Strathblane Falconry

Mardy (Harris Hawk) in flying well in his booking this afternoon

Snitch (European Kestrel) in action at the centre today. His first booking of the season

Good start to the morning. Called out to rescue a Tawny Owl trapped in a house. Managed to quickly catch it up, checked it over and released it where it flew off quickly into the trees

A little bit of slo mo of Tiree (Saker Falcon X) in action the other week

A few pictures of Tiree (Saker X) from last week

Mardy (Harris Hawk) is back flying and doing bookings. He flew this afternoon in the Interactive Day Session that was booked today. He hasn’t done a booking in 7 months. It was like he hadn’t been away and flew perfectly but at 14 years old he knows. This is him in action dropping straight down on to the glove

Boden (Tawny Owl) in action today. You can see how much he uses his legs to take off from the glove. A real push off from his legs before he uses his wings

An interesting booking this morning with group from the International Veterinary Student Association with students from Glasgow and Vienna vet schools leaning about bird of prey handling and husbandry

He is moody, he is difficult and always refuses to step on to the glove in his aviary, he can take the huff just because somebody looked at him the wrong way or walked too close to him while he is on a bow perch, he holds a grudge and he will not let anyone other than me pick him up off his perch or take him out of his travel box. I also don’t like the way he flies so he doesn’t do activity days. You may be wondering why I have a bird like this. Well it’s simple. This Brel a male Harris Hawk who I have had and flown for 15 years and he is pretty much scared of nothing and will fly almost anywhere to anyone if asked. All he does is group bookings and events. All I need to do is keep him happy. Yesterday he was back flying for the first time in 6 months.

Congratulations to Robbie and Alison who got married yesterday at Carberry Tower with Alba delivering the rings.

In other news I started flying Tiree ( Saker X) again for the coming busy season. This was his third day flying. He’s looking good just a bit unfit

Half day session in the centre today. Even though it was quite windy all the birds flew well and using the wind to their advantage. Oran (Harris Hawk) in action

Next few days are going to be busy with a mixture of bookings in the centre and also out on the road. Kicked off today with a early start and private session at Turnberry. Friday back in the centre

I have been flying Spey the 17 year old Harris Hawk who I took back on after I sold her 14 years ago. I’m of the opinion after working with her and just observing her over the last few weeks she hasn’t changed. She is still ruthless and calculated. Just need to work on routine and fitness but that will be at the end of the summer as I am coming into the busy season and I will be struggling to make time for her so she will have the summer off

First ring delivery of 2019 done at the weekend. Alba was in great form but she is 14 and has seen it all before. Congratulations to Suzette and Peter

It’s been slow going due to bookings, weather and other stuff but I finally got Spey the 17 year old Harris Hawk flying free the other day. I should also point out she hasn’t really done any flying for several years. After a 14 year break it was great to have her back flying to the glove. A short video of Spey flying. Conditions weren’t the easiest for filming today due to 20mph winds

First off site event of the season with a flying demonstration at Prestonfield House. It was a bit windy but the birds coped okay and flew well

Boden (Tawny Owl) in action this morning

Boden (Tawny Owl) waiting to be called to the glove

We had the absolute best afternoon with Graham and his magnificent birds today. My partner and I have been travelling a lot recently and this was by far one of our most memorable afternoons from our trip. We learnt so much, and Graham was such a nice guy even went over an above by lending my partner an extra coat and charging my phone so we could get the perfect photo. I couldn’t recommend Strathblane Falconry higher! It’s a must see! Thanks again!

We had a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon at Strathblane falconry. My husband had got it as a gift. Graeme is extremely knowledgeable and entertaining and my husband got to handle a wide variety of birds. Would definitely recommend to people.

