Hawk Conservancy Trust newsletter Winter 20 Issue 86

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WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

Start 2021 with a sparkle at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, when it will become even more magical with beautiful illuminations and a live owl display set in a stunning, colourful woodland.

While immersed in nature, see the Trust come alive with sounds and lights dancing through the branches. Be amazed by the sea of colour as we offer some much-needed escapism to lift the January blues and brighten your spirits. Follow a captivating trail that celebrates the wonder of the woods and all that lives within, as mesmerising lights and fascinating narration illuminate many scenes of woodland life. Experience a rainstorm of light, the joy of sunrise and dazzling owl flights. Our beautiful owls will feature in the finale with a live display in our wonderful woodland arena, where the trees will come alive with lights, music, sounds and, of course, our birds in flight. We have created this as a fundraising event as a direct result of losing so much income due to COVID-19

restrictions and closures. Not only do we hope that this event will lift the spirits of those visiting; but also that the money generated from this event will help re-coup some of the funds we lost in 2020, which are so vital for the conservation of birds of prey. Like all events and visits to the Trust, we will have extensive measures in place to provide a COVID-19 safe experience. Visitor numbers will be restricted and the event takes place outside. PLEASE remember social distancing and to bring a mask or face covering. If this event cannot go ahead due to COVID-19 restrictions or closures, we will arrange alternative dates to hold the event at a later date, and will rearrange your dates for you. Book now and have something to look forward to this January. www.hawk-conservancy.org/lights

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

A message from our Chief Executive Penny Smout CEO

In this issue

25 years of Reg’s Wildflower Meadow Introducing Wallace, Attenborough and Irwin Plan your next visit

DEFENDERS OF THE TRUST Guardians of the Meadow

We had hoped to get this edition of HawkTalk out to you a while ago, but hopefully it’s a case of better late than never. We do want to keep in touch with our members and let you know what we are up to and how things are going.

this winter A Star of the Summer: Orion 07 How can birds adapt 08

As you might imagine COVID has been keeping us on our toes, and now we are dealing with the challenges presented by the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (a threat to birds rather than humans). We’ve been through that one before so the team already knew the biosecurity measures to implement. It has not all been about COVID, there have been some fun things too, like working on the Winter Woodland Lights event and helping to devise the new Guardian of the Meadow appeal, both of which are covered in detail in this edition of HawkTalk . We hope you’ll enjoy these too. The recent Christmas Market was a big success – we’re already planning to do it again in 2021. Our takeaways from Feathers Restaurant are going well and I can personally attest to their deliciousness! We have some creative folk on the team who have developed some really special new elements to what we offer. These innovations have been born from the COVID crisis, and just show what the team can achieve when given the chance. Thank you team! It has also been budget season. The rulebook has been massively adapted as striving to produce a surplus would require drastic cuts. So we’re anticipating that we’ll need to use even more of our reserves to get us to a more sustainable level. We will be continuing to invest in our conservation and research work, such an important part of our mission, and in our visitor centre to improve what we offer you on a visit, with enhancements to our displays. The recent news about vaccines has been heartening, but we still have a long way to go before we can stop worrying about sanitising and managing social distancing. One thing we’d like to encourage you to do is visit! We have quite a few spaces in our limited capacity reserved for members and they are very rarely all taken up, even back when the weather was nicer. I am delighted to report that while we have increased our day admission prices (out of necessity) we are not increasing our membership fees in 2021! We are so aware of your amazing support throughout this year, and your patience as we struggled with how to get our new system to extend your memberships, which is a complex process. It was a case of having the office team sink completely, drafting in additional support (with extensive training required) or asking for your cooperation. It is not something we would ordinarily do as it is completely the right thing for us to extend your membership, and we are deeply grateful for the understanding and generosity of spirit to those who were able to opt to not have your memberships extended. We thought it the least that we could do to not charge you more next year! If you have not been back since the second lockdown, you are in for a surprise. We decided to go ahead with many of our projects that we normally do when we are closed in January. This will definitely make January a little less challenging (some might say bonkers) with only some smaller park projects, the Winter Woodland Lights event and our Winter VIP experiences to host. So while we didn’t want the second lockdown, we have certainly made the most of it. As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! You’ll see changes to the arenas to increase the seating capacity (key to boosting our income). We have also spruced up and renovated many aviaries and given the residents their annual health checks. It’s the start of the breeding season. Let’s hope 2021 is a good year for successful hatchings! As we rapidly approach the festive period, I would like to wish you the happiest Christmas the restrictions will allow and to wish you a peaceful and above all a healthy 2021.

