Top School pays us a visit!!

At S.O.S. we're not only committed to our various schemes which focus on the care & conservation of wild owls & other birds of prey - we're also immersed in the education of the next generation of wildlife guardians through its work with local schools and colleges and offer a wide range of educational activities designed to inspire children of all ages to investigate wildlife in general and conservation questions in particular.

To this end, falconers are happy to travel out to regional schools with a variety of birds, presenting children with their first opportunity to experience an owl or other bird of prey at close quarters.

Alternatively, school parties are welcomed into the sanctuary to spend a day amongst the falconers and birds, discovering answers to all the Why?/ What?/ When? questions posed by the natural world and an owl’s place within it.

This week, one of our local schools paid such a visit…..and had a surprise in store for the falconers! In the weeks preceding their visit, the whole school had explored the value of “Service”. Willow Class had decided to demonstrate their understanding of "service to a charity" by working extremely hard with their teacher to raise funds for their chosen cause.

The enterprising children from a local school met Aukland, the Boobook Owl during their recent visit - despite the terrible weather
(and the ever-present danger of falconer Dean showing his knees)
everyone seemed to have a good time!

Having dreamt up some inventive ways to raise money, the whole class had indulged in a Chocolate Bingo session and suffered the agonies of a Sponsored Silence! As a direct consequence, the birds currently in the care S.O.S. became the lucky recipients of their generosity and a large donation cheque was presented to Auckland, the Boobook Owl and Dean the falconer.

The school spent the rest of the VERY wet day meeting the birds in the flying team and learning about the important role owls play in our domestic ecosystem, as indicators of the health of our countryside. Owls and other birds of prey from other parts of the world were also introduced and the day to day work of the sanctuary and its hospital facilities explained. The adoption team was very popular and the children elected to adopt three birds on their visit - Lily the Little Owl, Bug the Tawny Owl and Odin, the Peregrine Falcon.

ITMA (ask your grandad) - Dean and Aukland together accept a very generous donation raised through the extra-ordinary efforts of a class from a local school. Thank you, guys - you did us proud!!

Despite the awful weather, our resident family of meerkats did not fail to entertain, and a close look at the red squirrels was also a “first” for many children, but sadly, torrential rain necessitated an early retreat back to school, but all the staff and birds at the sanctuary look forward to welcoming Willow Class back to the centre on a drier, more comfortable day!!

Meanwhile we would like to thank the school once again for the very generous donation and all the hard work,organisation and planning that the enthusiastic of these enthusiastic schoolchildren necessitated.

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Rescue Update!

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s Raptor Hospital has been bursting at the seams for the last couple of months!

Baby birds which have fallen out of trees (branchers) have been swelling the usual patient numbers and placing quite a strain on resources: more birds in the hospital also means more birds in rehab and more birds being hacked out as they acclimatise to life back in the wild!

They look angelic, don't they? But the four young tawnies, who arrived with us as bedraggled heaps, will so be taking to the skies when old enough to fend for themselves

Luckily, as young owls grow rapidly and generally recover well from initial accidents with warmth, food and rest, normal service is resumed quite quickly in the hospital ward, as casualties recover, mature and are returned to their natural habitat.

After initial assessment and treatment, patients gradually regain weight and condition to the point where they can be transferred to a rehabilitation aviary. In this spacious, quiet accommodation the recovering birds can regain flight confidence and increase muscle tone and strength. 

Eventually, the falconers will deem these birds fit enough to reside in a hack box at one of several secluded, peaceful sites local to the sanctuary. Here, recovered birds can take their first tentative flights out into the natural environment , whilst having a secure, protected roost and regular food supply to return to until they take the final flight out into the wild.

Several birds are currently ready to make this transition - birds that we have already reported on in our blogs and whose progress regular readers have been able to follow. In particular a family of tiny Little Owl quintuplets which were exposed to the elements during renovation works at a local farm. As you may have read in a previous blog, workmen found the family after removing the barn roof, by which time the parent birds had been frightened away from their young.

Dubbed the “Famous Five” the tiny progeny were brought to the Raptor Hospital and found to be cold and hungry, but otherwise robust, the parent birds having done an excellent job of raising them so far. The quins grew RAPIDLY and after only a few weeks of warmth, food and general TLC are now established in rehab and ready for hacking out!

Remember these guys….?

… well, in just over a month the Famous Five fit and ready to fly the coop!

Four young Tawny Owls are also ready to move on to pastures new, having been transformed from tiny, wet bedraggled scraps to strong, fit adult birds displaying handsome adult plumage. The Tawnies were received into the hospital as separate “branching out” casualties, a few days apart, but have recovered and matured together into a closely bonded group which will hack out together shortly.

Three Little Owls blown from their nest site when a branch fell from their tree will also be moving on to the rehabilitation facilities soon, having rapidly improved in size and condition.

Although the sanctuary staff always try to return wild recovered birds to the territory from whence they came, this is not always possible for their own safety. However, our team use their experience to release these birds in remote areas where establishing their own territory and pairing with partner within a few days of leaving the hack site to produce progeny of their own next Spring stands a more than fair chance of success.

Without the continuing generosity of its supporters, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary could not continue to offer such effective long term treatment and care to all the wild injured owls and other birds of prey admitted to its hospital.

We hope that these reports of successful outcomes for large numbers of the birds in our care are proof positive of the very real difference that your generous donations make to the conservation of these magnificent species.

THANK YOU!

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Rescue Update!

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s Raptor Hospital has been bursting at the seams for the last couple of months!

Baby birds which have fallen out of trees (branchers) have been swelling the usual patient numbers and placing quite a strain on resources: more birds in the hospital also means more birds in rehab and more birds being hacked out as they acclimatise to life back in the wild!

They look angelic, don't they? But the four young tawnies, 
who arrived with us as bedraggled heaps, will so be taking to the skies when old enough to fend for themselves

Luckily, as young owls grow rapidly and generally recover well from initial accidents with warmth, food and rest, normal service is resumed quite quickly in the hospital ward, as casualties recover, mature and are returned to their natural habitat.

After initial assessment and treatment, patients gradually regain weight and condition to the point where they can be transferred to a rehabilitation aviary. In this spacious, quiet accommodation the recovering birds can regain flight confidence and increase muscle tone and strength. 

