Buddy Harris with his buddy James Norwood
| Three very unusual guests made a much appreciated appearance at the Club's Monday meeting! The trio consisted of Bella, a pretty barn owl, Humber, a handsome tawny owl, and Buddy, a proud Harris hawk. Thanks to Berkshire Birds of Prey, an organisation founded by Angela Norwood, we were able to not only admire the birds close up, but more importantly learn a lot about them. Barn owls you'll find in every country in the world apart from Antarctica. They are completely silent when on the wing, and they have 75% more feathers than any other birds. Tawny owls are native to the UK and have amazing eyesight. They can spot a spider in a tree at the other end of a field but they can't see what is in front of them. Harris hawks originate from Chile and Peru in South America, where they are nicknamed "Wolves of the Sky" as they are the only ones that hunt in packs. In captivity these birds might live for 15-20 years, but only half that time in the wild. This short |  Bella the barn owl lifespan is not due to a lack of food – worms, grasshoppers, squirrels, snakes and other mammals – but sadly because of all the rat poison unthinking people are scattering around their gardens. |
 Karen Armstrong, sister of the founder Angela Norwood, President Maria and James Norwood with Buddy |  Humber the tawny owl with his handler |