to our changing planet? Volunteers of the Year

10 11

Christmas Gift Ideas

Dates for your diary

Winter Woodland Lights , Friday 15 – Sunday 31 January 2021 Owls by Moonlight , Weekend evenings during spring Find out more and book tickets: www.hawk-conservancy.org/events Grounds closed Each year we close for around a month to undertake maintenance and development projects. This year we will be closed Tuesday 5 January – Tuesday 5 February 2021. Feathers Restaurant and the Trust Shop will remain open during this time, 10am-4:30pm each day. For our Winter Woodland Lights event, the Trust will be open from 5pm and the Trust Shop will remain open until 9pm.

We would like to invite you to become a Guardian of our meadow, ‘Reg’s Wildflower Meadow,’ and help secure the future of the Hawk Conservancy Trust.

This year, 2020, marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of Reg’s Wildflower Meadow. Sadly, it also marks the biggest challenge to the Trust in its 55-year history. The necessary restrictions we have put in place to help the fight against COVID-19 are severely impacting our income and the future of the Trust, and our renowned conservation work, is in jeopardy. We are appealing to friends and supporters of the Trust to help us raise funds by adopting a plot and becoming a Guardian of the Meadow. In 1995, we created a seven- acre wildflower meadow, returning what was for decades an agricultural field back to original chalk downland. Named in memory of one of the Trust’s founders, Reg Smith, the meadow is an integral part of the visitor’s experience as we fly our beautiful birds across the meadow each day. Reg’s Meadow attracts and is home to an amazing variety of wildlife, and meadows of this type are one of the rarest habitats in the UK today. We’re eager to secure the future of the meadow, and along with it the entire Trust, so that generations to come can experience this inspiring habitat.

Please help us to secure the future of the Hawk Conservancy Trust by becoming a Guardian. Helping to protect the future of the Trust will ultimately support the fortunes of birds of prey and their habitats. Guardians of the Meadow will receive a certificate of adoption and can choose from six iconic plant species seen in the meadow over the years. Their name will also be displayed on a special sign celebrating Guardians of the Meadow. Selecting a Meadow Guardianship for a loved one offers a unique gift and unites us in securing the future of the Trust. Find out more at: www.hawk - conservancy.org/meadowappeal

Hawk Conservancy Trust Visitor Centre, Sarson Lane, Weyhill, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8DY T: 01264 773 850 E: info@hawkconservancy.org www.hawkconservancy.org

REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1092349

youtube.com/user/hawkconservancytrust justgiving/hawkconservancy @HawkConservancy

The Hawk Conservancy Trust would like to extend its thanks to our corporate supporters:

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

25 years of Reg’s Wildflower Meadow

Introducing Wallace, Attenborough and Irwin This year our theme for naming birds celebrates famous naturalists, and we’re delighted to introduce you to the newest members of our team; we have a beautiful young Bald Eagle called (Alfred Russel) Wallace and two young Black Kites, (Sir David) Attenborough and (Steve) Irwin. For training, we’ve teamed them up with Simon Christer, Kat Ralph and Ben Cox respectively, so we’ve checked in with each of them to see how they’re getting on.

When we acquired this piece of former agricultural land, we sowed it with two pillowcase-sized bags of seed, containing 19 species of wildflowers and seven species of grasses. Since then, we’ve recorded a stunning 732 plants and animals in the meadow in total. Here, we’ve shared some of our absolute favourites, although of course it is the rich diversity of species that really makes Reg’s Wildflower Meadow so special.