Eventually, the falconers will deem these birds fit enough to reside in a hack box at one of several secluded, peaceful sites local to the sanctuary. Here, recovered birds can take their first tentative flights out into the natural environment , whilst having a secure, protected roost and regular food supply to return to until they take the final flight out into the wild.

Several birds are currently ready to make this transition - birds that we have already reported on in our blogs and whose progress regular readers have been able to follow. In particular a family of tiny Little Owl quintuplets which were exposed to the elements during renovation works at a local farm. As you may have read in a previous blog, workmen found the family after removing the barn roof, by which time the parent birds had been frightened away from their young.

Dubbed the “Famous Five” the tiny progeny were brought to the Raptor Hospital and found to be cold and hungry, but otherwise robust, the parent birds having done an excellent job of raising them so far. The quins grew RAPIDLY and after only a few weeks of warmth, food and general TLC are now established in rehab and ready for hacking out!

Remember these guys….?

… well, in just over a month the Famous Five are fit and ready to fly the coop

Four young Tawny Owls are also ready to move on to pastures new, having been transformed from tiny, wet bedraggled scraps to strong, fit adult birds displaying handsome adult plumage. The Tawnies were received into the hospital as separate “branching out” casualties, a few days apart, but have recovered and matured together into a closely bonded group which will hack out together shortly.

Three Little Owls blown from their nest site when a branch fell from their tree will also be moving on to the rehabilitation facilities soon, having rapidly improved in size and condition.

Although the sanctuary staff always try to return wild recovered birds to the territory from whence they came, this is not always possible for their own safety. However, our team use their experience to release these birds in remote areas where establishing their own territory and pairing with partner within a few days of leaving the hack site to produce progeny of their own next Spring stands a more than fair chance of success.

Without the continuing generosity of its supporters, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary could not continue to offer such effective long term treatment and care to all the wild injured owls and other birds of prey admitted to its hospital.

We hope that these reports of successful outcomes for large numbers of the birds in our care are proof positive of the very real difference that your generous donations make to the conservation of these magnificent species.

THANK YOU!

New Kids on the Block

We are always looking for opportunities to increase the diversity of our educational resources with new owls and other birds of prey. Increasing the variety of birds on show not only enriches the visitor experience, it also widens the bird knowledge of the falconers.

All raptors play an essential role in the ecological system and by introducing visitors to as many species as possible the sanctuary hopes to highlight the conservation status of specific birds within the wider context of global protection issues.

To this end, one or two new 'foreigners' arrive at the sanctuary every Spring from a variety of captive breeding programmes throughout the U.K. This year has seen the historic arrival of Rocky, a three week old Turkey Vulture Tura, a baby Siberian Eagle Owl and Taino, a four week old Ashy Faced Owl both bred locally.

When these three youngsters arrived, they first took up residence in the falconers’ hut, in order to acclimatise them to living in close proximity to humans for the first few weeks of their lives. As they will be presented to the public in displays during their time with us, this experience is essential for the birds to “imprint" on the falconers, rather than on a parent bird as they would in the wild. In this process, the falconers become the focus of the birds’ attention and be recognised as their primary food source in order for them to become amenable to training when they are mature.

Taino, the Ashy Faced Owl - who we introduced you to a few weeks ago - has now started his flight training in earnest, The first step encouraging a bird to fly to the glove is to fit it with soft leather anklets.

Once the bird has become accustomed to these gentle accoutrements, leather jesses can be attached. Jesses are leather straps which allow the falconer to hold the bird on the fist and the means by which a creance, or long line can be attached to the bird in the early stages of its training.

Now twelve weeks old, Taino is already flying confidently on the creance, allowing her the chance to familiarise herself with the environs of the flying ground - her future flight arena. She has also visited several schools in the local area and her endearing appearance and genial nature are quickly establishing her as a popular ambassador for the sanctuary.

Young Taino sporting his new anklets, oversized and made from the softest and most pliable leather so that they do not hurt his legs

Tura, the Siberian Eagle Owl will soon commence a similar training programme, with trust and confidence being theessential elements for her rapid progression from a gangly, fluffy baby to an elegant, awe inspiring adult. Like Taino, Tura will take eventually part in the thrice daily flying demonstrations at the sanctuary, through which visitors can learn about the characteristics, habitat and current status of her species as well as experiencing the thrill of her flying at close quarters!


 

Tura, the Siberian Eagle Owl “chick” is rapidly
maturing into an elegant and powerful bird

As the baby of the trio, Rocky the Turkey Vulture can look forward to several weeks relaxing in the falconers hut before being called upon to do any work! At the moment this large white ball of fluff is only recognisable as one of his species, by his iconic bald head. By full maturity, his plumage will have turned brown and his head and feet a striking shade of red.

Rocky the Turkey Vulture already displays the iconic vulture face - this will change colour as he matures.

Unlike Black Vultures,Turkey Vultures almost never attack living prey in the wild: their chief form of sustenance is carrion and their amazing sense of smell, accommodated by their large nostrils, can pinpoint dead prey from half a mile away. Their reputation as scavengers is underscored by the way they feed: not being equipped with an efficient “tearing” beak, they will wait for Black Vultures to open a carcass and then move in to feed secondarily.

Turkey Vultures were threatened by the side effects of DDT in the past, but captive breeding programmes in their native North America have elevated them to their status as one of the most common large carnivorous birds in North America.

We hope that visitors to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary will be inspired to increase their awareness of the current conservation issues facing all birds of prey through their close encounters with Tura, Rocky and Taino.

Having a Swinging Time

The tools of the falconer’s trade - lure and creance

An exciting element of the thrice daily flying displays here is the demonstration of lure swinging provided by the falconers and their birds.

A lure is a small prey dummy that is attached to a long line,or creance, allowing it to be swung and, thus, animated by the falconer. To a falcon, the lure represents food and in order to win the food, he must interact with and compete with the falconer.

For visitors to the sanctuary, this interplay between man and bird offers an opportunity to observe the incredible speed and agility of the falcons and to appreciate their effectiveness as predators at the top of the food chain. For the falconers, it offers a perfect means of exercising the falcons and hawks and ensures that the birds’ fitness levels are maintained.

