From the Director

Well here we are in 2012 our 45th anniversary year!! The sun is out, the sky is blue, and up until about an hour ago it was blowing a gale and horizontal rain!! I am just in the throes of getting hold of all those companies who came to the Falconry Event last September, and many more besides. There may be some confusion as we are now not doing it with the UKFC as they felt that August would be a better time and we can’t do such an event in August. So they are doing their own event in August and we wish them the best of luck, and we will continue with the Falconry Weekend on the very first weekend in September. The do last year went very well, with a few hiccups, but the weather was great, the atmosphere wonderful and I think everyone had a great time. This year it will be even more special as it will be our 45th year.

We start up many of the birds again now ready for opening in February, plus the British Falconers Fair is now going to be back at Althorp, so we need a good team of birds and my old Tawny Eagle Hard Tackle is not going to be flying anymore, he is just too old and now has a wife, whom at least he is not fighting with! The breeding season has started, we have one egg already, and more to come I hope.

The new walk in freezer is behaving now, after a blip to start with, it is making a huge difference to our food and feeding, plus the whole shed has been revamped and looks great inside. The heaters are all in in the Hawk Walk and working well, and so needless to say we have had a very mild winter!

Both Simon and I went to India at different times, the trips went well and they already have eggs at two of the centres which is good. It’s a great programme and one that is very special to be involved with.

My dogs are delighted that Christmas is over and the staff are all back in, they hate the closed period, no coffee time and no staff around, so life is now back to normal and we look forward to opening again in just over three weeks.