We had a truly wonderful & memorable afternoon out at Strathblaine Falconry with Graeme and his beautiful birds. The weather was hard against us with bucket loads of rain, but it still couldn't put a dampner on the experience! We booked a family session for our daughters 13th birthday, whilst visiting Bonny Scotland from Wales. Graeme was incredibly welcoming and patient with all of us and was really wonderful with our daughter who has some attention difficulties, and with our son who is a disabled wheelchair user. We can't thank Graeme enough for this - we really needed a fun afternoon out during a very much needed break between hospital visits and we all had such a brilliant time, even our son who just wanted to watch rather than participate - it wasn't a problem at all. The birds are all incredibly beautiful and so well cared for - Graeme is so passionate about his craft and it was wonderful to see these magnificent raptors being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Graeme really knows his stuff and is a fountain of knowledge, being happy to answer questions throughout and a good laugh to boot! We'll definitely be going again next time we're up. Strathblaine is suitable for everyone & we highly recommend going. Thank you so much Graeme - it was the highlight of our holiday even with the rain!

We had a fantastic time yesterday at Strathblane Falconry. We booked a Family Fun session for our 13 year old daughter's birthday as she is fascinated by birds of prey. Graeme was so welcoming and informative. He expertly handled the barrage of questions (some sensible & some bizarre) from the group of 6 teenage girls! Our family's interest in, and respect for, birds of prey has grown further. Would highly recommend a visit.Thank you Graeme!

This has to be one of the best falconry experiences available. Graeme is a fantastic host and his knowledge of birds of prey is outstanding. I went expecting to simply hold a couple of birds and watch them being flown but we were treated to an incredible variety of things that surpassed all expectations. We not only got to hold some birds but we got to fly them as well. Having owls fly on to your hand is amazing! We even got to take a hawk for a walk through the woods!

Thank you Graham (Graeme) for a wonderful afternoon learning about the birds and experiencing falconry. Graham is a wealth of knowledge and has had a few of the birds for 15 yrs.

The time spent was more than we expected. We were able to work with a couple of owls, and a hawk in the open field - amazing!! Walking around the property while the hawk flew within range of us and occasionally back to the glove was a testament to the expertise of this craft.

I would highly recommend going to Strathblane Falconry!!

Received as a 21st birthday and it was awesome, thoroughly enjoyed it. Full hour of not only learning about the birds but also flying them. Graeme was very passionate about the birds and wanted us to get the full experience. I got to hold 5 birds and fly 2 of them which included waking about with one of them with many great videos to enjoy looking back at my great experience. Would definitely recommend it.

Our family had a great time on 4/10/18 with Graeme and the birds. Little scared at first (not gonna lie) and after his information about the Birds of Prey (for which we had a new respect) there were some big birds there. Graeme eased us into it starting with cute little owl Midge, to beauty barn owl Alba, to Siberian owl

BeBe (while i thought was large)-apparently she does not weigh a lot and is mostly beautiful feathers-with a huge wing span and just a gorgeous bird and probably my favorite-she had furry feet! We also held the eagle and falcon. Graeme had been sick the night before, and although the weather was raining miserably Graeme stuck it out because he didn't want to disappoint us, which we really appreciated. While we thought our skills with the birds were decent,we posted some of our pics and video on Facebook and we got more remarks about how nice looking the trainer was. Thanks Graeme for overshadowing our skill..lol..you probably won't remember us, but we will remember you..thanks for taking the time with us and giving the 1 of us writing this the courage to even try this, but i'm glad I did. Something we will always remember. Fantastic time had by all!!!

Foote-Anderson Clan

Myself and my boyfriend done the half day experience for our birthday day out. We had a great time. Graeme is very friendly, conversational and has a great sense of humour. We handled and flew a large selection of the birds and Graeme gave us honest and as in-depth information about each as we wanted. Would highly recommend choosing Strathblane for a falconry experience - the birds are kept in excellent conditions and are well respected.

My boyfriend treated me to a half day falconry experience here at Strathblane. I've always loved birds of prey but have never been lucky enough to get close to them.

The birds were beautiful but the biggest takeaway from the day was taught by Graeme on how much respect he has for these birds. It's easy to forget that the birds are wild by nature and deserve the utmost respect.

