Today I caught the early morning bus down to my local Birds of Prey Center to spend the morning with a professional falconer, oh and Sam came too.
It all started with a rather morbid discussion about the woes of bird keeping and how the chap was considering suicide if he has another bad season this year (not really sure how serious he was being either).
We started by weighing each bird which is something that needs to be done every morning. I got to wear one of the fancy gloves and prance around adorned with falcons and eagles galore taking each one to the scales and then to their perches.
We met all the resident birds including the smallest (and probably cutest) Kestrel species in the world. We got told all about plumage variations, differing sizes and types of behavior.
Also, interesting fact, did you know that birds beaks grow? Yep they do.
Well when it got to lunchtime we had the joy of helping to cut the shit sacks out of dead one day old chicks and massaging powdered vitamins into their little thawed out fluffy bodies; total delight.
Anyway the best bit came next when we got to take a few of the birds out for some training.
First was Bebe who was a cheeky little barn owl who was so tame that he was more like a little dog than a bird. He'd just come off his training line (a term you falconry amateurs simply couldn't get to grips with easily so I'll skip an explanation) and took a real liking to scuffling around looking for chick legs.
I had a little go trying to get him to fly to my glove to receive a baby chick leg...he wasn't too bad you know?
Second was Weasel a barmy looking goshawk with a bad-ass haunch and loco looking stare. We pretty much did the same with Weasel, he was just a little less dog like than Bebe and more like a flying predator.
Lastly I had to fly a harrier falcon all on my own. His name was Jacob and he had an uncontrollable fear of right hands, being right handed myself I wasn't his favorite person in the world.
I got my own bag of dead chick bits and flew him up and down the flying strip a few times.
It was pretty intense having such a big thing hurtling towards you at speeds unknown, but I think I got the knack of it in the end.
The center also do hunting days where you can go out on a killing spree accompanied by dogs, falcons and ferrets...needless to say I'm extremely excited about such a prospect.
Thankyou for pretty much the most perfect present ever mum, love x
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