All a Flutter

For the other half's anniversary present I wanted to get him an experience for us, for some fun, quality 'us-time'. So I went browsing on local deals site Travelzoo. When I spotted a Birds of Prey experience I knew I was on to a winner. Seriously, he awws more than me when we see an owl- and I think those things are pretty darn cute. The experience entails a talk with the keeper about each bird, and then small walks along the absolutely stunning grounds, to places where we could take it in turns to fly the birds off our arms.

The centre we went to is a small one, where we got to see one of each type of bird and learn about their care, before flying 3 of them. To be honest though, even in a group of just 4, that took us a good couple of hours and was more than enough. The man giving the talks was an absolute minefield of information and I learned a lot of cool stuff. My inner English geek, for example, reveled in learning the fact that the phrase 'fed up' actually originates from the bird world, and refers to when animals such as owls have gorged on food over one session, so then go to sit in the treetops for the next couple of days to digest, where they just sit and assess the environment to monitor the prey patterns in the area. To be 'fed up' means they are just sitting there (although doing far more than when I proclaim to be bored!) and, of course, they have full stomachs. So there you go. I would give a plug for the centre, but unfortunately it is closing its doors in the next few weeks due to maintenance costs :( people tend to prefer experiences where they can handle lots of different species, which is a real shame as you don't necessarily get the time with each one really and such a fantastic array of information.

We couldn't fly one bird that would have usually been out, unfortunately, as he was in mating mode and hopping around everywhere flexing his wings. He was content to watch us from a little podium though, before going to have some food and a nap inside the van.

Anyway, here is the fantastic setting (near Coventry), a lush green landscape canopied with Magnolias and with borders full of Heathers and other alpines.

We first flew a beautiful little owl- I have included a picture of him on the OH's arm to show you the scale. He was such an amazing little thing and was still in his training stages, learning to fly to and from people on a rope.

Next up was a member of the Hawk family (the bird of prey that happens to feature in my partner's surname, so he was excited about this one!). I think he was one of my favourites in appearance as he was exactly what you picture when thinking of a bird of prey and has the beautiful feathered legs. He was very powerful taking off from your arm too. We went up onto a peak for the Hawk, as they are birds which soar, and tend to fly in circular patterns using updrafts. Excuse my, not quite impressed, face in these pictures, think I was finding him a bit heavy at that point! He would hop onto our arm, fly off into the treetops and then swoop down again on a long circling path, it really was a sight to behold.

The last bird we flew absolutely astounded me- he was lightweight, but large and so powerful. He was just a baby and we were amongst the group fortunate enough to give him one of his first ever flights in public. All I can say is that this bird knew how to pose- he looked positively regal, but with an amazingly cute face (if that is even possible to say about a bird who could seriously damage you if it felt the need!).

As you can see, my boyfriend was a very happy man from his day out and I am so glad we got to do the experience before they closed their doors (originally I had booked us in for June, after the dreaded exam period). I really would recommend these flying type experiences, as they are a bit different and it is amazing realising how powerful and varied these birds are. And how much they enjoy wolfing down the chicks we fed them.

I didn't know what to expect, but had a fantastic time which was unforgettable, so for people who are massive bird fans to begin with then I highly recommend it.