Each year, the Trust admits dozens of sick and injured birds into its National Bird of Prey Hospital™. After receiving expert veterinary treatment and rehabilitation, many of these birds are then released back into the wild. As part of an assessment of the success of our treatment and rehabilitation programme, all released birds are fitted with a BTO metal ring. Several of these birds (usually Tawny or Barn Owls) have since been re-encountered during checks of local nest boxes. Although useful, the low recovery rate of ringed birds means that it can take a long time to generate enough data to make a thorough assessment of the success of rehabilitation. A more direct approach is to use radio-transmitters to monitor daily movements of released birds.

We are now continuing this work using rehabilitated Buzzards. Only those birds more than two years old and found less than 25km from the Trust are included in this study. This is because young Buzzards are prone to disperse more than 20km in their first 18 months, whereas adults tend to stay within the same territory. The transmitters we are using have a maximum range of approximately 10km, and so we have a better chance of maintaining contact with adult birds. The transmitter is attached to one of the central tail feathers, and will eventually be shed when these feathers are moulted.

The first bird released with a transmitter had been in rehabilitation at the Trust for almost a month, having been brought to us after being found alongside a road. It was released near to where it was originally found, near Collingbourne Kingston on 3 July (white marker on the above map). On release, the bird flew strongly to the north before heading due east. It was relocated later the same day at Brokenway Copse, an 8.4ha area of woodland 3km east of the release site. Daily checks by our intern, Abigail Maiden, have revealed the bird to be spending almost all of its time in the vicinity of the same stretch of woodland, occasionally being seen in nearby roadside trees or soaring over the area. On most days since settling in its current location, the bird has been recorded interacting with a juvenile Buzzard. Our bird looks healthy and, more than eight weeks after release, it appears that its rehabilitation has been successful.

The video below shows when we released this Buzzard back to the wild:

Some of our sightings of the Buzzard post-release:

We are thrilled to announce that we have been presented with two awards at the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) annual awards ceremony.

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This year, two members of our bird team, James and Ben, will be challenging themselves in order to raise funds for critically endangered vultures.

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There is always something happening at the Trust, with highlights this summer including:

1. The school summer holidays mark the return of our popular Sarson Falconer demonstration, offering you the chance to join in the display (limited spaces, sign up on arrival).
2. For 2017, there is a new Young Explorer’s Trail for all intrepid adventurers looking for a challenge with the aim of earning a special treat.
3. Immerse children in nature – let them discover an underwater world in our daily pond dipping sessions, or perhaps they’ll enjoy the thrill of a tractor ride around our stunning chalk downland wildflower meadow.
4. Cheyenne (Bald Eagle) has returned to take part in the grand finale of our Valley of the Eagles display. Her trademark victory call and incredible soaring flight really make her stand out as a visitor favourite.
5. The meadow is thriving and bursting with an array of flora and fauna in the summer. Between Monday 7 and Sunday 13 August the Trust will be running a Big Bug Bonanza for visitors to find out more about some of the species living there (exact date dependent on weather and will be announced on social media and website closer to the time).
6. For 2017, we’ve launched a brand new keeper’s talk, ‘An audience with … Madeleine’ (Secretary Bird).
7. It’s not every day that you can have a hawk fly to your fist – at 3pm each visitors (aged 16 and over) have the opportunity to fly a Harris’ Hawk.
8. In the spring of this year, we were thrilled to announce that two White-headed Vulture chicks had hatched. They have now been named Severus and Ravenclaw, in keeping with our naming for 2017, Harry Potter. Both chicks will remain with their respective parents until later in the summer when they will be moved into a new aviary, along with Lancaster (last year’s chick) allowing their parents the space in which to potentially breed again.
9. During our 3:45pm Woodland Owls display, members of the audience are invited to take part in the display as ‘human trees’. Whilst it may not sound like the most glamorous role, it does offer you the chance to see, up close, how beautiful and agile Great Grey Owls are as it swoops silently between volunteers. Make sure you volunteer next time you visit!
10. Last and by no means least is our famous, frenzied ferret race! Taking place toward the end of the day and offering children to let rip as they cheer for their chosen ferret.

Bring the family to the Hawk Conservancy Trust for a day in the country; to have fun, to learn, to be inspired and to be amazed.

On Saturday 11 March 2017, a Peregrine Falcon was found by a member of the public with an injured wing and was subsequently brought to our National Bird of Prey Hospital™.

A full assessment by our vet, John Chitty, revealed that the bird had a stable fracture between the Radius and Ulna. The fracture was consistent with that of a gunshot wound. As with all birds of prey, it is illegal to injure or kill Peregrine Falcons under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

PC Stephen Rogerson, Wildlife Crime Officer at Hampshire Constabulary said “The bird may have either been shot at on purpose, or recklessly, due to its predatory nature on rural estates. The falcon was in fairly good condition when it was located. It was not malnourished and there were no signs of other injuries, which would suggest it had been shot in the local area.”

The police have now closed the investigation due to insufficient evidence.

The Peregrine Falcon originally hatched in a nest box provided by the RSPB’s nest box scheme on Salisbury Cathedral, and was ringed there in June 2014 when it was three weeks old.

Images: Ash Mills

In the time that it has been in our care, it spent one month in an indoor bay of our National Bird of Prey Hospital™ in order to receive treatment and prevent use and damage of the wing. The remainder of its time with us was spent in a pre-release aviary where it was able to gain fitness whilst being monitored by our team to observe and assess its recovery.

Having now fully recovered from its injuries, this Peregrine Falcon has been released from our chalk downland wildflower meadow.

Cedric Robert, our Head of the National Bird of Prey Hospital™, said “This is a magnificent bird and I have been delighted to see his progress with us. Peregrine Falcons are amazing creatures and I always feel very privileged to see one in the wild. I really hope he will do well once back in the wild.”

Andy Hinton, Curator at the Trust, said “We condemn the persecution of birds of prey, birds that we strive so hard to conserve. We are pleased to have rehabilitated this bird and are thrilled that it can now be successfully returned to the wild, undoing the damage caused by this criminal act.”

Images: James Fisher

Spring is in the air and now is the perfect time for you to get outside and immerse yourself and the children in nature. (more…)

Our first ever Members’ Day was a great success with more days already being planned for the future.

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During the summer we held one of the biggest, boldest and most exciting events ever hosted at the Hawk Conservancy Trust – Wings: A Celebration Of Flight.

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