The basic premise of the activity is to channel the innate hunting instincts of the birds into working effectively with their handlers. Historically, the lure would be designed to imitate prey, as it would be specifically used to train birds to hunt. Although birds are not trained to hunt at the sanctuary, they must still be attracted to the lure to the exclusion of surrounding activity, so the art of swinging the lure is a skill which all the falconry staff must master.

As with many “hands on” skills, lure swingingowes as much to the intuition and sensitivity of the falconer as it does to rigid rules of procedure and although the basics can be learnt relatively quickly, it takes many years for an individual to perfect his own technique. Rhythm, speed, anticipation and control are all essential skills.

The senior falconers prepare to put trainee Harry through his paces

Many falconers will relate that months of practice in handling the lure, familiarising yourself with its weight and reading the swing of the line are essential before even attempting to work with a bird. Once that's achieved, the falconer swings the lure above his head in a circular motion, luring the bird in to try to catch the “prey”  (known as “binding on”) in a series of breathtaking dives, swerves and flicks. As the bird approaches, the falconer whisks the lure away at the last moment and the bird “passes” and rises again. 

A skilled falconer can lure a bird just an inch over his head, then pass it down by his feet and even to within inches of his face. (Whilst training, the latter manoeuvre is the cause of many a falconers' bruised face…..and pride!)

After a sensational aerial display of stoops andturns, the falconer eventually allows the bird to bind onto the lure and rewards it with food.

Harry takes up position for some swinging practice

The sanctuary’s youngest member of the falconry team, Harry, has recently been introduced to the discipline of lure swinging and his initial session was with April, the Lanner falcon. April was chosen as she was not yet back to full fitness after recuperating from a grazed wing - as Harry acknowledged, a fitter, faster bird “would have taken advantage of me and stolen a quick meal”!

As a novice lure swinger, he was well suited to working with April with whom he felt familiar and confident - as with most creatures, birds can intuitively tell if a handler is nervous and will see an opportunity to gain the upper hand.

During his latest practice session, Harry received helpful advice from more experienced falconers and is well on the way to sharing their responsibilities for conditioning work with the falcons and hawks.

Maiden voyage successfully completed! 
April the Lanner falcon mantles over her reward

Lure work demonstrated in such close proximity allows visitors an appreciation of the strength, agility, efficiency and highly tuned senses of these magnificent birds of prey and a greater understanding of the essential role they play in the ecological cycle.

Having a Swinging Time

An exciting element of the thrice daily flying displays here is the demonstration of lure swinging provided by the falconers and their birds.

A lure is a small prey dummy that is attached to a long line,or creance, allowing it to be swung and, thus, animated by the falconer. To a falcon, the lure represents food and in order to win the food, he must interact with and compete with the falconer.

The tools of the falconer’s trade - lure and creance

For visitors to the sanctuary, this interplay between man and bird offers an opportunity to observe the incredible speed and agility of the falcons and to appreciate their effectiveness as predators at the top of the food chain. For the falconers, it offers a perfect means of exercising the falcons and hawks and ensures that the birds’ fitness levels are maintained.

The basic premise of the activity is to channel the innate hunting instincts of the birds into working effectively with their handlers. Historically, the lure would be designed to imitate prey, as it would be specifically used to train birds to hunt. Although birds are not trained to hunt at the sanctuary, they must still be attracted to the lure to the exclusion of surrounding activity, so the art of swinging the lure is a skill which all the falconry staff must master.

As with many “hands on” skills, lure swinging  owes as much to the intuition and sensitivity of the falconer as it does to rigid rules of procedure and although the basics can be learnt relatively quickly, it takes many years for an individual to perfect his own technique. Rhythm, speed, anticipation and control are all essential skills.

The senior falconers prepare to put trainee Harry through his paces

Many falconers will relate that months of practice in handling the lure, familiarising yourself with its weight and reading the swing of the line are essential before even attempting to work with a bird. Once that's achieved, the falconer swings the lure above his head in a circular motion, luring the bird in to try to catch the “prey”  (known as “binding on”) in a series of breathtaking dives, swerves and flicks. As the bird approaches, the falconer whisks the lure away at the last moment and the bird “passes” and rises again. 

A skilled falconer can lure a bird just an inch over his head, then pass it down by his feet and even to within inches of his face. (Whilst training, the latter manoeuvre is the cause of many a falconers' bruised face…..and pride!)

Harry takes up position for some swinging practice

After a sensational aerial display of stoops and  turns, the falconer eventually allows the bird to bind onto the lure and rewards it with food. 

The sanctuary’s youngest member of the falconry team, Harry, has recently been introduced to the discipline of lure swinging and his initial session was with April, the Lanner falcon. April was chosen as she was not yet back to full fitness after recuperating from a grazed wing - as Harry acknowledged, a fitter, faster bird “would have taken advantage of me and stolen a quick meal”!

As a novice lure swinger, he was well suited to working with April with whom he felt familiar and confident - as with most creatures, birds can intuitively tell if a handler is nervous and will see an opportunity to gain the upper hand.

During his latest practice session, Harry received helpful advice from more experienced falconers and is well on the way to sharing their responsibilities for conditioning work with the falcons and hawks.

Maiden voyage successfully completed! April the Lanner falcon mantles over her reward

Lure work demonstrated in such close proximity allows visitors an appreciation of the strength, agility, efficiency and highly tuned senses of these magnificent birds of prey and a greater understanding of the essential role they play in the ecological cycle.

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Standing Room Only!

Every Spring, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s Raptor Hospital fills up quickly - its regular quota of injured wild owls and other birds of prey is augmented at this time of year by large numbers of baby owls which have fallen from their nests.

Two of the Little Owl triplets blown out of a tree chat about their lucky escape!

Often, these casualties - which are mainly Tawny Owls - have “branched out” prematurely from the roost in preparation for taking flight and have lost their footing. Early morning walkers and their dogs will come across these victims of their own curiosity and if they appear to be too cold or wet to recover, will bring them into the hospital.

Space is therefore in short supply in the hospital ward and extra boxes are being commissioned to cope with the surge in patient numbers.

Luckily, baby owls, once warm and dry, usually recover quickly and their voracious appetites soon equip them with enough sustenance to grow rapidly.

Currently, the hospital is accommodating a family of five Little Owls - casualties of the removal of a barn roof on a local farm - another family of three Little Owls thrown from their nest during a branch fall from the tree they were nesting in, three Tawny Owls - all branchers brought in on separate occasions; and a Little Owl victim of a vicious crow attack.

