Feathers and Fur Falconry, one of Berkshire’s most renowned falconry and educational centres has recently opened its doors to members of the public after being served an eviction notice at their former premises.
Two years of hard graft and a £60,000 GoFundMe later, owner Sadie Shepherd and her team are ready to spread their wings at Moss End Garden Village.
Our reporter Nicole McBride visited the Feathers and Furs Falconry Centre on a snowy December morning.
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At 10:30am on a Monday morning, the team at the Bracknell based falconry were hard at work getting ready for the busy week ahead.
22 birds of prey sat proudly in their spacious avery, bright eyed and slightly alarmed by the blanket of snow that had covered the ground overnight.
From majestic barn owls to adorable kestrels, each is weighed throughout the day ensuring that they maintain a healthy flight weight at all times of the year.
Throughout my two hour visit to Feathers and Furs, I met three of Sadie's majestic birds up close, witnessing the beauty of their wing span and their defining features.
The birds of prey that I was introduced to in the fly-field were Bailey the barn owl and Nala the kestrel.
Seeing these outstanding creatures take flight and land on your gloved hand is like nothing that I had ever experienced before.
Each of these fascinating and striking birds are hypnotic to watch, showcasing defining personalities through their behaviour and individual facial features.
With her white and brown feathers, Bailey had almost translucent feathers which could only be seen when one has the pleasure of seeing them up close.
Bailey's beautiful white and brown features complemented both the snow and the shade of my winter coat creating a stunning and Insta-worthy flying experience.
The session had Sadie gushing about her love of conservation and teaching, which is an element that she brings into her educational sessions with local children who frequent the centre.
She said: “Most people don’t know about these incredible species that are right on their doorstep, particularly in Bracknell.
“My aim during my teaching is to get people thinking about how the most unexpected aspects of nature can be vital to the environment even when it is sometimes not always obvious.
“I love opening people’s eyes to understand that your doorstep has amazing wildlife on it, it’s not just in the rain forest or out in Africa, it starts in your own town.”
Moss End Village Garden Centre is home to many small businesses and has ‘offered salvation’ to many who have formed a base at the Warfield site.
Alongside the Falconry which was built from scratch on an old scaffold site within the centre, Sadie has also started her own shop that offers an array of owl and nature related gifts.
This includes homemade jewellery, artwork from local creatives and merchants and beautiful bird inspired candles and wax melts from a local business.
After the unforgettable experience at Feathers and Furs new Warfield base, I can honestly say that I will never forget it.
Experiencing both the interaction with the stunning creatures and witnessing Sadie’s passion and dedication to her work, it will soon find itself on the 'top things to-do in Bracknell' list…despite the freezing temperatures!
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