We were delighted to welcome Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, now our local MP, to the Hawk Conservancy Trust on Friday 21 March, as part of her visits for English Tourism Week.

We were thrilled to be acknowledged as one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the constituency and recognised for our contribution to conservation, education, rehabilitation and research of birds of prey and their habitats.

Caroline Nokes met some members of the team at the Trust to hear more about our work, including our conservation projects in her constituency and overseas, our engagement with schools and inspiring the next generation of conservationists, and our future plans to continue our mission to conserve birds of prey and their habitats.

Mrs Nokes watched the ‘Woodland Owls’ display with the team and met Walter, one of our Great Grey Owls for a closer encounter, after the display.

In an article released by The Office of The Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, the Trust was recognised for “Supporting the local economy through tourism and environmental engagement…[and] has earned a reputation both nationally and internationally for its innovative conservation programmes and educational outreach”.  The article reported Mrs Nokes to have “praised the Trust’s role in boosting employment and offering unique volunteering opportunities, contributing to both the environment and the community. She reiterated the importance of recognising and supporting institutions like the Hawk Conservancy Trust as the tourism and environmental sectors continue to develop”.

Following the visit, Caroline Nokes MP, said “The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a fantastic example of how tourism and conservation can go hand in hand. It’s one of our constituency’s greatest assets, not just for the incredible experience it offers to visitors, but for the important work it does in conserving and rehabilitating birds of prey. English Tourism Week is a perfect time to shine a spotlight on this exceptional organisation.”

Penny Smout, our CEO, said “It was delightful to meet Caroline and share insights into our recent achievements as well as our future ambitions. We are grateful for her time and support, and knowledgeable discussion about the challenges we face. Although Caroline has been a visitor to the Trust and is aware of our work, it was a fabulous opportunity to discuss our projects in more detail and we look forward to working together to conserve birds of prey and their habitats”.

Five things to get egg-cited about at the Hawk Conservancy Trust!

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An impressively sized Steppe Eagle is settling into his new home here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust.

Visitors to the Trust have already been meeting the new resident and learning his name is ‘Stilton’, in line with the bird of prey charity’s 2024 cheese-based naming theme.  However, this migratory species is named after its preferred breeding habitat – the Steppe region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.Stilton is a magnificent example of these dark brown eagles, which can be between 71 and 81cm tall, weigh from 2.4 to 4.9kg (the same as an average Yorkshire Terrier) and have a wingspan typically extending up to two metres!

Sadly, the Steppe Eagle is globally Endangered and its population is estimated to have declined by around 60% since 2010. Habitat loss and electrocution on powerlines are the big problems, and in Europe, the Steppe Eagle is Critically Endangered.

We are hopeful that Stilton will join experiences and flying displays this year for our summer season.  These activities not only enable the public to witness the real-life beauty of wildlife but also serve to raise awareness of the need to continue our vital conservation and research work.

Talking about Stilton’s skills as an ambassador for all Steppe Eagles, Bird Team member Jennie Marshall said: “He has a really lovely character – very chatty and well-mannered. Birds of prey are often pretty wary when meeting new people for the first time, so on our first face-to-beak meeting, I wasn’t expecting him to be immediately comfortable with me. However, the first thing he did was jump onto my gloved hand to say hello!

“Stilton really is a rising star. It will be amazing to see how he progresses and it’s great that visitors can follow his journey – from seeing him in his aviary right now right through to his debut in flying displays.”

Stilton has been settling well into his aviary near the Woodland Area. He’s a very chatty chap, so make sure you swing by to say hello on your next visit.

We are sad to share the news that Hawk Conservancy Trust Vice-President Nigel Lewis passed away on 14 November. Nigel became the Trust’s Vice-President on 24 July 2009, after working closely with Life President and Founder Ashley Smith. We remember him fondly for his dedication to conservation, especially his work at the forefront of Barn Owl conservation, and his mentorship to other conservationists, bird ringers, and local communities.

Nigel spent many years of his life working to conserve Barn Owls in Suffolk, before moving to Wiltshire in 1983.  After moving, he carried on working with this species in the south of England for more than 30 years. Throughout this time, Nigel oversaw the recovery of Barn Owl populations across Salisbury Plain. Working largely of his own accord, in the early years of his work it was often just him and his wife, Betty, who would climb up trees to install heavy Barn Own boxes into place. In those early days, many of the nest boxes were made from re-purposed ammunition boxes! One one point, Nigel and Betty were featured on the Really Wild Show with Chris Packham, now the Trust President.

Alongside his work with nest boxes, Nigel was also a mentor to many young (and not so young!) bird ringers and conservationists. He worked hard to engage his local communities with the work being done to improve habitats for Barn Owls, and encouraged those around him to get involved in protecting these beautiful birds.

