Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre (Falconry UK)

01/08/2024

Not long now!! Please come and join us for a hooting and swooping time!🦉🙋‍♀️

A visit to our Centre is an inspiring and uplifting visit, home to around 100 birds and 50 different species. 3 spectacular flying demonstrations daily.

01/08/2024

🤍HAPPY YORKSHIRE DAY EVERYONE. 🌳

Yorkshire Day is a yearly celebration on 1 August to promote the historic county of Yorkshire, England.

EY UP! We will be flinging flat caps, looking over our whippets and flying some amazing raptors today while celebrating Yorkshire Day. Have fun everyone … 🌼🌞🐕🌾

26/07/2024

🦉Sunday 4th August World Owl Day Timetable🦉

10:30am - TBOPC opens
10:45am - Colouring Competition (to be drawn at 3:15pm)
11:30am - Warriors of The Night (plenty of owls plus other feathered friends)
12:15pm - Ideal Lunch Time
12:45pm - Meet the Authors/book reading and signing
1:00pm - Meet the Minnie’s Owl Experience*
1:30pm - African Adventure Display (the main display of the day, 20+ birds)
2:30pm - Meet the Authors/book reading and signing.
3:00pm - Meet the Minnie’s Owl Experience*
3:15pm - Raffle and Colouring Competition will be drawn.
3:30pm - USA Flying Display
5:00pm - TBOPC Closes

🎟*Book your Meet the Minnie’s Owl Handling Experience at reception. £10pp in addition to day admission fee.

⭐️FREE⭐️
Don’t forget to complete our free Vulture Scavenger Hunt or Little Owl Scavenger Hunt for a treat on completion. 🗺

📚PLUS, Meet and Greet with Milly Johnson Milly's Author Page and Elizabeth Greens Author Page, Raffle tickets will be available, and our Gelato Ice Cream Shed will be open!🍦

🪙We will be raising funds on the day for Ryedale Wildlife Rehab, run by Jean Thorpe MBE - helping wildlife in the local area. We have worked with Jean for many years and we admire her work ethic as well as her ethics on treating injured wild animals.

For more information and our photography policy please visit: www.falconrycentre.co.uk

A visit to our Centre is an inspiring and uplifting visit, home to around 100 birds and 50 different species. 3 spectacular flying demonstrations daily.

26/07/2024

🦁🐘NEW STOCK 🦒🦓

We are so excited to have some new and beautiful stock arrive today. All these items have been hand painted and varnished. We can’t imagine these beautiful pots staying for to long. They look STUNNING in person.

“The Yomper” is available in two sizes and we will be in touch with the lovely people that have already preordered.

24/07/2024

🦉International Owl Awareness Day (IOAD) raises awareness about our beloved nocturnal raptors annually on 4th August.🦉

Owls have long captivated us with their mystery and perceived wisdom, but their representation in pop culture media, folklore, and material possessions does not always do these magical creatures justice.🧙🧙‍♀️

International Owl Awareness Day not only celebrates the humble owl, but it also educates our community on how they can join us in conserving and protecting these fantastic beasts.

🦉Come and have a hoot of a time with us and our special guests, Elizabeth Green and Milly Johnson. Come meet these two fantastic authors that both have owls in their fabulous books!

There will be book readings, meet and greet, funny stories and lots of owls!🦉📚

More information will be added very very soon!! keep your eyes peeled.

23/07/2024

🦅The Ultimate VIP Eagle Experience! 🦅

We have spaces available for this once in a lifetime experience and we don’t expect them to be around for long. We only offer this unique and special experience in November. The centre will be closed to the public, this means that all focus and attention is given to you and our small VIP group throughout the day.

This eagle experience includes flying and handling some of the smallest and heaviest species of eagles in the world also some of the most powerful and iconic species. We also have a new species joining the flying team this year.

