Hawk Conservancy Trust Newsletter Spring 2021 Issue 87

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HAWKTALK SPRING 2021 ISSUE 87

HAWKTALK SPRING 2021 ISSUE 87

2020 Hospital Report The important work we undertake with wild birds in our National Bird of Prey Hospital™ is some of the most challenging and yet fulfilling work we undertake at the Trust. Last year, we admitted 153 birds to our care.

Thank you Jane, Matt and Ria We are sad to say farewell to Matt Williams and Ria May, and there’s been a change of pace for Jane Robertson. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for all they have done for the Trust and wish them the best of luck with their next adventures!

Also in July, we admitted a Goshawk to our care; a species that we don’t often see in our hospital. This individual had, in fact, flown into a window at Chris Packham’s house. It hatched in the New Forest and fortunately, with Chris at hand he knew to bring it straight to our expert care and facilities. On arrival, we could see that it had an injury on its foot and above its right eye. A full examination from our vet, John Chitty, and an x-ray revealed it had fractured one of its toes. It responded well to our treatment and care, and we were delighted to return it to the wild in early September. One of our great successes last year was the release of one of our long-term patients. In July 2019, we admitted a juvenile Red Kite that had fledged with very poor feather condition and was unable to fly. As a result, it was also very thin. After some initial care that we provided, in November of that year we moved this bird to a long-term rehabilitation facility owned by one of our members. It stayed there until last summer, moulting through a full new set of feathers. It came back to us for four weeks for us to assess its flying ability and we were delighted to be able to release it back to the wild in early October.

Matt Matt Williams has been an invaluable member of our team since 2018. We’re sad to see him go but are delighted to wish him luck in what sounds like an exciting new chapter of his life as he takes on the role of Lecturer in Animal Management at Abingdon and Witney College, near Oxford. Matt has been a visitor to the Trust from a very young age and always wanted to work with birds of prey. He was a huge asset to us, and a great member of the team. He excelled in public engagement, and his way of explaining the natural world was very professional and inspiring. His knowledge of birds of prey was extensive and he was a key person to represent the Trust’s mission through our work. “My first memory of the Trust was when I visited around the age of 10. Of course, seeing the eagles fly across the valley and all the way home was firmly etched Since then, Jane has gone on to help in so many areas of the Trust, she is truly an unsung hero, unbelievably dedicated to her work and a fantastic colleague to have on the team. Many of you will have seen the work she undertakes as part of the Bird Team but you may not be aware of the number of things she contributes to behind the scenes. She has held a variety of responsibilities within the Bird Team over the years and has been our Registrar for 19 years, diligently keeping records of all the birds in our care. Jane was instrumental in getting the Trust’s apprenticeship scheme up and running, and has expertly kept us all on track with all health and safety protocols. If you’ve ever adopted one of our birds, you’ll likely have had contact with Jane as she managed this for many years with great care. Jane In January this year, Jane Robertson stepped back from her position on site at the Trust as Registrar and member of our Bird Team, moving to Scotland. We’re so grateful that she has agreed to keep working part-time for us though, as Bird Team Administrator and Coordinator of the African White-backed Vulture European Endangered Species Programme. Jane first visited the Trust in 1994 and loved it so much that she signed up as a member straight away. She started volunteering at the Trust later that year and, in 2000, joined as a full-time employee.

In 2017, she became the Coordinator of the European Endangered Species Programme for African White-backed Vultures, a role that she will continue from home. “I have so many highlights from my time here though there are a few that really stand out. The first time Fraggle the White- bellied Sea-Eagle stooped in to land on my fist and releasing Danebury the Bald Eagle for the first time were incredible. The first bird I trained (Galaxy our Spectacled Owl) and the last (Fawkes our Wahlberg’s Eagle) are both highlights! Now living in the Scottish Highlands, Jane is going to be kept busy launching Tanleys B&B and a hypnotherapy business. We wish her all the very best of luck with this new venture.

CEDRIC ROBERT, HOSPITAL MANAGER 2020 was a particularly tough year.

There were a few particularly interesting cases to note for the year. In mid-July we admitted a female Peregrine Falcon that had fledged too early, landed badly on the ground and suffered a bruised right shoulder. Other than the injury, she was in good condition and had clearly been well cared for by her parents. The nest was being monitored and we knew that she had a brother who started flying by the end of the month and so we had a really short window of time to be able to rehabilitate and return her to the nest. Within four days, we had her in a rehabilitation aviary to assess her flying ability, and with two further check-ups from our vet we were confident to return her to the wild in early August. This was a great success as it meant that she could continue to be cared for by her parents and learn to hunt from them.

“Working with a great team of people and birds and the thought that I am giving a little back to nature is what has kept me at the Trust for over 27 years!”

Admissions for 2019 and 2020 Species Tawny Owl 2019

2020

33 17 3 14 4 24 9 12

53 11 1 32 5 31 5 12

Barn Owl Little Owl Kestrel Peregrine Falcon

Buzzard Red Kite Sparrowhawk Goshawk Merlin

Ria Ria was the first to graduate from the Trust’s apprenticeship scheme and has been part of our team since 2016. She has been such a valuable member of the Bird Team and has delivered so much for the Trust over the years. She has a very experienced eye for the welfare of birds of prey and is an exceptionally skilled bird trainer. She has integrated her passion and skills throughout the organisation, whether it is caring for our team of birds or for wild birds in our National Bird of Prey Hospital™.

2 1 119

3 0 153

Totals

Injuries Wing Starving Trauma (collision with vehicle) Trauma (other) Infection Exhausted Juvenile Unknown Outcome Died/Euthanised Released Aviary (continuing rehabilitation)

2019

2020

12 8 21 24 4 4 35 11

17 7 23 40 10 7 48 1

“From a young age, birds of prey always intrigued me. I visited the Trust when I was given an

Juvenile Red Kite at admission

experience day as a present, and remember watching the Valley of the Eagles display when a Peregrine Falcon was flying. The speed at which he flew past me when coming out of a stoop

in my mind! The core values of the Trust are what motivated me to want to work here particularly, being a part of making a real difference to the lives of birds of prey. Now, having had the opportunity to work with those same eagles that I watched over 20 years ago, is a massive highlight of my time working here.”

inspired me and I knew then that it would be something I’d love to do and work with birds of prey in the future.” Ria was a key member of the team and will be greatly missed. We will certainly find it difficult to fill her shoes! She is now training to be a Pharmacy Assistant at Winchester Hospital.

2019

2020

35 80 3

75 74 4

Juvenile Red Kite after rehabilitation