Ben and Irwin

Cowslip: This beautiful plant was once common in traditional hay meadows, woodland and hedgerows, but it has suffered a major decline in abundance due to the loss of these habitats. They’re an important early source of nectar for pollinators. Rough Hawkbit: A member of the Daisy family, these bright yellow flowers cover much of our meadow between June and September. They look similar to Dandelions but are distinguishable by their very hairy stem and leaves. Musk Mallow: If you visit our meadow between June and September, you’ll likely catch the beautiful musk scent from these pretty, pale pink flowers. Musk Mallow was once used as an ingredient in cough syrups and ointments. Common Poppy: The seeds of these bright flowers can lay dormant in soil for years, until disturbed. The Ancient Egyptians and Romans associated Poppies with new life and made garlands with the flowers to celebrate the gods and ensure crop fertility. Pyramidal Orchid: This is arguably one of the most exciting flowers, which we are always delighted to find in the meadow. The stunning purple flowers come out in June and July and attract a range of butterflies and moths, which are important for its pollination. Wild Marjoram: This is the same species as the Mediterranean herb Oregano, though when it grows in the cooler climate of the UK it has a different scent. The numerous small pink flowers offer an excellent food source for many pollinating insects. Common Blue Butterfly: The males of this species are one of the easier butterflies to recognise in our meadow, as their upper wings are bright blue, while the females are predominantly brown. You can see them flying between May and October. Brown Hairstreak Butterfly: This is one of Britain’s rarest and most elusive butterflies. It has declined rapidly in recent decades, due to the loss and over-frequent cutting of hedges. We first spotted it in 2017 and it has appeared in subsequent years.

Wild Carrot: This species takes over the meadow in early autumn, covering it with a spectacular mass of white flower heads. After flowering, the seed heads bend inward, forming a small nest shape, often used by insects for shelter. Dotted Bee Fly: This species is a real treasure. It looks like a small bee but has a long, sharp pointed proboscis with which it drinks nectar. We first recorded it in 2012, and have spotted it every year since, with numbers growing each spring. Roe Deer: Though shy animals, we know that we have regular Roe Deer visit our meadow. We’ve captured them on camera traps and also regularly find their droppings, which look similar to rabbit droppings though are more pointed in shape. Field Vole: You may not spot Field Voles, but you’ll likely see evidence of them with the domed nests and tunnels they make in the grasses. They are prey for a wide variety of animals, including owls, kestrels and other larger mammals. Moths: Since we started monitoring moths at the Trust, we’ve recorded more than 350 species! The most spectacular moths we record regularly are the Elephant Hawk-moth and Poplar Hawk-moth. Both fly at dusk and during the night, and stand out for their intricate wing shapes and colours. There are also moths that fly in the daytime, including the Five-spot Burnet, which offer a flash of bright red as they fly past. Bees: We have hives in the meadow from which the honeybees produce excellent honey. We also have many species of bumblebee and solitary bee such as the Ashy Mining Bee. Evidence of this species can be seen along the left-hand side of the meadow, where they excavate tunnels to their nests leaving their little holes in the path. The commonest bumblebees we see are the Red-tailed and Buff-tailed Bumblebees.

Wallace “Working with Wallace is very exciting because I’ve trained other birds of prey before but never an eagle. It’s interesting to see how different a young eagle is to train compared to something like a Harris’ Hawk or even a Goshawk. Wallace is a very gentle eagle and is slowly becoming more confident, and the more we get to know one another, the more our mutual trust grows. He’s progressing very nicely through his training and is coming along at a good pace. With his great progression, I’m hopeful that he may be able to start making some flying appearances at the Trust next spring. He is currently living away from public view but, as his confidence grows, the plan is to move him to the mews area with the other eagles during the day so, you may be lucky enough to catch your first glimpse of him. In the meantime, we will continue to share updates of his progress on social media for you.” Simon Christer

Attenborough “Attenborough is a great little character to work with. It has been a wonderful experience watching him grow from a chick into the fully-grown kite he is now, alongside his brother, Irwin. He hatched at the end of May this year and, at just shy of three months old, he took his first free flight. It was a nerve-racking experience for my colleague, Ben, and me as anything could happen! But we both felt like proud parents as the kites flew beautifully. I have a lovely bond with Attenborough and that is largely down to the close training work that I’ve done with him. Prior to flying free, the initial training started taking place as soon as all of his feathers were through – the juvenile markings on Black Kites are simply stunning, with lovely blonde and gold colourations on the face, nape and wings. Attenborough took to flying on a creance (a long string-like piece of equipment used prior to flying free) very well and with each training session he would progress to flying longer stretches to the glove. Attenborough is a confident little bird and has already met a wild Red Kite which stooped down at him during a training session! He took it in his stride and it was a good experience for him. Our hope for him in the future is that he’ll join our main team of Black Kites and fly during our 2pm display; it is quite common for a Red Kite (or two) to come and investigate. Attenborough always knows when it’s time for a training session – before entering the aviary, both he and Irwin are incredibly vocal!” Kat Ralph

