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. So falconry is definitely worth celebrating! Here are some photos of British birds of prey that I have been very lucky to work with.
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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). 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:
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:
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. Today I attended a birthday party alongside my wildlife ambassadors for a group of 4-5 year old children. The party was hosted in a hall, giving lots of space for the children to play! Once I arrived they soon settled down and we sat on the floor together to talk about British wildlife. We started off by talking about all the different wildlife we have seen in our gardens and on walks. We then had a little look at some of the wildlife ambassadors. The children got the chance to hold Wren the smooth snake and we had a little look at the grass snakes too and how they differed in pattern. It was then time to get the toads out, and we watched as they walked along the floor which meant we could tell they were definitely toads rather than jumpy frogs! All children were very excited to hold the toad too. Next we had a look at a non-native species, the yellow-tailed scorpion. Both the children and the adults were amazed to see Snappy the scorpion fluoresce under a UV torch. We finished off by having a look at the birds of prey and discussing lots of interesting facts about each one. I had some fantastic feedback from the adults which is always very rewarding to hear! For Lizi's birthday her parents decided to gift her with a memorable bird of prey encounter, with her favourite animal being owls. Lizi was really knowledgable about owls, and we had a great discussion about the calls of the tawny owl as well as their diet, habitat, adaptations and their unfortunate decline in the wild. Lizi was very happy to hold Freddie the tawny owl, and to watch him eat his mouse which Freddie swallowed whole!
Bob the kestrel then made an appearance, which Mattie was pleased to hold being in the same family as his favourite species, the peregrine falcon. We talked about the different wing shape of falcons to owls and how that defines the way in which they hunt. It was then time to give Bob his meal, so Lizi had him fly to her fist for a bechin (small food reward) and then Mattie was able to drop the lure out for Bob to fly for the remainder of his food. This was a lovely visit and I hope their love for birds of prey long continues! Today I visited 7 year old Louie and 5 year old Jamie, two brothers having a shared birthday party! As a surprise their mum had organised Freddie the owl to come. Being an encounter solely based on owls, we had some time to talk about lots of interesting owl facts including their excellent hearing, their flexible neck, their main weapons and the food they like to eat. Not only did the children learn something new, but the adults too who were just as interested! After this we had time for the birthday boys to hold Freddie the owl on their fist, providing them with an unforgettable close up encounter with one of Britain's apex predators. Their birthdays guests also had a turn, both children and adults. Thank you so much for having us, and happy birthday to Louie and Jamie. I was really pleased to be invited to my first nursing home visit. Having a background in the care sector, I have seen first hand the positive effect that animals have on people. I brought all the available species with me, which included a slow worm, smooth snake, grass snake, tawny owl and Eurasian kestrel. After giving an introduction about my business and the aim to spread awareness about the decline of British wildlife and the importance of their conservation, it was time to meet the animals! The opportunity was given for the residents to hold the rarest reptile native to the UK, the smooth snake. Most of them absolutely loved holding her and I had some fantastic discussions as I went round. For every resident it was their first time ever seeing this rare and elusive animal, despite it being native to the UK. They also held the slow worm and we had a look at the grass snake. All went down very well for the most part, with just a couple of residents not wanting to be near the snakes. I then had the birds of prey out. A few of the residents were ecstatic to be able to hold Freddie the tawny owl on their fist. It was so rewarding to see the smiles on everybody's faces as each person got a close up view of Freddie. Bob the kestrel was a big hit too, with one lady in particular thanking me for providing her with the first chance she's had to see this small species of falcon up close. She had admired wild ones often in flight, but had never been close enough to appreciate the beauty of them. Thank you so much for inviting us. Myself and the animal ambassadors attended an hour long session with Bright Stars Day Nursery today! What a wonderful nursery with a great atmosphere. All the children were incredibly patient and sat nicely to learn about some of the wonderful wildlife we have in our country.
This is such a lovely opportunity to visit young children and provide them with a positive first experience with animals, including snakes, toads, lizards and birds of prey. All of them were keen to have their turn at handling the reptiles and amphibians, and it was a real privilege to provide them with their first ever opportunity to do so. Hopefully this will be memorable for years to come and they grow up with a newfound interest in British wildlife! I had the super exciting opportunity to work with Cranleigh Prep school! I attended their explorers event with potential future students to provide a session focussing on British wildlife and the importance of their conservation, with the help of my wildlife ambassadors. Here is what the school had to say: " We were delighted to hold our first joint Explorers with Wild About Britain. Connie Smith, from Wild About Britain, introduced the children to her incredible British wildlife ambassadors including reptiles, amphibians and birds to ensure a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience. They met Freddie the distinguished tawny owl and Bob the stunning little kestrel full of character with a bobbing head! All the children handled snakes and toads as well as seeing other reptiles up close and at the end got to stroke the owl" I am really looking forward to working with the school again in the future! |
Connie SmithThe founder of Wild About Britain, licensed reptile surveyor, experienced wildlife rehabilitator and bird of prey educator Archives
November 2022
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