The staff were simply fantastic, from the moment we arrived to the time we left we were looked after by really friendly and knowledgeable bird handlers. We started the day handling slightly smaller birds of prey, hawks and buzzards and then spent the rest of the morning getting used to handling and flying larger birds including a truly beautiful European Eagle Owl. After lunch we went for a walk in the local countryside with two Harris Hawks. It was a privilege to be so close to the birds in their natural environment. After our walk we moved on to handling and feeding bigger birds of prey. I think the highlight had to be flying Pamela the White Tailed Sea Eagle, the thrill of having a bird of prey with a wing span of over 2 metres fly directly towards me was something else!
Fantastic Day And Unforgettable Memories
Our Falconer Matt was enthusiastic, knowledgable and passionate about his birds with a great sense of humour. By lunch we had flown 3 different owls (striped, Barn and Eagle) and a Harris Hawk, all amazing, and after a warming lunch we returned to an introduction to the eagles. We handled and flew a Russian Steppes Eagle, a Battlaur eagle and a Golden Eagle (which weighed in at well over 4 Kilos). The day was very relaxed and informative with plenty of opportunity to take photos of the birds in flight and on the glove. A memorable day which I would recommend to anyone.
Quite Simply ... Amazing!!!
The whole day was an experience that all of us will never forget. We handled 8 birds of prey in total during the day, starting with the smaller owls and working our way up to the Golden Eagle (Genghis) at the end. The location, company and whole experience are something I'd recommend to anyone. Look out for Saffron, Boris and Ghengis especially. Go on, book it today!!!
These wild birds consented to perch on my fist and feed from my hand. I have seen these birds in aviaries and from a distance, but the power and majesty of them when up close is absolutely awesome. The Golden Eagle landed on my glove and folded his wings. His wingspan was the same distance tip to tip as my height and I could feel his power through my leather gauntlet as he gripped his talons. It was one of the most awesome privileges of my life.
Up close and personal with some amazing birds of prey. Our dedicated guide introduced us to the resident owls, falcons, hawks and eagles including handling and feeding the birds plus LOTS of interesting information! A day we certainly will not forget!
I booked this as a 30th birthday present for my fiancee. We had a simply amazing time! We handled almost all of the eagles. The bigger ones are very heavy, and they're all held on your left arm so be prepared for that! We then had the opportunity to fly three different eagles. We got them soaring, then tempted them back down to the glove with treats (dead chicks - not suitable for the squeamish)! The experience lasted all day. Although the centre is open to the public to view the aviaries and the flight displays, we had a personal guide for the whole day and got a lot more insight than the general public would get. And the chance to fly these magnificent birds is one not to be missed! All in all, and amazing day out. Don't forget your camera either!
The Birds Stole The Show!
We both enjoyed an exciting and fascinating day out. The staff were very enthusiastic and a great source of knowledge on these fabulous birds. To watch the birds in flight and experience them landing on your glove was fabulous. Nothing seemed too much trouble for the staff.
This was a brilliant day and I learned so much about these amazing birds. The two men who worked with us were passionate about the birds and had so much knowledge which made the whole day a total joy. Handling the birds was a privilege and a truly memorable experience.
Terrific Day, Thouroughly Enjoyed Every Minute
Everyone was superb and very friendly. Didn't expect to be so entertained by all the wonderful birds there. Would recommend this to anyone, even just a visit would be fantastic, but to get to hold and fly the birds was so unbelievable. Absolutely the best experience I've ever had.
Fantastic Day Out With The Eagles
Excellent day out, was looked after fantastic, both handlers were very knowledgeable and helpful giving lots of information. All the eagles, hawks, falcons and owls were well looked after. The eagles were very graceful. I would recommend this activity for everybody to try. All this in a very picturesque setting.
