Friday 8 August 2008

Meet Darcy and Gizmo

I couldn't resist sharing these photographs from my holiday down at Barnard Castle. We visited Thorpe Park Farm which is just a short distance from the town and where there is a Bird of Prey Centre which had some absolutely magnificent birds of prey on show. In particular they had some beautiful owls, I have always liked owls. It was amazing to see the display they did with some Harris Hawks and a Gyr Falcon cross bred in which they demonstrated some of the techniques used to train a bird of prey.



After the display you could meet the bird of your choice and have your photo taken holding the bird. Well I had been smitten by the beautiful Darcy who is a Great Gray Owl so here she is (the photo on the left of the top 2 images). Gizmo is a Wood Owl and was hubby's choice of feathery freind. Isn't mother nature just amazing in the way she shapes the plummage on these bird faces into a saucer shape to help direct sound so they can locate their prey more efficiently.

8 comments:

  1. I simply adore Owls, fascinating birds ! Thank you for sharing those piccies, Phree. X Fab

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  2. Wonderful photos, magnificent creatures. I must go visit them before the summer's over. Thanks for the info Phree.

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  3. Hi Phree,
    Great pictures of the owls. I'm a big bird fan and we are lucky enough to live in buzzard country here so we get great displays during the day and the odd siting of owls at night (although they are around all the time).
    Just joined the Graphicus Guild and am very tempted by the glimer mists. Have seen cards by you and Cynthia using them and they are stunning.
    Beryl xx

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  4. Wow they are gorgeous :)
    I think baby owls are just the cutest !!

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  5. Oh I too love owls...I have never seen these ones. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Oh they are soooo gorgeous I love owls too.
    When do we get to see your course Christmas organiser book PHree?
    Love Cynthia x

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  7. I'm glad you made it to Thorpe Farm while you were here - the people who look after the birds and do the displays are friends of ours and the wonderful neighbours of Adrian's parents, Phil and Tracey. Hope you had cake in the tea shop too while you were there!

    Glenda

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  8. Um me? Eat Cake?..... Nevah!
    Ok so I am being economical with the truth - I had a lovely cup of tea and a slice of delicious Carrot Cake in the tea shop. I also managed to buy some fabulous Northumberland Smoked Cheese in the Farm Shop, I love that cheese and we can't get it up here in Scotland. And somehow a Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding found it's way home with me too!

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