Experience Day Itinerary
Forest Falconry - Birds of Prey Experience
On arrival you will be greeted by your Falconers for the day. They will introduce you to the flying team which is an assortment of Owls, Hawks, Falcons and Eagles.
We like to get you into the thick of it as soon as possible, so its on with the Falconry Gauntlet and straight into the woodland glade for some hands-on with one of our much loved native species, the Barn and Tawny Owls. You will be enchanted by these silent wonders of the woodland as they glide through the forest to alight upon your glove. These are ideal to start with, allowing you to grow in confidence before you progress to bigger and faster birds.
Mid-Morning Refreshments
We will stop for a mid-morning rest where refreshments in the way of Tea and Coffee are supplied.
After a short break we will head back out into the forest to fly a white-faced owl who will follow you in the tree canopy as you walk along the wooded paths, regularly returning to your gloved fist along the way. Then we will fly our smallest bird, the kestrel, whose stunning colours and cheeky personality will certainly leave an impression.
Then to finish off the day it’s into the Forest to see how all the training comes together in the field with a Harris Hawk. The Harris is a super-smart hunter and you will get a chance to have some fun with a real training exercise in pulling a rabbit lure for the hawk to give chase.
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At 1.00pm we say farewell to the morning guests and our Full Day guests will have a break for lunch in our purpose made Lodge – (please bring a packed lunch with you -this can be stored in our spacious fridge). We often have an added lunch guest of a hooded Falcon to make it a lunch to remember. The traditional image of a hooded Falcon has remained unchanged since Medieval times, the lords prize Falcon always had pride of place in the Long Hall.
Train A Deadly Predator
Once you’ve recharged your batteries it’s time to train the Falcon to hunt. You will encourage him to fly at great speed and snatch a lure “replica prey species” which you will be swinging to attract him from distance. It’s at times like this when the Falcon is locked on and closing the gap, that you can truly appreciate how deadly a Predator they truly are.
Meet Our Largest Owls
For those who like the big birds we have one of the world’s biggest species of Owls, the European Eagle Owl who is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. These birds have wingspans of over five feet! Yet are still gentle when they swoop from over 40 feet up a tree to land softly on your glove.
The Magnificent Eagle Team.
We will finish the day up with working with either our juvenile Golden Eagle, Archer who we are sure you will all enjoy the experience of helping him on his journey to become a fully trained part of the flying team. Or you will get to handle Sienna, our Female Golden Eagle; you will get to really feel the weight of the Golden Eagle and see up close and personal those powerful talons and golden crown, as you will be handling and feeding Sienna her dinner – this makes for a great photo opportunity.
Falconry Experience Days
Falconry was introduced to Europe circa 400 AD when Huns and Alans invaded from the East. In more recent history, falconry became popular as a sport of kings.
Meet the Flying Team
The undisputed stars of the show! With binocular vision, powerful talons and merciless hunting skills, birds of prey are the masters of the skies. Powerful wings combined with the skills to use thermals, the wind and the landscape enable graceful airborne acrobatics.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about booking one of our Falconry Experience Days, Want to know more about our Birds of Prey or wish to speak to a member of our team about specific requirements then please get in touch.
