Bird Crime against Birds of Prey

The R.S.P.B. has recently released its annual report on Bird Crime and the focus of the document this year highlights the disturbing levels of harmful criminal activity to which birds of prey are subjected. In it, harrowing tales of the poisoning, trapping or shooting of raptors quite beggar belief but the report builds up a powerful case for urgent, top-level attention to the many issues raised therein.

The R.S.P.B.'s Conservation Director Martin Harper prefaces the report by outlining the urgent need for government action in reviewing legislation to make it easier for the perpetrators of such crimes to be prosecuted. It also advocates widening the scope of responsibility for those indirectly connected with these crimes under proposals of vicarious liability.

The R.S.P.B. then sets out a comprehensive "Manifesto For Change" designed to clarify the issues for improvement of the wildlife laws and the reform of policing of wildlife crime, with recommendations as to how various aspects of the issues involved could be changed.

Finally it covers in some detail the incidents of crime and outcome of successful prosecutions, which in 2011 included:

• 100 reports of poisoning incidents, including 52 confirmed incidents of abuse involving the confirmed poisonings of at least 70 individual birds or animals.
• 202 reports of shooting and destruction of birds of prey, with the confirmed shooting of 30 individual birds of prey.
• 18 reports relating to illegal disturbance or photography of Schedule 1 birds including bird of prey species.
• 26 reports of illegal taking, possession or sale of birds of prey.

Andy Hulme, General manager of Suffolk Owl Sanctuary commented: "This report draws attention to many matters which need to be addressed urgently. It goes without saying that we deplore any persecution of raptors especially by poisoning, which is a horrific way for a bird to die. We have seen a huge increase in the buzzard population in Suffolk in recent years but a notable decline in Sparrowhawks and Kestrels, this latter strongly thought to be caused by secondary poisoning. Regarding shooting, following on from the well publicised instance of one of our own Snowy Owls, Fetlar, being shot dead whilst roaming free and other incidents of birds that had been shot being brought to us, we had a wild Buzzard brought into our Raptor Hospital earlier this year which had also been shot, but thankfully we were able to rehabilitate this bird and release it into a safe environment in a healthy condition. That said, the majority of injured wild birds brought into us are the result of road traffic accidents, which are as great concern to us."

You can download the full report direct from the R.S.P.B. site here

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Red Squirrel Update

Earlier this year we completed the renovation and extension to our Red Squirrel enclosures, the result of much hard work by our trusty brigade of volunteers and a generous donation from Adnams Brewery. 

The three large squirrel enclosures allow plenty of space for recreation and seclusion

The colony currently consists of two pairs of squirrels, thanks to recently sourcing a new female from the British Wildlife Centre in Sussex. This summer they have been enjoying their recently redeveloped enclosures, which have been designed to allow us to accommodate an expanding colony in comfort.

The Reds are now refurbishing their dreys in preparation for winter

As we approach the winter months the squirrels here at SOS will start creating food stores and improving on their dreys. Red Squirrels unlike their grey cousins do not hibernate and will be awake most of the winter, only sleeping through some of the worst days.

The Red Squirrels at the centre give our visitors are rare chance to see these fascinating animals, but also have bred regularly, enabling us to provide youngsters for the release projects that are currently take place on Anglesey.

Unfortunately due to the disturbance of construction work in our area this year, 2012 saw no breeding success for us but we are hopeful that next year our clan will again be able to produce some young squirrels to help this and other Red Squirrel conservation projects. Our colony has certainly acclimatised well to their enlarged surroundings and our new female will be old enough to breed - so fingers crossed!

Red Squirrel Update

Earlier this year we completed the renovation and extension to our Red Squirrel enclosures, the result of much hard work by our trusty brigade of volunteers and a generous donation from Adnams Brewery. 

The three large squirrel enclosures allow plenty of space for recreation and seclusion

The colony currently consists of two pairs of squirrels, thanks to recently sourcing a new female from the British Wildlife Centre in Sussex. This summer they have been enjoying their recently redeveloped enclosures, which have been designed to allow us to accommodate an expanding colony in comfort. 

The Reds are now refurbishing their dreys in preparation for winter

As we approach the winter months the squirrels here at SOS will start creating food stores and improving on their dreys. Red Squirrels unlike their grey cousins do not hibernate and will be awake most of the winter, only sleeping through some of the worst days.

The Red Squirrels at the centre give our visitors are rare chance to see these fascinating animals, but also have bred regularly, enabling us to provide youngsters for the release projects that are currently take place on Anglesey.

Unfortunately due to the disturbance of construction work in our area this year, 2012 saw no breeding success for us but we are hopeful that next year our clan will again be able to produce some young squirrels to help this and other Red Squirrel conservation projects. Our colony has certainly acclimatised well to their enlarged surroundings and our new female will be old enough to breed - so fingers crossed!

For more info on how the Red Squirrel Enclosures came about - click here and on subsequent breeding activity click here

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Butterflies at S.O.S.

We have recently had a spell of nice warm weather which brought out some of our native butterflies to feed on the buddleia and lavender which has been planted around the centre, not only for butterflies but also for the bumble bees.

The three species of butterfly we have seen here at SOS this year are the Red Admiral, the Small Tortoiseshell and the Large White - this despite the prolonged rain through the spring and summer, which hit our native butterflies very hard.

