Visit to Devon Bird of Prey Centre

A 'must visit' place for your Wildlife Break!

This week we drove to a very special nature attraction at Ipplepen just outside Totnes. This is home to the Devon Bird of Prey Centre owned and run by Karen Andriunas and a small band of enthusiastic helpers. Karen is amazing with so much passion for these birds and unlimited energy. The Centre is set in beautiful rolling Devon countryside with views across to Dartmoor.

We arrived just after lunch on a very cold grey April day but as soon as we saw the amazing collection of birds we were captivated.

Galahad

 Ranging from Golden Eagles to Merlins and almost everything in between there was a bird for everyone to admire. Over 40 birds are normally kept on site. As well as British birds of prey there are birds from all over the world. 

Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Vultures and Owls are all on display and birds are flown every day, weather permitting.

'Wisp' the Barn Owl

We were very lucky to be introduced to Wisp the female Barn Owl, one of the most attractive of our British Owls. 

Having been raised by Karen Wisp was entirely at ease being
held by all of us in turn and totally comfortable. 

The colouring and feather patterns on this little predator are amazing and she was adorable.

It was a good job we were issued with a proper stout leather gauntlet though, her talons are formidable (and it kept our hands warm!)

 Karen works hard to continually improve the visitor experience and recently has been asked to work with  Paignton Zoo Environmental Park and provide regular flying displays indoors to rapt audiences (please click on the link to check times of displays). In addition to this the birds are displayed and flown at Powderham Castle near Exeter and Escot, just outside Honiton.

Chelsea with 'Wisp'

The thing that impressed us all on our visit, apart from the gorgeous birds, was the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm not just from Karen but all the staff. They clearly love being there and it is not regarded as work!

Chris with 'Wisp'

 The DBPC has a strong educational programme and visit local schools and run courses for students. They especially like to work with special needs children as it is so rewarding both for the students and staff.

Sam with 'Wisp'

This wonderful attraction is entirely self funded and relies heavily on donations and sponsorship. They are open daily and have no entrance 'fee' they just ask for a donation. 

Jalad

We all had a great time and want to thank Karen, staff and the volunteers we met that provided such a lovely experience with these beautiful birds. 

You really will experience an almost magical feeling being so close to these birds and the atmosphere on site is just so positive and uplifting, it makes you want to keep going back, to connect with nature.

The Peregrines of Plymbridge Woods

How to see Peregrine Falcons up close!

A few days ago my wife and I drove to Plymbridge Woods at Plympton which is about an hour from Dartmouth. We decided to visit the woods because of the Peregrine Falcons who nest there. It is the start of the breeding season and I had seen online that the first egg had been laid. 

We first visited the woods a couple of years ago after reading about the Peregrines who just happen to be my favourite bird and the most exciting of all birds of prey, in my mind. 

In the middle of these charming and picturesque woods is an old disused railway viaduct. Built in Victorian times from wonderful bricks the viaduct stands at the site of an old slate quarry: Cann Quarry.. It has been turned into part of a brilliant cycle path and is now tarmacked. 

In addition to this new function the viaduct also acts as a rather grand observation platform for the nesting falcons. They started nesting on this site many years ago and Plymouth University took an interest. They have installed a webcam to overlook the nesting site. This entails more work than you might imagine as the birds move the nest almost every year, necessitating a relocation of the camera. As Peregrines love nesting on cliffs and rock faces this makes the work rather precarious but regular.

Back on the viaduct the RSPB have set up an observation site complete with monoculars, trained onto the nest or individual birds. The results are stunning. When we were there our first view of the nest was a little disappointing as the male Peregrine was sitting on the single egg and was almost completely obscured by a gorse bush. We left and carried on our walk through the woods, stopping next to the river for a picnic lunch in the sunshine, peace and quiet.

On our return through the woods we climbed up to the RSPB site and once more looked through the monoculars which had been re-positioned since lunch. The sight was fantastic. There right in front of us was the larger, female Peregrine taking the sun on a rocky outcrop not far from the nest. As clear as day. She stayed there a long time and seemed oblivious to the small group of fans watching closely from the bridge. It really made our trip worthwhile, the best and clearest sighting ever! 

YouTube -  watch the Plym Peregrines flying!

The visit to Plymbridge is always enjoyable because it is a wonderful location, in a valley with footpaths alongside the shallow river. This time there were lots of fallen trees along the valley floor and in some cases into the river but as this is a National Trust site the whole area is managed. By that I mean that most of the trees are allowed to stay where they fall, only being tidied up to clear access or pathways. They all add to the almost magical quality of the woods.

We were also lucky enough to spot a pair of Dippers fly up the river following the twists and turns through the sunlight. 

In a few weeks time the eggs will hatch and then the parents will begin serious hunting to feed the hungry chicks so definitely a good reason to return. The thing is we never need a really good reason to return, the woods are special and worth a trip in their own right.

Dartmouth Marine Wildlife with Monty Halls Great Escapes

Exploring the wildlife of the River Dart Estuary

Last week we were invited by those awfully nice Monty Halls Great Escapes people to go for a boat ride out of the estuary on a wildlife boat trip that they run regularly throughout the year.

We really wanted to find out what their boat trips were like. Marine biologist Emily took us out as to the Mew Stone and gave an excellent commentary on wildlife, birds, mammals and local history, it was fascinating.

The trip started by meeting in their wonderful shop in Market Square to run through a safety briefing and be fitted with our life jackets. Safety at sea is an essential aspect of any trip and this was handled very well and our group then set off confidently for the South Embankment and the awaiting bright orange Rib called Jason.

As we 'poodled' our way to the mouth of the River Dart, Emily entertained us with her local knowledge of places and facts about our wonderful town and this was both unexpected and welcome. We all love to hear about things about the place where we live and Dartmouth of course, has a particularly rich history.

The weather was fantastic for mid April and the sea was calm enabling us to make great progress out towards the Mew Stone. We were all hoping to see Dolphins and Porpoises which are regular visitors to these waters but not today! Instead we were treated to a great variety of bird life including Cormorants, Shags, Great Black Backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Oyster Catchers and loads more. The highlight of the trip however were the Seals basking on the rocks in the late morning sun. Females and cubs were in evidence and we were able to get really close up without disturbing these wonderful creatures in any way. 

As we navigated around the Mew Stone we were treated to great displays of flying from the resident Cormorants who were inquisitive and a little bit wary about our presence. 

All too soon our trip was coming to a close, hastened by an approaching bank of sea mist we really wanted to avoid. So we headed back to Dartmouth harbour and on the way back learned about Dartmouth Castle, Kingswear Castle and lots more.

Emily also mentioned there were Peregrine Falcons nesting just around the headland and she had seen them, albeit briefly, in flight quite regularly. Another good reason to re-book this enjoyable trip. Every trip is different and unique and whatever wildlife you get to see there is always the wonderful boat ride out along our gorgeous river and coastline to soak up.

Thanks guys, we will be back.