An Afternoon with Birds

Happy (belated) birthday girl
Happy (belated) birthday girl

We finally get around to organising a somewhat belated birthday celebration for Gerald Durrell and her friends and we take her to the Hawk Conservancy nearby.  We had previously been members of the Conservancy so the Tribe, other than the Littlest,  know it extremely well.  Despite being world renowned for its work in the fields of conservation, education, rehabilitation and research, I still feel that it is not particularly well known locally; I know that it was only when Gerald Durrell had a summer outing with the Abbotts Ann Nursery School that I first visited and became aware of it.

One of the Hawk Conservancy's more exotic looking residents
One of the Hawk Conservancy’s more exotic looking residents

The founder was Reg Smith, a son of a butcher, born and bred in Andover.  From childhood he was always fascinated in natural history but his ambition was to become a farmer.   In 1952 he bought Sarson Farm, the current site of the Hawk Conservancy where he and his wife took in orphaned animals.  As finances were tight he followed a second career as a broadcaster initially on the radio and then on television.  Everything changed when during a live broadcast on Blue Peter, where Reg was supposed to be showing a young albino badger that he was caring for before returning it to the wild.  Unfortunately the badger bit a researcher before going on air and wouldn’t let go, so Reg went on without it.  The presenter suggested that viewers visit ‘Sarson Farm near Andover’ where Reg would ‘happy’ to show them around.  The following weekend over 200 people arrived at the farm!  Despite this, Reg and his wife welcome everyone and the same happened over the next couple of weekends.  Knowing the narrow country lane that the Conservancy is situated along, I cannot imagine how chaotic things must have been.  However, on the basis of all the interest, Reg opened Weyhill Zoo in 1966 where more exotic creatures were gradually replaced with birds of prey – his son, Ashley’s passion.  In 1980 the Hawk Conservancy was formed.  A captive breeding programme began and one of their greatest successes has been the breeding and releasing of Red Kites into the wild in 2002.  Having been hunted and poisoned for centuries, they had been on the verge of extinction in the UK.  We see them above us frequently and the Tribe can spot their slight v-shape tail when they are soaring high.  Pretty impressive.  So, that’s the background.

Best buddies!
Best buddies!

We arrive and wait for her friends in the shop – I give each child a ‘passport’ with the names of 10 birds that they then get stamps for as they find the birds around the park.  They disappear off in high spirits and we arrange to meet them at the Valley of the Eagles display over Reg’s meadow – the wildflower meadow created in memory of Reg in 1995.  The only change that we can see is the impressive Feather’s Restaurant, a beautifully oak beamed construction with big glass doors leading onto a large terrace; Father of the Tribe can spot that it’s been built by a local craftsman friend who always leaves the pegs long in the oak beam holes.  I would love to stop for a coffee, but there’s a gaggle of girls to keep up with.

How big?!
How big?!

After a quick stop at the playground, the Tribe find Madeleine, the splendid secretary bird.  They are fabulously exotic and I can remember when I was a child, my father driving the family through the game parks in Kenya (in a Datsun Cherry – funny what you can remember!) and seeing this glamorous bird in the wild strutting in the savannah.  Amazing.  The Tribe though, are wondering where Dave, the secretary bird that they can remember from several years ago during a display in which Dave ‘killed’ a ‘snake’ – the birds are tall with long legs and a crown of feathers on their head.  We later discover that Dave contracted a virus that killed him a few years ago.  The next highlight is Sweeney Todd, the completely stunning Snowy Owl.  He is large with an immense amount of soft feathers over his entire body.   As we pass, he silently watches us with his huge round, yellow eyes.

Othello, the African Fish Eagle diving for fish in the pond
Othello, the African Fish Eagle diving for fish in the pond

As the rain decides to fall (how did the forecasters get it so wrong, it was supposed to be warm) we take our seats on the front bench for the eagle display.  First up is the fish eagle who spectacularly picks up a fish from the pond in front of us.  There’s also a sensational display from Sweeney Todd, the snowy owl – he is simply stunning.  Swooping silently low over our heads, he is barely inches from the ground as he flies to his handler.  The reason that we’ve never seen a snowy owl fly here before is that we’ve only been here in more clement weather.  Snowy owls need the cold.  We also learn that these owls fly during the day – the giveaway being their yellow eyes.

One of the hooded vultures with their handler
One of the hooded vultures with their handler

The vultures arrive and I wonder if the Littlest is going to be picked up and taken away – she’s refusing to sit with us having decided that one of the girls is her new best friend.

'Duck!' No, it's a hooded vulture
‘Duck!’ No, it’s a hooded vulture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the commentator tells us, the vultures expect you to move, if you don’t they’ll just fly into you. Their wings are literally stroking us as they fly past.  The photo at the top of this post was taken by the Eldest – it really is an ‘up close and personal’ experience.  And it is fantastic.  There is lots of laughter and shrieks from our party and even I forget how damn cold it is.

Peregrine falcon with handler
Peregrine falcon with handler

Following a fabulous display by the black kites, who are joined by a wild red kite, the weather clears enough for the peregrine falcon to take the stage  – she disappears into the distance and everyone laughs as a flock of birds scatters on the horizon.  Peregrine falcons can pick up speeds of up to 200mph as they dive for their prey.  as this particularly falcon flies back to the arena she spots a wood pigeon.  I’ve never seen a pigeon fly that fast and after an impressive cat and mouse chase through the trees, the pigeon disappears to survive another day.  Great entertainment and we’ve all learnt something too.

On the tractor
On the tractor

Our party is taken on a tractor ride around Reg’s Meadow before we are taken to the woodland arena.

On her way to becoming a bird whisperer
On her way to becoming a bird whisperer

Here Gerald Durrell gets a chance to fly a long eared owl – small and rather cute with long head feathers that look like ears and are raised when it’s frightened or disturbed.  The bird is light and like all owls, virtually silent in flight.  All the girls (and our Boy – you see what he has to put up with!) get the opportunity to hold the owl before the handler takes him back, although not before he flies and attempts to land on Gerald Durrell’s head!

Ennis, the great grey owl - beautiful
Ennis, the great grey owl – beautiful

We continue looking around the park and the girls collect the rest of their bird stamps before the display of owls back in the woodland.  Again we have front row seats and watching the owls swoop  low over the ground is fabulous.  They are stunning birds and incredibly silent in flight.  

The ferrets!
The ferrets!
Starting the ferret race
Starting the ferret race

Our day ends with Gerald Durrell starting the famous ferret race!  She obviously enjoys this immensely and it is a fun end to a lovely day.

Author: Mother of the Tribe

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