The latter is a fate quite regularly suffered by owls and other birds of prey. Crows and rooks are quick to pick on a solitary bird, particularly if it has already taken prey, which provides an easy meal for the mobsters! The Little Owl recovering in the hospital sports a nasty bald patch on the back of its head as a result of the crow’s persistent pecking. Luckily that the commotion caused by this incident alerted a passerby to its fate and after a few days of peace, quiet and good food, a dodgy haircut is the only lasting legacy of its predicament!

Those crows have given me such a headache!

A new haircut for a Little Owl, courtesy of a mobster crow!

Birds that have recovered enough to move outside to the rehabilitation aviaries include three road traffic victims - one Common Buzzard, one Tawny Owl and one Barn Owl. The latter has made fantastic progress, having undergone the stress of treatment at a local veterinary practice which involved pinning a broken wing - often too compromising an injury to cope with in a wild bird. Against all the odds, this owl is now building strength and muscle tone in its peaceful, isolated accommodation and will be hacked out in the coming weeks to enable its successful return to the wild.

After a stressful time at the vets, the injured Barn Owl enjoys some peaceful recuperation

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary will always accept injured owls and other raptors into its hospital, however, our general guidelines for action if you find an “orphaned” owl are:

* If the owlet is not obviously injured and you feel capable, try to replace it from whence it came - this means IN the nest, not just nearby - by dusk of the same day.

* Make sure you have identified the actual nest site accurately - either by watching the parents returning to the nest or by the strong, ammonia-like smell that identifies a populated nest.

* Barn Owl nest sites are usually high off the ground so if you can, enlist a friend to help you return the owlet to its roost straight away: unlike Tawnies, Barn Owls generally will not attempt to rescue or feed a chick that has fallen from the next .

* Tawny Owl chicks may look abandoned and vulnerable, but it is usually the case that its parents know exactly where it is - unlike Barn Owls, Tawnies will continue to feed their young on the ground and may not be far away.

* Tawny Owlets are also very capable of climbing back into their tree using their strong beaks and talons - the best course of action is to put it in the branches of a nearby tree, out of the way of predators and vehicles.

* Only ever remove a bird from its territory if you are SURE it is injured (lying on its side or back is an indicator of injury) or obviously abandoned.

* In any dealings that you have with birds, REMEMBER, more birds are killed by shock and the stress of being handled than by injuries!

* Finally, after handling a bird - or indeed any kind of wildlife - ALWAYS wash you hands.

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Standing Room Only!

Every Spring, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s Raptor Hospital fills up quickly - its regular quota of injured wild owls and other birds of prey is augmented at this time of year by large numbers of baby owls which have fallen from their nests.

Two of the Little Owl triplets blown out of a tree chat about their lucky escape!

Often, these casualties - which are mainly Tawny Owls - have “branched out” prematurely from the roost in preparation for taking flight and have lost their footing. Early morning walkers and their dogs will come across these victims of their own curiosity and if they appear to be too cold or wet to recover, will bring them into the hospital.

Space is therefore in short supply in the hospital ward and extra boxes are being commissioned to cope with the surge in patient numbers.

Luckily, baby owls, once warm and dry, usually recover quickly and their voracious appetites soon equip them with enough sustenance to grow rapidly.

Currently, the hospital is accommodating a family of five Little Owls - casualties of the removal of a barn roof on a local farm - another family of three Little Owls thrown from their nest during a branch fall from the tree they were nesting in, three Tawny Owls - all branchers brought in on separate occasions; and a Little Owl victim of a vicious crow attack.

The latter is a fate quite regularly suffered by owls and other birds of prey. Crows and rooks are quick to pick on a solitary bird, particularly if it has already taken prey, which provides an easy meal for the mobsters! The Little Owl recovering in the hospital sports a nasty bald patch on the back of its head as a result of the crow’s persistent pecking. Luckily that the commotion caused by this incident alerted a passerby to its fate and after a few days of peace, quiet and good food, a dodgy haircut is the only lasting legacy of its predicament!

Those crows have given me such a headache!

A new haircut for a Little Owl, courtesy of a mobster crow!

Birds that have recovered enough to move outside to the rehabilitation aviaries include three road traffic victims - one Common Buzzard, one Tawny Owl and one Barn Owl. The latter has made fantastic progress, having undergone the stress of treatment at a local veterinary practice which involved pinning a broken wing - often too compromising an injury to cope with in a wild bird. Against all the odds, this owl is now building strength and muscle tone in its peaceful, isolatedaccommodation and will be hacked out in the coming weeks to enable its successful return to the wild.

After a stressful time at the vets, the injured
Barn Owl enjoys some peaceful recuperation

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary will always accept injured owls and other raptors into its hospital, however, our general guidelines for action if you find an “orphaned” owl are:

• If the owlet is not obviously injured and you feel capable, try to replace it from whence it came - this means IN the nest, not just nearby - by dusk of the same day.
   
• Make sure you have identified the actual nest site accurately - either by watching the parents returning to the nest or by the strong, ammonia-like smell thatidentifies a populated nest.
   
• Barn Owl nest sites are usually high off the ground so if you can, enlist a friend to help you return the owlet to its roost straight away: unlike Tawnies, Barn Owls generally will not attempt to rescue or feed a chick that has fallen from the next.
   
• Tawny Owl chicks may look abandoned and vulnerable, but it is usually the case that its parents know exactly where it is - unlike Barn Owls, Tawnies will continue to feed their young on the ground and may not be far away.
   
• Tawny Owlets are also very capable of climbing back into their tree using their strong beaks and talons - the best course of action is to put it in the branches of a nearby tree, out of the way of predators and vehicles.
   
• Only ever remove a bird from its territory if you are SURE it is injured (lying on its side or back is an indicator of injury) or obviously abandoned.
   
• In any dealings that you have with birds, REMEMBER, more birds are killed by shock and the stress of being handled than by injuries!
   
• Finally, after handling a bird - or indeed any kind of wildlife - ALWAYS wash you hands.