Irwin “Irwin is a four-month-old Black Kite and one of the prettiest kites I have ever seen, with a stunning juvenile plumage. He is very good at looking after himself with every feather kept in the perfect position. He is a very noisy chap and has a lot to say for himself even when he’s flying; this is because he’s a hand- reared bird and sees all of us as family. He is cheeky, quirky, curious and very gentle in nature. He is a very stylish flyer and, although he is still in training, he is coming on in leaps and bounds. He is very competent in the air with great foot-to-beak coordination (just like his dad who is very sporty). Irwin is a real star for the future and has a very bright future ahead of him at the Trust. It won’t be long before you can see him in our beautiful skies flying with the main team of Black Kites each day in our 2pm demonstration.” Ben Cox

Kat and Attenborough

Simon and Wallace

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

Plan your next visit this winter

A star of the summer: Orion This summer we had to adjust in so many ways, and in some areas, this gave us a real opportunity to do things we don’t otherwise get a chance to do. When we re-opened for visitors, we decided to give Orion our Bald Eagle a go in our World of Birds of Prey display. Whilst Danebury and Cheyenne have, for many years, shone in our afternoon display and won themselves many adoring fans, it was time for Orion to step up and share some of the limelight.

Orion is a very gentle and intelligent bird who is better known for making appearances in our experiences team where he flies for guests, as well as taking part in some corporate events and weddings. He’s also very charismatic and chatty which means he is often a highlight of these experiences! For many years, Orion has been the youngster of our Bald Eagle team, accompanied by veterans Danebury and Cheyenne. He is, however, 19 years old which is about middle-aged for an eagle. Because of his age, we knew that asking Orion to start flying in a completely different way was never going to be straightforward. So we teamed him up with Tom Morath from our Bird Team who is especially patient and measured in his approach. He has previously trained a Bald Eagle named Nina with great success at a collection he used to work at, so we knew this would be a good match. The pair began with simply extending the flying distance and, with this mastered, Tom then really started to encourage Orion to fly in beautiful circuits around the meadow.

It made for some dramatic flying displays as he swooped low over the audience in Reg’s Wildflower Meadow. For those who witnessed it, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! “I’ve really been enjoying my work with Orion so far and we’ve still got more work to do. It’s been a change of routine for him to encourage him to gain height and fly circuits above our heads. He is an experienced and intelligent eagle and so working with Orion has been an education for me as much as I hope it has been for him. Fingers crossed we’ll see this awesome eagle soaring in the skies above the Trust in displays in the not too distant future – so long as the wind is in the right direction!” Unfortunately, Orion suffered from some ill health in the summer that put pause to our grand plans. However, next year, Tom’s hope is to continue this training so that Orion will learn to circuit long enough to find natural lift (breeze or thermal uplift) so that he can soar high above the meadow. When the wind is in the right direction, he can already do some very impressive flying high over the trees. Watch this space!

As the nights get longer and the days get colder, it’s so important for our well-being that we continue to get outside and make time for nature in our lives. We invite you to join us this winter, now we’re open again, for a day embracing the glorious outdoors whilst watching our birds soar across the Hampshire skies. We have lots of safety measures in place for COVID-19 and have received wonderful feedback from visitors during the summer on TripAdvisor. Our timetable is slightly reduced as we continue to follow COVID-19 precautions, but we are delighted to be able to still offer three displays each day for you. As ever, they all take place outside in the fresh open air and we seat everyone with plenty of space for social distancing. Woodland Owls 11:30am in our Woodland Arena We begin each day in the winter with our most popular group of birds, the owls! From the small to the large, we’ll showcase the incredible silent flight of these elusive birds as they glide through our beautiful Woodland Arena and maybe even land next to you. Heading up the team this year we have Walter and Ennis our Great Grey Owls, and Charlie, Delta and Elder our Barn Owls. You may also see appearances from Sage or Troy our Tawny Owls, Wispa our Boobook Owl and either Cinnamon our Siberian Eagle-Owl or Molly our Eurasian Eagle-Owl. Sweeney Todd, our adorable Snowy Owl, is back to delight once again. See her sweep across the arena with some dramatic low flying. She prefers to fly on cold, crisp days with very little wind and, on a nice day, there’s nothing quite like watching her float through the arena with her brilliant white plumage against blue skies. In a showcase of South American species, we have our team of caracaras and vultures: Flo the Crested Caracara, Sirius the Striated Caracara, Pike and Chips our Black Vultures, and Tebenwick our Turkey Vulture. These are all intelligent birds, so we like to showcase this for you in our display. World of Birds of Prey 2pm in our Savannah Arena