You will have the chance to take close-up pictures and will also be able to admire the true beauty of these magnificent predators. 📸

If this wasn’t enough, we then situate the group looking over our beautiful valley and the River Wiske, where we then conclude the days flying with our “Eagle Valley Flight”. This gives you the opportunity to watch one of our eagles soar high above the valley before stooping swiftly to your gloved hand, making a truly unforgettable moment.

Tea and Coffee is provided throughout the day plus a little warm lunch of soup, bread rolls and cake.☕🍰

This ultimate VIP eagle experience involves 10 or more eagles including the magnificent Stellers Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle, African Fish Eagle, White Tailed Eagles and so many more. 🦅

This is a very popular hands-on experience. If you love eagles, then this is for you!🩵

Spaces are available to be pre-booked, follow the link for much more information regarding this experience and available dates or call 01845 587522 during centre opening hours. 📅☎️

https://falconrycentre.co.uk/product/vip-eagle-day-deposit-november-2024/

22/07/2024

🦉WORLD OWL DAY - 4th AUGUST. MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW 🦉World Owl Day

So many of you will know that I’m an author 🤣 but you may not know how instrumental Milly's Author Page (Milly Johnson) was in helping me to follow my dreams.

I interviewed Milly for my womens group during lockdown and told her (off air) about my writing ambitions. I felt as though it was too late for me and I wasn’t good enough. Milly was so encouraging and basically told me that I had to do it (in her no nonsense Barnsley way).

Three years later I’m just about to publish books five and six and I am appearing at an event with Milly at Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre (Falconry UK) on August 4th (World Owl Day). How absolutely amazing is that!

I do hope you can come along. It’s such a wonderful place and Kerry and Dave are absolute stars and really care about what they do. You will have a wonderful day out 💕

20/07/2024

🦉PLAN YOUR VISIT, DO NOT MISS THE FLYING DISPLAYS! 🕟

☀️No need to pre-book.
☀️Please Arrive 15-20 minutes before one of our displays to really make the most of your visit.
☀️Our displays are held at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm. After the display there will be a chance to ask the handlers any questions you may have.
☀️Explore the other 100+ birds on display.
☀️Feel free to use the shop/snack bar for a bite to eat. We offer fresh sandwiches, crisp, cakes, plus hot and cold drinks are available or try an ice cream to cool down on a hot day.
☀️Picnics are welcome.

🦅SUMMER TIMETABLE 🦅

🕙10:30am - TBOPC opens
🏹11:30am - Warriors of The Sky
🍴12:15pm - Ideal Lunch Time
🐣1.00pm - Meet the Minnie’s Experience*
🇿🇦1:30pm - African Adventure Display (the main display of the day hosting over 20 birds)
🦉3:00pm - Meet the Minnie’s Experience*
🇺🇸3:30pm - USA Flying Display
🕟5:00pm - TBOPC Closes

*Book your Meet the Minnie’s Handling Experience at reception. £10pp in addition to day admission fee.

🦅Plan Your Visit and Visitor Information. https://falconrycentre.co.uk/visitor-information/

🦅Experience Days.
https://falconrycentre.co.uk/visitor-information/

🦅Sponsorships.
https://falconrycentre.co.uk/meet-sponsor-the-birds/

🦅 Donate.
https://falconrycentre.co.uk/categories/donations/

See you soon!!

19/07/2024

🦴🦅 A few images from our very first and rather soggy Bone Crunchers and Carcass Feeders Experience on Sunday 14th July. It might have been a bit damp but all the birds did amazing. Even Tutan our Egyptian Vulture who hates the rain didn’t let the weather dampen his mood! Next Bone Crunchers Experience is TOMORROW (Saturday 20th July) and we can’t wait 🙌🏻🦅🦴

18/07/2024

Baby Season at Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic - little wild kestrel fledgling.
Brought in by Colin Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre (Falconry UK). Found by a member of the public.
Worked up by Gemma and Amber.
Off to join some others at Jean Thorpe 🪶 🦅

13/07/2024

🦴New For 2024 🦴
Our brand new Bone Crunchers and Carcass Feeders Experience.
We have one space available for SUNDAY 14th JULY!

