National Centre For Birds Of Prey

Challenger being her cheeky self and making sure the bucket knows who's boss
*Live photo* hold down the image to see the action 👍🏻

Saffron - our young Wahlberg's Eagle is starting to show some real promise. She broke the 500ft barrier today.
This is the gps track produced by her transmitter - a really cool bit of tech.

Hognose the hooded vulture enjoys a nice walk back to the aviary after a tough flight training session - you can see those legs from miles away

Our Harris Hawk 'Palomar' has decided he doesn't want to go to work today and would much rather be asleep in bed - Lazy boy 😴

We have just added some extra dates for our Owl/Raptor Experiences.
Owl Experience - 21 August, 30 August and 8 September
Raptor Experience - 23 August, 31 August, 9 September
... You'll get the chance to come and spend some real quality time with some of our amazing trained birds.
After the experience ends you are welcome to spend the rest of the day within the centre.
Vouchers are available - an experience makes an unforgettable gift.
The experiences cost £65 per person and more info and online booking is here:-
https://www.ncbp.co.uk/experiences/owl-ex perience/
https://www.ncbp.co.uk/experiences/raptor -experience-2/
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A stunning shot from Dan Silcock @the_yorkshire_tourist of Liberty!

Burrowing owls are known for their energy conserving behaviours - Denali knows its far easier to have a shower in this rain than to jump in his bath and do it himself (which we've never seen him do!)

An unusual but striking shot of Liberty. Thank you Nic Riseborough for sharing!

Awesome flying from Zonda the Grey Buzzard Eagle today!

Volunteer appreciation post. Here is Lynn with our male Harris hawk, Tacora. She has been volunteering with us for over 2 and a half years now. Our volunteers are absolutely vital to the upkeep of the centre. This is our way of giving something back after all the hard work they do.

Incoming!

Yellow billed kites are the masters of sunbathing 😎☀️

I may be wrong - but i think the baby Red Footed Falcons may be a little peckish 😂

Burrowing owl madness! Skomer doing what he does best 😎

As visitors to last weekend's Raptor Fair will know, we used the fair to raise some money for some good causes.
Ryedale Wildlife Rehab, run by Jean Thorpe MBE - helping wildlife in the local area. We have worked with Jean for many years and we admire her work ethic as well as her ethics on treating injured wild animals.
Hawk and Owl Trust - this nationwide charity has a strong Yorkshire presence and manages nearby Fylingdales Moor for raptor conservation.
... Vulpro - run by conservation legend Kerri Wolter, Vulpro rescues, rehabs, breeds and releases some of the most endangered vultures on the planet. Based near Pretoria in South Africa, Kerri and her team are on the sharp end of vulture conservation.
We have totted up the totals, and from donations on the gate, and the profit from the bar and BBQ we raised £2078.37. We'll make this up to a round £2100 - so each of these fantastic organisations will get £700 to help them with their work.
If you donated on the gate, had a drink at the bar or came to the BBQ - thank you. That money of yours is about to be put to very good use.
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Well that's the Raptor Fair 2018 done and dusted.
What can i say - it was epic.
We had 5 700+ft stoops from falcons. Eagles at 1500ft. Berghwings tearing a hole in the sky with big hybrids and tiny tiercels smashing them out of the blue.
... We had the most amazing hovering kestrel, the ever popular burrowing owl, 3 kites circling and wheeling and just so much more!
As normal the whole event is the work of a whole team of people.
The NCBP staff should all be standing and taking a bow - I am privileged to call them my colleagues. What a wonderful group of people i get to work with.
A whole team of volunteers gave up their weekend to help with thing. In no particular there was Lyn, Nick, Davey, Ben, Molly (2 of them), Laura, Tess, Keith and Lucy. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am proud to breathe the same air as you guys - you rock.
The demo givers were fab. The berghwing crew, Shane (just one more pass) Griffiths, James Bradbury and the Bull X guys, the legendary Jemima Parry-Jones, Simon Jewitt (dogs) and Leslie and George Thomson.
The stand holders all sold high volumes of gear - some sold out! There was a steady stream of people carrying their new purchases out to the car park. Thank you for coming and supporting what is surely the premier falconry event in the UK.
Many thanks to Jake and Raffa Duncombe for the use of the parklands for our car park.
A huge and heart felt thank you to everyone who visited. Thank you for donating towards our good causes at the gate, at the bar and at the BBQ. We haven't counted up how much we have raised - but it is well in to 4 figures.
As normal the birds were the stars. The sight of those blistering stoops always make the hairs stand up on my arms. The sight of a fish eagle hitting 1500ft in the blue Yorkshire sky is something you wont see anywhere else - it is a true, world-class sight. My pretty little Wahlberg's Eagle doing her first demo on Saturday and trying her best to soar was wonderful. I have a pretty cool job - but the best bit is the time i get to spend with these avian megastars.
See you next year - when the fair will be bigger and better and will cement its position as the best falconry fair - organised by falconers and for falconers.
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We are finalists on the Visit York Awards and have all scrubbed up!