A Red Admiral alights on the buddleia

The Red Admiral Butterfly is a frequent visitor to gardens throughout the British Isles and one of our most well-known butterflies. This butterfly is unmistakable, with the velvety black wings intersected by striking red bands.

This butterfly is primarily a migrant to our shores but due to domestic sightings of individuals in the first few months of the year, especially in the south of England, it now is considered by some to be resident, albeit representing only a small fraction of the UK Red Admiral population. This gets topped up every year with migrants arriving in May and June from central Europe. though the majority of these are unable to survive our winter, especially in the cooler regions of the British Isles.

The Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly is another of our most familiar species, appearing in gardens throughout the British Isles. However, this species has suffered a worrying decline over the last few years, especially in the south.

A close-up showing the distinctive colourings of the Tortoiseshell at the rear

This butterfly has always fluctuated in numbers, but the cause of the most-recent decline is not yet known, although various theories have been proposed. One is the increasing presence of a particular parasitic fly, sturmia bella, due to global warming.

The fly lays its eggs on leaves of the food plant, close to where butterfly larvae are feeding: these eat the fly's eggs whole and the grubs that emerge feed on the insides of their host, avoiding the vital organs. A fly grub eventually kills its host and emerges from either the fully-grown larva or pupa before itself pupating. Although the fly attacks related species, such as the Peacock and Red Admiral, it is believed that the lifecycle of the Small Tortoiseshell is better-synchronised with that of the fly and it is therefore more prone to parasitism

Scourge of cabbage-growers everywhere - the Large White or "Summer Snowflake"

Finally, the Large White Butterfly (pieris brassicae) and the small white butterfly (pieris rapae) are commonly seen flying within our gardens and are affectionately called summer snowflakes.

While the Small White is a native species, the Large White usually migrates from southern Europe because they don't often survive a north European winter and have often been seen crossing the English channel in swarms of many hundred individuals to reach our shores.

The Large White's eggs are often laid in batches of 10 to 20 which hatch into yellow and black, slightly hairy caterpillars after about two weeks and feed for a month or more to reach a length of about 50mm before they turn into pupae.

The eggs of the Small White are laid singly and hatch into bright velvety-green caterpillars which burrow into the hearts of cabbages to feed. They leave their food plants when they're ready to pupate and usually attach themselves to a vertical surface such as a fence or wall with a silk girdle before they finally shed their skin in the summer months and hatch into the next generation of butterflies.

As all horticulturalists and gardeners are all too aware, both species of white butterfly can cause extensive damage to cabbages and other brassicas, eating holes in leaves and tunnelling into the hearts. The severity of cabbage white problems can vary considerably from year to year due to weather, immigration and diseases.

Butterflies at S.O.S.

We have recently had a spell of nice warm weather which brought out some of our native butterflies to feed on the buddleia and lavender which has been planted around the centre, not only for butterflies but also for the bumble bees.

The three species of butterfly we have seen here at SOS this year are the Red Admiral, the Small Tortoiseshell and the Large White - this despite the prolonged rain through the spring and summer, which hit our native butterflies very hard.

A Red Admiral alights on the buddleia

The Red Admiral Butterfly is a frequent visitor to gardens throughout the British Isles and one of our most well-known butterflies. This butterfly is unmistakable, with the velvety black wings intersected by striking red bands.

This butterfly is primarily a migrant to our shores but due to domestic sightings of individuals in the first few months of the year, especially in the south of England, it now is considered by some to be resident, albeit representing only a small fraction of the UK Red Admiral population. This gets topped up every year with migrants arriving in May and June from central Europe. though the majority of these are unable to survive our winter, especially in the cooler regions of the British Isles.

The Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly is another of our most familiar species, appearing in gardens throughout the British Isles. However, this species has suffered a worrying decline over the last few years, especially in the south.

This butterfly has always fluctuated in numbers, but the cause of the most-recent decline is not yet known, although various theories have been proposed. One is the increasing presence of a particular parasitic fly, sturmia bella, due to global warming.

The fly lays its eggs on leaves of the food plant, close to where butterfly larvae are feeding: these eat the fly's eggs whole and the grubs that emerge feed on the insides of their host, avoiding the vital organs. A fly grub eventually kills its host and emerges from either the fully-grown larva or pupa before itself pupating. Although the fly attacks related species, such as the Peacock and Red Admiral, it is believed that the lifecycle of the Small Tortoiseshell is better-synchronised with that of the fly and it is therefore more prone to parasitism

Scourge of cabbage-growers everywhere - the Large White or "Summer Snowflake"

Finally, the Large White Butterfly (pieris brassicae) and the small white butterfly (pieris rapae) are commonly seen flying within our gardens and are affectionately called summer snowflakes.

While the Small White is a native species, the Large White usually migrates from southern Europe because they don't often survive a north European winter and have often been seen crossing the English channel in swarms of many hundred individuals to reach our shores.

The Large White's eggs are often laid in batches of 10 to 20 which hatch into yellow and black, slightly hairy caterpillars after about two weeks and feed for a month or more to reach a length of about 50mm before they turn into pupae.

The eggs of the Small White are laid singly and hatch into bright velvety-green caterpillars which burrow into the hearts of cabbages to feed. They leave their food plants when they're ready to pupate and usually attach themselves to a vertical surface such as a fence or wall with a silk girdle before they finally shed their skin in the summer months and hatch into the next generation of butterflies.