Grab it quick as no more dates will be added this year!!

Who will you meet?
Kookaburra
African Pied Crow
Black Vulture
Hooded Vulture
Palm Nut Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
White Backed Vultures
White Storks
Caracara

Please visit www.falconrycentre.co.uk or call 01845 587522 for more information.

24/06/2024

📆Just a reminder that the centre will be closed on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th June as advertised on our website. This is to allow staff to attend the Falconry and Raptor Fair at Helmsley.

You can see Kerry and David at the Yorkshire Falconry Supplies stand both days so why not pop along and say hi. 👋🏻

The centre will be open as usual on Monday 1st July.

☀️ Remember our summer flying displays start 6th July! How exciting!!☀️

19/06/2024

💚WARNING CUTENESS OVERLOAD 🥰 We have had a new member join our team! This is Miguel an 8 week old Spectacled Owl. He will be winging his way to join our display team in the near future and I am sure he will be a hoot! Welcome to the team Miguel!

18/06/2024

I hope you are all tuning in! 👀 8pm on channel 5 🫣

14/06/2024

👀TUNE IN … TUESDAY 8PM ‼️

🫣This is not to be missed!

The Yorkshire Vet Daisybeck Studios Matt the Vet

26/05/2024

⭐UPDATED ⭐BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY TIMETABLE⭐

11:00am: Meet the Eagles Handling Experience (over 16years)* 🦅
11:30am: First Flying Display 🦉
12:15pm: Ideal Snack Time 🍴
12:40pm: Lunch Time With The Vultures🦴
1:00pm: Meet the Minnie’s Handling Experience*🐥
1:30pm: Second Flying Display🦉
2:20pm: Stork Talk🦩
2:40pm: Meet the Eagles Handling Experience (over 16 years)* 🦅
3:00pm: Meet the Minnie’s Handling Experience*🐥
3:30pm: Third Flying Display🦉

PLUS don’t forget to complete our free Vulture Scavenger Hunt for a treat on completion.🗺

Snack bar offering sandwiches, crisps,cakes, hot and cold drinks and ice creams. Picnics are welcome. 🥪🍡☕

*Book your Meet the Minnie’s Handling Experience at reception. £10pp in addition to day admission fee.
*Book your Meet the Eagles Handling Experience at reception. £20pp in addition to day admission fee.

For more information please visit www.falconrycentre.co.uk

24/05/2024

☀️Bank Holiday Monday Timetable ☀️

10:30am: TBOPC Gates Open 🕥
11:30am: First Flying Display🦅
12:15pm: Ideal Snack Time 🍴
12:40pm: Lunch Time with The Vultures 🦴
1:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience* 🦉
1:30pm: Second Flying Display 🦅
2:30pm: Stork Talk 🦩
3:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience* 🦉
3:30pm: Third Flying Display🦅
PLUS don’t forget to complete our free Vulture Scavenger Hunt for a treat on completion. 🗺️

Snack bar offering sandwiches, crisps, cakes, hot and cold drinks and ice creams. Picnics are welcome.

*Book your Meet the Minnies or Middies Handling Experience at reception. £10pp per a session in addition to day admission fee. #

11/05/2024

It’s World Migratory Bird Day! 🌍✨

The humble Egyptian vulture is one such species and depending on the part of their range you look at the migration distance varies dramatically.
In the western part of their range it’s a much shorter hop from France and Spain to Africa where they then move down to their overwintering ranges. Those further east whose breeding ground is the Balkan peninsula can travel up to 2000km further than their wester cousins to complete their migration.

The Horstmann trust is home to a breeding population of Egyptian vultures and will be supplying young for release by conservation partners to boost the diminished populations. While the work is going on to breed the birds there’s also a huge amount of work being done to make sure they stand the best possible chance of survival in those areas by mitigating the threats right the way along migration routes.