In 2006, he reached out to the Hawk Conservancy, asking for volunteers to help support his work by making Barn Owl boxes for him. Life President and Founder Ashley Smith wanted to recognise his incredible contribution to conservation, so asked him to become Vice President in 2009. Ashley described Nigel as:

“A wonderful man and passionate conservationist – he was at the forefront of Barn Owl conservation. Through his lifelong endeavours, he helped inspire many other individuals and organisations such as the the Hawk Conservancy Trust to implement similar projects. We will always be thankful for his advice and support.”

The Trust’s Raptor Nest Box Project, which started in 2008 with 38 nest boxes, was inspired by Nigel and his work. Throughout the timeline of this project, Nigel worked closely with our UK Conservation Biologist Dr Matt Stevens. Speaking about Nigel, Matt said:

“Nigel was very witty, knew when to be stern, but was always very fair.  We shared a lot of stories and information, and a lot of laughs, during our weekly Thursday meet-ups each year from April to August, where we would work together to monitor owls and Kestrels around Salisbury Plain. He’ll be missed as a teacher as well as a friend to a lot of people in the conservation community.”

What a wild night we had on 29 June. After months of planning, days (and nights!) of pre-show preparation by dozens of staff and volunteers and a lot of wishing for good weather, Chris and Megan’s Night of Nature finally arrived. The sun shone over the Hawk Conservancy Trust – Reg’s Wildflower Meadow was alive with a certain hum, a buzz of energy – and not just from the bees!

Visitors enjoyed the evening sun, some wandering the grounds with an ice cream, others partaking of our freshly prepared barbeque food and glasses of prosecco. We were also joined on the evening by Alex McGarry, Trust Artist in Residence. Guests could admire some of her previous work, and also watch as she created a new piece as the evening unfolded. This painting, immortalising the special event, was the top prize for the evening’s fundraising raffle, alongside a bottle of limited edition Poet Laureate sherry, donated by Simon Armitage.

To begin the main feature of the evening, as everyone settled in their seats, we were joined by Emily Hunt, the Young Poet Laureate for Warwickshire, as she gave a reading of her new poem – Sunset Flight. This poem had been written especially by Emily for the Trust and, specifically, this event. Emily’s words captured the spirit of the evening and the work we do at the Trust. Each bird  making an appearance in the meadow that evening was given a moment – a teaser for what was to come. The final stanza was enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end:

‘Our hearts full of feathers, beaks and wings

This magic which brings us together

For those who wheel, swoop and sing.”

The evening was hosted by our own Tom Morath (Deputy Head of Living Collection and host of our podcast, Nature’s a Hoot) and, against the backdrop of Reg’s Wildflower Meadow, Tom welcomed everyone to the evening and introduced the headline acts – presenter, writer and cherished friend of the Trust Megan McCubbin, and tireless advocate for nature: Trust President Chris Packham. Each of them recounted fond memories from visiting the Trust. Megan’s first trips here were when she was still in primary school – trips that later inspired owl pellet dissection birthday parties! Chris recounted his first visit and a chance meeting with Trust founder, Reg Smith, as he allowed Chris to get a little closer to the Peregrine Falcon he was attempting to photograph. Chris said “Reg saw past my bleached, blonde quiff and studded leather jacket and saw a shared passion for birds of prey and welcomed me in when not many others would have done.”

Tom, Chris and Megan were also joined in the meadow by Dr Zoe Randle from Butterfly Conservation as we took a closer look at some of Reg’s Wildflower Meadow’s smaller residents – the beautiful butterflies and moths. It’s sometimes tricky to demonstrate how these tiny insects to such a large audience – so we hatched a plan! Upon arrival into Reg’s Wildflower Meadow, guests were met with a large, 5m x 3m screen (expertly installed by Viv and Q from our volunteer team and who have a mind for the technical). With a camera close by, we could show the whole audience something tiny, enlarged on the screen.

Zoe brought some moths along – including the elegant White Satin Moth, Elephant Hawk Moth and Poplar Hawk Moth. Butterfly Conservation also presented us with an enormous puppet version of a Marsh Fritillary Butterfly– a beautiful representation of this native species. Zoe also demonstrated the defence mechanism of the Puss Moth caterpillar, bringing along a puppet version. Megan was asked to don a Blue Tit mask (the bird being a regular predator of the caterpillar) and was subsequently squirted by the puppet with its ‘formic acid’ (water from the in-built water pistol!).

Next we were onto the real stars of any of our shows here at the Trust – the birds. We introduced Scout, our Eurasian Kestrel, and demonstrated her hovering behaviour as Chris recounted his personal experiences and connection with the species. We delved into the world of small mammals and the role they play in the food chain, ultimately becoming lunch for larger predators like birds of prey. Charlie, our beautiful Barn Owl, quartered over the meadow, ever-so-delicately melting the hearts of all who watched – this natural behaviour captured in the fading summer light.