As all horticulturalists and gardeners are all too aware, both species of white butterfly can cause extensive damage to cabbages and other brassicas, eating holes in leaves and tunnelling into the hearts. The severity of cabbage white problems can vary considerably from year to year due to weather, immigration and diseases.

For previous info on our Butterfly Garden, click here

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A Fishy Story

The Osprey is a species of bird of prey that is unlikely to ever be brought into the Sanctuary here in Mid-Suffolk: not only is it rare to these shores as a whole but because our regional terrain here is devoid of suitable hunting grounds and nesting environments, which are coastal or situated near any lake or river which is free from disturbance and where fishing is possible. 

As a result we've never run a story on this fascinating bird, but a recent feature in The Daily Mail featuring some amazing photographs by Miguel Lasa, a 49-year-old award-winning photographer who works as a family doctor in north-east England, prompted us to contact him for permission to reproduce them for your benefit. 

The Osprey is a specialist fish-eater which will plunge into the water from about 30ft for his food. Ospreys' feet are specifically adapted to the purpose - they have long, sharp, very curved talons and the undersides of the feet are covered in tiny spikes, which act rather like velcro-fasteners. Ospreys are able to turn their outer toes to the rear, so giving them two opposing pairs of talons to accomplish their challenging hunting task. Sometimes known as a fish hawk, they begin their hunt by hovering as they search for prey - normally salmon or trout - in the water, before executing a dramatic, near vertical, feet-first plunge.

Compared to its body weight of up to 4.51bs, the Osprey has very large wings, with a span of almost 6ft. These it uses to lift both itself and its prey - both soaking wet - from the water's surface, hanging in mid-air after a few strong wing-beats to shed water with a characteristic shake of its body, before flying off to feed.

Ospreys are migratory birds which winter in Africa and southern Europe and migrate northwards during the summer to breed and feed new chicks with fish. They were persecuted to extinction in Britain by 1917 but their British comeback started in 1959 when a pair returned and bred successfully at Loch Garten in Scotland where now about 110 pairs return each year. More success has been enjoyed further south as Ospreys have returned to Rutland Water and been encouraged to breed there.

Miguel travelled to Finland to capture the behaviour and action of fishing ospreys during the summer.

"I took the photographs from a bird hide and waited to photograph them from 6am to 8pm every day for seven days over four summers. I used high camera speed frames and fast focus to freeze the dives and splash.

"They dive from high altitude to catch the fish from lakes and ponds. I was amazed by the beauty and skill of this birds when fishing. I loved photographing the ospreys so close during their amazing splash dives. It was an experience I will never forget.'

You can find more photos of the Osprey hunting and Miguel's fantastic gallery of wildlife images at www.miguellasa.com

A Fishy Story

The Osprey is a species of bird of prey that is unlikely to ever be brought into the Sanctuary here in Mid-Suffolk: not only is it rare to these shores as a whole but because our regional terrain here is devoid of suitable hunting grounds and nesting environments, which are coastal or situated near any lake or river which is free from disturbance and where fishing is possible. 

As a result we've never run a story on this fascinating bird, but a recent feature in The Daily Mail featuring some amazing photographs by Miguel Lasa, a 49-year-old award-winning photographer who works as a family doctor in north-east England, prompted us to contact him for permission to reproduce them for your benefit. 

The Osprey is a specialist fish-eater which will plunge into the water from about 30ft for his food. Ospreys' feet are specifically adapted to the purpose - they have long, sharp, very curved talons and the undersides of the feet are covered in tiny spikes, which act rather like velcro-fasteners. Ospreys are able to turn their outer toes to the rear, so giving them two opposing pairs of talons to accomplish their challenging hunting task. Sometimes known as a fish hawk, they begin their hunt by hovering as they search for prey - normally salmon or trout - in the water, before executing a dramatic, near vertical, feet-first plunge.

Compared to its body weight of up to 4.51bs, the Osprey has very large wings, with a span of almost 6ft. These it uses to lift both itself and its prey - both soaking wet - from the water's surface, hanging in mid-air after a few strong wing-beats to shed water with a characteristic shake of its body, before flying off to feed.

Ospreys are migratory birds which winter in Africa and southern Europe and migrate northwards during the summer to breed and feed new chicks with fish. They were persecuted to extinction in Britain by 1917 but their British comeback started in 1959 when a pair returned and bred successfully at Loch Garten in Scotland where now about 110 pairs return each year. More success has been enjoyed further south as Ospreys have returned to Rutland Water and been encouraged to breed there.

Miguel travelled to Finland to capture the behaviour and action of fishing ospreys during the summer.

"I took the photographs from a bird hide and waited to photograph them from 6am to 8pm every day for seven days over four summers. I used high camera speed frames and fast focus to freeze the dives and splash.

"They dive from high altitude to catch the fish from lakes and ponds. I was amazed by the beauty and skill of this birds when fishing. I loved photographing the ospreys so close during their amazing splash dives. It was an experience I will never forget.'

You can find more photos of the Osprey hunting and Miguel's fantastic gallery of wildlife images at www.miguellasa.com

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Ready for the off!

