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Taking Time To Look Up


I'm in the lucky position to spend my days devoted to working with birds of prey, and over the last few years I've been based on a commercial sporting estate. I spend my summers flying birds with guests in open countryside - often a world away from their own urban home life. Through the winter I hunt with birds; a different world all together. Working with apex predators opens your eyes to life in a whole new way.

These birds are not just a tool to pick up and put down, but an extended family which each have unique personalities, quirks and manners. Some of my birds have been with me for many years, with several in their late teens and one in her early 30s. They are as varied as working with a large group of children - each with their individual needs and skills. Days can be challenging but I love the way they always bring something new to the table.

Like any animal based job a lot of my day is taken up with husbandry - largely, feeding and cleaning! An oh my, there is a lot of poop! But when all that is done, the rest of my day is spent exercising the birds.

In the summer months they often fly to small groups of guests, giving people of all ages and backgrounds a chance to learn more about these magnificent birds. This is a chance we rarely get with wild birds of prey: who are often elusive. What I find interesting is that the birds often make such an impact on guests that they actually put their phones away and live in the moment. I can't express just how important that is, and how glad I am to be able to step away from technology when with my birds. If I was looking at my phone I would miss so much above and around me.

As the seasons turn, my summer team wind down for a gentle winter break, and as autumn approaches it's time to take out the birds who prefer to hunt. After several weeks of fitness training they are soon ready to take full flight in pursuit of prey. Itis like working with a team of athletes. The drive these birds have never ceases to amaze me. The more they learn, the higher they fly and the more determined they become in achieving their goal. The more they try, the fitter they get.

I cannot express the magic of being part of a team with an apex predator. Being out in the countryside with no one around; my German shorthaired pointer in front of me searching for game, and my falcon climbing higher and higher to find the perfect pitch brings so much excitement and anticipation.

The falcon and dog quickly learn the game and that they can work well as a team. As the dog goes "on point" the falcon will streak across the sky to position herself above the dog. She circles like a waiting vulture and as I encourage the dog in to flush, she falls out of the sky in pursuit of her prey.

When it all comes together and the falcon stoops from hundreds of feet to successfully hunt her quarry it's like the world stands still. All goes quiet as the dog and I stand watching her decent. It takes just seconds but feels like time stands still. In that moment I am watching nature before my eyes. Some of the best flights I have witnessed have been while out on my own. When I take guests out to witness the falcons work, I take great joy in being able to show them just how incredible these birds are. Sometime we are joined by wild falcons, which is a humbling sight to watch.

For falconry is so more than just the flying of the bird - it's also about being out amongst nature. I often watch groups of walkers out in the countryside. They march along chatting loudly enjoying the views but miss out on so much wildlife, because it's retreating 300m ahead of them with all the commotion they make!

When you hunt, you spend a great deal of time standing still, quietly contemplating the landscape in front of you. And as you stand still, quietly tucked away in the trees or on the edge of a hedge, it doesn't take long to see the wildlife around us. Hare, rabbits, deer, foxes, numerous birds of prey, songbirds, ravens and even voles come running or soaring by - unaware of our presence. I love being able to point out a hovering kestrel or a grazing water deer that others may not have noticed just feet away.

Often I find people are simply amazed to see so many animals so close to them, and yet I would worry if I didn't see them on a daily basis. When you spend so much time on a piece of land, you learn not only the landscape, but individual animals that inhabit it. There's a lot to be said for managed estate land. Done correctly it becomes an abundant haven for a huge range of wildlife. For example the set aside margins of arable land make home for many rodents and hedgerow birds, which in turn, supports the habits and diets of wild birds of prey and owls.

Falconry taught me to pay attention to the world around me - without field craft you cannot have decent falconry. I must be aware of other animals in the falcons' airspace, and in turn I have come to pay attention to what is around me on the ground too.

As I work quietly with my bird I always stumble across varied wildlife. Working with predators teaches you to see the landscape as one would. You learn to spot tracks, droppings and signs of animals that are nearby, and when you learn what's around you, you realise how important it is to protect and preserve an environment. Even in London, there are around 22 nesting pairs of peregrines. Perhaps it is time to look up where you are - you might just be pleasantly surprised by what you see.

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