As we travel the world through species of birds of prey in this display, it would be remiss of us to leave out the most numerous and widespread bird of prey in the world, the Black Kite. This species is found on four continents: Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. Our team of kites will delight with their amazing aerial acrobatics. British Bird Encounter 3:15pm in Reg’s Wildflower Meadow This is your opportunity to see some of our British birds of prey up close and in action. Each day we will fly one of our British bird species, which may include Saxon our Golden Eagle, Lester our Merlin, Raj or Farah one of our Peregrine Falcons, or Scout our Kestrel. The encounter will be an informal and relaxed end to a winter’s day, and there’ll be an opportunity for you to chat with the member of our Bird Team running the session about the species we’re flying as well as the local wildlife. At this time of day in winter, we are sometimes fortunate enough to spot wild birds overhead and we’ll be sure to point these out to you. We’ll also fly either a second British bird of prey or you may be lucky enough to see some training with one of our younger birds, such as Mamba or Ravenclaw our White-headed Vultures. And don’t forget… • For children, we have our Top Trumps activity trail with six Super Top Trumps cards to collect! • Feathers Restaurant will be serving a tempting range of hot lunches and speciality hot drinks. If you visit in December, you can even book in for a Christmas lunch (see page 14)

ACTIVITY TRAIL

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

How can birds adapt to our changing planet? Climate change is one of the biggest threats affecting species and their habitats across the globe, and birds of prey are no exception. The rate of global warming is already having an impact on some birds, their prey, and their habitats. Over the coming decades, scientists predict that climate change could negatively affect up to a third of all known species on earth, with many species being lost, including many birds.

Closer to home There is a lot we still have to learn about how changes to the climate will affect British species, however we know that prey availability for our British species can be very dependent on climate. Barn Owls and Kestrels, for example, depend on small mammals, and fluctuations in prey populations can directly affect the birds of prey that rely on them. Extreme weather events like the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018 had devastating impacts on many species, including birds of prey. Extreme low temperatures severely impact not only the survival of prey, but also their availability to predators.

Some species have already needed to adapt to changes in their environment. There has been a substantial change to the range of the Hobby in Europe, and scientists expect that warmer weather will push the species north to inhabit more areas in Britain as their usual breeding habitats in continental Europe become too warm and dry. Why is this important to humans? Birds of prey and nature as a whole have significant natural heritage value to people. It is well-documented that spending time in nature is extremely important for our well-being, and birds of prey are an important aspect of this for many people. Birds of prey are iconic species, with local significance in many areas. A fantastic example of this is the reintroduction of Red Kites in the late 1990s, in which the Trust played a role. People local to Hampshire and the Thames Valley now see this species as an important part of their cultural heritage as they witnessed the re-establishment of this British species over the past 20 years.

How does climate change affect birds of prey? Birds, like many other species, are adapted to their habitats. Changes to these habitats can make it more difficult for birds of prey to find food, or places to nest, and sometimes changes occur too quickly for them to adapt and survive. Some birds may be forced to find new and unfamiliar habitats in which to live, putting them at risk of starvation and exhaustion. These changes can have unexpected effects on food webs and ecosystem function. Changes to the environment where birds live contributes to habitat loss, for example more frequent and more severe wildfires will create changes to vegetation structure and species communities, which in turn can create opportunities for destructive invasive species. Milder winters will continue to lead to earlier growing seasons and the resultant effects on the breeding habits of some predatory birds. Fluctuations in local weather including the frequency of extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding can also have a huge impact. Extreme weather events can often be more catastrophic than the predicted effects from gradual changes to the climate. Scientists investigated how severe droughts might affect Lesser Kestrels and found that severe droughts can contribute to a decrease in survival of up to 12 percent in juvenile birds. This could seriously jeopardise the ongoing recovery of the European population of this species, which suffered significant declines in the second half of the 20th Century.

Arctic adapted species Changes to the environment can be especially problematic for species adapted to live in high latitudes. The Gyrfalcon is the world’s largest falcon and is adapted for living at high latitudes; it breeds in the Arctic tundra. Gyrfalcons face severe challenges in an Arctic environment that is changing rapidly. Due to their specialised ecological niche and reliance on specific prey such as ptarmigan (a medium-sized game bird), and small population size, the risk from a changing environment is very high. Gyrfalcons, and their main prey of ptarmigans, are well-suited to life in the harsh tundra conditions, but there are already indications that local populations of Gyrfalcons in Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada are in decline. Research has shown that the increasing temperatures will lead to a decrease in suitable habitat for Gyrfalcons and their prey. These changes in habitat availability and the distribution of species is at risk of causing a change in predator-prey dynamics, which could have cascading effects on other species, food webs and ecosystems overall. Changes in weather patterns, such as snowfall, can also create negative effects. Snow provides camouflage to some species of predator, for example Snowy Owls. Matching a white coat to a snowy background has obvious benefits for both predators approaching prey, but also for prey avoiding predators. As permafrost melts and snowfall decreases this could have negative effects on some Arctic species.

