2nd - 4th May

Bank holiday weekend display about the work of Fund A Bird

Bank Holiday Weekend and the Trust held a conservation weekend talking about its various conservation projects around the world.

3rd
May

5th
May

6th
May

Campbell left for fieldwork in Kruger National Park (South Africa) on the White-headed Vulture research project.

7th May

Jimmy visited Mary Hare School in Newbury on an outreach visit. Henge Consultancy used the Griffon rooms for a meditation course and this course will continue for the following eight weeks.

9th
May

The Trust welcomed members of the 100 Club. As a thank you to the members for their continued support in raising funds for the Trust, they were invited to the Trust to hear a talk from Kim on the work of the hospital and Ashley on the Red Kite breed and release scheme.

12th
May

13th
May

A tourism leaflet swap was held at the Trust, allowing local tourist attractions and accommodation providers to meet and exchange ideas and tourism leaflets.

14th
May

Sparsholt College students visited the Trust, and were given a presentation by Kim on the work of the hospital.
Volunteer Lou went on an outreach visit to Liss Infant School.
Three Counties National Trust Association visited the Trust.

15th
May

A group from Sparsholt College visited the Trust.
Chris Packham, the new Springwatch presenter, held the first of three sell-out talks at the Trust. The first is called "Postcards from Paradise", and features some of the stunning images Chris has taken around the world.

16th
May

A private birthday party was held in the Griffon Rooms.

17th
May

The Griffon Rooms were booked for a Christening party.

18th
May

Devizes Blind Group visited the Trust.

21st
May

24th
May

Ashley with the recovering Honey Buzzard

A Honey Buzzard, rare to the UK, was found floating in the Solent and saved in a dramatic rescue by a couple in an inflatable dingy. It is thought that the bird had become exhausted on its migratory route to Britain from its winter home in Africa, and was very thin. The bird will be kept at the Hawk Conservancy Trust to receive treatment until it has gained enough weight to be able to be released back into the wild.

25th - 29th May

Campbell attended the Annual Conference of the Birds of Prey Working Group of South Africa’s Endangered Wildlife Trust. He gave a presentation on the Trust’s conservation and research work on African vultures.

27th
May

The Festival of Falconry committee held a meeting in the Griffon Rooms.

28th - 29th
May

Ashley attended the Biaza Annual General Meeting at Edinburgh Zoo.

29th
May

The Hawk Conservancy Trust set up its own honey factory when a bee hive complete with a swarm of bees was installed in the lower end of Reg's meadow.
Beekeeper and volunteer Jim Frayer has agreed to look after the bees, and is assisted by Sam in setting up the colony in the meadow. Meadow honey is supposed to be the best there is, and we are looking forward to the first pots going on sale in the late summer.

31st
May

Slight panic today when a swarm of about 2,000 bees was seen in the Great Bustard aviary. Sam bravely ventured into the aviary wearing a mosquito head net and rubber gloves for protection, and scooped some of the bees into a box. Over the next hour the rest of the colony joined them there, and they were safely secured until Jim arrived. Believing them to be the Trust's new swarm, they were taken to the hive, where we found our bees still happily in the hive! So overnight our colony had doubled in size.