GYRRRRRR!

This is a Gyrfalcon being lured at the Lakeland Bird of Prey Centre.

You know how Peregrines are considered to be the fastest birds around? Well apparently only people with no experience of Gryfalcons think that! The keeper told us a story of a wild Peregrine who chased a Gryfalcon that was being flown. The Peregrine had never seen a Gryfalcon before. It rapidly found itself being outclassed by a bird that could fly up faster, fly down faster and fly on the level faster. It can even do a loop-the-loop in a very tight space. The keeper was pretty sure that Peregrine would never make that mistake again!

The blue sky is not an illusion. It really was sunny for the 2 hours we watched the flying display, despite it chucking down heavily previous. We saw 3 different Gryfalcons, a Harris Hawk (my husband held this) and a Peregrine. Really incredible to see them fly. You could hear everyone all going "oooh" and "ahhhh" at the same time as they swooped about. One of the Gyrfalcons was so close to my feet I couldn't focus on it with my camera and it sat next to me on the bench for a bit. Just amazing to see them so close.

They had vultures but they are off the flying display just now for breeding. I look forward to bouncing baby vultures in the future! The keeper said they are lovely birds and very sociable with humans. I am really pleased that the people who work with these birds love them too!