As beautiful as he is, Charlie is also adept at demonstrating his natural hunting behaviour and at this point, Tom set Megan the challenge to become a Barn Owl’s lunch. With an AstroTurf pad, fitted with a beeper that Charlie is trained to locate, Megan hid herself in the meadow. As Charlie got closer, following the beeper, Megan was allowed a prey’s-eye-view of a Barn Owl. And so were we as Megan video-called Tom who sent the images to the screen. Charlie pounced down, ‘caught’ Megan and continued with his flight. Definitely a highlight of the evening as Charlie concluded the first half.

The second half of the evening began as two lucky guests were selected to ask Chris and Megan their questions – “When does a cuckoo know it’s a cuckoo?” and “What’s the most interesting animal you have ever seen?” – if you wanted the answers, you had to be there!

Kiara, our Steller’s Sea Eagle, was up next. As the newest member of the flying team at the Trust, we were uncertain about how she might react to the biggest audience she’s yet to see here. As she took off, just behind the audience, we got one wonderful glimpse of her enormous wings, before she took up residence in a tree near the bottom of the park for the rest of the evening where she watched the proceedings unfold! Maybe next time…

Next, Fagin, our Hooded Vulture took centre stage, and he flew to both Chris and Megan right over the heads of the entire audience. Fagin is known for cutting it fine as he skims overhead so this is always an exciting experience. All the while though, the important message of vulture conservation was the focus. A large part of why fundraising events like this one are needed at the Trust is to support the work we do with Critically Endangered vulture species like the Hooded Vulture. They’re expert scavengers and so to demonstrate, Chris invited Megan to try something he’d had the chance to do before at the Trust – become dinner for the vultures. Suiting up with our ‘bait suit’ (a jacket covered in tasty vulture food) and a pair of goggles for safety, Megan gave a Shakespearean ‘death scene’ in the meadow before Fagin and his friends flew over to make the most of the opportunity!

For one final time, our amazing birds took to the wing for an epic finale. Our Hooded Vultures were joined by our entire team of Black Kites – wheeling and swooping around the meadow as only they can – set against the backdrop of the last fading light of this beautiful summer evening.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in this event and a special thanks to Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin for their support of the Trust’s work. It allows us to raise vital funds for our conservation and research work to help us to achieve our mission – the conservation of birds of prey and their habitats. Now it’s time to start planning the next one. Watch this space…

At 11 years old, we said a sad goodbye to Delta, our Barn Owl, recently. Many of you will remember Delta from her captivating and mesmerising appearances with her brother, Charlie, as she flew across Reg’s Wildflower Meadow, on summer afternoons and evenings – a memorable and emotive moment for many. Delta will also be remembered for her quartering flights in the Woodland Arena, gracefully floating in and out of the trees. On occasion, she would also wander off to catch her own lunch in the Savannah Arena during the Woodland Owls display!

Over the years, she has been a special part of some couples’ weddings at the Trust and her legacy will live on in their photographs and memories. As a UK species, she has been a real ambassador in inspiring young and old to care for the wildlife on our doorsteps and the work we do to conserve Barn Owls.

As she moved into her later years, Delta was being treated for a heart condition which was causing a decline in her health. She made appearances in our displays up until only a few months ago and flew so elegantly. Whilst we were aware that heart failure was a possibility, we are still saddened to see her go. She peacefully passed away at the Trust. The team here will miss her, she has been a part of many of their lives for so long.

We’re delighted to share that we have secured special funding to ensure school visits to the Hawk Conservancy Trust can still take flight with visit bursaries for deserving pupils from across the Hampshire region.

For some children, trips to places like the Trust are beyond their reach because financial pressures on schools and the cost-of-living crisis are making it harder for parents to support educational trips.  The Trust says this is detrimental to children’s experiences, their learning and to the charity’s mission to help the future of our planet by inspiring conservation through education.

Chief Executive Penny Smout said: “Our visitor centre near Andover is all about shining a light on the incredible world of birds of prey; our work to conserve them; and spreading the word to inspire more people to appreciate the wonders of wildlife and the need to look after it. One of our aims is to encourage pupils, from all walks of life, to follow a career path in conservation and that spark can come from a school visit. At the same time, we have research to show just how valuable being close to nature is for the wellbeing of us humans. Our hope is that with this funding, we can help bring all of those benefits to children who often don’t get the chance to experience such things.”

The Trust has been supported by the financial services company Investec to provide funds to enable the charity to support education in several ways.

Investec’s support has enabled us to specially design “Explore Nature” days. These will be offered to children who might not normally be in a position to visit to do so and meet our resident birds, experience our multiple daily flying displays and learn about the species, their habitats and conservation through fun workshops with our expert team.

We have also been awarded a separate grant from the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) for a travel bursary to help fund transport costs for state-funded schools where high fuel and coach hire prices might be a financial barrier to some schools.