As you probably know, all animals moult regularly in order to renew skin or fur and birds moult at least once a year in order to renew their damaged feathers: some also use the occasion to change their breeding colours and other bird populations in colder climes lighten the colour of their plumage for winter in order to increase snow camouflage.

Very often some of the birds that come into our charge in a distressed or damaged state are in a moulting state, and so where applicable we keep these for a while even after they have recuperated from their injuries until such time as they have completed their moult and have a refreshed set of feather with which to greet the world.

A local farmer, Francis, allows us to hack recuperated birds back from his land and even helped us in the task of releasing a couple of tawnies this week...

During the past couple of weeks we have been able to prepare some long-term in-mates for release on such a basis, including a barn owl brought into us at the beginning of the year who had lost a fair few feathers and is now back to peak condition, as well as a pair of adult tawnies who are in a hack box getting accustomed to the surroundings of their release location

However, the oily kestrel which came in a few months ago will probably be with us for several months to come as she has yet to start her moult. We need her to do this before release because she needs a whole new set of feathers - she was so oiled up when she came into us that even using the best methods to remove the excess oil we could not remove enough to ensure the original feathers would sustain successful flight.

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On a lighter note, Bradley Heffer sent us this selection of owlish jokes which we are sure you will enjoy - thanks, Bradley!

1. Where do owls do their shopping? Owldy
2. What do owls  say when they get hurt? Owlch.
3. What car does an owl drive? An Owlfa Romeo.
4. What do owls listen to? Owlbums.
5. What do owls drink? Owlcahol!

Ready for the off!

As you probably know, all animals moult regularly in order to renew skin or fur and birds moult at least once a year in order to renew their damaged feathers: some also use the occasion to change their breeding colours and other bird populations in colder climes lighten the colour of their plumage for winter in order to increase snow camouflage.

Very often some of the birds that come into our charge in a distressed or damaged state are in a moulting state, and so where applicable we keep these for a while even after they have recuperated from their injuries until such time as they have completed their moult and have a refreshed set of feather with which to greet the world.

A local farmer, Francis, allows us to hack recuperated birds back from his land and even helped us in the task of releasing a couple of tawnies this week...

During the past couple of weeks we have been able to prepare some long-term in-mates for release on such a basis, including a barn owl brought into us at the beginning of the year who had lost a fair few feathers and is now back to peak condition, as well as a pair of adult tawnies who are in a hack box getting accustomed to the surroundings of their release location

However, the oily kestrel which came in a few months ago will probably be with us for several months to come as she has yet to start her moult. We need her to do this before release because she needs a whole new set of feathers - she was so oiled up when she came into us that even using the best methods to remove the excess oil we could not remove enough to ensure the original feathers would sustain successful flight.

--
On a lighter note, Bradley Heffer sent us this selection of owlish jokes which we are sure you will enjoy - thanks, Bradley!

1. Where do owls do their shopping? Owldy
2. What do owls  say when they get hurt? Owlch.
3. What car does an owl drive? An Owlfa Romeo.
4. What do owls listen to? Owlbums.
5. What do owls drink? Owlcahol!

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Green is the colour...

Last Sunday saw the first of what we hope will be regular "Nature Conservation Days" at the Sanctuary, the brainchild of our administration team Catherine & Anna, who together put in some great work staging the event - thank you, girls!

During the day visitors were able to meet with representatives of a number of local groups and societies concerned with with matters 'green', discuss topics of interest with them and pick up information, hints & tips etc.

The Mid Anglian Bat Group has come together over the last two years, formed by enthusiasts interested in every aspect of this fascinating creature. Potential new members of the society were informed about the habitat, behaviour, and characteristics of this nocturnal native and invited to take part in a variety of exciting activities that compose the group’s annual calendar. Apart from 'bat walks', sightings and audits the group also enjoy socialising with other like-minded naturalists. 

The Mid Anglian Bat Group drew a lot of interest

The RSPB need no introduction as the foremost organisation in the country concerned with bird welfare & conservation, and we were very pleased to have a representative taking part in the event. Their stand appealed to both old and young and the Society were able to sign up some new members during the day.

The RSPB were as popular as ever

Trudy & Duncan from the Suffolk Amphibian & Reptile Group brought along a fascinating collection of native amphibians including lizards, slow worms, grass snakes, greater crested newts, toads and frogs to illustrate their sphere of interest. They also offered some valuable advice on creating the ideal habitat for these creatures in your own garden. Duncan also offered to help us on the management of the ponds and damp areas in our own Woodland Walk area at S.O.S. so we'll keep you updated on progress.

“Newts, Slow Worms & Toads illustrated just a few of the amphibians & reptiles to be found locally”

This part of the country enjoys its own population of wild deer and our visitors were all interested in the activities of The British Deer Society, who brought along lots of information on the importance of protecting our native deer species. They are also very proactive in raising awareness for their RTA Campaign, the aim of which is to reduce the number of deer deaths through road traffic accidents. "Slow Down!" is the succinct message as visitors were made aware that this one simple measure whilst out and about on country roads could reverse this unfortunate, increasing trend.

On a different tack, the Suffolk Greener Homes project brought along useful information on domestic cost-cutting measures - home insulation, fuel economy, alternative energy sources etc. - as part of the local drive to make Suffolk the greenest county in the country. There are valuable subsidies which can be applied for up until the end of September this year - visit http://www.greensuffolk.org/green-communities/support/suffolk-greener-homes-insulation-2012/#Enquiry Form if you'd like to know more.