Gyrfalcon in the Arctic Tundra

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Climate change is already happening and its effects are predicted to get worse. The best thing we can do is reduce our impact on the planet. Even small changes can make a huge difference. Here are our top five ways for reducing your impact and helping to slow down climate change:

Consume less Reuse and re-purpose as much as you can.

Make ethical choices wherever possible Look for second-hand products, locally- made items and ethical, eco-friendly companies.

Reduce your meat and dairy consumption Where possible seek out food that is ethically and sustainably produced or sourced.

Waste less Only buy what you need, try planning meals in advance, avoid excessive packaging, and recycle where possible.

Ditch the car! Consider using

alternative transport ... walk, cycle or take public transport.

Juvenile Great Horned Owl in a burned out tree

Snowy Owls rely on snow for camouflage

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100 Club We would like to begin by saying how very proud we are of our members for their unwavering support of the 100 Club, for which we sincerely thank you. Like everyone, we had to adapt to COVID restrictions and felt unable to carry out our monthly winners’ draws from March to June. Once the situation eased, we invited two people independent of the 100 Club to make all four draws in July and witness the process. We are now thankfully back on track. As this year’s special evening for 100 Club members had to be cancelled, Tom Morath and some of the Bird Team have instead produced a short video exclusively for 100 Clubbers. The access information has been sent to all members, but if anyone has not received it, please do email us at hundredclub@hawkconservancy.org so that we can share it with you. At last in early October we made our first donation for 2020 of £5,000 to the Trust. This is going towards the completion of the six new, large aviaries behind the staff area. By the end of 2020, if membership numbers hold up, we aim to give another £5,000 towards rebuilding three aviaries near the Savannah Arena. We appreciate how uncertain and difficult times are for a lot of folk at this time, but if any 100 Club Members feel they might be able to afford another £5 per month for an extra share the money will go directly to aid the Trust’s work. Should any Trust Members reading this be unaware of the 100 Club or how we support the Trust, you can find out more at www.hawk-conservancy.org/support-us/the-100-club/. If you decide to join, we will be delighted to hear from you! Take care and stay safe. Thelma and John Cobbold

Christmas Gift Ideas

Volunteers of the Year

We’ve got Christmas all wrapped up for you this year with our list of unique and unusual gift ideas to ensure you have something to suit all loved ones. We offer gifts that won’t cost the planet. Why not consider giving the gift of memories this year with a voucher or ticket to one of our events or experiences?

CARDS If you choose to send e-cards , we have a range of our own ones you can send from www.dontsendmeacard.com/ecard/ SHk6. Simply donate what you would have ordinarily spent on cards to support us whilst sending your well wishes to loved ones. Win-win!

Each year, we award our rather coveted prizes of Volunteer of the Year. It is always very tricky to decide who should receive the two awards, Steadfast and Impact Volunteers, as we have so many dedicated volunteers deserving of these awards. This year has been exceptional in many ways, but particularly for how all of our volunteers have not only stuck with us, but really gone the extra mile to help us navigate these challenging times including continuing to work from home during lockdown. We would not have been able to re-open without our volunteers. The response to helping us prepare the park for re-opening was phenomenal and humbling. And, when we were able to re-open, we were both enormously grateful and relieved to have so many volunteers willing to sign up to our newly formed COVID-Safe Taskforce. It really made re-opening safely feasible and we can’t quite believe our good fortune to have such fabulous volunteers. All of these reasons mean that it has been impossible for us to select just two volunteers to receive an award this year. Instead, we’d take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to every one of our amazing volunteers. We could not have done it without you – thank you!