And so it begins...
The count down to the Raptor Fair 2018 has begun!
The only specialist falconry fair in the UK this year. The only fair organised by falconers and the fair by which all others are judged!
... The weather is set fair for next weekend too😀
www.raptorfair.com www.ncbp.co.uk
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We have a layout plan for the Raptor Fair on 23 & 24 June!!
As you can see - we have plenty of trade stands coming, the Eagle Group will be here as normal, we also have several clubs coming and having stands.
The ring timetable will be announced shortly - there'll be loads of flying demos, a dog training demo, a berghwing flying demo, a rocrow flying demo, a demo of a Harris Hawk and an American Kestrel flying to the Bull Ex, Jemima Parry Jones and the NCBP staff and birds.
... www.raptorfair.com www.ncbp.co.uk
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We've been many times before and because of the great weather we came again. We spent 4 hours there and saw 2 flying displays with 10 birds ranging from huge African fish eagles to tiny Burrowing owls.

The Lanner Falcon displays were breathtaking and kept us on the edge of our seats.

Lovely cafe serving soup and toasted sandwiches and coffee.

All in all we had a fantastic time and will be booking the evening owl displays in November.

Would reccomend it to everyone.

Visited yesterday, sat 17th Feb, what a fab place, so many beautiful birds, we were a little disappointed that no Eagles were flying, but we really enjoyed our day and got some great photo's. Loved the flying sessions, the trainers do a great job, and the birds are amazing, such characters :)

This place is amazing and the staff are very friendly and are passionate about what they do. I will be returning in the very near future and we are adopting one of the many beautiful birds!

This is an absolute gem. Great value admission, very friendly staff, lots of great conservation facts about the wonderful birds of prey that you can get very close to (and the keeper team just ooze passion about their work, and the flying displays are brilliant (different birds for each of the three displays during the day). The cafe is well priced but you are also welcome to bring in a picnic to eat in the open and the gift shop has some really nice souvenirs. Very highly recommended!

The Bird of Prey Centre is set in the beautiful grounds of Duncombe park. As you drive up the drive, you have a perfect view of Helmsley Castle.

The entrance fee is extremely good value and the guide book is full of interesting and educational facts about the birds of prey.

The centre is very spacious and well laid out. It is obvious that the birds are well cared for and all the staff are passionate about their roles.

We stayed all day and watched all three shows. It was wonderful to be able to see these amazing birds of prey up close and to watch their incredible flying skills.

It was educational, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. It was the highlight of our holiday and I can't recommend it enough.

We would of loved to have gone on the Hawk Hike but unfortunately there wasn't any availability before we went home. Just means we'll have to come back again!

We had lunch in the Owl cafe and the food was all freshly made and very tasty.

There was a good selection of gifts in the shop and all very reasonably priced.

We had a great day out, surrounded by these beautiful birds of prey.

Thank you to all the staff, you are all doing an amazing job!

Staying in Helmsley for the week we stumbled upon this amazing little gem nestled away just around the corner from our holiday cottage! Wow! What a fantastic place to visit!