Incredible Experience - Highly Reccommended
The entire day was breathtaking from start to finish. The venue was impressive and we were greeted with a warm cuppa. We then spent a few hours meeting all 150+ birds and learning about their habitats, feeding habits and their background to being in captivity. We also had a chance to watch the highly entertaining bird display. Following this we had a wonderful lunch at a country pub, then drove back to the venue for the highlight of the day. We flew 3 large Eagles culminating in the Bald Eagle - all 'to the glove'. Words cannot describe the thrill (and I'm not ashamed to say) fear of having a 10 lb predator fly at you and land on your arm! Absolutely exhilarating. All the way home we were planning our next visit!
The Most Wonderful Experience Flying The Eagles
Spent 7 hours in the falconry with one to one guidance and instruction. Beyond expectation being with the birds and flying them and getting so much information told to us about the birds and their habits. Flying display terrific and showed that birds have characters as well as humans. A wonderful day that will never be forgotten.
Fantastic Day - Really Good Fun
What a gem! Tucked away in a fabulous location, the people were so friendly and welcoming and the birds were amazing. The whole place had a real family atmosphere and it was clear that the welfare of the birds came first, which we really appreciated. The staff were very knowledgable and able to answer all our questions - we learnt a lot. Definitely recommend it - what a day out!
The day was absolutely brilliant. The staff were all attentive and made us feel very welcome. It was extra special because we had one to one attention and actually got to interact with the birds that you would normally have just seen behind bars. The birds themselves were amazing and we learnt lots about them and how they were kept.
Great day in a beautiful setting. The birds are amazing and the experience incredibly educational. I came to see eagles but also fell in love with the tiniest of the birds of prey, a pigmy owl!
Truly Exhilarating And A Day We'll Never Forget
We met and flew Barny, the barn owl, Bella the Peruvian striped owl and Domino the Harris Hawk before lunch. Domino was more interested in having a puddle bath than hunting however! After lunch we flew Gengis, a stunning Golden Eagle with a 6 foot plus wing span. He did not fail to impress with several low fly pasts at speed and some landings to hand in blustery conditions. Our next demonstration was by Boris, a spectacular eagle, who had displayed his unique character all day. My wife and I both agreed that the day had been truly exhilarating and an experience we will never forget. Top Tip - take a camera.
To get up close to these magnificent birds was awe inspiring and it is impossible to overstate the experience of taking them into the wild and free flying them. Unfortunately there were no thermals around on our day and therefore the eagles couldn't soar, but their eyesight is mind boggling. The weather was kind and we had an extremely good teacher and demonstrator. We were there for eight hours and were lost in a different world with every second spent learning amazing facts. The lunch in a beautiful Pub in the Cotswold village of Blockley was superb. The whole experience is Highly Recommended.
I'll Never Forget Flying An 11 Pound 4 Foot Eagle!
This was a day which totally beat our expectations. We started off small, handling an enormous owl, and learning how to handle Harris hawks and buzzards before flying a vulture to the glove, learning about food and the animals along the way. Followed this with a demonstration of several birds and then flew our first eagle, a South American black chested buzzard eagle. We progressed onto a country walk with Harris hawks before returning to fly the biggest eagle I have ever seen. Nothing will stick in my memory as much as watching an 11 pound four foot eagle with an 8 foot wingspan heading towards me before landing on my glove, this eagle was ENORMOUS!. We finished a full and exciting and informative day by feeding the very grumpy Marvin, another huge winter hunting eagle. It was exceptional.
Unforgettable Day With The Eagles
It was the most amazing day. The weather changed quite a lot throughout the day but it did not dampen our spirits. We flew Hawks, Owls and Eagles. Fabulous!
Fabulous Day With Wonderful Birds.
A really interesting day. Welcomed with a bacon sandwich and coffee in very comfortable surroundings. The morning was instructive with an excellent and engaging falconer and handling many varieties of birds of prey. A very pleasant lunch was followed by meeting the 'big boys'! The thrill of flying eagles in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside will remain with us both for a very long time.