Today is a day of celebrating falconry and the part it has played in our heritage. Falconry in its most traditional form is the act of hunting with a trained bird of prey, something that has been part of human life for thousands of years originally as a way of providing food. Due to the passion and dedication required to successfully train birds of prey, it is often though of as a way of life.

But modern day falconry is now not simply about hunting. This deep connection, passion and understanding of birds of prey held by falconers that has remained a constant throughout human history has led falconry to become an integral part of bird of prey conservation. The keeping of birds of prey in captivity has brought species back from the brink of extinction throughout the world, and continues to do so through education, conservation and rehabilitation.

Bird of prey centres and falconry displays are vital in the education of these animals and their conservation in the wild, not only by raising awareness but also raising funds to support ongoing conservation projects and research into species decline. Many centres are also part of captive breeding programmes for species that are under threat in the wild. And of course falconers with the knowledge and experience they have in the handling, training and husbandry of birds of prey are vital in the successful rehabilitation and release of injured, orphaned or sick wild raptors.

Some British examples of conservation success stories linked heavily with falconry includes the recovery of peregrine falcons after their population crash during the 1960s, the more recent comeback of the previously globally threatened red kite, and the current efforts to increase our hen harrier population which so far is looking positive. Not to mention all the ongoing projects such as research into the decline of Eurasian kestrels, the surveillance and monitoring schemes of barn owls and ospreys etc.
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So falconry is definitely worth celebrating! Here are some photos of British birds of prey that I have been very lucky to work with.

This evening myself and the animal ambassadors attended the Dorking Cubs meeting to introduce them to some Britain's most endangered wildlife in order to teach them the importance of their conservation and protection in the wild.

The cubs were very excited to meet the animals! They got to handle Wren the smooth snake, Conker the toad and they had a good look at Lovelace the grass snake. We discussed their various adaptations, defence mechanisms, diet and habitats. We then went on to discover that scorpions can actually be found in the UK, much to everybody's surprise, and we had a look at Snappy the yellow-tailed scorpion fluorescing under UV light which really amazed them.

We finished by looking at two birds of prey - Freddie the tawny owl and Bob the kestrel. We discussed their unique adaptations that allow them to be such incredible hunters, and there were lots of fantastic questions asked from both the cubs and the leaders.

​Thanks so much for inviting us!

Bob is continuing to amaze me with his flying. He hovers on windy days, ranges out to make the most of the area and is starting to build on his height.

He did start going through a bit of a lazy spell, preferring to do a lap of the field and then land back on his training perch whilst he waits for the lure to come out as he was realising it’s easier to do that rather than stay on the wing. In the hopes to discourage landing and instead teach him he can remain aerial to develop his fitness and flying skills, I’ve taken the training perch away and we’ve tried flying straight from the fist (usually he’s put on the perch then flies towards me from there).
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The first time he found a little confusing, unsure of what to do and hesitant to voluntarily fly away from me, but he quickly caught on. Now he will start learning to enjoy the freedom of flying around like this before any food on the fist/lure comes out!

Please be mindful of wildlife in bonfires this weekend! A pile of wood is the perfect shelter for hedgehogs and other animals such as amphibians, rodents and hibernating reptiles. Here are some top tips to avoid wildlife casualties:

• If you are planning a bonfire, please either construct it on the day of lighting or deconstruct and rebuild prior to lighting
• Build your bonfire on clear ground, avoiding building on top of dead leaves or grass clumps
• Even when building it on the day of lighting, if it has been left unattended for any amount of time be sure to check the bonfire thoroughly for any signs of life prior to lighting
• Put a barrier around your bonfire immediately after building it, this could be chicken wire or even better an amphibian exclusion fence to prevent any wildlife from reaching it

Now when it comes to fireworks, unfortunately for Freddie the owl this is a very stressful and potentially dangerous occurrence due to the loud sudden noises and flashes of fireworks. Freddie will be spending bonfire night indoors in the safety of our home to make the night as stress free as possible for him.

Please when celebrating bonfire night with fireworks consider ways to lessen the impact to wildlife and pets around you. Here are some top tips:

• If possible attend a planned display event that the surrounding neighbours have had time to prepare for rather than setting off fireworks at your own home.
• If you do choose for a firework display at your home be sure to notify neighbours with animals so they have time to take the necessary preparations to protect and support their pets.
• There is also the option now to use silent or low noise fireworks which is certainly a better option for the surrounding wildlife too! 

Have a wonderful time for all those celebrating, and to those with pets be sure to check in on them regularly and be ready to intervene if they begin to show any signs of stress.

Pictured is an orphaned hedgehog we successfully hand reared and released this year, and Freddie the tawny owl who's very sensitive to fireworks.