Feathers and Fur

Sadie Shepherd:  As a child Sadie used to collect bones and bits of ‘nature’ that surrounded her very rural Scottish home. After moving to Berkshire when she was 10 years old Sadie continued her passion for the countryside with a National Diploma in Land and Countryside Studies from the Berkshire College of Agriculture. From there her studies took her to the South West where she studied for her Degree in Rural Resource Management and it was from her graduation that she was first introduced to Falconry at a small centre in the middle of Exmoor. ‘My first lesson was patience! I sat for 4 hours with a Saker Falcon on a very hard bench, but was smitten instantly’  From the centre, Sadie’s passion grew to take her around the world volunteering in America, Iceland and Africa. ‘

In 2006 Sadie went to work for a falcon breeding centre in Derbyshire, this was a real eye opener into the true falconry world of hunting. Over the winter I looked to start my own business, returning to my passion of education. Hawks on Walks was launched in 2007 and successfully relocated to Shropshire where the business really took off. From flying the Harris Hawks I realized that there is a real hole in our knowledge of British Birds of Prey and I started to really look at expanding to include these magnificent birds. In 2009 Sadie sold Hawks on Walks and has returned to Berkshire with Feathers and Fur. ‘I aim to introduce people to the birds that we so often glimpse at on the side of the motorway or admire as they circle and soar above us, teaching how they fit into the environment and how we can help to protect them.

The Birds and Animals

	Willow – Barn Owl, Female, Hatched June 2009 Willow is a captive bred Barn Owl, and was imprinted from a very young age. Basically Willow believes we are all owls!!!! Willow fly’s for all our experience sessions but particularly enjoys school visits where she is the star of the show!
	Billie – European Eagle Owl, Female, Hatched 1994 Billie is over 15 years old and has come to us from a family that used her for shows and local fairs. For the past 6 years Billie was living with a male however never managed to breed. She came to live with Feathers and Fur in June 2009 and has been a show stopper ever since. Her eyes are hypnotic and she definitely lives up to the wise old owl adage.
	Fagus – Kestrel, Male, Hatched on the 2nd June 2009 One of our newer members Fagus is named after the British Beech tree Fagus sylvatica. A male Kestrel, Fagus is yet to develop his distinctive blue / grey head and tail, but already has the air of superiority that so often accompanies Falcons
	Tilia – Common Buzzard, Female, Hatched  8th April 2009 Tilia is our newest addition to Feathers and Fur, her name comes from the Latin for the British Lime tree. Tilia flies to the fist and once fully trained will soar magnificently on the thermals on a warm day.
	Tom – Harris Hawk, Female, Hatched in 2006 At 3 years old all our Harris Hawks have been successfully flown for the public. Tom our female was reared from an egg, hence the male name! and is our main huntress taking pheasant, rabbit, duck and small mammals in her career.
	Sam – Harris Hawk, Male, Hatched in 2006 Sam is Tom’s hunting partner, the pair showing perfectly the true nature of a Harris Hawk.
	Jack – Harris Hawk, Male, Hatched in 2006 Sam and Jack are our Hawk Walking team and between them have completed over 500 Hawk Walks.
	George – Continental Giant Rabbit George is a true local, bred in Reading George is a giant at only 5 months old and still growing! George visits schools, birthday parties and care centres. His favourite food is Broccoli stalks and is best friends with our Labrador!
	Tigger, Teddy, Tubby, Bob Tail and Gimley – The Ferret Team Tigger currently holds the Feathers and Fur record for bolting rabbits! Whilst Bob Tail and Gimley are completing for the ferret that can sleep the most! Our team of ferrets enjoy ferret racing and love cod liver oil oddly enough!!