The visit was interesting and fun at the same time. I would highly recommend a visit.

Thank you again for a great morning. Debbie and Gary ���

Just spent a fantastic half day with Graham as a gift for my husband. He loved it! Graham was very enthusiastic about the birds and clearly knows them so well after so many years with them. Wee midge the owl � taking a “shower” in the rain was so cool to see and that Graham knew he’d do it shows how well he knows his birds. The Siberian eagle owl was stunning and so graceful. All in all, a great afternoon....in spite of the rain!

I got my mum a voucher for a half day here. We both had such a great time learning about all the different birds in the center. Graham was extremely knowledgeable and gave us loads of information. He obviously respects the birds and spends a lot of time with them and it really shows in the way he handles them. I would highly recommend this if you're looking for a chance to get up close to birds of prey in an environment where they are happy. I would also recommend warm clothes in the winter and no jeans with holes in the knees!!

Had an amazing introductory session at Strathblane Factory, which had been a birthday gift voucher. Graeme was an excellent guide, happy to answer all amateur-yet-interested questions about the birds of prey, before allowing us to hold a few and fly them around the beautiful grounds. Very informative and interesting, we could have picked Graeme's brain for hours about the birds, as well as wider Scottish wildlife issues. The birds were beautiful, and getting that close to them allowed for some very memorable encounters. I would 100% recommend this as a day out for anyone interested in birds of prey, or even those who simply want a new and exciting experience.

Had a recent interactive day and it was one of the best day outs I have had in years. Graham is very knowledgeable about the birds of prey and his work in general and was a pleasure to spend a day finding out about these magnificent

birds of prey. Highly recommended for all..!!!

Had a great time today with my nephew and brother in law. Graham told us lots about the birds and falconry in general and we held and flew falcons, eagles and owls of all sizes. Would recommend to everyone!

Had a great experience with Graham and the birds on Aug 2, 2018. Our 13-yr-old son was thrilled seeing these birds he’s admired from afar so close for the first time. We saw a peregrine falcon, eagle owl , golden eagle, and Harris hawk, among others. Graham is a very accommodating host and ran the 75 minute session very professionally. Good value for the experience to see and fly these birds up close and personal. Highly recommended for young people and adults alike. Definitely a highlight of our family holiday in Scotland.

Had a fantastic day here on Saturday with my husband and friends. The centre is located in a lovely countryside setting not far from Glasgow and we were lucky enough to be the only group that day. There is a vast selection of birds of prey within the centre which are each individually beautiful, extremely captivating and very powerful. It was amazing to be able to hold and learn about a variety of hawks, owls, falcons and even an eagle! We were also allowed to fly some of the birds which was a fantastic experience. Our "walk with a hawk" through the grounds woods was a one off experience that I'll not easily forget. Graeme is very passionate about the welfare of the birds. He's truly dedicated to them and extremely knowledgeable regarding the correct care & sport of Falconry. I found his insight to be very informative and thoroughly enjoyed my day here #Utmost respect to the birds! Thank you again.

Graeme really has an amazing operation. The all day tour is truly a once in a lifetime experience. It is only the members of your own party, and you have plenty of time to observe and hold different birds of prey. Graeme takes a lot of pride in his work, and it shows with the quality of the product. The birds are so graceful and well-cared for, and it really is something special.

Bought the half day experience for my mums birthday. Had a great day! Graeme was very knowledgeable about his birds. From his 22 birds we were able to handle and fly owls, falcons, an eagle and a Harris hawk. Such a great experience, would definitely recommend.

We had the absolute best afternoon with Graham and his magnificent birds today. My partner and I have been travelling a lot recently and this was by far one of our most memorable afternoons from our trip. We learnt so much, and Graham was such a nice guy even went over an above by lending my partner an extra coat and charging my phone so we could get the perfect photo. I couldn’t recommend Strathblane Falconry higher! It’s a must see! Thanks again!

