Brandis Corner Wildlife Group welcomed Julian Clement of ‘Countryside Hawking’ on February 25, who attracted the third largest audience (62 people) in the group’s history.

He gave the group the opportunity to get up close and personal with a selection of his display birds.

On entering the village hall members and guests were filled with anticipation as they caught sight of four travel boxes of various sizes — tantalisingly concealing their occupants from view.

After a brief introduction Julian got down to the matter in hand, opened the first box and took out a Harris hawk.

The second box contained ‘Phoenix’, a merlin/peregrine falcon — crossbred through artificial insemination.

He was tiny in comparison with the third bird, which was a Bengal eagle owl called ‘Jasper’. Julian asked for members of the audience to come to the front to participate in flying demonstrations with all of these birds in turn.

As the birds were flying, Julian continually imparted interesting information about each species. For example, the Harris hawk is the only species to hunt in cooperative groups. Phoenix can see a pigeon six miles away and is the only raptor to have terminal teeth used to sever the spinal cord. Jasper’s striking orange eyes are an indication that he hunts by day.

The final bird was ‘Talon’, a European eagle owl who, despite his size, is shy when flying to strangers. So Julian took him round to each member of the audience for the opportunity to feel the softness of his feathers.

Julian explained that hawks and falcons process their food differently to owls. They tear their food into small pieces and hold it in a crop, gradually passing it down to the stomach. Owls swallow their food whole but cannot digest bone, unlike hawks and falcons; bone is regurgitated in a pellet instead.

Hawks and falcons have far superior eyesight being able to see food from a distance presented on the back of the glove. Jasper needed the flat of the glove to land on and then look for the meat — he knew it was there somewhere!

Julian demonstrated how Jasper could head straight to scraps he could hear thrown to the floor but could not see a piece placed silently.

The popularity of this event shows the fascination everyone has for these beautiful and graceful birds. For those audience members who participated as ‘food sources’ it was an afternoon that will remain long in the memory.

If anyone is interested in joining the group or want more information, contact secretary Barrie Lewis 01409 220026.