At the Hawk Conservancy Trust, we’re working hard to achieve our mission to conserve birds if prey and their habitats, both in the UK and overseas. We are often asked by our visitors and supports if there is anything they can do to help birds of prey. Our Conservation and Research Team has put together a top tips list on how you can support birds of prey here in the UK. Where possible, don’t use rat poisoning (rodenticides), use traps instead if rodents become a nuisance Many birds of prey in the UK feed on rodents, including rats, voles, shrews […]
Sunday 4 August 2024 is International Owl Awareness Day, and here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust we think owls are a hoot! Everyday we celebrate the wonderful world of owls – come along and find out more our work with these mystical creatures, how you can experience the magic of owls for yourself, and what we’re doing to help conserve them. Woodland Owls Display If you’ve ever wanted to get close to owls, our Woodland Owls display is your chance! Witness an array of beautiful owls skim silently over your head and discover more about these beautiful creatures in this […]
What a wild night we had on 29 June. After months of planning, days (and nights!) of pre-show preparation by dozens of staff and volunteers and a lot of wishing for good weather, Chris and Megan’s Night of Nature finally arrived. The sun shone over the Hawk Conservancy Trust – Reg’s Wildflower Meadow was alive with a certain hum, a buzz of energy – and not just from the bees! Visitors enjoyed the evening sun, some wandering the grounds with an ice cream, others partaking of our freshly prepared barbeque food and glasses of prosecco. We were also joined on […]
At 11 years old, we said a sad goodbye to Delta, our Barn Owl, recently. Many of you will remember Delta from her captivating and mesmerising appearances with her brother, Charlie, as she flew across Reg’s Wildflower Meadow, on summer afternoons and evenings – a memorable and emotive moment for many. Delta will also be remembered for her quartering flights in the Woodland Arena, gracefully floating in and out of the trees. On occasion, she would also wander off to catch her own lunch in the Savannah Arena during the Woodland Owls display! Over the years, she has been a […]
Last month, we shared the exciting news of our newest arrivals: Little Owls, Cheddar and Mozzarella. Since arriving in May, they are now almost fully grown, and their personalities are really starting to shine! We chatted to Deputy Head of Living Collection, Tom Morath, who has spent much of this past month working alongside this adorable pair, about what it’s like working with them both. “It’s always an exciting time when we welcome new birds to the Hawk Conservancy Trust and this is especially true when those birds are still just chicks. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the great […]
Those of you who have been visiting the Trust for a long time will remember our superstar Bald Eagle – Cheyenne. After many years of soaring over the East Cholderton valley, she is enjoying a peaceful retirement at the grand age of 29 years old. She is dutifully cared for by Bird Team member James Knight, who in recent months has started some new training with her to make sure she stays active. Read James’s blog to hear all about it: “Cheyenne is one of the oldest residents here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust at just under 30 years old. […]
Our Conservation and Research team is growing! Say hello to new member of the team – Conservation and Research Coordinator Jamie McKaughan. Jamie joins us at an exciting time, where our conservation work is needed now more than ever to help preserve some of the worlds most threatened birds of prey. Meet Jamie I am really pleased to have joined the Hawk Conservancy Trust. Birds of prey have always fascinated me, with my first animal love being the Peregrine Falcon, serving as my emissary into the wildlife world! I studied Geography at the University of Liverpool with the intention of […]
We’re delighted to share that we have secured special funding to ensure school visits to the Hawk Conservancy Trust can still take flight with visit bursaries for deserving pupils from across the Hampshire region. For some children, trips to places like the Trust are beyond their reach because financial pressures on schools and the cost-of-living crisis are making it harder for parents to support educational trips. The Trust says this is detrimental to children’s experiences, their learning and to the charity’s mission to help the future of our planet by inspiring conservation through education. Chief Executive Penny Smout said: “Our […]
This raffle has now closed. If you would like to be in with a chance to win a stunning original artwork from our Artist in Residence, Alex McGarry, you can enter our NEW raffle. Alex is kindly donating her time to create a stunning portrait of our iconic Egyptian Vulture, Boe, which will be given to one lucky winner at the end of the year. Boe is an incredibly striking bird, with a bright yellow face and beak, stark white feathers, and arguable the funkiest hair do of anyone here at the Trust! This exclusive portrait is the only one […]
Congratulations to Ivan Oruka – the winner of our 2023 Marion Paviour Award! Ivan is currently studying at Gulu University, Uganda, undertaking a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management. Ivan is currently undertaking a project that is leading the way for research on Critically Endangered Rüppell’s Vultures. His work is focused in the Luku Central Forest Reserve, where he is studying the only known breeding colony of these important birds in the entire country of Uganda. This project is the first of its kind in the country – trailblazing the way forward for future conservation efforts to conserve […]
