Members Newsletter August 2004

The Editors Page

The last 3 months have flown by, perhaps that is because it's been so busy both at the centre and outdoor shows. We have had several shows to attend most weekends, but the one I was looking forward to most, was the Waddington International Airshow. It was my first Waddington and although it was very busy and tiring I hope it will be the first of many.

As you can see there are a couple of articles from members who attended the open day, so my thanks go out to Rachel and Brian Lake and Jessamy Bloom. I would also like to thank Doug White and Paul Frost for there articles. It would be nice to see more articles like these.

Dave Blows
Newsletter Editor

Centre News by Liz McQuillan

Time seems to fly here at the Foundation, I cannot believe how quickly is has come round for newsletter articles again.

We have been really busy, both at the Centre and with outdoor displays, some of them even flying displays like Waddington and Bedford to name a couple. Visitor numbers are well up, could this be because of our new car park, I ask myself!.,..or is it because of our reputation superceding us.

Our fundraiser for this year was a sponsored row, thank you to all that attended and to Doug for organizing it at RAF Wyton. Our youngest rower was Lynn's son Scot from Raptor Krafts who surprised even his dad by rowing two 15 minute sessions. I did try but was only allowed to do a few minutes. The whole event raised just over £1,600, which has gone towards signs for aviaries and the Education Room. We even have photos to prove it. We need to think of something for next years sponsorship challenge - not flying or jumping from flying things - anyone got any ideas???

As previously mentioned we again attended Waddington Air Show with our flying team of birds along with members of The Friends of he Raptor Foundation teams. The show, as always, was exciting but tiring. Our first display on the Saturday was cancelled due to heavy rain. Sunday started off looking good, but again it rained when we were due to fly, so we posted signs to say we would be flying later and we did. All but Buzz and Woody (Buzz - the Great Gray and Woody - the Asian Wood Owl), they were more interested in looking at the aeroplanes.

Hope you can all join us for our second open day in August; unfortunately Johnny Dee won't be with us this time. Our open day in June went well, I even got up and sung!

Is there anyone willing to help us at any outdoor shows that we still have to do, even if it is just talking to the public or handing out leaflets, please contact the Centre for details. Off the top of my head I know we have 'street walks' in Peterborough, Ramsey, St Neots, Cambridge and Huntingdon (just to mention a few).

Got to go now and fly some birds for the public, until next time - enjoy the summer.

Hospital News

Hospital inmates May 2004 - July 2004

A Barn Owl Family

A farmer called us because he had found a barn owl that had been locked in his barn for a couple of days, this was part of a breeding pair. The babies along with dad were gathered up and brought back to the centre. It was soon discovered that dad was in a bad way and unfortunately later died. As soon as the babies were well enough they were returned to the barn, the farmer then agreed to become a surrogate mother and fed the babies with mice. The mother soon returned and took over until they were ready to fledge the nest.

Open Day June 5th 2004

Austin Powers, Elvis, Mick Jagger and Johnny Dee (of Radio Cambridgeshire fame) were all performing at the Raptor Foundation to a small but select audience before and after the 12 o'clock flying display. The singing was enjoyed by all and even Liz was 'pursuaded' to sing a duet of 'Why am I a teenager in love' with Johnny Dee.

This was all in aid of the Open Day on Saturday 5th June to mark, according to Liz, the completion after 9 years of the building programme. However I note a new aviary going up for the bald eagles, Bonny and Clyde, and I suspect there will be more construction before long. Along with the entertainment there were a variety of craft stalls, a lunchtime barbeque and face painting for the children.

Our grandchildren, Jessamy and Ellis really enjoy their Raptor Foundation visits (Jessamy has written a piece for the newsletter) and Ellis wanted to practice flyng an owl in our back garden after the Open day visit (see picture).

The first time we came, we expected to spend an hour or so, but finished up seeing all three flying displays at 12, 2 and 4pm and then having to drag our other grandchildren, Rebecca and Abigail, away late in the afternoon.

A visit to the Raptor Foundation is always good value and it keeps getting better and better. Keep up the good work.

Rachel and Brian Lake
Warboys

Raptor Foundation Open Day

On Saturday 5th June 2004 it was the Raptor Foundation open day. It was a very special day because they had just finished all the building work (but Liz was not too sure they had!).

I often come to the Raptor Foundation with my brother Ellis when we stay with my Granny and Grandad in Warboys. I think it is one of the best places to go for a day out. I really like the birds and there is lots to do. I love the flying display and enjoy being able to fly the birds.

Saturday was excellent, the best time I've had at the Raptor Foundation, and I would encourage everyone in Cambridgeshire to visit. I certainly enjoyed Saturday with the face painting, Johnny Dee, the BBQ lunch, the craft stalls (including woodwork, ceramics, cards, ornaments and many more. Although sadly I didn't go to the evening barbeque I hope everyone who did enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

My favourite birds are Woody, Buzz, Chunky, Vinny the vulture and the kestrels Eddie and Alicia. I also like the barn owls and the European eagle owls. I like all the others but these birds stand out particularly. I am really looking forward to getting closer to Bonny and Clyde, the bald eagles, when their new aviary is finished.

I also like seeing and feeding the fish. I like the way the big fish squabble over the food. The small fish don't seem to get a look in so I always throw some food far away for the small fish. Altogether I think the Raptor Foundation is an excellent day out and I really enjoy it.

Jessamy Bloom age 10.

The Medicinal Uses Of Owls

On the flying displays, we talk a lot about the bird species, their general physiology & behaviour. We don't have the time to present much other information, so I thought I would take this opportunity to present a little bit of folklore about owls.