📸 Egyptian vulture Asian subspecies in flight

10/05/2024

⭐️ As advertised on our website we will be CLOSED Friday 17th May.

👑This is to allow staff to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace by kind permission of his Majesty The King, in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

💛We will be open as usual Saturday 18th May.

🦅 www.falconrycentre.co.uk

05/05/2024

🌤BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY TIMETABLE🦉

🦅NEW for Bank Holiday Monday only! Meet the Middies Handling Experience. This one is for the adults, get the chance to handle an eagle and another feathered friend! 🦅

🕙10:30am: TBOPC Gates Open
💚11:00am: Meet the Middies (over 16yrs)*
🦉11:30am: First Flying Display
🍴12:15pm: Ideal Snack Time
🦴12:40pm: Lunch Time with The Vultures
💚1:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience*
🦅1:30pm: Second Flying Display
🦩2:30pm: Stork Talk
💚2:45pm: Meet the Middies (over 16yrs)*
💙3:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience*
🦚3:30pm: Third Flying Display
🦴PLUS don’t forget to complete our FREE Vulture Scavenger Hunt for a treat on completion.

🥪Snack bar offering sandwiches, crisps, cakes, hot and cold drinks and ice creams. Picnics are welcome.

*Book your Meet the Minnies or Middies Handling Experience at reception. £10pp per a session in addition to day admission fee.

📜For more information or for our photography policy please visit www.falconrycentre.co.uk or call 01845 587522 during centre opening hours.

04/05/2024

💔🌹LONELY HEARTS COLUMN 💔🌹

❤️‍🩹A female vulture in her prime seeking a toy boy.😉

💞Ethel is a female White Headed Vulture who is in her prime, she is currently nesting and looking for a partner to settle down and build a home and raise a family with asap! She needs no time wasters but a vulture that knows what he wants and happy for commitment. She would consider waiting a year or two to have chicks but it would have to be for the right vulture!

🍃She loves the outdoors and enjoys exercise when the weather is nice, she also enjoys eating out while overlooking the Yorkshire countryside, her favourite dish is a venison dinner.🍴🍗🍖

💪Ethel is very much the boss in most situations and can have her stroppy days (but no one is perfect after all) but if you are in her click she will stand by you 100%.🥇 Ethel loves a lay in and enjoys sunbathing when the weather nice, she also likes to take time for herself to pamper and keep those stunning feathers neat and tidy. 💁‍♀️

Ethel and Wesley have sadly gone their separate ways as Wesley just wasn’t the vulture she fell in love with and sadly he couldn’t give her the young chicks she desperately wants.

💞So if you know of a young vulture who would like to start a serious relationship please get in touch as we have a female vulture looking for love! ❤️‍🩹

Email: [email protected]

03/05/2024

📅Dates For The Diary 📅

☀️6th July - Summer Flying Displays Start☀️
🏹Warriors of The Sky
🦓African Adventure Display
🇺🇸USA Flying Display

🦉4th August - World Owl Day. This will be the first time we have taken part in world owl day and it is looking like it will be a hoot of a time!!

💚7th September - International Vulture Awareness Day. A day we all love and we can’t wait to take part in this event once again.

🍂1st October - Autumn Flying Displays Start.

⭐️New For 2024⭐️ our brand new Bone Crunchers and Carcass Feeders Experience. Due to popular demand we have added more dates but we now have only have two spaces available on Sunday 14th July!! Grab them quick as no more dates will be added this year!!

Please visit www.falconrycentre.co.uk or call 01845 587522 for more information.

02/05/2024

💚We would like to introduce to you two new members to our team here at TBOPC.

Please welcome Karen and Kevin our two Red Legged Seriema's.