Our younger visitors were offered a conservation-themed activity to keep them busy - the creation of framed Owl poems using natural materials such as corn grasses, feathers and leaves gleaned from the locality. Meanwhile, also available during the day was information from the Hare Preservation Trust and the Mid Suffolk County Council Recycling team.

Finally, a very special mention must go to Margaret of SARG who sweated her way through the very warm afternoon in her frog suit kindly lent by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust - thank you, Margaret!!

Green is the colour...

Last Sunday saw the first of what we hope will be regular "Nature Conservation Days" at the Sanctuary, the brainchild of our administration team Catherine & Anna, who together put in some great work staging the event - thank you, girls!

During the day visitors were able to meet with representatives of a number of local groups and societies concerned with with matters 'green', discuss topics of interest with them and pick up information, hints & tips etc.

The Mid Anglian Bat Group has come together over the last two years, formed by enthusiasts interested in every aspect of this fascinating creature. Potential new members of the society were informed about the habitat, behaviour, and characteristics of this nocturnal native and invited to take part in a variety of exciting activities that compose the group’s annual calendar. Apart from 'bat walks', sightings and audits the group also enjoy socialising with other like-minded naturalists.

The Mid Anglian Bat Group drew a lot of interest

The RSPB need no introduction as the foremost organisation in the country concerned with bird welfare & conservation, and we were very pleased to have a representative taking part in the event. Their stand appealed to both old and young and the Society were able to sign up some new members during the day.

The RSPB were as popular as ever

Trudy & Duncan from the Suffolk Amphibian & Reptile Group brought along a fascinating collection of native amphibians including lizards, slow worms, grass snakes, greater crested newts, toads and frogs to illustrate their sphere of interest. They also offered some valuable advice on creating the ideal habitat for these creatures in your own garden. Duncan also offered to help us on the management of the ponds and damp areas in our own Woodland Walk area at S.O.S. so we'll keep you updated on progress.

Newts, Slow Worms & Toads illustrated just a few of the amphibians & reptiles to be found locally

This part of the country enjoys its own population of wild deer and our visitors were all interested in the activities of The British Deer Society, who brought along lots of information on the importance of protecting our native deer species. They are also very proactive in raising awareness for their RTA Campaign, the aim of which is to reduce the number of deer deaths through road traffic accidents. "Slow Down!" is the succinct message as visitors were made aware that this one simple measure whilst out and about on country roads could reverse this unfortunate, increasing trend.

On a different tack, the Suffolk Greener Homes project brought along useful information on domestic cost-cutting measures - home insulation, fuel economy, alternative energy sources etc. - as part of the local drive to make Suffolk the greenest county in the country. There are valuable subsidies which can be applied for up until the end of September this year - visit http://www.greensuffolk.org/green-communities/support/suffolk-greener-homes-insulation-2012/#Enquiry Form if you'd like to know more.

Our younger visitors were offered a conservation-themed activity to keep them busy - the creation of framed Owl poems using natural materials such as corn grasses, feathers and leaves gleaned from the locality. Meanwhile, also available during the day was information from the Hare Preservation Trust and the Mid Suffolk County Council Recycling team.

Finally, a very special mention must go to Margaret of SARG who sweated her way through the very warm afternoon in her frog suit kindly lent by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust - thank you, Margaret!!

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Bird Of Prey Day

A couple of weeks ago we held a special "Bird Of Prey Day" at the Sanctuary as an event to give the general public an insight into the art of falconry, a subject often raised by visitors who - inspired by the sight of many of the birds in action at the centre - would like to know more about this fascinating topic.

Where's The Birdie? "It's behind you!" - albeit just a mere speck in the sky as the falcon was preparing to stoop back to the flying arena and wow the audience with his speed and ariel dexterity.
 

A Ferruginous Buzzard comes in for close scrutiny

To the enlightenment of many, falconry is not a sport as such but is part of a culture which has important connections with both the practice of wildlife conservation and an awareness of the importance of maintaining a balance of biodiversity.

In the demonstration arena the day consisted of three flying displays, a fantastic gun dog display put on by our good friend Frank Walker and a demonstration by our colleagues from “The Warren Hill Raptor Project” who brought along “Shelby” the Bald Eagle.

Nigel King from Barleylands came with his Striated Cara Cara to demonstrate how these fascinating birds scavenge for food in their native country, the Falkland Isles, where they act rather like a common magpie as they pinch washing off the clothes line and rummage in the bins for food. 

Nigel's Cara Cara ran from pillar to post to dustbinas he demonstrated his scavenging skills

The South East Falconry Group put on a great show of birds and we were lucky enough to be joined in the arena by them flying some of their falcons.

Away from the field we were joined by a variety of specialists and clubs who provided a wealth of expert knowledge on 'best practice' when it comes to contemplating keeping a bird of prey privately. We also owe a debt of thanks to Roger and Kevin from our partners the Thornham Owl Project, who had an array of interesting literature and information on providing, erecting and managing nest boxes plus other hints and tips for those passionate about conserving our native wild owl and other bird of prey species. Also on hand were those who make and sell falconry furniture (accessories) and equipment.