The entrance fee is really reasonable and well worth it. The wristbands give you entrance all day so you can come and go as much as you want which is an added bonus.

Seeing amazing birds of prey that we have only seen on the nature programmes and reading about them their migration, their weight and their food make for an informative and educational visit..you are never too old to learn something new �

My personal highlights was seeing a bald eagle soaring in the gorgeous blue skies above us (awesome) and the owl flying. Although all the birds in the flying ground were magnificent.

We even visited twice this week and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. The handlers interaction with the birds made for a very enjoyable experience. You could see how much they love their work and the birds.

The coffee shop is fantastic and a gorgeous latte fueled us up for a great day. The cakes looked and smelt delicious too. Looking at the menu the prices are spot on for homemade food.

Would highly recommend to all.

It's an amazing day out, we've come every year since it opened in 2013 and every time their is something that just makes you go WOW!

Today we watched as 3 hawks were flown simultaneously! Great value for money and the staff are so passionate about what they do

I've been here twice, once for the British Falconry fair last year, and last night for the Winter Owl Prowl.

Both of my visits have been brilliant, good welfare of the birds, knowledgeable and patient staff, and a good atmosphere in general.

Owl be back soon, it's been a hoot!!

I have attended the NCBP in excessive of 7 times now, each time proving better than the last(hard to believe!) the birds aviaries are always well kept and clean, not an easy task with the amount of space they have! All the birds also look extremely healthy and fly brilliantly. There are few displays in the country that show just how brilliant raptors are at what they do. The staff and volunteers are always friendly, helpful and approachable. The cafes food is also well worth a try and reasonable priced. My most recent visit was over the raptor weekend and it was clearly visible how much effort was put in to making it a thrilling event for all. There was a variety of birds flown, educational talks, a constant busy arena. There was a spot on bbq that a caterer was brought in for that the volunteers stayed on to assist with- I’m sure proceeds went to conservation charities, on top of all the other conservation work they do. Not really much more you can ask for from a fair of this regard. I will continue visiting NCBP for years to come(travelling 4 hours there and back) and recommending to everyone and anyone one I know. One of my favourite places to be- feels like home. Keep up the good work.

Have never seen a bird display like this. The birds are the stars of the show but the passion and hard work of the staff are evident.

Great place to visit, friendly and knowledgeable staff and magnificent birds - particularly great to watch the flying display and see Harley, Puffin, Mist and - perhaps most spectacular of all - Zonda take to the skies. It’s clear Charlie and his team are passionate about their work and love the stunning creatures they look after. Highly recommended.

Great place to visit, beautiful surroundings, very polite, helpful knowledgeable staff - and awesome cake.... What more do you need??

Definitely recommend.

Fabulous and very entertaining bird flying show (especially if the fish eagle disappears for a while.... ��....the falconer gets a bit anxious, whilst using some fab technology to tell you where the bird is in a very comedic fashion!)! We loved Harley the eagle owl, the burrowing owl and the falcon display. Just brilliant. All birds are well exhibited and in lovely condition. Great things to do for kids, good information and stamps to collect. Cafe has cakes to die for (all cooked on site). Staff are friendly and facilities are accessible and clean. We loved it! Thank you for a fun filled and hilarious flying show. The birds stole the show though.

Excellent day out with the grandkids they loved the birds and we loved the conservation message. All birds very good at the displays nd we stayed for two displays as the first one was so good. Very good value for money and the birds are stunning. Thoroughly recommend it for a day out with the kids 🦅

Did the raptor experience today and can’t recommend it highly enough. Sarah and Ronnie were amazing, you can tell they really care about the birds and the made the day so much fun. Well worth a trip

Came here in December for the owl evening as a Christmas present for my Nanny. Late cirrcumstances meant my Nan had to come in a wheel chair. The staff and even other visitors were so accommodating and helpful towards me and my Nan. A great and informative talk and view of the owls. Also a lovely meal. My Nan absolutely loved it and we were both very greatful for the lovely evening we had. So thank you.