In China, the tiger is highly valued for its uses in "traditional" medicine, so much so that illegal poaching to supply the medicinal demands is one of the greatest threats to the tiger. Throughout history, traditional medicines have also greatly valued the owl. It may be fortunate that illegal killing for medicinal purposes is not a major threat to owls throughout the world today.

In ancient times people often believed that cures for conditions affecting specific parts of the body could be effected by treatment with matching parts from animals. Owls are renowned for the good eyesight, so it is not surprising that in mediaeval Europe a good treatment was considered to be owls eyeballs which had been charred by the side of a fire & then dried & powdered. Similarly, in India, eating owl's eyeballs was thought to help you see in the dark. As well as good eyesight, their hearing is also very good, which may have led a 16th century Swiss physician to recommended the use of owl brains blended with olive oil as a cure for earache. Owls are also considered as nocturnal creatures, which led to the Cherokee Indians in North America bathing their eyes in a potion made by simmering owl feathers in warm water so that they could stay awake all night.

The reputed wisdom ("the wise old owl") is thought to have given rise their use in curing and preventing alcoholism. In the middle ages in England, the wisdom imparted by swallowing whole, raw owl's eggs was thought to stop adults from being alcoholic. Similarly, eating owl eggs steeped for three days in wine, was supposed to give enough wisdom to completely avoid all alcoholic drinks. Owl broth was given to children to prevent them from becoming drunkards in later life.

Throughout much of the world, owls are considered omens of bad luck. Perhaps, for this reason, they were considered able to ward off other evils. In Morocco, a preserved owl's eyeball worn on a thong around the neck was supposed to ward of evil. In India, during Diwali, many owls were killed in order to ward of evil & attract magical power. In this country, eating charred owls eyeballs was supposed to ward off madness.

Not all of the supposed cures are related to obvious qualities of the owls though.

The Romans believed that epileptic fits could be cured by drinking owl soup. Similarly, in parts of India, epilepsy & other fits & seizures were supposedly cured by eating stewed owl's eyeballs.

Owls were often considered beneficial to children. In the Middle Ages in England, other than preventing drunkardness, owl broth was also considered a cure & a preventative for whooping cough in children. In India, the fat skimmed from the top of the broth was supposed to help children avoid misfortune. Long ago, in Germany, a stuffed owl, even just a dried owls foot, placed in a baby's cot was supposed to promote childhood health.

In India, a mixture of stewed owls eyeballs & brains was supposed to reduce labour pains & owl meat soup, reduced until jellied, was considered a good way of reducing rheumatic pains. In this country owl broth & pickled owls were both proposed cures for gout.

The 16th century Swiss physician mentioned earlier also proposed stewed owl brains, mixed with something more palatable, would cure headaches & owl brains stewed in seawater until jellied, when used as a suppository, would cure constipation.

The Romans believed that a poultice of owl meat would easing insect bites, whilst in mediaeval Germany an owls heart & right foot carried underneath the armpit was considered a remedy for the bite of a mad dog.

Other than cures for various conditions, parts of the owl were considered to have other properties. In Britain, it was thought that a woman who wanted to have a male child shouldn't hear an owl call during labour. In Europe, a soldier who carried the heart of an owl into battle believed he would be helped to fight with valour & bravery.

Finally I should add the warning not to try any of these at home, for one thing, all birds of prey are thoroughly protected in this country, even dead ones. But most, if not all of these, are just old wives tales & not likely to work. One last example should show the fallacy of the beliefs. In this country, it was believed that if you crept into the room of a sleeping woman & placed an owls heart or right foot on her left breast as she slept, when she awoke she would be unable to tell you a lie. Now, if anyone believes that, I would think that owls were in the same type of danger as tigers.

Paul Frost
Volunteer

Home from Home - Notes From The Falklands

In the last newsletter I gave you a personal view of the Raptor Foundation and said I would miss the place while on enforced vacation with the Air Force on the Falkland Islands. I'm not sure whether I can claim the record for the most distant member of the Raptor Foundation 'family' but I'm sure 8027 miles (approx) will take some beating. I am, as expected, missing colleagues and friends at the Foundation however, nature has seen fit to leave me with a few reminders of the place.

Our accommodation here consists of a large complex of low buildings, all of which require heating. This of course necessitates a few heating vents sticking out of the roofs at various places that have become home to several roosting turkey vultures.

Perhaps they are not as daft as they look, they at least know where the warmest place to roost is. After Tanya and Martyn's efforts to catch the stray specimen by chasing it all over the Cambridgeshire countryside in May I feel like suggesting it would have been easier to come down here because there are hundreds of them all over the islands.

There is also a Red Backed Hawk that has taken to perching all day on one of the lamp posts outside the complex watching the grassland and shrub heath around the site for dinner possibilities. On various trips to Stanley, the capital of the islands, I have spotted Crested and Striated Caracara devouring the remains of the several sheep that haven't survived the cold. (No Liz I can't wrap a pair of them up and send them home)

The islands are also home to Peregrine Falcons and American Kestrels, as well as Barn and Short-Eared Owls although I have not been fortunate to see any as yet. There are also in excess of 70 other species of birds that choose to live or visit here and of course there are the penguins.

Unfortunately this is the wrong time of year for the majority of the Falklands population of penguins, they are far more sensible than to spend their winters here. I have seen a colony of Gentoo penguins at a beach not far from the camp but that's all so far. The others are due to return just as I leave for home (maybe they knew I was coming!).

The wildlife and scenery here is frankly quite stunning. Were it not for the distance from home it would be quite a good place to visit, but I can assure you all four months will be plenty for me. As I write this (Thurs 01 July) I only have 92 days left to go and the first month has in fact gone quite fast so I'll be back sooner than you think.

See you in October

Doug White
Volunteer