardy weather-wise, but our resident birds at the Sanctuary aren’t fooled and have been busy making preparations and settling down to do what comes naturally at this time of year.

Our first 2012 chick was produced by our well-established pair of Lanner Falcons, Jem and Flint. Jem is now twelve years old and Flint is fourteen and they have been very successful parents over the years. Their progeny includes April and Lock who are both valuable and inspiring members of the Sanctuary’s flying display team. Lanner Falcons can live into their mid twenties in captivity, but obviously mid teens is a good age to still be breeding, so it’s especially encouraging that Jem and Flint have been successful again this year.

Not quite "There Once Was An Ugly Duckling…" - but you get the idea! This young European Eagle Owlet will soon develop into as impressive an adult as its
mother, Rheia (resident at the centre for 18 years now).

On the 13th and 17th April respectively, Rheia our European Eagle Owl hatched two youngsters, which are now being hand reared and are doing really well. They are already destined for new homes, one in Essex and one in York and will be ready to make their respective journeys in a couple of weeks when they are around five weeks old. This may seem a little young but, in the wild, European Eagle Owlets are ready to leave the nest at about 5 – 7 weeks old. They are still looked after by both parents for around 20 – 24 weeks and of course will be well cared for in their new homes.

Despite being hatched only 4 days apart, the obvious difference in size of these two month-old European Eagle Owlets illustrates their rapid rate of growth

It’s always nice to have a ‘first’ and this year it was the turn of our Harris Hawks Dewhurst and Muldoon. Muldoon has never had a clutch before, but produced two youngsters, which hatched successfully on 27th April.

Another pair who have been very successful parents are Tamsin and Darwin, our Southern Boobook Owls. They usually tend to have one or two chicks and were the proud parents of ‘Auckland’ a few years back, a friendly little fellow, not only a favourite during flying displays but also tremendously popular on school visits. Tamsin and Darwin have definitely produced young again this year, but as yet it’s difficult to say how many. Whenever possible, the Sanctuary’s breeding pairs are left undisturbed, so that they can rear their young naturally. At such a sensitive time, it can mean that their aviaries have to be left unattended for a while, until the chicks have grown enough so that the parents don’t feel threatened by a human presence. Obviously the falconers keep a close, monitoring eye on proceedings, in case help is needed, but otherwise it’s exciting to wait and see what spring has brought with it this year.

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Raptors in Transit

Last weekend, a couple of our falconers took some birds to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair, which is a fair old drive to Norwich from Stonham Aspal, taking just under an hour and generally speaking is about as far as we like to transport our birds of prey.

You’d think it might be easy just to put a raptor in a box and away you go, but actually there are lots of factors that need to be taken into consideration.  As with all animals in cars, one very important aspect is how hot the weather is when you’re driving and it’s very important to ensure that birds don’t overheat whilst in transit.  Raptors generally don’t drink very much, instead deriving the moisture they need from their food, so it’s less easy to offer them a drink than you might, for example, with a dog.  Proper travelling boxes, purposely designed for birds of prey, are equipped with ventilation holes that allow plenty of air flow at all times.

Pungu, our Bateleur Eagle, visited the East Anglian Game & Country Fair last weekend

The size of travelling box is also extremely important: depending on the size of the bird, it’s vital that a travelling box offers enough room so that the bird isn’t bashed against the sides, but is not so big that it can jump around too much and damage itself.  Suitable perches are also a requirement, allowing birds to perch in a natural position with clear headroom and without allowing their tail feathers to touch the floor of the container.

Our birds are transported in specially-designed boxes to allow plenty of ventilation and accommodate varying tail lengths and wingspans

For example, one of the birds to make the journey last weekend was Pungu, the Sanctuary’s Bateleur Eagle.  Pungu is a big bird, being approximately 24 inches long, with a wingspan of 5'6" - 6 ft.  She is what’s commonly known as a ‘Serpent Eagle’, due to her natural preference for eating snakes.  Because of this she has, for a bird of prey, a very short tail, allowing her to jump backwards away from a striking snake.  For Pungu then, keeping her tail feathers intact isn’t a problem.  However, she has extremely long primary feathers (those at the tips of her wings) and they must be kept clearly off the ground when she’s in her travelling box, to prevent them being broken.

This picture of Pungu basking in the sun illustrates her impressive wingspan, the primary feathers of which must be carefully protected during transit

Some eagles are too big to even sit on a perch whilst travelling and are safest sitting on the ground.  Red Kites on the other hand have extremely long tails and need especially high perches to keep their tail feathers intact.
 
Even the way a bird box is positioned in a vehicle can give a raptor a more comfortable journey.  Planning the route beforehand really helps.  If you know you’re travelling on lots of straight roads, it’s best to have a bird box facing either directly forwards or directly backwards.  If the journey is likely to be fairly wiggly, then the birds can follow the movement more comfortably if their box is placed sideways to the wheels of the vehicle.
 
As with all animals, different birds react differently to travel; some get travel sick and others can get quite distressed, so it’s wise to try a short journey first.  As always, the needs of our birds come first here at the Sanctuary, so the falconers only travel with the birds they know are happy to take it all in their stride!