All in all it was a very successful day where experts, novices and those that were just interested in falconry were able to share in the experience.

Bird Of Prey Day

A couple of weeks ago we held a special "Bird Of Prey Day" at the Sanctuary as an event to give the general public an insight into the art of falconry, a subject often raised by visitors who - inspired by the sight of many of the birds in action at the centre - would like to know more about this fascinating topic.

Where's The Birdie? "It's behind you!" - albeit just a mere speck in the sky as the falcon was preparing to stoop back to the flying arena and wow the audience with his speed and ariel dexterity.

To the enlightenment of many, falconry is not a sport as such but is part of a culture which has important connections with both the practice of wildlife conservation and an awareness of the importance of maintaining a balance of biodiversity.

In the demonstration arena the day consisted of three flying displays, a fantastic gun dog display put on by our good friend Frank Walker and a demonstration by our colleagues from “The Warren Hill Raptor Project” who brought along “Shelby” the Bald Eagle.

A Ferruginous Buzzard comes in for close scrutiny

Nigel King from Barleylands came with his Striated Cara Cara to demonstrate how these fascinating birds scavenge for food in their native country, the Falkland Isles, where they act rather like a common magpie as they pinch washing off the clothes line and rummage in the bins for food.

Nigel's Cara Cara ran from pillar to post to dustbin as he demonstrated his scavenging skills

The South East Falconry Group put on a great show of birds and we were lucky enough to be joined in the arena by them flying some of their falcons.

Away from the field we were joined by a variety of specialists and clubs who provided a wealth of expert knowledge on 'best practice' when it comes to contemplating keeping a bird of prey privately. We also owe a debt of thanks to Roger and Kevin from our partners the Thornham Owl Project, who had an array of interesting literature and information on providing, erecting and managing nest boxes plus other hints and tips for those passionate about conserving our native wild owl and other bird of prey species. Also on hand were those who make and sell falconry furniture (accessories) and equipment.

All in all it was a very successful day where experts, novices and those that were just interested in falconry were able to share in the experience.

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New rehabilitation aviaries in demand

Our Raptor Hospital has been very busy over the last few months as the intake of cases has increased, so much so we have had to build two more rehabilitation aviaries to house the number of injured wild birds we have nursed back to health. These rehabilitation aviaries are designed to give their temporary tenants a quiet and safe place to recuperate as the last leg of recovery before being released back to the wild.

Our team have been working hard to get the aviaries completed as quickly as possible - Steve and Doug here are but a few of the brilliant volunteers that have helped with the new building work over the past few weeks. 

Our brilliant volunteers play a big part in helpingto build the new aviaries quickly - thanks, guys!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal supporters Eastern Concrete, who once again have come up trumps by donating the materials for the base of the aviaries.

Although we are busy with the increased number of visitors during the summer holidays (we hesitate to say 'weather permitting' due to the very wet weather we, like the rest of the country, have endured of late) we still have to keep on top of all the little jobs and couldn't resist showing you this image of Dean repairing the roof in our mews room - a small but vital job - and it keeps him out of mischief!

New rehabilitation aviaries in demand

Our Raptor Hospital has been very busy over the last few months as the intake of cases has increased, so much so we have had to build two more rehabilitation aviaries to house the number of injured wild birds we have nursed back to health. These rehabilitation aviaries are designed to give their temporary tenants a quiet and safe place to recuperate as the last leg of recovery before being released back to the wild.

Our team have been working hard to get the aviaries completed as quickly as possible - Steve and Doug here are but a few of the brilliant volunteers that have helped with the new building work over the past few weeks.

Our brilliant volunteers play a big part in helping to build the new aviaries quickly - thanks, guys!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal supporters Eastern Concrete, who once again have come up trumps by donating the materials for the base of the aviaries.

Although we are busy with the increased number of visitors during the summer holidays (we hesitate to say 'weather permitting' due to the very wet weather we, like the rest of the country, have endured of late) we still have to keep on top of all the little jobs and couldn't resist showing you this image of Dean repairing the roof in our mews room - a small but vital job - and it keeps him out of mischief!

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An Owl, A Pussycat and a Python

Listening to a podcast of BBC Radio 4's arts programme "Front Row" earlier this week, we chanced upon a feature about a collaboration between the Royal Opera House and The Mayor Of London Presents initiative who are staging the Cultural Olympiad timed to coincide with the sporting events in Stratford, London E20 taking place over the next few weeks.. 

Together ROH & MOL commissioned Monty Python's Terry Jones and composer Anne Dudley (musical director of the forthcoming film of "Les Miserables" starring Russell Crowe) to write an opera based on Edward lear's whimsical limerick, "The Owl & The Pussy Cat". The result is being performed on a boat passing along London's canals, with forthcoming performances at Graham Street Gardens on Sunday July 29th and Mile End Park on Tuesday July 31st, free to all-comers.

You can listen to the podcast or read all about the venture by following the links below, but what caught our ear was mention of an extraordinary piece of film on YouTube featuring… an owl and a pussycat. To quote The Guardian newspaper, Jones says he was inspired by the online film depricting the chummy real-life antics of a cat called Fum and a barn owl called Gebra. "The owl flies over the cat dangling a mouse and the cat tries to grab it. Then there are shots of the cat rubbing up against the owl and being pecked." 

