Taking a hawk for a walk

For my birthday last January Stu bought me a days falconry experience - and for various reasons I've just got round to using it. I've flown birds a couple of times and loved it, but only for an hour or so and only with other people, so to do it for a whole day, and on my own with lots of birds and a falconer was fantastic.

We went to SMJ Falconry which is near Haworth. It was a terrible day, mist, wind and drizzle, but I'd already had to cancel one because of bad weather, so we set off regardless. The scenery was spectacular - those of you who know the area will know how rugged it is, and some lovely, "northern" villages with dark stone house and dark satanic mills lurking in the mist.

Luckily the weather cleared up a bit in the morning, and I had a great introduction to the birds, from a tiny hawk, who was lovely,

to some amazing owls,

and falcons

They were all fascinating. I didn't realise how many different types of owl there were - I think she had over 50 there.

Then I got my chance at flying them. The owls and hawks will fly to your glove, the falcons tend to be flown by them chasing a lure which is spun by the falconer. It was a great experience. Here's a kestrel landing on my glove.

And one of the barn owls

Of course, they don't fly to you for the fun of it - they want the food you have in your glove. We had day old chicks, or bits of them. Only when they've flown to you a few time are they rewarded with a whole one or two - and owls can swallow them in one go.

But the best bit of the day was taking a hawk for a walk. Really. Bit like taking a dog, but it flew. Or walked sometimes. We had a harris hawk called Toby. Here he is:

I let him off the glove and went for a walk along footpaths and across fields, and he came with us. Sometimes he flew up over the valley, trying to catch the thermals, then he would come back to us and land on a fence or rock. Sometimes he walked with us. Of course, he did get fed when he came back, but it was a great experience.

One of the kestrels took a liking to Stuart's shoulder:

and one landed on my head.

 Totally my fault as I turned away as he was flying towards me, and he had to land somewhere. My head just happened to be the highest point.

It was a great day - I got to handle and fly loads of birds, and learnt so much about them. I would certainly recommend it if you are interested in these magnificent birds of prey.

Flying owls, cocktails and pool

Wednesday was my birthday, so woke up to a coffee and glass of bucks fizz in bed. Very nice!  Opened my presents which included perfume, a gothic mirror for the garden, a candle holder made out of a silver ladle, and a whole day's falconry experience!  Fab.

Got up to find bacon sandwiches had been cooked, so we washed those down with more Bucks Fizz, and then I set off to my falconry hour as a birthday treat. Love flying falcons, owls and hawks. Flew a brown owl, a harris hawk:

 

A buzzard and a young kestrel who was spooked by the snow and flew into nearby trees for about 20 minutes. My favourite was a Great Grey Owl. He was lovely.

Looks like I'm holding a glove puppet doesn't it? He was only a baby, about 4 months old, and he let me stroke his head which was really soft.

Owls have very bad eyesight close up, and rely on movement to catch prey, so when he flew to my glove he couldn't find the food on it, and had to feel around with his beak till he got it. Birds of prey live up to 30 years, so build up a real bond with their handlers, but one of them was not in a good mood - the last couple of times I've done this I've flown Shadow, the Golden Eagle, but this time she was in a bad mood, and Darren didn't want any of us to hold her because he didn't want any of us to end up in hospital! But we did get to see her close up and take pictures.

Really enjoyed it, and looking forward to my whole day. Then it was back to the villa for tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cake. Some of the hot chocolate might have had additives in!

More pool was played, then some of us set off to the spa, whilst the others headed for the sauna and hot tub. The spa is great - about 11 different steam/sauna rooms, as well as a heated outdoor pool, foot spas, a zen garden and an outdoor balcony where sat wrapped in blankets looking over the snowy forest. We even had a lie down on the water beds which was a weird experience, don't know how people sleep on them! Very relaxed, we walked back for champagne and nibbles before going out to eat:

Then back to the villa for the funniest hour of the holiday. One of our party was having a bit of a moan about playing games on Christmas Eve with his wife and her family when he'd rather be in the pub, and describing the worst game of all - Winkles Wedding. His wife then produced it, and we played it.

It was absolutely hilarious. Not particularly the game, but everyone's reaction to it. Annie was in stiches reading the story, and Pete was really keen to play it!