Tura's First Walkabout

Tura is a captive-bred Siberian Eagle Owl who - at just 5 weeks old - has just joined the team at S.O.S. She will eventually take part in our flying demonstrations as an example of an impressive bird from beyond our shores, but will first be imprinted - acclimatised to humans - before taking part. Luckily the sun just about shone on us for a little while this Spring Bank Holiday Monday, so we took the opportunity to take her to meet some of our visitors.

What's all this then? Ahh - people!

When Matt let her out of the box up at the flying ground, she wasn’t shy to come forward and say hello, running up to and amongst the feet of the crowd, chirping and saying hello to everyone she met on her walkabout of discovery.

When in comes to taking part in the demonstrations, Tura's weight will be a very important factor in regards to how she flies. Eagle owls are the largest species of owl in the world, and the Siberian one of the largest sub species. When we weighed Tura for the first time she came in at 4lb 4oz - the same weight as Pungu, our fully grown Bateleur Eagle - and over the next five weeks of rapid growth, she'll probably reach about 9lb - more than a fully grown Bald Eagle! That’s one big owl! 

Tura meets her public for the first time

Compared to a European Eagle Owl, the plumage of the Siberian is much paler and very beautiful. But looks can be deceptive, as in terms of prey in the wild, they are quite capable of catching prey the size of Roe Deer. However, owls are generally very lazy and much prefer to participate in a simpler and less energy-consuming ways of catching smaller prey. This is known as Still Hunting, a method which consists of waiting for prey to walk underneath where they are perched, and then dropping on top of it. 

You can see how Tura's fluffy down is quickly converting
to beautiful honey-coloured plumage

A study was recently undertaken to see how active eagle owls were in the wild, and the results were staggering: female European Eagle Owls were recorded as being active for no more than 8 MINUTES a week, though the males tended to exert themselves hunting a little bit more at 25 minutes each week. At their sorts of flying weights, it's perhaps understandable why the impressive Siberian Eagle Owl chooses to conserve its energy whenever possible!

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You're Never Too Old!

The owls and other birds of prey at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary are visited daily by a huge variety of individuals. Mums, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, boys and girls in particular enjoy the spectacular flying displays which offer an unforgettable experience for the whole spectrum of age groups, from a few months old to Grans and Grandads!

Through this close interaction with the birds, a wide range of people become interested in the conservation message that forms the central premise of our work and come to realise the ecological importance of owls and other birds of prey. 

A visit to the sanctuary by a 90 year old supporter brought this breadth of appeal of the sanctuary’s attractions into sharp focus recently. A lifelong interest in owls brought our aged visitor to the centre with her family for a birthday treat and to mark the occasion, staff decided that an intimate meeting with one the centre’s youngest owls would be fitting!

One of our oldest supporters meets one our youngest owls!

Taino the Ashy Faced Owl is only 10 weeks old, but already confident enough to sit quietly on the gloved hand of a nonagenarian! Maz, our new General Manager, was happy to chat about this unusual owl, about its place in the eco system, the reasons for its relative rarity and the wider conservation issues concerning owls and other raptors. Weeks of patient training had enabled this young bird to remain calm and unstressed throughout a close encounter of this kind and to build some thrilling memories for one of the sanctuary’s less able supporters.

The welfare of the owls and other birds of prey is always the priority for staff at the centre and our guidelines prescribe that birds are generally not held by members of the public. However, in special circumstances, an occasional exception can be made to this rule for the benefit of a more compromised visitor, with a bird of the appropriate temperament - proof indeed of the old adage that you are never too old to enjoy a new experience! 

Tura's First Walkabout

Tura is a captive-bred Siberian Eagle Owl who - at just 5 weeks old - has just joined the team at S.O.S. She will eventually take part in our flying demonstrations as an example of an impressive bird from beyond our shores, but will first be imprinted - acclimatised to humans - before taking part. Luckily the sun just about shone on us for a little while this Spring Bank Holiday Monday, so we took the opportunity to take her to meet some of our visitors.

What's all this then? Ahh - people!

When Matt let her out of the box up at the flying ground, she wasn’t shy to come forward and say hello, running up to and amongst the feet of the crowd, chirping and saying hello to everyone she met on her walkabout of discovery.

When in comes to taking part in the demonstrations, Tura's weight will be a very important factor in regards to how she flies. Eagle owls are the largest species of owl in the world, and the Siberian one of the largest sub species. When we weighed Tura for the first time she came in at 4lb 4oz - the same weight as Pungu, our fully grown Bateleur Eagle - and over the next five weeks of rapid growth, she'll probably reach about 9lb - more than a fully grown Bald Eagle! That’s one big owl! 

Tura meets her public for the first time.

Compared to a European Eagle Owl, the plumage of the Siberian is much paler and very beautiful. But looks can be deceptive, as in terms of prey in the wild, they are quite capable of catching prey the size of Roe Deer. However, owls are generally very lazy and much prefer to participate in a simpler and less energy-consuming ways of catching smaller prey. This is known as Still Hunting, a method which consists of waiting for prey to walk underneath where they are perched, and then dropping on top of it.  

You can see how Tura's fluffy down is quickly converting to beautiful honey-coloured plumage

A study was recently undertaken to see how active eagle owls were in the wild, and the results were staggering: female European Eagle Owls were recorded as being active for no more than 8 MINUTES a week, though the males tended to exert themselves hunting a little bit more at 25 minutes each week. At their sorts of flying weights, it's perhaps understandable why the impressive Siberian Eagle Owl chooses to conserve its energy whenever possible!

Famous Five visit Suffolk Owl Sanctuary

During the Spring months, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s raptor hospital becomes a melting pot of casualties! From road traffic accidents, to chimney falls, to window crashes, a whole diversity of injuries needing attention are regularly presented to the hospital staff.

Outweighing the numbers of all these cases, however, are the large numbers of baby owls needing assistance early in life. Most have fallen from nests and are often found by individuals walking their dogs.

A case of quintuplets arriving this morning had a slightly different tale to tell and the brood instantly placed added pressure on the hospital facilities! A builder arrived as the sanctuary opened with the five tiny Little Owl chicks which had unfortunately been disturbed during a barn renovation on a local farm.
Workers had removed the roof from the barn whilst the mother of the brood was absent, exposing her nest of young to the elements.