STOCKING FILLERS Our shop is stocked full with a wonderful variety of trinkets, keepsakes, educational gifts and toys. Here are some of our favourites which you can also buy from our website: 1. Hawk Conservancy Trust Top Trumps 2.Delightful animal cuddly toys Available in a range of sizes and species, including cuddly Secretary Birds! 3.Cute owl items Notepads, mugs, cushions, aprons and more! 4.Hawk Conservancy Trust 2021 Calendar

SPREAD THE COST Give a year full of wonderful days out at the Trust. As a member, we’re sure you know how perfect a gift this could be. To spread the costs throughout the year, you can pay for the gift membership as a monthly direct debit. For £5/month for an adult and £2.50/month for a child (Annual Membership), this offers great value! GIVE SOMETHING TO LOOK We offer a range of experiences to suit anyone wishing to get closer to our birds and learn more about them. These intimate sessions are limited to small groups. 2.Events: Adult £35 | Child £21 Choose from Owls by Moonlight or Sky Hunters at Sunset. These magical evening events include two spectacular flying displays and a delicious supper. 3.Afternoon tea: £24.95 including admission Treat a loved one to a special day out in the country with a sumptuous afternoon tea. Includes three types of cake, a selection of sandwiches, and tea or coffee. 4.Meet the Burrowers VIP Encounter: £19.50 This 30-minute session is the perfect extra to a day at the Trust to make it more special. Admission to the Trust charged in addition. 5.Adopt: From £55 The perfect gift for all bird lovers. This is a great way to support a bird and contribute towards care and maintenance costs, as well as supporting our conservation work. FORWARD TO IN 2021 1. Experiences: From £69.50

New Life Members

We welcome all new members and appreciate their support. We are pleased to have on board the following new life members: • Daniel Banks • Rachel Cook • Aidan Eardley • Craig Harris • Nina Seale • Veronica and Roly Dumont • Dr Carolyn Browne • Gary and Jill Umpleby • Nicola Vyvyan-Robinson • Caroline Owen • Andrea Baker • Tim Dawson • Susan Waite • Peter and Sarah Eales • Sultan Dajani • Timothy Sanders OBE • Sheena Langford

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

What we’ve been reading

wordsearch

B G U N X I F E I

P U O Z

Z D R

R D R R

N E M I

E S D G B W F U Z F E

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Can you work out which birds of prey these fiendish clues are about and find their name in our wordsearch? 1. I am the fastest bird of prey on the planet 2. When I call, it sounds like T’witt-t’woo 3. I am white and black, and live in the Arctic tundra 4. I live in the UK and am well-known for the fork in my tail 5. I am the tallest bird of prey in the world and have very long eyelashes 6. You may sometimes see me hovering along road sides and in the countryside 7. I am a small vulture and I blush when I’m excited 8. I am the national emblem of the USA 9. When I am young, I have a blue face and dark brown feathers. Once I am an adult I have a yellow face and white feathers 10. I am an owl that lives underground can you guess? Here are some close up photos of birds of prey. Can you guess which birds they are?

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Vulture Specialist Group Newsletter Every six months, the Vulture Specialist Groups provide updates on all the latest developments in vulture conservation across the globe. This issue reported: • The disastrous poisoning events in Guinea-Bissau this year which killed over 2,000 vultures; the motivation is thought to be belief-based. A major source of demand for vulture parts comes from Nigeria, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation is working with traditional healers to help stem this demand. • Tracking of tagged vultures continues in parts of East Africa, and southern Africa, and surveys were completed in a number of countries with important vulture populations, including our work in Kruger National Park, South Africa. • The first release of tagged Asian White-backed Vultures in India went ahead, and recently released birds in Nepal began to disperse more widely. • In Europe, despite lockdowns, 22 Bearded Vultures were released this spring; all birds are doing well so far. Not forgetting the appearance of a Bearded Vulture in the UK, attracting the attention of birders across the country! • 93 organisations from 32 countries, across five continents, celebrated International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) this year. India had the highest number of events, and were especially impressive in delivering online events. Read this and other issues here: https://www.iucnvsg.org/vsg-roundup A review of raptor persecution on grouse moors A recent review by renowned ornithologist, Professor Ian Newton FRS, in the scientific journal IBIS summarised ‘the evidence for the recent scale of illegal raptor killing on grouse moors and its effect on populations’. In response to a reduction in killing and destruction of nests, and improved regulation of organochlorine pesticides, many bird of prey populations have increased since the 1970s. Some species, however, such as the Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Hen Harrier, have shown population declines on and around grouse moors. The evidence for this comes from lower breeding densities and fewer nests on suitable habitat on grouse moors; reduced nesting success; reduced adult survival when compared with other areas; birds breeding at a younger age for the first time; and discoveries of poisoned, shot and trapped carcasses of raptors. Raptor persecution is the biggest issue dividing grouse moor managers and conservation organisations. As Professor Newton concludes in the paper, ‘only dialogue, mutual understanding and compromise are likely to lessen this conflict’. Read the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ibi.12886