We’d love to hear from schools who feel they have pupils who could benefit from participation in “Explore Nature” days or bursary support.

Anyone wishing to learn more about educational visits to the Hawk Conservancy Trust should visit our Education webpages here.

Jenny Abery has joined the Hawk Conservancy Trust’s Education team as our brand new Principal Educator! We are delighted to have Jenny on board. She joined us at the beginning of May and has already been getting busy working with our Bird Team on our educational visits! Read more from Jenny:

‘Thank you for the warm welcome to the Hawk Conservancy Trust, I am thrilled to be a part of the team and am very excited to get stuck into the new role.

Since graduating from the University of Southampton in 2016, I have had many different roles, including working in other collections, outdoor education in the New Forest National Park, Ecology, and managing nature reserves. My passion has always been in conservation education, reconnecting people with the natural world and raising awareness of the threats which many species face.

I have been coming to the Trust since I was a child and have long admired the conservation work and mission. A group of birds which really drew me here is our amazing vultures, and the vital conservation and education work the Trust undertakes to preserve these important species. Changing people’s perceptions of these beautiful birds which have often been villainised in the past and raising awareness of their plight is a challenge I have always enjoyed. It is a prime example of just how important conservation education is in the long-term protection of species and their habitats.

I first became passionate about the natural world through sharks, another misunderstood and often feared species. I clearly have an affinity for the misunderstood and underappreciated of the natural world, but those that clearly need all the attention and protection we can give. The work the Trust already does to promote these wonderful animals is inspiring, and certainly piqued my excitement to come and work somewhere which embodies my values and passion for wildlife.

My role will encompass everything involving education delivery. Conservation education is embedded in everything we deliver here at the Trust and is vital to our national and international conservation efforts. In my first month, my focus has mainly been on the school visits, upcoming events and compiling new Super Top Trump cards for our Top Trumps Trail, but my long-term aim will also be to develop a long-term education strategy for the Trust. Through my role I hope to continue the fantastic work of the Trust to raise the profile and awareness of the amazing birds we work with.’

It is with great sadness that we share the news that our former Chairman, Marion Paviour has died.

Marion was Chairman of the Board of Directors since the inception of the Trust in 2002, until she stepped down from this position in 2017. Marion’s vision for the Trust from its outset was to create a world leader in bird of prey conservation, and she worked tirelessly to achieve that. Under her guidance the Trust transformed into a highly-regarded conservation charity with international impact, and a visitor attraction that has gone from strength to strength.

Ashley Smith, Life President and Founder of the Hawk Conservancy Trust, reflected back on Marion’s life, and her dedication towards the success of the Trust:

‘Born in the 1930’s, Marion was the youngest of 3 sisters by 16 years. As a child, she lived through the war years which helped shape her determined spirit and a will to live life to the full.

When she was twenty-five, she met Andrew, her husband. Marion became an officer’s wife and threw herself into all that this entailed, and Andrew for his part encouraged her lifelong interest and involvement in the law. In 1976, they settled in Hampshire. This was when I first met Marion, when she became a friend of my family and helped us with the work of the Hawk Conservancy.

My father’s last request to Marion was to keep an eye on his family, and she stayed true to that promise and was by my side as a wise counsel for many years. She always thought big, and wanted the Conservancy to grow into an international conservation organisation and was the driving force in helping us achieve my father’s ambition for ‘The Hawks’, as she affectionately called us, establishing it as a charitable Trust and becoming its first Chairman. As with all her passions Marion was determined and would fiercely fight for what she thought was right.

She was never shy to express her views but would always listen to others even if she did not agree. I know from speaking with her if she said, “My Dear Boy,” we were going to have a battle and if she followed it by saying “With the greatest of respect” I knew I had lost.

She could also be very fiery and was not afraid to deploy it for effect, for which she had a reputation. On one occasion, after I had been in discussion with the County Council for nearly two years about having new tourist board signs erected, eventually I said if things didn’t progress, I would have to pass it onto our Chairman. When he asked who that was, I informed him it was Mrs Marion Paviour. His reply was “Thursday, I will have the signs up by Thursday “.

Marion was one of a kind; an independent lady who was so proud of her family and all they achieved, and fiercely protective of those she cared for.’

Marion was a champion of young people, rooting for them, offering support and providing opportunities. It is from this legacy that the Marion Paviour Award was created in 2018. This conservation and research award aims to further the conservation of birds of prey and it is intended to support early-career researchers working towards this goal – something that was always been very important to Marion. Previously this fund has been awarded for research of energy use by Striated Caracaras, to study King Vulture populations, research Kestrel diets in the UK, Barn Owl benefits to viticulture in Napa Valley, and most recently the study of Martial Eagles in Malawi.

Marion touched so many people’s lives, making lasting impressions, and inspiring so many. We will miss her.