The quick thinking gentleman immediately stepped in to protect the babies from further distress or injury and brought them straight down to us. The quins were assessed in the hospital and found to be extremely healthy and well fed - their mother had done a great job looking after them so far and the sanctuary staff were happy to step in to continue supporting this thriving family!

Estimated to be about two weeks old, the babies, though robust, were still quite vulnerable so were immediately placed into a brooder. This will ensure that they enjoy an environment free from draughts and with consistent temperature until they become accustomed to life without a large fluffy mum to keep them warm! True to owl instincts, the quins all displayed voracious appetites and after wolfing down a sizeable meal, snuggled up together to rest.

It is hoped that at about four weeks of age - once eating independently and gaining mature plumage - this owl family will be removed to a specially selected, isolated location to begin the “hacking back” process.
This means that they will reside in a “hack box”, offering protection from predators but with the freedom to come and go at will. During this period they will also be supported with a regular food supply, whilst gaining the hunting skills necessary for survival in the wild.

Normally we would return them to the place from which they were found, but will not do so on this occasion because of all the fuss and kerfuffle at the building site.

We hope to update this story soon with an account of the Little Owl family’s successful reintegration into the Suffolk countryside.

It may be pertinent to point out in this context that, in Britain it is illegal to knowingly disturb the nest of a bird of prey without a valid disturbance licence. Accidental disturbances, as in this case, do unfortunately happen from time to time, however, intentional disturbance is a prosecutable offence carrying a hefty fine.

Famous Five visit Suffolk Owl Sanctuary

During the Spring months, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary’s raptor hospital becomes a melting pot of casualties! From road traffic accidents, to chimney falls, to window crashes, a whole diversity of injuries needing attention are regularly presented to the hospital staff.

Outweighing the numbers of all these cases, however, are the large numbers of baby owls needing assistance early in life. Most have fallen from nests and are often found by individuals walking their dogs.

A case of quintuplets arriving this morning had a slightly different tale to tell and the brood instantly placed added pressure on the hospital facilities! A builder arrived as the sanctuary opened with the five tiny Little Owl chicks which had unfortunately been disturbed during a barn renovation on a local farm.
Workers had removed the roof from the barn whilst the mother of the brood was absent, exposing her nest of young to the elements.

The quick thinking gentleman immediately stepped in to protect the babies from further distress or injury and brought them straight down to us. The quins were assessed in the hospital and found to be extremely healthy and well fed - their mother had done a great job looking after them so far and the sanctuary staff were happy to step in to continue supporting this thriving family!

Estimated to be about two weeks old, the babies, though robust, were still quite vulnerable so were immediately placed into a brooder. This will ensure that they enjoy an environment free from draughts and with consistent temperature until they become accustomed to life without a large fluffy mum to keep them warm! True to owl instincts, the quins all displayed voracious appetites and after wolfing down a sizeable meal, snuggled up together to rest.

It is hoped that at about four weeks of age - once eating independently and gaining mature plumage - this owl family will be removed to a specially selected, isolated location to begin the “hacking back” process.
This means that they will reside in a “hack box”, offering protection from predators but with the freedom to come and go at will. During this period they will also be supported with a regular food supply, whilst gaining the hunting skills necessary for survival in the wild.

Normally we would return them to the place from which they were found, but will not do so on this occasion because of all the fuss and kerfuffle at the building site.

We hope to update this story soon with an account of the Little Owl family’s successful reintegration into the Suffolk countryside.

It may be pertinent to point out in this context that, in Britain it is illegal to knowingly disturb the nest of a bird of prey without a valid disturbance licence. Accidental disturbances, as in this case, do unfortunately happen from time to time, however, intentional disturbance is a prosecutable offence carrying a hefty fine.

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Welcome to Tura!

At the start of each flying season, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary staff are always vigilant for an opportunity to increase the range and diversity of the centre's captive bred birds.

The wider the variety of accessible birds, the more bird knowledge visitors can acquire and the deeper their understanding of the conservation issues facing owls and other birds of prey becomes.

A recent addition to the sanctuary is a Siberian Eagle Owl chick - a somewhat misleading moniker as the “chick” arrived at the centre at 4 weeks old and already weighing in at 1lb 5oz! Quite a hefty youngster!

Tura the baby Siberian Eagle Owl attempts to hypnotise the falconer with the food supply!

Once mature, this owl will fly in one of the thrice daily demonstrations at the sanctuary at a weight of around 9lb and demonstrate its spectacular flying technique and dramatic presence to visitors.

Thought  by many to be the most attractive of the Eagle Owls, the Siberian is lighter in colour than the European eagle Owl with distinctive orangey-yellow eyes.

Although these owls can be found over a wide area in the wild, ranging from central Siberia, throughout the Altai mountains and into Northern Mongolia, they are increasingly scarce and locally endangered, due mainly to hunting.

The new arrival has been named Tura, alluding to the river running through the owl’s native habitat.

The River Tura flows eastwards from the central Ural mountains into the Tobol River and was historically important as the main entry point for goods and travellers into Siberia.

Regular visitors to the sanctuary will be privy to Tura’s gradual training regime which will transform her from a clumsy, awkward youngster into a magnificent and graceful free flying member of the sanctuary “family”.

Tura's downy appearance will soon change into the dramatic colouring of a fully-fledged bird just beginning to appear

Initially, she will have soft leather anklets fitted around her legs to enable training to begin - these anklets will be custom made to her own requirements to ensure that they are both comfortable and effective.

Jesses are then attached to the anklets - these leather straps will enable the falconers to hold her gently on the glove whilst acclimatising her to a “free flying” situation.

When she is comfortable to be out on the glove with the falconers, a creance (or long line) will be attached, allowing her to fly freely but securely around the demonstration ground.

Once she is familiar with this territory and flying happily within its perameters, the falconers will allow her to work on her own, with their guidance from a distance.

We trust that Tura’s presence in the displays will serve as a reminder of the impressive and irreplaceable nature of so many of the creatures which are now threatened by human predation.

Welcome to Tura!

At the start of each flying season, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary staff are always vigilant for an opportunity to increase the range and diversity of the centre's captive bred birds.

The wider the variety of accessible birds, the more bird knowledge visitors can acquire and the deeper their understanding of the conservation issues facing owls and other birds of prey becomes.

A recent addition to the sanctuary is a Siberian Eagle Owl chick - a somewhat misleading moniker as the “chick” arrived at the centre at 4 weeks old and already weighing in at 1lb 5oz! Quite a hefty youngster!