Unusual companions - stills from the Fum & Gebra video

If you click here you can see the clip, though we're not convinced it's a mouse being dangled by the owl but rather, its jesses. And we're in two minds about some of the contents of the clip itself too, though the relationship between the cat and the owl is something quite unusual to behold so is worth a look.

Meanwhile if you'd like to catch the last two London performances of the opera on the 29th & 31st July , it's being performed on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' and you can find out all about these events here, read The Guardian article in full here and listen to the Front Row podcast here.

The opera is being staged on a 'beautiful pea-green barge'as spectators of the Little Venice performance look on

One other tid-bit: did you know the Royal Mail created a new postcode especially for the Olympic Park - London E20 2ST.

An Owl, A Pussycat and a Python

Listening to a podcast of BBC Radio 4's arts programme "Front Row" earlier this week, we chanced upon a feature about a collaboration between the Royal Opera House and The Mayor Of London Presents initiative who are staging the Cultural Olympiad timed to coincide with the sporting events in Stratford, London E20 taking place over the next few weeks.

Together ROH & MOL commissioned Monty Python's Terry Jones and composer Anne Dudley (musical director of the forthcoming film of "Les Miserables" starring Russell Crowe) to write an opera based on Edward lear's whimsical limerick, "The Owl & The Pussy Cat". The result is being performed on a boat passing along London's canals, with forthcoming performances at Graham Street Gardens on Sunday July 29th and Mile End Park on Tuesday July 31st, free to all-comers.

You can listen to the podcast or read all about the venture by following the links below, but what caught our ear was mention of an extraordinary piece of film on YouTube featuring… an owl and a pussycat. To quote The Guardian newspaper, Jones says he was inspired by the online film depricting the chummy real-life antics of a cat called Fum and a barn owl called Gebra. "The owl flies over the cat dangling a mouse and the cat tries to grab it. Then there are shots of the cat rubbing up against the owl and being pecked." 

Unusual companions - stills from the Fum & Gebra video

If you click here you can see the clip, though we're not convinced it's a mouse being dangled by the owl but rather, its jesses. And we're in two minds about some of the contents of the clip itself too, though the relationship between the cat and the owl is something quite unusual to behold so is worth a look.

Meanwhile if you'd like to catch the last two London performances of the opera on the 29th & 31st July , it's being performed on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' and you can find out all about these events here, read The Guardian article in full here and listen to the Front Row podcast here.

The opera is being staged on a 'beautiful pea-green barge' as spectators of the Little Venice performance look on

One other tid-bit: did you know the Royal Mail created a new postcode especially for the Olympic Park - London E20 2ST.

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Work Experience - A Reader Writes!

My name is Harry Studd and I have just completed my two weeks of work experience at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. 

When I arrived at the Sanctuary at the start of the project, the first thing I was taught to do was how to transfer some of the flying display birds who spend their nights in the mews room to the outdoor weatherings by one of the falconers, Matt. This was brilliant, just picking the birds up from their boxes and placing them on their perches for the day. 

This is me with my favourite owl, Cecil

Cleaning out the aviaries was an important job

To keep them from flying away the falconers tether the birds to their perches with a soft leash with what’s known as a falconers knot. The knot itself is very simple but difficult to perfect because you have to do it with one hand as you have a bird on your other wrist, so when I took the birds out for the first few times Matt helped me with my knot and taught me how to do it.

Every day at the centre I had a specific morning routine, which included getting the birds out of the mews room, followed by a cup of coffee, and then cleaning out and wiping down the birds' boxes in the mews room, followed by preparing the birds' food which included chopping up frozen chicks, rats and quail into pieces. At first I found this work quite gruesome but after a few days I got used to it.

Then I helped clean out the aviaries of some of the birds that fly in the displays, and some of the big aviaries which held Tawny Eagles, a Black Vulture and a Steppe Eagle. 

I made a good friend, Luke, at the centre

Another thing I did quite often during work experience was PAINTING!!! I painted the flying owl aviaries and the outside of the falconers hut, which took up a lot of time but was worth the hard work. Sometimes I got the paint onto the aviaries and buildings beside all over me.

I learnt a lot about all of the owls at the centre from the flying displays and also asking the falconers questions about the birds. I found out quite a lot I didn't know especially that there are many myths about owls - e.g. all owls are nocturnal and that owls are very smart - which are not true. Many owls are not nocturnal because they fly at dawn & dusk, and owls are not very bright, either. This is because their brains are proportionately quite small compared with the size of their head as they have big eyes and ears which leaves very little room for a brain. If we take Cecil as an example, when we look him we can only see about 30% of his eye because they are shaped like Cornetto’s - we can only see the 'ice cream' part at the top and the cone part is actually inside Cecil’s head. Also Cecil is a lot thinner than he looks - without all his feathers he would look a lot thinner!

Ash, the Common Buzzard on the glove of one of the falconers

Cecil is a Spectacled Owl which I flew three times whilst I was at the Sanctuary and that was the best part about my work experience. Also during the time I flew Auckland, a Little Owl and Cobweb, a Barn Owl.

My favourite bird at the centre has to be the Common Buzzard, Ash - this is because he is a great flyer and has a great personality.