We had a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon at Strathblane falconry. My husband had got it as a gift. Graeme is extremely knowledgeable and entertaining and my husband got to handle a wide variety of birds. Would definitely recommend to people.

We had a truly wonderful & memorable afternoon out at Strathblaine Falconry with Graeme and his beautiful birds. The weather was hard against us with bucket loads of rain, but it still couldn't put a dampner on the experience! We booked a family session for our daughters 13th birthday, whilst visiting Bonny Scotland from Wales. Graeme was incredibly welcoming and patient with all of us and was really wonderful with our daughter who has some attention difficulties, and with our son who is a disabled wheelchair user. We can't thank Graeme enough for this - we really needed a fun afternoon out during a very much needed break between hospital visits and we all had such a brilliant time, even our son who just wanted to watch rather than participate - it wasn't a problem at all. The birds are all incredibly beautiful and so well cared for - Graeme is so passionate about his craft and it was wonderful to see these magnificent raptors being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Graeme really knows his stuff and is a fountain of knowledge, being happy to answer questions throughout and a good laugh to boot! We'll definitely be going again next time we're up. Strathblaine is suitable for everyone & we highly recommend going. Thank you so much Graeme - it was the highlight of our holiday even with the rain!

We had a fantastic time yesterday at Strathblane Falconry. We booked a Family Fun session for our 13 year old daughter's birthday as she is fascinated by birds of prey. Graeme was so welcoming and informative. He expertly handled the barrage of questions (some sensible & some bizarre) from the group of 6 teenage girls! Our family's interest in, and respect for, birds of prey has grown further. Would highly recommend a visit.Thank you Graeme!

This has to be one of the best falconry experiences available. Graeme is a fantastic host and his knowledge of birds of prey is outstanding. I went expecting to simply hold a couple of birds and watch them being flown but we were treated to an incredible variety of things that surpassed all expectations. We not only got to hold some birds but we got to fly them as well. Having owls fly on to your hand is amazing! We even got to take a hawk for a walk through the woods!

Thank you Graham (Graeme) for a wonderful afternoon learning about the birds and experiencing falconry. Graham is a wealth of knowledge and has had a few of the birds for 15 yrs.

The time spent was more than we expected. We were able to work with a couple of owls, and a hawk in the open field - amazing!! Walking around the property while the hawk flew within range of us and occasionally back to the glove was a testament to the expertise of this craft.

I would highly recommend going to Strathblane Falconry!!

Received as a 21st birthday and it was awesome, thoroughly enjoyed it. Full hour of not only learning about the birds but also flying them. Graeme was very passionate about the birds and wanted us to get the full experience. I got to hold 5 birds and fly 2 of them which included waking about with one of them with many great videos to enjoy looking back at my great experience. Would definitely recommend it.

Our family had a great time on 4/10/18 with Graeme and the birds. Little scared at first (not gonna lie) and after his information about the Birds of Prey (for which we had a new respect) there were some big birds there. Graeme eased us into it starting with cute little owl Midge, to beauty barn owl Alba, to Siberian owl

BeBe (while i thought was large)-apparently she does not weigh a lot and is mostly beautiful feathers-with a huge wing span and just a gorgeous bird and probably my favorite-she had furry feet! We also held the eagle and falcon. Graeme had been sick the night before, and although the weather was raining miserably Graeme stuck it out because he didn't want to disappoint us, which we really appreciated. While we thought our skills with the birds were decent,we posted some of our pics and video on Facebook and we got more remarks about how nice looking the trainer was. Thanks Graeme for overshadowing our skill..lol..you probably won't remember us, but we will remember you..thanks for taking the time with us and giving the 1 of us writing this the courage to even try this, but i'm glad I did. Something we will always remember. Fantastic time had by all!!!

Foote-Anderson Clan

Myself and my boyfriend done the half day experience for our birthday day out. We had a great time. Graeme is very friendly, conversational and has a great sense of humour. We handled and flew a large selection of the birds and Graeme gave us honest and as in-depth information about each as we wanted. Would highly recommend choosing Strathblane for a falconry experience - the birds are kept in excellent conditions and are well respected.