Tura the baby Siberian Eagle Owl attempts to hypnotise the falconer with the food supply!

Once mature, this owl will fly in one of the thrice daily demonstrations at the sanctuary at a weight of around 9lb and demonstrate its spectacular flying technique and dramatic presence to visitors.

Thought  by many to be the most attractive of the Eagle Owls, the Siberian is lighter in colour than the European eagle Owl with distinctive orangey-yellow eyes.

Although these owls can be found over a wide area in the wild, ranging from central Siberia, throughout the Altai mountains and into Northern Mongolia, they are increasingly scarce and locally endangered, due mainly to hunting.

The new arrival has been named Tura, alluding to the river running through the owl’s native habitat.

The River Tura flows eastwards from the central Ural mountains into the Tobol River and was historically important as the main entry point for goods and travellers into Siberia.

Regular visitors to the sanctuary will be privy to Tura’s gradual training regime which will transform her from a clumsy, awkward youngster into a magnificent and graceful free flying member of the sanctuary “family”.

Tura's downy appearance will soon change into the dramatic colouring of a fully-fledged bird just beginning to appear

Initially, she will have soft leather anklets fitted around her legs to enable training to begin - these anklets will be custom made to her own requirements to ensure that they are both comfortable and effective.

Jesses are then attached to the anklets - these leather straps will enable the falconers to hold her gently on the glove whilst acclimatising her to a “free flying” situation.

When she is comfortable to be out on the glove with the falconers, a creance (or long line) will be attached, allowing her to fly freely but securely around the demonstration ground.

Once she is familiar with this territory and flying happily within its perameters, the falconers will allow her to work on her own, with their guidance from a distance.

We trust that Tura’s presence in the displays will serve as a reminder of the impressive and irreplaceable nature of so many of the creatures which are now threatened by human predation.

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Aerial Hijack

A photographer from East Anglia recently captured some amazing photographs of an unusual aerial hijack - a Kestrel stealing food from a Barn Owl on the wing! 

The audacious heist was recorded by photographer Chris Skipper over the Norfolk Broads near Wroxham. 

Chris said: ”After watching the Barn Owl spend a good 30 minutes hunting for prey, it was returning to its chicks with food when a Kestrel decided he wanted the kill. The Kestrel just came from out of nowhere and attacked him.”

At first the Barn Owl seemed unaware of the intruder’s presence but before long the Kestrel was attempting to wrench the prey - probably a vole - from the Barn Owl's talons. There was a brief tussle and at one point they both had hold of the prey, but the kestrel eventually won the day. 

Not long after, Chris was able to photograph the Barn Owl out hunting again.

Chris is curator and contributor to the popular Norwich Peregrines website, which showcases his wonderful images of the peregrines who roost and breed in the tower of the city's cathedral. “I try to get down to the cathedral once a week, weather permitting, to keep a digital 'diary' of the peregrines throughout the year.”  

If you’d like to see a selection of Chris’s other superb bird photography, visit his Facebook page here.

All images © Chris Skipper

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Aerial Hijack

A photographer from East Anglia recently captured some amazing photographs of an unusual aerial hijack - a Kestrel stealing food from a Barn Owl on the wing! 

The audacious heist was recorded by photographer Chris Skipper over the Norfolk Broads near Wroxham. 

Chris said: ”After watching the Barn Owl spend a good 30 minutes hunting for prey, it was returning to its chicks with food when a Kestrel decided he wanted the kill. The Kestrel just came from out of nowhere and attacked him.”

At first the Barn Owl seemed unaware of the intruder’s presence but before long the Kestrel was attempting to wrench the prey - probably a vole - from the Barn Owl's talons. There was a brief tussle and at one point they both had hold of the prey, but the kestrel eventually won the day. 

Not long after, Chris was able to photograph the Barn Owl out hunting again.

Chris is curator and contributor to the popular Norwich Peregrines website, which showcases his wonderful images of the peregrines who roost and breed in the tower of the city's cathedral. “I try to get down to the cathedral once a week, weather permitting, to keep a digital 'diary' of the peregrines throughout the year.”

If you’d like to see a selection of Chris’s other superb bird photography, visit his website here.

All images © Chris Skipper

Hoodwinked!

Many visitors to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary will notice that some of the falcons here will be hooded whilst waiting their turn to participate in the thrice daily flying displays. 

The hood is placed on the falcon to keep the bird calm, for example when travelling or within close proximity to other birds of prey, but also to ensure that when the falconer needs to work his bird it will be alert and receptive to his instructions. Hooding a falcon in this way gave origin to the term 'hoodwinked' from the Middle Ages as it tricked the falcon into believing it was nighttime, so that the falconer could recover the prey from the bird's talons. 

A falcon’s sight is up to ten times as acute as a humans so, comparatively speaking, the bird is being constantly bombarded with visual stimuli. Its senses are on high alert as it registers prey targets well beyond the range of the falconer’s eyesight.

Hooding the falcon, therefore ensures that it is the falconer’s target that will be the subject of the bird’s attention when the hood is removed and the bird put to flight, not a distant target that the bird has pinpointed itself, remote from the working environs.

Trained daily by the falconers to accept the hood from a young age, the bird is not bothered by this covering of its head at all. It is carefully fitted to the falcon’s individual requirements for maximum comfort, being handmade from soft but durable kip leather or kangaroo leather. Kip Leather is light, very pliable and has more tensile strength than most other leathers. The fit ensures that it does not damage feathers or hamper breathing and allows air to circulate at all times.

Under no circumstances does the hood ever come into contact with the falcon’s eyes - if it were to cause discomfort to any degree, the bird would reject the hood outright.

The hood is arguably the most important piece of a falconers equipment, enabling a degree of control over what is essentially a wild bird and its history is a long and ancient one. It is thought to have been first introduced into the Western world from Arabia during the 13th. century by Frederick II of Germany.

Frederick had observed that during the Arabian Royal Hunt: ”The practice of hooding was one of the most valuable features of their methods….as we perceived its great utility in taming falcons, we adopted it in manning our own birds and have given it our approval, so that our contemporaries have learned its use from us, nor should it be neglected by our descendants.” Never had falconers ever had such a degree of control over their birds and the practice of hooding quickly became established as a crucial element of English falconry.