It wasn’t just me on work experience as we had another boy from Thomas Mills High School whose name was Luke Mercer. We got on very well and enjoyed each other’s company and had a good laugh together. We did most of the jobs together like cleaning the aviaries and painting as well as flying the birds which he and I thoroughly enjoyed and want to do again.

I would just like to say thank you to everyone at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary who had to put up with me for two weeks and I can’t wait to come and help in the summer. See you then!

Words by Harry Studd (15)
Pictures by Luke Mercer & Harry Studd

Work Experience - A Reader Writes!

My name is Harry Studd and I have just completed my two weeks of work experience at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. 

When I arrived at the Sanctuary at the start of the project, the first thing I was taught to do was how to transfer some of the flying display birds who spend their nights in the mews room to the outdoor weatherings by one of the falconers, Matt. This was brilliant, just picking the birds up from their boxes and placing them on their perches for the day. 

This is me with my favourite owl, Cecil

To keep them from flying away the falconers tether the birds to their perches with a soft leash with what’s known as a falconers knot. The knot itself is very simple but difficult to perfect because you have to do it with one hand as you have a bird on your other wrist, so when I took the birds out for the first few times Matt helped me with my knot and taught me how to do it.

Every day at the centre I had a specific morning routine, which included getting the birds out of the mews room, followed by a cup of coffee, and then cleaning out and wiping down the birds' boxes in the mews room, followed by preparing the birds' food which included chopping up frozen chicks, rats and quail into pieces. At first I found this work quite gruesome but after a few days I got used to it.

Then I helped clean out the aviaries of some of the birds that fly in the displays, and some of the big aviaries which held Tawny Eagles, a Black Vulture and a Steppe Eagle. 

Cleaning out the aviaries was an important job

Another thing I did quite often during work experience was PAINTING!!! I painted the flying owl aviaries and the outside of the falconers hut, which took up a lot of time but was worth the hard work. Sometimes I got the paint onto the aviaries and buildings beside all over me.

I learnt a lot about all of the owls at the centre from the flying displays and also asking the falconers questions about the birds. I found out quite a lot I didn't know especially that there are many myths about owls - e.g. all owls are nocturnal and that owls are very smart - which are not true. Many owls are not nocturnal because they fly at dawn & dusk, and owls are not very bright, either. This is because their brains are proportionately quite small compared with the size of their head as they have big eyes and ears which leaves very little room for a brain. If we take Cecil as an example, when we look him we can only see about 30% of his eye because they are shaped like Cornetto’s - we can only see the 'ice cream' part at the top and the cone part is actually inside Cecil’s head. Also Cecil is a lot thinner than he looks - without all his feathers he would look a lot thinner!

I made a good friend, Luke, at the centre

Cecil is a Spectacled Owl which I flew three times whilst I was at the Sanctuary and that was the best part about my work experience. Also during the time I flew Auckland, a Little Owl and Cobweb, a Barn Owl. 

My favourite bird at the centre has to be the Common Buzzard, Ash - this is because he is a great flyer and has a great personality.

Ash, the Common Buzzard on the glove of one of the falconers

It wasn’t just me on work experience as we had another boy from Thomas Mills High School whose name was Luke Mercer. We got on very well and enjoyed each other’s company and had a good laugh together. We did most of the jobs together like cleaning the aviaries and painting as well as flying the birds which he and I thoroughly enjoyed and want to do again. I would just like to say thank you to everyone at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary who had to put up with me for two weeks and I can’t wait to come and help in the summer. See you then!

Words by Harry Studd (15)
Pictures by Luke Mercer & Harry Studd

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Release Day

This being the time of year when fledgling Tawny Owls are finding their way around, during the last few weeks we have acquired a total of five babies who have either been brought into us as 'orphans' or have had to be rescued in various states of repair. We're pleased to report that we've been able to been able to release all five of them back to nature fit and well

The first owlet had wandered too far away from its nest to be put back and had obviously been absent-without-leave from home for quite a while as it was very hungry by the time it was brought into us.

The second and third owlets were lovingly picked up by a kind Labrador - yes, Labrador - whilst out with its owner. Again the babies could not be put back in or near their nest immediately as the lady dog-owner was walking in a wood and had no idea where exactly they had been retrieved from.

The fourth owlet was rescued in a very poor and extremely smelly state as it had fallen in a sceptic tank and was basically just a little lump of poop. At first it was actually difficult to see what type of owl it was until it had a bath… and guess who got that job? Several bowls of stinky water later, we had one very happy, poop-free Tawny Owl chick.

… and then the others get the idea!

And last but not least, the final Tawny baby was found all alone and very wet, too wet to be left where it was found* so after a good dry up and feed, owlet number five joined the other four in the recuperation aviaries awaiting release.

The first of the few… one Tawny Owlet takes flight…

A few weeks ago it was decided all the babies were ready to be taken to a safe & secluded site where they were placed in a Hack Box - basically a false nest where they are fed daily until willing and able to fend for themselves: while in the box the babies get used to the sights and sounds of the surrounding area where they will eventually be released. I am happy to say that day came around last week and in beautiful warm & sunny weather, we had the pleasure of watching them all fly off very happily into the surrounding woods, all 'as free as a bird'.

* P.S. We always suggest that 'found' baby Tawny Owls should never be picked up but whenever possible left where they are, as their parents usually know of their proximity and will still care for the youngsters even though they may be out of the nest.