In the interests of not creating one huge long page on the website we've decided to move the blog to an external site.  It also makes it easier to add photos of our displays etc. To keep up with our news please click on the link below to go to the new blog.

http://strathblanefalconrynews.blogspot.com/

You can also find us on Facebook where you are welcome to post any comments or photos you have of our birds.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Strathblane-Falconry/126146660744504?ref=ts

Friday 18th June

Another busy day but things are always busy. We had someone out in the morning for a half day session. The birds all flew well and they had a great time. The only thing that concerned me was that Mardy who is a male harris hawk went ahead to the end of the walk and was reluctant to come back to where we were and to the client's glove. I suspect he was in a rush to finish so he could get the food at the end which I always give him. We shall see if this was a one off or the start of a bad habit. Time will tell.

Taz the kestrel flew free today which is great as this means Jerry the tawny owl can be given a break to moult. He has started dropping feathers already so it is good to finish with him for the summer. Corrie the European Eagle Owl will also be allowed to moult as well after tomorrow. He is flying a demonstration for a wedding and then that will be him for about 6 months. It will be strange not having him fly. I can't remember when he was last given a break but he works hard and is very popular. We can give him a break due to the fact that Duffy is really coming on and doing very well.

All this hot weather is great in some ways and problems in others. I have to really watch the birds so they don't get to stressed with the heat and we ensure they have acces to water if they are not needed for flying. The ferrets are ones who I really need to watch as they struggle with heat but we put ice blocks in the hutch for them to lie on to cool themselves off and they seem to be doing ok.

I had better go and finish off the flying. I have 3 falcons on the go at the moment which is great. It is always nice to finish the day flying the falcons. I wait til it gets a bit cooler so it is easier for them. All 3 are flying well especially Gigha the male Peregrine. I struggled to get Gigha really going when I first got him and thought about moving him on but I stuck with him and it all came good in the end. So I always get a great feeling of satisfaction when I fly him.

Time to go and have some fun

Wednesday 16th June

Today is going ok. I had a hawk walk to do this morning with Oran who flew well and the people enjoyed it.

Now back to the centre to help Jo finish off the cleaning and fly some birds. Duffy the Bengal eagle owl flew free for the first time so we should hopefully have him up to speed to do activity days at the centre by the weekend. This is great as it means that Corrie can be given a moult which he needs as he is looking a bit scruffy at the moment. I am also hoping to have Taz the Kestrel flying free by the weekend as well and this means Jerry my Tawny Owl will be allowed to moult as well.

We are constantly rotating the team to give birds a break where we can and allow them a moult. At the moment 16 out of ther 20 birds that we have are flying which is a lot.

Anyway back to the cleaning. We have split the ferrets up due to Fatty, who is one of the old girls, being a bully to the 2 younger ones, so I now have 2 hutches to clean. The joys!

Monday 14th June

A quiet week this week at the moment but that may change. We have already picked up 1 booking for this week today.

It's good to have a quiet day or 2 every so often as it give the birds and  myself a chance to catch our breath. After last week I feel as though I need it. We did 3 hawk walks, 1 school visit, 2 corporate events that involved 5 sessions each, 1 gala day and finished up by doing 2 demonstrations at Glasgow Uni yesterday. A busy week.

Brel who was involved in all the big events spent today sitting out on the lawn chilling out after he was fed a quail yesterday evening.

The only bad thing is that Kyle my Buzzard has bumble foot. This is where he has a sore on the sole of his foot. He had it a few weeks ago and we got medication from the vet and it all looked good but it has flared up again for some reason so it is off to the vets tomorrow.

Saturday 12th June

It's funny how things can turn and the birds can remind you that things are not always simple.

We had 2 events on today. I was doing the Killearn Hoolie and Jo was doing a demonstration at a wedding in the grounds of the hotel where we are based - Strathblane Country House.

Everything was going great at mine the first 2 birds flew well and caused no problems - Alba a barn owl and Brel the harris hawk. Last up was Gigha the peregrine. Off he went, got height and got mobbed by crows and then he was gone. I had to go and look for him. I knew he was in the area but I couldn't see him. About a hour later of looking and stressing he appeared back at the venue and we got him back in.

Jo was also having problems. Oran who is great for me was being a horror for Jo and flying about but not landing on anyone's glove. All credit to Jo though she persevered with him got  him back and got the demo done. It is always difficult if the first bird up in a demo is difficult.

The day is now over and it is now time to start to focus on tomorrow. We are off to Glasgow Uni to do a demo there hopefully things will be a bit more straight forward.

I also forgot to take pictures of todays event but we try to remember tomorrow.

Friday 11th June 2010

This morning has been quiet. Cleaning and feeding. All the birds are looking good. It is a good day. Not too hot so the birds are not feeling stressed by the heat and it is not raining so we can fly a few of the birds which is great.

Jo will be trying to get Duffy the young Bengal Eagle Owl to jump to the glove later on and flying the Lugger Falcon and Lanner Falcon. I am out doing 2 hawk walks at Cameron House.

The other birds who we have flying at the moment get the day off. I am doing the Killearn Hoolie tomorrow so the birds that are flying at that have today off. I have just left Brel, a Harris Hawk, who was preening and Gigha, a Peregrine who was having a bath sitting out on the lawn. Hopefully both will be on good form along with Alba a barn owl, for the flying bit tomorrow. I will try remember to take my camera and get some photos to put on the web site.

This week has been great so far. Things have been really busy but the birds are all flying well when asked to especially Brel. So far this week he has done 2 corporate events where he has had to fly to about 50 people at each and has been brilliant. He has 2 more big shows this weekend as I said the Killearn Hoolie on Saturday and then at Glasgow University on Sunday. Next week is quieter at the moment and I will be giving Brel a well earned break.

Well we finally have the new web site up and running.

I will be adding new pictures to the website to show people what we are doing at Strathblane Falconry.

I am going to try and get in the habit of keeping this blog reasonably up to date and tell people how I run Strathblane Falconry and look after the birds. I am determined not to use it as soap box to air my views and opinions on the world of falconry.

Today is a quiet day. Yesterday we had a large corporate event at Cameron House Hotel where we got back at 8pm. The birds all flew well even though it was a long day. Tomorrow we are back out on the road doing another corporate event. Today will be mainly cleaning the aviaries and feeding the birds. There are a few birds that need flown to keep fitness levels up, 1 barn owl, 1 harris hawk, and 3 falcons. There is also the training of Duffy the 10 week old Bengal Eagle Owl.  1 of the harris hawks needs a new tail mount put on, the Kestrel needs a bewit with a bell put on and the girls (ferrets) need their hutch cleaned out. There is always plenty to do and this is a quiet day.