Basically, someone reads a story, written I think around 1920, and there are blanks in it, which the players have to fill in by reading what it says on the first card they turn over. Some examples are a pickled onion, and a giddy kipper. What a good time was had by all!
More late night pool and a very late night in the hot tub, and some of us were a little delicate in the morning, so we went for another walk, this time round the lake, but finishing at the bird hide again.
This time we were rewarded with a woodpecker.

We were directed to another hide which we didn't know about, and saw a nuthatch

and a beautiful Bullfinch which looked so bright against the snow

Slow wander back, coffee in the village coffee shop, back to the villa for a rest, and them some of us went into the Dome. Very warm, we swam outside,  tried some of the flumes, then sat in the hot  tub and the tropical atmosphere chatting.

Back for another home cooked meal, more pool, more cocktails, more hot tub, more games.

Next morning we had to be out by 10, so up earlier than we had been before, skipping breakfast, but calling at Cafe Rouge later for eggs benedict, which was lovely. Then another walk round the lake, which was still frozen

More wildlife spotting

Coffee in the Country Club which had been closed all week for maintenance but was now open, and a last look at the bird hide, where there was a flock of long tailed tits

And then home. A great week with friends - lovely company and a great way to spend a birthday.

Hawks, bowls and late night hot tub

Good meal last night at Cafe Rouge, and some live jazz.  Back to the villa for a few nightcaps and some more music.

Got up a bit earlier this morning as it was my special birthday treat - something I did last time we were her as well - a falconry session. It's run by Darren who's based at Rosliston Forestry Centre. He brings an assortment of birds, and as there was only three of us in the session we got to do a lot of flying.  Started with a barn owl.

Very noisy little bird - hand reared, so constantly cries to get fed. Very sweet, but with very poor eyesight. It landed on one of the pieces of food and couldn't find it.
Next a female kestrel, which was very light - only weighed about 6oz. The birds have to have their weight very carefully controlled, down to about half an ounce. then we had a male kestrel which was still being trained to fly to the hand - lovely bird.

A couple of buzzards next - a standard one (if that's the right name for it) which was a lot bigger than the kestrels, - heavier when they hit your hand. With all the birds you have to keep your hand up - if you let it drop they'll fly off and aim for the nearest high point - often your head. One of them tried to land on Stuart's camera lens.

This one took the food from your hand and then jumped on to the floor. Each bird had different characteristics and personality. Then a very pretty, but still being trained, bird - a red tailed buzzard.

Darren was very good with us and the birds, telling us all about them, their history, habits etc. After the buzzards we had a Harris Hawk, and finally, my favourite - a Golden Eagle. Called Shadow, I remembered her from last time. Huge - Darren had to support my arm as I held her. She also had an unnerving habit of staring you in the eyes  - I wouldn't argue with her. her talons were huge, and it was difficult to get her off my glove.

A great session, and something I'd recommend to anyone - I plan to go to Rosliston and do a whole day at some point in the future.

Then we all met up, and walked round the lake to the Nature Centre in the hope of seeing more wildlife than on Monday. We were lucky, and saw some redpolls, siskins, goldfinches. No woodpeckers though - hopefully another day.  Back to the villa for lunch, and we met a couple of friends on the way from Sheffield who had booked the same week as us, so invited them back. Got back to a nice surprise - the housekeeping staff had spotted my birthday cards and left me a card, a bottle of wine and some chocolates. Bit of a music session in the villa, and then off for some bowling.

We'd booked two lanes so split into boys on one, girls on the other. A mixed ability group I think it's fair to say - from some who'd never done it before to some who were much better! The lanes are neon lit, and we had great fun. Some high scores - some not so. But the turn up of the evening was Donald deciding to bowl left handed, and winning! And on the girls lane, the final game was won by Andrea - who I think had only played a couple of times.

Then into the swimming dome for a few of us - some to sit in the warm climate, some (like me) to swim in the outdoor pool and sit in the hot tub, and some to go down the rapids and flumes. I love the outdoor area - especially in January when it's so cold outside the water is steaming and it's all misty and lit with colour changing lights. I don't do the rapids - but Pete and Stuart had a good time going down them, and the raft flume. Too soon  it was time to get back and get the meal ready. A success  for our slowcookers which had produced a wonderful lamb stew.

After the meal our friends came round and we had a few songs, some music and a late night session in the hot tub with champagne! Very successful.

And later we got strawberry daquiris courtesy of Stuart and his unique way of crushing ice - this time using a bottle of garlic oil. A very late night was had by all!