Busy Birds

art, birds, cute, events, fairies, Falconry, Harris Hawk, Hawk, Hoots, nature, Owls, Owls, photography

Training and caring for my birds certainly keeps me busy, and I try to make sure the birds keep busy too. The past few months have seen the birds entertaining families while they get creative in the yurt; hosting summer feast nights; giving people the thrill of having a bird of prey fly to their glove for food and taking part in several bespoke photo shoots.

Peanut making new friends

Isie posing

Victor hosting feast nights

BB King welcoming this family

The feast nights brought lots of new people to the Owl Field in August. With the Keep Cornwall Fed chefs and Kim’s Kitchen cooking up some delicious meals we will definitely be planning more for 2018.

Victor joining in the feast night

Whisper enjoying the feast night

BB King hosting the feast night

Photography sessions have also been a big part of our activity, and the cows like to join in too and surprised Maryna of Photography by Maryna! She got her bag back with only a little cow slobber on it!!

Photography by Maryna Wild Fairy

Photography by Maryna Viking theme

So if I ever wonder if I am doing the right thing – I look at my birds, reflect on how much we have achieved together, and know that I am doing exactly the right thing…then I put the kettle on!

Owls at Dusk

birds, cute, Hoots, nature, Owls

Wow the days are short in winter aren’t they! Some days it seems to barely get light before the sun goes down again, and with so many outdoor jobs to be done I am often in a rush to get home to feed Whisper, Peanut and Victor before it gets pitch black again. The starry skies are amazing up here at Castledore, because we have very little light pollution right here, but when it’s dark it is really is…..dark 🙂

Of course the owls don’t mind if it is light or dark when they get fed – they can see far better than I can anytime anyway!

It is very special to be able to be with the owls when it is so dark, especially Whisper my Barn owl. She really is in her element.

Barn Owl at dusk 1

Barn owl at dusk 2

Barn owl at dusk 3

I need to get a night vision camera – don’t like to use the flash …

Barn owl at dusk 4

Barn owl at dusk 5

Barn owl at dusk 6

Barn owl at dusk 7

She still loves the camera and likes to look at every detail as you can see. This time she was in her aviary on her rope swing; though she really enjoys flying on the lawn at dusk – and enjoys all the sights and sounds of the nearby woods too, barn owls are notorious for their inquisitiveness 🙂

Peanut my burrowing owl tends to shout a lot at night. Very short sharp chirrups, usually three at a time. He has definitely caught bank voles in his aviary before and I wonder if that is when he makes his call. I wonder what Victor my spotted owl thinks of his noisy neighbour!

Night night owls 🙂

Owls, October Sunshine and Family Fun

art, birds, cute, events, Hoots, nature, Owls, photography, Shed

Wow – what a beautiful month October turned out to be! When I first decided to set the dates for two Family Craft Afternoons In the Company of Owls in October half term I must admit to having my fingers crossed behind my back for good weather – and it worked!!

Tuesday Oct 25th got so much interest from local families that I had to say it was full 10 days before the event – with 35 people booked in [adults, children and toddlers] it was certainly going to be a busy afternoon.

The children’s activity was to make owl masks and pine cone owls – and I think the adults enjoyed the crafts as much as the kids did!

Of course there was tea, coffee and cake for all – oh and hot chocolate too. These yummy treats went down well, especially with the opportunity to toast marshmallows by the carefully attended fire 🙂

Owl shed, shop and cafe

Fire warden doing a grand job

More tea anyone?!

Sunday 30th was busy too, with a smaller but just as fun group of families – and the sun shone making it feel like a summer’s afternoon rather than the end of October.

The owls enjoyed meeting everyone, with Whisper and Peanut coming out so everyone could get really close up and personal with them!

Peanut was the star of the show flying in front of everyone, showing off what he can do – although he seemed to be a bit full on the Sunday …I think he is catching bank voles in his aviary again 🙂

Where is Peanut?

I am looking forward to starting regular Saturday morning Family Craft sessions very soon – just need to get the yurt built as I am sure the weather will turn more seasonal now it is November.

Meanwhile the owls are busy with private 1:1 bookings in their field, and will also be going out in the community, meeting people and making them smile. Next community date is November 19th in St Austell town centre with CHICKS charity.

See you there!

Owls, Fairies and a Mermaid too!

art, birds, cute, fairies, Hoots, mermaid, nature, Owls, Owls, photography, Selfies

The two youngest owls, Peanut my Burrowing Owl and Whisper my Barn Owl, were invited to attend the Three Wishes Fairy Fair in the beautiful grounds of Mount Edgecombe House near Torpoint last weekend. This was the 10th year the Fairy – or Faery to be precise – Fair has run, all thanks to my ‘sister-in-law’ Karen Kay.

Love the Fairy fair with Karen Kay

The sun shone on Saturday afternoon as I arrived with owls and my daughter, Hayley who was helping me by taking charge of Peanut for the afternoon.

Of course the owls got a lot of attention from all the wonderful people there, and everyone was amazed to see the owls so calm even with the crowds wanting to all say hello. Whisper was so relaxed she even fell asleep on my glove – twice!

Whisper snoozes by the mushrooms

Whisper relaxing among the fairies

I made sure Whisper wore her special colourful ribbons for the day, and I was amazed to hear how many people – or I should say faery folk – have an owl as their animal spirit! I learnt a lot about faeries that day!

There was so much to see and people to meet. However imagine how surprised Hayley and I were when we walked around a corner and found a mermaid!! Yes, a mermaid!! She introduced herself as The St Ives Mermaid. I introduced myself as The Bird Lady of Fowey, of course!…it was wonderful to meet her and she was so lovely to talk with. Of course I have invited her to my In the Company of Owls event in August, I hope she comes – I have a paddling pool she could use!!

St Ives Mermaid meets Bird Lady of Fowey

Owls and a Mermaid

Further down the field we came across this beautiful vintage wagon adorned with amazing artwork and carvings. I think the owls would have quite happily moved in and stayed there!

Owls and beautiful vintage wagon

It really was a gorgeous afternoon, walking around the wonderful grounds of Mount Edgecombe House with the owls, sitting on the grass and taking in the sites and generally enjoying chatting with my daughter – all in the company of owls!!

Peanut and Hayley

Whisper looking for fairies

Thank you, Karen, for inviting us. We would love to come again next year!!

Owls and Karen Faery Kay – thank you!

It’s All About BB – my Eurasian Eagle Owl

birds, Hoots, nature, Owls, photography

BB King – a very fine name for a very fine owl.

For I am BB King

BB came to be mine on the 14th of May last year, the day his namesake died. He was looking for a new home as his keeper was retiring. A local bird sanctuary had no room for him – but I did! He did not have a name other than Owl….not good enough, I thought. Now it has to be a fine name for such a magnificent creature so I started looking [or Googling to be precise] names of Gods and Kings. The Eurasian Eagle Owls are one of the largest of all owls and have a wonderful soulful hoot. Their Latin name is Bubo Bubo.

I struggled to find a name for him, then heard a news report on the radio announcing the passing of BB King – so it had to be. BB = Bubo Bubo. King of Soul = best hoot I have heard other than in the Disney movies! Check out his hooting –

In Geneva earlier this year I spotted this guitar which was the real BB King’s, and it was signed by him! I need to frame this photo and hang it in my BB’s aviary 🙂

BB King guitar

This Spring BB has certainly settled into his deluxe aviary and he is even trying to make a nest! He is 5 years old [on April 19th] so is going to be looking for a mate – maybe I should put an ad in the local paper for him!