Karen arrived in November 2023. Since then, Karen started training for the 2024 display season. She normally joins us in the 1:30pm flying display, Karen is still learning and the focus at the moment is making sure she is happy and confident in our arena. We are hoping to develop on methods of behavioural enrichment and encouraging natural behaviour during Karen’s time in the arena and in her accommodation.

Kevin arrived recently at TBOPC, he has not started training yet as we wanted to give him time to get use to his new home and surroundings, but he will be in training for our summer flying displays to join Karen in the USA flying display.

They have both become rather good friends and it is quite common to see them both sunbathing together or sat watching the general goings on at the centre.

Welcome to the team Karen and Kevin! 💚🙌

01/05/2024

🌤BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY TIMETABLE🦉

🕙10:30am: TBOPC Gates Open
💚11:00am: Meet the Middies (over 16yrs)*
🦉11:30am: First Flying Display
🍴12:15pm: Ideal Snack Time
🦴12:40pm: Lunch Time with The Vultures
💚1:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience*
🦅1:30pm: Second Flying Display
🦩2:30pm: Stork Talk
💚2:45pm: Meet the Middies (over 16yrs)*
💙3:00pm: Meet the Minnies Handling Experience*
🦚3:30pm: Third Flying Display

🦴PLUS don’t forget to complete our free Vulture Scavenger Hunt for a treat on completion.

🥪Snack bar offering sandwiches, crisps, cakes, hot and cold drinks and ice creams. Picnics are welcome.

*Book your Meet the Minnies or Middies Handling Experience at reception. £10pp per a session in addition to day admission fee.

For more information please visit www.falconrycentre.co.uk or call 01845 587522 during centre opening hours.

20/04/2024

19/04/2024

🥚Egg-citing News 🐣 The first chick has hatched from the .lugger pair that call TBOPC their home. This is the first year that these two Lugger Falcons have laid eggs and have also successfully naturally incubated eggs and now rearing a young chick, what a fantastic start for this young pair!

We will keep you all updated on the other Lugger Falcon eggs!

16/04/2024

10/04/2024

The paragraph below was taken from Moholoholo Wildlife Instagram page.

“These 2 Endangered White backed vultures were saved from a devastating poisoning scene.
were alerted to a potential poisoning and upon arriving at the scene began emergency treatment to the only 2 alive birds. We were contacted immediately and set off on the 4-hour journey straight away. When we got there, the birds had responded well to initial treatment and were then brought back to our clinic. Once back at the rehab, they were stabilized, and then after a few days in the clinic, they were moved outside. It was then not long before they were ready for release!
The 2 vultures were fitted with satellite harnesses and leg ID rings before being released at our vulture restaurant!
We are grateful that 2 birds survived however at the scene there were many casualties: 1 Buffalo, 1 Spotted hyena, 1 Black backed jackal, 69 White Backed Vultures, 4 Lappet Faced Vultures, 2 Bateleur Eagles, 1 Marabou Stork, 1 Cape vulture, 1 Tawny Eagle and 2 Hooded Vultures.
Wildlife poisonings are a growing threat to species populations, and sadly, not much of the world knows about this major issue.”

💚This is why it is so important we take part in conservation, education, donating to vulture charities and purchasing emergency poison response kits, just to name a few things that can help these amazing vultures and other African wildlife.

💙We are very proud to have Violet, Vinnie, Pumba, Ethel and many others as ambassadors for their species and to become future breeding pairs.
If you would like to learn more about these amazing raptors, please come and visit our African Adventure Display starting 6th July – 12th September. We will also be hosting an event for International Vulture Awareness Day on Saturday 7th September.

31/03/2024

💦After a lovely weekend the weather just has to spoil itself, but I guess that’s just a typical Easter Monday! 🌧

🌤Tuesday is looking lovely with even a bit of sun and luckily the rest of the week looks much better as well! 🦉

Hopefully we will see you on a lovely day. You have just got to love the Yorkshire weather. 🌧🌤🧥🥾🌂