My boyfriend treated me to a half day falconry experience here at Strathblane. I've always loved birds of prey but have never been lucky enough to get close to them.

The birds were beautiful but the biggest takeaway from the day was taught by Graeme on how much respect he has for these birds. It's easy to forget that the birds are wild by nature and deserve the utmost respect.

The visit was interesting and fun at the same time. I would highly recommend a visit.

Thank you again for a great morning. Debbie and Gary ���

Just spent a fantastic half day with Graham as a gift for my husband. He loved it! Graham was very enthusiastic about the birds and clearly knows them so well after so many years with them. Wee midge the owl � taking a “shower” in the rain was so cool to see and that Graham knew he’d do it shows how well he knows his birds. The Siberian eagle owl was stunning and so graceful. All in all, a great afternoon....in spite of the rain!

I got my mum a voucher for a half day here. We both had such a great time learning about all the different birds in the center. Graham was extremely knowledgeable and gave us loads of information. He obviously respects the birds and spends a lot of time with them and it really shows in the way he handles them. I would highly recommend this if you're looking for a chance to get up close to birds of prey in an environment where they are happy. I would also recommend warm clothes in the winter and no jeans with holes in the knees!!

Had an amazing introductory session at Strathblane Factory, which had been a birthday gift voucher. Graeme was an excellent guide, happy to answer all amateur-yet-interested questions about the birds of prey, before allowing us to hold a few and fly them around the beautiful grounds. Very informative and interesting, we could have picked Graeme's brain for hours about the birds, as well as wider Scottish wildlife issues. The birds were beautiful, and getting that close to them allowed for some very memorable encounters. I would 100% recommend this as a day out for anyone interested in birds of prey, or even those who simply want a new and exciting experience.

Had a recent interactive day and it was one of the best day outs I have had in years. Graham is very knowledgeable about the birds of prey and his work in general and was a pleasure to spend a day finding out about these magnificent

birds of prey. Highly recommended for all..!!!

Had a great time today with my nephew and brother in law. Graham told us lots about the birds and falconry in general and we held and flew falcons, eagles and owls of all sizes. Would recommend to everyone!

Had a great experience with Graham and the birds on Aug 2, 2018. Our 13-yr-old son was thrilled seeing these birds he’s admired from afar so close for the first time. We saw a peregrine falcon, eagle owl , golden eagle, and Harris hawk, among others. Graham is a very accommodating host and ran the 75 minute session very professionally. Good value for the experience to see and fly these birds up close and personal. Highly recommended for young people and adults alike. Definitely a highlight of our family holiday in Scotland.

Had a fantastic day here on Saturday with my husband and friends. The centre is located in a lovely countryside setting not far from Glasgow and we were lucky enough to be the only group that day. There is a vast selection of birds of prey within the centre which are each individually beautiful, extremely captivating and very powerful. It was amazing to be able to hold and learn about a variety of hawks, owls, falcons and even an eagle! We were also allowed to fly some of the birds which was a fantastic experience. Our "walk with a hawk" through the grounds woods was a one off experience that I'll not easily forget. Graeme is very passionate about the welfare of the birds. He's truly dedicated to them and extremely knowledgeable regarding the correct care & sport of Falconry. I found his insight to be very informative and thoroughly enjoyed my day here #Utmost respect to the birds! Thank you again.

Graeme really has an amazing operation. The all day tour is truly a once in a lifetime experience. It is only the members of your own party, and you have plenty of time to observe and hold different birds of prey. Graeme takes a lot of pride in his work, and it shows with the quality of the product. The birds are so graceful and well-cared for, and it really is something special.

Bought the half day experience for my mums birthday. Had a great day! Graeme was very knowledgeable about his birds. From his 22 birds we were able to handle and fly owls, falcons, an eagle and a Harris hawk. Such a great experience, would definitely recommend.