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Keeping cool with Katy

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In mid-July temperatures soared, and we closed our doors to ensure the safety of our visitors, staff and birds. To keep our birds cool, our dedicated Bird Team helped the birds handle the heat. We caught up with Katy Barnes from the Bird Team, who told us about the fun ideas they came up with to keep our birds cool:

‘During the recent heatwave the Bird Team here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust did everything we could to ensure our birds were safe and comfortable in the unusual weather. Some of the methods we used for this also doubled up as fun activities for our birds in the form of ice blocks and the bird of prey equivalent of ice lollies!

Our kites (both Black Kites and the Yellow Billed Kites) were given ice chunks with some treats frozen inside to encourage them down to the ground to feed. With the number of birds in these aviaries, we decided to split the ice into many chunks so that all the birds had a chance to cool down with these ‘ice lollies’. However, most of the Black Kites decided that one piece of ice in particular was the best, and the majority of them went for that piece, while the others enjoyed the rest to themselves!

We also gave out just big chunks of ice to many birds for them to sit on or near to cool down. While this was enjoyed by many of our birds, Delores, our Cinereous Vulture, in particular loved having an ice block – so much so that she refused to let anyone else near it!’

Watch our birds tuck into their ice lollies!

Celebrating Owl Awareness Day

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Thursday 4 August 2022 is International Owl Awareness Day, and here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust we think owls are a hoot! Everyday we celebrate the wonderful world of owls.

 

Woodland Owls Display

If you’ve ever wanted to get close to owls, our Woodland Owls display is your chance! Witness an array of beautiful owls skim silently over your head and discover more about these beautiful creatures in this intimate demonstration. See our owls display their unique hunting and flying skills as they glide around the Silver Birch trees in our peaceful Woodland Arena, landing closer than you might expect! This enchanting display features a variety of owl species, including the Barn Owl, Great Grey Owl, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Tawny Owl, and more!

Book your next visit to see this immersive display.

Raptor Nest Box Programme

Here at the Trust we care about the conservation of native owls. So much so that we have an on-going project called the Raptor Nest Box Project, which aims to maximise the population potential of four UK bird species, three of which being lovely owls (Barn Owl, Little Owl and Tawny Owl)!

Since the mid-20th century, Kestrel and owl habitats continue to be limited due to human disturbance, resulting in a decline in populations. By building nest boxes for these species, it gives these birds a fighting chance to improve their numbers and, in turn, also allows us to monitor and record them.

Find out more about our conservation actions here.

 

Owl Experiences

Our Owl Experiences give all owl lovers the memorable opportunity to get close to and fly some of our fascinating owls. On this special experience, our Bird Team will share fascinating insights into some of the amazing owl species we have at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and the work we do to help conserve them.

Your session will include meeting and flying a range of owl species, from some of smallest to the largest. The exact species you meet and fly on your experience session will vary but may include a Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Long-eared Owl or eagle-owls. There may also be the opportunity to work with young birds in training.

We also offer a Children’s Owl Experience, where 6-11 year olds can join in the fun! This fun-packed session involves learning how to identify British owls by sight and from their calls, dissecting a wild owl pellet to try and identify what the owl has eaten, and the chance to hold and fly several species owl from Britain and around the world.

 

Owl Events

Seeing our birds fly in the evening and at night-time is a truly magical experience. Our owls often feature in these events, taking to the wing against a sunset sky and skimming over heads under the cover of darkness. Our popular Owls by Moonlight evenings give you a glimpse into the world of owls as they show off their flying skills under a moonlit sky. Our spook-tacular Halloween event, Owl-O-Ween, combines ghostly story-telling with our owls flying for a ghoulishly good display!

As the festive season arrives and the Trust grounds transform into a winter wonderland, you can see our owls flying with Christmas cheer at our Evening Owls at Christmas event. Not your average carolling concert, our Christmas Carols and Owls event will enchant you with a live choir and band performing carols as our owls weave through the woodland around you. Father Christmas, Evergreen the mischievous Elf, and their team of magical owls will also be making a stop at the Trust to give all the good boys and girls their presents during Father Christmas’ Flying Visit.

Our owls will also be making a return to welcome in the new year at Winter Woodland Light – tickets to go on sale soon!

 

National Bird of Prey Hospital™

During the spring and summer, there are often many Tawny Owls in our hospital. If you see a Tawny Owl that’s obviously injured, then please call us or bring it to us. However, if you see a chick on the ground, it may not necessarily be in need of assistance.

It’s quite common for young chicks to fledge before they’re able to fly well enough to return to the nest. This means that although one might be found on the ground underneath, in the majority of cases its parents will continue to care for it.

We recommend that if you do come across a Tawny Owl chick on the ground then either leave it where it is or, if it’s obviously in danger such as near a road or path, return it to the nest if you can see it or place it safely on a branch (or similar) nearby. If you’re ever in doubt, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01264 773850 for advice.

 

Book your tickets now to come and celebrate International Owl Awareness Day by seeing our wonderful array of owls on Thursday August 4! 

©2024 Hawk Conservancy Trust