Bearded Vulture

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Genetic analyses reveal the origins and sex of our Bearded Vulture visitor There has been a lot of speculation about ‘Vigo’ the Bearded Vulture that turned up in the UK a few months ago. Two small feathers collected by a Yorkshire-based birder in the Peak District were analysed by the Vulture Conservation Foundation. The analysis confirmed that the bird is female, and she hatched in 2019 in the French Alps. Vigo was first seen in the West Midlands. She then took a whistle-stop tour of the UK, spending time in the Peak District, Oxfordshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire before heading further south towards East Sussex where she was last seen flying out over the Channel back towards France. How Striated Caracara activity levels change with the seasons This paper is part of the fascinating work by Katie Harrington that we helped to support through our Marion Paviour Award. Katie was the award recipient in 2018, for her work with Striated Caracaras on the Falkland Islands. Here, using special data loggers attached to the birds, the behaviour of Striated Caracaras was investigated in response to seasonal changes in the availability of their main prey, seabirds. Katie and the team found that caracaras’ daily activity and body mass did not tend to vary between seasons, which suggests that they are finding enough food, even when their usual seabird prey have migrated away. Striated Caracaras are opportunistic scavengers, and the scientists investigating this think that the reason for this is that food sources on nearby farm settlements help supplement their diet during this time. We are extremely pleased to have helped fund this work, and Katie, with whom we hope to work again in the future! Read the paper: https://animalbiotelemetry.biomedcentral. com/articles/10.1186/s40317-020-00214-y

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colour me bald

Katie deploying data loggers with a Saunders Island landowner

Answers

can you guess?: 1. Steller’s Sea-Eagle, 2. African Hawk-Eagle, 3. Great

Grey Owl

6. Kestrel, 7. Hooded Vulture, 8. Bald Eagle, 9. Egyptian Vulture, 10. Burrowing Owl

wordsearch: 1. Peregrine Falcon, 2. Tawny Owl, 3. Snowy Owl, 4. Red Kite, 5. Secretary Bird,

HAWKTALK WINTER 2020 ISSUE 86

Behind-the-scenes Winter Experience

Selected dates between 5 January and 5 February

Whilst we’re closed to the public, we offer a very special opportunity for a limited number of guests to join Cédric Robert or Ben Cox for a unique behind-the-scenes experience. During this experience, individuals* or couples will be guided through their day by their host, who will give you special access to feed and fly a variety of iconic birds. You will enjoy access to areas not normally open to the public, to really see the work of the Trust. With an expert at your fingertips, you will have plenty of opportunity to discover more about our work and our impressive birds. These intimate experience sessions are limited to two guests per experience and commence at 9:30am and finish at 3:30pm, including a break for lunch in Feathers Restaurant. Please call 01264 773 850 to find out more and to book. “The Behind-the-scenes Winter Experience was like no other. Being the only two visitors on the Park was very special and coming face-to-face with various vultures and the Steller’s Sea-Eagles in their aviaries, as well as flying many of the Trust’s owls and eagles made for an amazing day. It was a truly memorable experience.” * If you attend this experience as an individual, you will be booked on to a session with a maximum of one other person.

Christmas Lunch Available until Sunday 20 December Why not join us for your Christmas dinner? We have a delicious menu that will have everyone’s mouth watering. Please call 01264 773 850 (extension 225) for menu details, more information and to book a table, or email info@hawkconservancy.org.

FEATHERS RESTAURANT VOUCHER Breakfast Free hot drink with any breakfast 1. Offer valid from 05/01/21 to 05/02/21 2. Voucher must be presented at point of purchase 3. Subject to availability

FEATHERS RESTAURANT VOUCHER Lunch 15% of all meals

FEATHERS RESTAURANT VOUCHER

Afternoon Tea Special offer £10 per person – includes three types of cake, a selection of sandwiches and tea or coffee. 1. Offer valid from 05/01/21 to 05/02/21 2. Voucher must be presented at point of purchase 3. Subject to availability 4. Must be booked at least one day in advance

1. Offer valid from 05/01/21 to 05/02/21 2. Voucher must be presented at point of purchase 3. Subject to availability

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