Over the centuries, this gentle and logical method of controlling birds of prey has never been bettered and although a whole tradition of regional hood design has evolved through the ages, it remains in essence a very small, modest but highly effective piece of equipment.

The hood affords Lock the Lanner Falcon comfort and security whilst waiting to work in close proximity to other birds of prey.

Hoodwinked!

Many visitors to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary will notice that some of the falcons here will be hooded whilst waiting their turn to participate in the thrice daily flying displays.

The hood is placed on the falcon to keep the bird calm, for example when travelling or within close proximity to other birds of prey, but also to ensure that when the falconer needs to work his bird it will be alert and receptive to his instructions. Hooding a falcon in this way gave origin to the term 'hoodwinked' from the Middle Ages as it tricked the falcon into believing it was nighttime, so that the falconer could recover the prey from the bird's talons.

A falcon’s sight is up to ten times as acute as a humans so, comparatively speaking, the bird is being constantly bombarded with visual stimuli. Its senses are on high alert as it registers prey targets well beyond the range of the falconer’s eyesight.

Hooding the falcon, therefore ensures that it is the falconer’s target that will be the subject of the bird’s attention when the hood is removed and the bird put to flight, not a distant target that the bird has pinpointed itself, remote from the working environs.

Trained daily by the falconers to accept the hood from a young age, the bird is not bothered by this covering of its head at all. It is carefully fitted to the falcon’s individual requirements for maximum comfort, being handmade from soft but durable kip leather or kangaroo leather. Kip Leather is light, very pliable and has more tensile strength than most other leathers. The fit ensures that it does not damage feathers or hamper breathing and allows air to circulate at all times.

Under no circumstances does the hood ever come into contact with the falcon’s eyes - if it were to cause discomfort to any degree, the bird would reject the hood outright.

The hood affords Lock the Lanner Falcon comfort
and security whilst waiting to work in close proximity to other birds of prey.

The hood is arguably the most important piece of a falconers equipment, enabling a degree of control over what is essentially a wild bird and its history is a long and ancient one. It is thought to have been first introduced into the Western world from Arabia during the 13th. century by Frederick II of Germany.

Frederick had observed that during the Arabian Royal Hunt: ”The practice of hooding was one of the most valuable features of their methods….as we perceived its great utility in taming falcons, we adopted it in manning our own birds and have given it our approval, so that our contemporaries have learned its use from us, nor should it be neglected by our descendants.” Never had falconers ever had such a degree of control over their birds and the practice of hooding quickly became established as a crucial element of English falconry.

Over the centuries, this gentle and logical method of controlling birds of prey has never been bettered and although a whole tradition of regional hood design has evolved through the ages, it remains in essence a very small, modest but highly effective piece of equipment.

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April's Day Out

“Never work with children or animals” is the old adage… "or birds of prey", might be a pertinent addition to this advice!!

Despite the many, many hours that the falconry team spend training and bonding with the sanctuary’s resident birds, they remain essentially wild creatures and, thus, unpredictable.

Before each period of exercise or the flying demonstrations we give at the Centre between Easter and October, our falconers spend much time carefully assessing the birds that will participate, checking for weight and condition and keeping an eye on possible weather interruptions.

But even then, there will still be instances when flights don’t go to plan!

Such was the case recently with April, one of the centre’s older (and one would presume wiser!) Lanner Falcons. One afternoon, conditions appeared to be ideal for 8 year old April to enjoy a few relaxed turns around the flying ground and then to work with one of the falconers practicing his lure swinging technique.

Bird and handler were working in perfect synergy, with April making some nice flights in to the lure and being rewarded for her efforts. Between flights, she would pick a high vantage point to observe her surroundings and during one such lull in activity, she spotted a dog being exercised by its owner in a field on the adjacent farm

This was enough to send April into a panic and she lost no time in escaping from the perceived threat… and she flew… and she flew… and she flew…..!

Whether she was just enjoying the unusually balmy weather conditions - or lost track of time! - April showed no sign of turning back to the centre.

Luckily, the falconry team are always vigilant to the possibility of such absconding and April had been fitted with telemetry in advance of her exercise session. This consists of a small radio transmitter fitted to the anklet of the bird and a portable receiver which the falconers can use to track the position of the absconder as it moves from place to place..

A telemetry transmitter attaches painlessly to the anklets worn by a bird of prey.

The receiver - shaped rather like a TV aerial - then picks up a locating signal

The handset of the receiver guides the falconer towards the absconder

Telemetry is fitted to all eagles and falcons that are flown free at the sanctuary, as these are the most likely candidates for springing aerial surprises. Experience has taught us that many miles of tramping the countryside and hours of fruitless searching can be saved by the telemetry equipment, which in many ways is a modern equivalent to the traditional bell which many falconers still use as an audible signal as to a bird's location.

And so the falconers embarked on tracking April late into the evening, as the signal from her transmitter ebbed and flowed frustratingly for hour after hour… now a strong signal heralding her presence nearby… now a faint whisper drifting off into the distance as she flew further away.

Over several hours, the falconers tracked April from the Sanctuary to a church 10 miles away, then a supermarket another 5 miles distant, thence onwards to another location a mile further on… and there the signal faded.

At 9.00p.m. cold, weary staff members the some of the volunteers who had joined them reluctantly decided to abandon the search and reconvene in the early morning when April would be hungry!

It is always disappointing to have to make the decision to leave a bird out overnight - captive bred birds are unwilling to fend well for themselves in the wild as they are accustomed to the falconers being their primary food source. However, in this instance, the team were aware that April was in the vicinity and confident that she would not travel far at night.

At 6.00a.m. the next morning, the team resumed their search at the point they left off, and within an hour had picked up a strong, consistent telemetry signal from the grounds of a local factory. After gaining access from a helpful security guard, one of the falconers decided to give the lure a swing and April was on it immediately - normal room service was resumed!!

Happily, this sort of chase across the countryside is not a regular occurrence, but an occasional reminder that birds do have a mind of their own and it does happen from time to time. Although at her age April should know better, like any other 8 year old she doubtless enjoyed her little adventure initially, but was secretly relieved to see her parents turn up to take her home!!!

Safe and sound - April looks none the worse for her adventure!

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