With the coronavirus lockdown enduring and the public unable to visit SOS for the last three months, our team of falconers took the opportunity to accelerate some of the never-ending renovation work around the centre - think Forth Railway Bridge and you get the idea!
One of the most challenging jobs was to be the remodelling of 3 original large, polygon-shaped aviaries which have withstood the test of time at SOS since the day the centre was opened 25 years ago this August. Originally we planned to rebuild them from the ground up but the absence of visitor traffic and lack of consequent revenue caused by the pandemic put paid to that!
However, thanks to a local builders merchant we were given access to a digger and a dumper for a week, which we took advantage of by demolishing the heavy structures and clearing up the debris left behind. This has proved a double blessing because it has temporarily opened up part of the centre to create more space for the visitors to socially distance in safety when we re-open mid-July.
Below, Gavin (trainee Falconer) and Nick (Animal Keeper), show off their prowess at handling the equipment; a clear space left after the demolition of one of the aviaries that will come in handy whilst social distancing pertains this summer; and the centre under construction when it first opened 25 years ago this August.
Gavin
Nick
