Perfect and Amazing Wild About Birds Event

Perfect weather!  Amazing Wild Birds!

This time the weather was really kind to us, it was just a perfect day, sunny with a gentle breeze, long awaited for after the dipping temperatures of April and May.

Cotswold Birds brought along beautiful specimens from the hawk, owl and eagle families and provided handling opportunities for all ages from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

The hi-light was a bird display at 1pm. Off too  a little shaky start as the first bird released was a little disorientated not realising she had left the Cotswold, unfortunately didn't return that day.  She was found the day after, safe and sound in the Wast Hills, a beautiful area on the Kings Norton Worcestershire border, along her flight path home.  Phew!

A hooded hawk was the next crowd pleasing performance.  It gave us an array of crowd pleasing sky diving hunting techniques soaring from great heights to snatch a tasty rodent treat from handler Mike periodically.  Whilst resting in the treats this hawk was harangued by several crows and magpies who gave an extremely noisy territorial display, the hawk very wisely decided not to stray!  Thank you Cotswold Falconry, the birds are obviously very well cared for and the handlers experts in their field, cheers Mike and Mrs Mike, you were both superb.

Lickey Hills Rangers, Steve and Adam worked their magic providing interesting and accessible environmental activities including a make shift bird hide and creations from wood.  Martyn and his colleague from the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds bought along nature books, bird song CD's and survey aids and those who joined were able to build bird boxes.  They spotted this quite rare Beetle Wasp, identified by Steve Hinton.  

Above is  Hannah, NIA apprentice making one of the bird boxes.  Hannah (above will help us later in the year accessing funding to the Nature Improvement Area Funding.

Our chosen charity for this event was the Hedgehog Charity, who set up in a garage in Bromsgrove talked to people about how to care for hedgehogs in their gardens, why we need to care them and what they are doing.

We asked our stall providers to give us a question each to create a quick quiz.  The prize a wonderful Hedgehog Cake, an albino or a brown hedgehog, created by Lynn and Beth

1. What is a baby Hedgehog called?
2. Name the egg in the nest?
3. How heavy is a Bold Eagle?

Two winning set answers 
Two winning sets of answers, below:

1.  Hog let  
2.  Ostrich  
3.  8 1/2 lbs

were pulled from a hat containing all the participants, who had been rewarded on entry with an animal shaped chocolate, were Charlie (trending sunglasses) pictured on the right with this mate below and Chloe pictured below.

The Friends of Kings Norton Tree and Park Trail was a huge success with many correct and interesting answers with some families riding their routes.

Thank you to everyone who came along, helped out and those who participated in the activities and everyone who had fun... and possibly an ice-cream too from Donatello's who provided ices and drinks.

If you would help arrange an activity or an event you are encouraged to contact us and we can work together to bring about the kind of things you and your family would like to see in our park.

This was a free event.   Membership is also free.  Donations are gratefully received.

Why not email your thoughts and experiences about the day and times spent in our park.  We can add you to our email circulation lists which advises of forthcoming events and planning news.

Email:  info.foknp@gmail.com

Tweet:  @kingsnortonpark