Been to Helmsley on many occasions but never found this lil gem of a place. Ok, it's no ZSL London Zoo but it is well laid out with some nice easy going walks. Some stunning birds on display and all the Averies have detailed descriptions of where the birds originate from and how they live in the wild. Unfortunately on our day it was a bit damp and windy so we didn't stay for the flying displays. But I shall next time I visit. Good price for admission too. £9 for an adult is very reasonable. Oh and the homemade cakes and toasted sandwiches are very good! But pricey but it's good quality! So in a nutshell, just go there. Its a lil gem in the beautiful grinds of Duncombe Park

Absolutely fabulous day, Charlie and the team were informative and engaging and their love for the birds was infectious! The brownie in the cafe was still warm too... perfection!

We enjoyed our visit to the NCBP - there are some fantastic owls and more unusual birds - the crested caracara was a particular favourite of ours. The flying display was good though we would have liked to see a larger bird in flight e.g an eagle. Would recommend but only took 2 hours to go round so plan something else for the rest of the day !

We've been many times before and because of the great weather we came again. We spent 4 hours there and saw 2 flying displays with 10 birds ranging from huge African fish eagles to tiny Burrowing owls.

The Lanner Falcon displays were breathtaking and kept us on the edge of our seats.

Lovely cafe serving soup and toasted sandwiches and coffee.

All in all we had a fantastic time and will be booking the evening owl displays in November.

Would reccomend it to everyone.

Visited yesterday, sat 17th Feb, what a fab place, so many beautiful birds, we were a little disappointed that no Eagles were flying, but we really enjoyed our day and got some great photo's. Loved the flying sessions, the trainers do a great job, and the birds are amazing, such characters :)

This place is amazing and the staff are very friendly and are passionate about what they do. I will be returning in the very near future and we are adopting one of the many beautiful birds!

This is an absolute gem. Great value admission, very friendly staff, lots of great conservation facts about the wonderful birds of prey that you can get very close to (and the keeper team just ooze passion about their work, and the flying displays are brilliant (different birds for each of the three displays during the day). The cafe is well priced but you are also welcome to bring in a picnic to eat in the open and the gift shop has some really nice souvenirs. Very highly recommended!

The Bird of Prey Centre is set in the beautiful grounds of Duncombe park. As you drive up the drive, you have a perfect view of Helmsley Castle.

The entrance fee is extremely good value and the guide book is full of interesting and educational facts about the birds of prey.

The centre is very spacious and well laid out. It is obvious that the birds are well cared for and all the staff are passionate about their roles.

We stayed all day and watched all three shows. It was wonderful to be able to see these amazing birds of prey up close and to watch their incredible flying skills.

It was educational, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. It was the highlight of our holiday and I can't recommend it enough.

We would of loved to have gone on the Hawk Hike but unfortunately there wasn't any availability before we went home. Just means we'll have to come back again!

We had lunch in the Owl cafe and the food was all freshly made and very tasty.

There was a good selection of gifts in the shop and all very reasonably priced.

We had a great day out, surrounded by these beautiful birds of prey.

Thank you to all the staff, you are all doing an amazing job!

Staying in Helmsley for the week we stumbled upon this amazing little gem nestled away just around the corner from our holiday cottage! Wow! What a fantastic place to visit!

The entrance fee is really reasonable and well worth it. The wristbands give you entrance all day so you can come and go as much as you want which is an added bonus.

Seeing amazing birds of prey that we have only seen on the nature programmes and reading about them their migration, their weight and their food make for an informative and educational visit..you are never too old to learn something new �

My personal highlights was seeing a bald eagle soaring in the gorgeous blue skies above us (awesome) and the owl flying. Although all the birds in the flying ground were magnificent.

We even visited twice this week and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. The handlers interaction with the birds made for a very enjoyable experience. You could see how much they love their work and the birds.

The coffee shop is fantastic and a gorgeous latte fueled us up for a great day. The cakes looked and smelt delicious too. Looking at the menu the prices are spot on for homemade food.

Would highly recommend to all.

It's an amazing day out, we've come every year since it opened in 2013 and every time their is something that just makes you go WOW!

