Falconry Displays

Archive for April, 2019

I have now received the new animal display licence. It is a three year issue and it is for ‘Keeping or Training Animals for Exhibition’ which includes falconry and birds of prey displays.

It has been a long process starting in early January with the initial application process. Then several weeks later an inspection including two licence inspectors from our Borough Council along with a specialist bird of prey vet.

Then again some weeks later the actual issue of licence. Although it has been a long wait several I am happy  to have passed the site visit without conditions and recommendations.  It is an endorsement of not having too many birds and be able to house them correctly. I will endeavour to maintain those standards with a view of improving them if new information on bird of prey welfare arises.

The issue of the licence in due course will be displayed on the front page of website – for all to see.

I leave you with  photo of our front garden. The beauty of the flowers I find helps to counter any stress.

April can be a difficult month in terms of weather. Wintry showers with a mixture of warm days makes an interesting mix. This morning I managed to fly most of the birds of prey but was caught out by heavy persistent rain at the end of the session. So I sat in the van and fed ‘Brian’ our Lanneret on the fist rather than risk him getting wet and then feeding ‘Pete’ our Kestrel in his aviary when I got back – for the same reason. Wild birds of prey will hunt during bad weather but initially they prefer to sit it out until it passes.

We recently did a small country fair as part of a point to point meet –  we first did the event a couple of years ago and was booked to do it again last year but was cancelled twice due to a waterlogged course . It went well and it was an interesting but painful day for me. We managed to have a good look round and watch a couple of races. Painful because had I strained my back the previous day getting over a gate. It was an uncomfortable and only adrenaline got me through the flying display! A painful week followed with four days rest –  the weather was bad and so we could not have flown anyway . I am feeling a lot better now but getting up is still a little dodgy!

Anyway we continue on. I leave you with a picture of part of our static display at the country fair with Arizona and Leah – Harris Hawk and Lanner Falcon – sitting in the weathering.