The gorgeous Delilah

There's not a great deal to say at the moment which is why I've been keeping so quiet over the last month. All of the birds have been fattened up for the winter as you know with the exception of Baz our male Harris' Hawk who damaged his leg in the middle of the summer season last year. With the operation and stitch up a success it took all of 3 months for his leg to heal properly. We got him out of the aviary about two weeks ago and have started training him again.


He's a funny bird, bred from a hunting female I was lucky enough to work with back home in Northamptonshire and a male who had worked on experiences there for 12 years or so. I had always expected their youngster to be very laid back and easy going - Baz is far from easy to work with as far as Harris' go. I do hope he'll settle a bit better when we get him flying as he should be working on our 'Hawk Walks' later in the year - follow the link for more deatils http://www.muncaster.co.uk/gifts-experiences/hawk-walks. Izzy, Our other Harris' (now at a ripe old age of 20!) really doesn't like him and gives him the evil eye at any opportunity.

We had a visit from avian vet John Chitty (BVetMed, CertZooMed, CBiol, MSB, MRCVS (and probably more letters too!) just yesterday. John works very closely with HCT and so takes overall responsibility for most of the veterinary care their birds need. We work with Browne and McKinney Vets who are colleges of Peter's and so their working relationship is already good and their wonderful people who have been brilliant with handling some difficult avian cases over the last season whilst liaising with John.The meeting meant that everyone could put a name and voice to a face and so we could put together more structured procedure for when we have birds that are unwell (it was a lot more interesting than it sounds). I have to say that there were moments I felt a little lost in a room with me and four vets - I'm sure they have their own language. In any case the visit was very positive and we got a lot from it. We've got lots of paperwork to do to make sure we're all on the same page and that we're working to the highest possible standards.

We're still continuing work in the 'Old Rose Garden' which used to be the main section of the old Owl Centre. Practically every structure was removed before Christmas and now we're beginning to shape the area up for it's new purpose (which we'll reveal at the start of the season on March 10th). So until then we'll be digging, shoveling, planting, strimming, pruning, 'making-good', planting and shifting breeze blocks which should keep us busy at least until we start to train birds up again which will probably be towards the end of February.

No prizes for guessing which one's me...

I've been working with Gosforth Amateur Dramatics Society too over the winter doing Panto - It's really good fun. Opening night was last night and we had vast numbers of Brownies and Cub Scouts in which was brilliant as they love it more than anyone. I'm setting up a Youth Theatre with them too in my spare time (??!!) which I'm really looking forward too and I'm hoping to get them involved with some of the events here at Muncaster. I think they call that community cohesion... or something!