I had a bit of a scare the other day; my long-eared owl Spook decided all of a sudden to become dead.
I have kept and flown many species of raptors over the years and I have to admit that my least favourite was always the owls. They just never done it for me, give me a stooping falcon or a soaring Harris-hawk any day. more…
I would like to thank everyone that attended the official opening of Woodlands Falconry and Bird of Prey Centre on the 15th of November.
And to all those that couldn’t make it, but sent their best wishes.
The whole day had a fantastic atmosphere about it and somehow or other the sun managed to shine all day. (I had prayed to every god I know; from Gneisha to Thor, with a special “please” to the Aztec Sun God)
A big thanks too to the speakers; Siobhan from Wicklow Leader who helped me so much. And Terry Flanagan from “Mooney Show” fame who was so good to change his plans to be there.
And a huge thank you to Saoirse Ronan who said a few words and cut the ribbon for us, and to herself and her parents who gave some super prizes for the raffle.
Anyway, it couldn’t have went better and I just wanted to thank everyone for putting in so much work.
Cheers,
Tommy
“Woodlands Falconry and Bird of Prey Centre” will give the general public a chance to experience beautiful Birds of Prey at close quarters. The recently re-introduced Golden Eagle and Red Kite will be on view, as well as a selection of falcons, hawks and owls from around the world.
We will be offering you the chance to see these fantastic birds perform in the air in our flying displays. Also, you can get up close and handle these majestic birds as well as having the rare opportunity to take a pleasant walk through the quiet woodland accompanied by your very own hawk.
We are situated in Rathwood Home and Garden, just five minutes from Tullow County Carlow.
Contact us:
059-9156878 Wednesday to Sunday 10.30 ‘til 5
I got myself a new bird today. It’s only a baby and probably one of the ugliest birds I have ever seen.
There are two types of bird babies in the world, precocial; the pretty, cute, fluffy, endearing ones, and altricial; the helpless, ugly, more…
Not so long ago, well a few millions years ago, there was a bird that was the absolute master of its world.
Today we consider the eagle to be the ultimate predator and top of the food chain, and rightly so, as there is no other bird or beast that can master it or regularly use it for food.
But between two and sixty million years ago, just before modern man walked upon the earth there was a bird so ferocious more…
When I was a kid I used to spend my time walking the hills with the dogs. I would walk for miles along the beaches in Winter-time when no one was about, or to distant fields or any piece of waste ground in the chance of spooking up a rabbit for the dogs to chase. more…
I just happened to be out exercising a falcon some weeks back, when I noticed someone watching me from a distance. After the bird had flown and was back up and feeding on the fist, the person approached and commented on how graceful the bird was, and what a pleasure it was to see him being put through his paces. more…
When I was a beginner I knew everything. Now as I learn more about falconry I realise just how little I do know. Falconry, I read, had not changed in thousands of years. I enjoyed reading about the different aspects of falconry such as rook hawking, game hawking, flying merlins and sparrowhawks and each one I mentally ticked off as something that I would master with time. Images of a trained sparrowhawk bursting through a flock of feeding pigeons, or a ringing flight with falcon and prey disappearing into the clouds kept me awake many a night. So that was my plan, get all the equipment, a good food supply, not forgetting the bird and the rest will fall into place. more…
‘Hello, my name is …………, I want to get into falconry and I was half thinking of getting a …….
(in this space put anything from a bat falcon to a lammergeyer), but, the only birds available seem to be redtails and harris’s. Are these good beginners birds?’ more…
“The study of the art of falconry is considered a vital part of the education of a gentleman.” - George Turbervile 1611
Falconry; the art of hunting with a Bird Of Prey is an ancient art and the basics have changed little over the past couple of thousand years.
If you would like to learn falconry, either to broaden your knowledge on the subject or with a view to owning and flying a hawk of your own,
Please feel free to contact us.
On a woodlands falconry course you will learn the equivalent of the UK Lantra Award
Also covered on our courses:
The law and licensing
Theory of animal training / Behavioral shaping