Today we watched as 3 hawks were flown simultaneously! Great value for money and the staff are so passionate about what they do

I've been here twice, once for the British Falconry fair last year, and last night for the Winter Owl Prowl.

Both of my visits have been brilliant, good welfare of the birds, knowledgeable and patient staff, and a good atmosphere in general.

Owl be back soon, it's been a hoot!!

I have attended the NCBP in excessive of 7 times now, each time proving better than the last(hard to believe!) the birds aviaries are always well kept and clean, not an easy task with the amount of space they have! All the birds also look extremely healthy and fly brilliantly. There are few displays in the country that show just how brilliant raptors are at what they do. The staff and volunteers are always friendly, helpful and approachable. The cafes food is also well worth a try and reasonable priced. My most recent visit was over the raptor weekend and it was clearly visible how much effort was put in to making it a thrilling event for all. There was a variety of birds flown, educational talks, a constant busy arena. There was a spot on bbq that a caterer was brought in for that the volunteers stayed on to assist with- I’m sure proceeds went to conservation charities, on top of all the other conservation work they do. Not really much more you can ask for from a fair of this regard. I will continue visiting NCBP for years to come(travelling 4 hours there and back) and recommending to everyone and anyone one I know. One of my favourite places to be- feels like home. Keep up the good work.

Have never seen a bird display like this. The birds are the stars of the show but the passion and hard work of the staff are evident.

Great place to visit, friendly and knowledgeable staff and magnificent birds - particularly great to watch the flying display and see Harley, Puffin, Mist and - perhaps most spectacular of all - Zonda take to the skies. It’s clear Charlie and his team are passionate about their work and love the stunning creatures they look after. Highly recommended.

Great place to visit, beautiful surroundings, very polite, helpful knowledgeable staff - and awesome cake.... What more do you need??

Definitely recommend.

Fabulous and very entertaining bird flying show (especially if the fish eagle disappears for a while.... ��....the falconer gets a bit anxious, whilst using some fab technology to tell you where the bird is in a very comedic fashion!)! We loved Harley the eagle owl, the burrowing owl and the falcon display. Just brilliant. All birds are well exhibited and in lovely condition. Great things to do for kids, good information and stamps to collect. Cafe has cakes to die for (all cooked on site). Staff are friendly and facilities are accessible and clean. We loved it! Thank you for a fun filled and hilarious flying show. The birds stole the show though.

Excellent day out with the grandkids they loved the birds and we loved the conservation message. All birds very good at the displays nd we stayed for two displays as the first one was so good. Very good value for money and the birds are stunning. Thoroughly recommend it for a day out with the kids 🦅

Did the raptor experience today and can’t recommend it highly enough. Sarah and Ronnie were amazing, you can tell they really care about the birds and the made the day so much fun. Well worth a trip

Came here in December for the owl evening as a Christmas present for my Nanny. Late cirrcumstances meant my Nan had to come in a wheel chair. The staff and even other visitors were so accommodating and helpful towards me and my Nan. A great and informative talk and view of the owls. Also a lovely meal. My Nan absolutely loved it and we were both very greatful for the lovely evening we had. So thank you.

Been to Helmsley on many occasions but never found this lil gem of a place. Ok, it's no ZSL London Zoo but it is well laid out with some nice easy going walks. Some stunning birds on display and all the Averies have detailed descriptions of where the birds originate from and how they live in the wild. Unfortunately on our day it was a bit damp and windy so we didn't stay for the flying displays. But I shall next time I visit. Good price for admission too. £9 for an adult is very reasonable. Oh and the homemade cakes and toasted sandwiches are very good! But pricey but it's good quality! So in a nutshell, just go there. Its a lil gem in the beautiful grinds of Duncombe Park

Absolutely fabulous day, Charlie and the team were informative and engaging and their love for the birds was infectious! The brownie in the cafe was still warm too... perfection!

We enjoyed our visit to the NCBP - there are some fantastic owls and more unusual birds - the crested caracara was a particular favourite of ours. The flying display was good though we would have liked to see a larger bird in flight e.g an eagle. Would recommend but only took 2 hours to go round so plan something else for the rest of the day !