Description
The Falconry School is based in a beautiful part of Gloucestershire countryside allowing for scenic backgrounds and a very natural feel. We are not open to the public for general visitors, and the school is a quiet and informal place. This means that firstly, nobody will walk in front of your camera, but secondly, we operate without having to use rigid time limits. As a result, we need not have a fixed plan of the day, and should the group have a specific interest in a certain type of bird, we can spend more time on some species than others. However, here is a rough guide:
The day begins at 10:00am at which point the kettle should already be on, often a relief for those that have come a long way. We start by introducing you to the team of birds on their perches, identifying the different species and giving a short history of falconry. We then take a bird or two into the fields to start with some static photos. After this, we progress to some flying photos with another species.
Around 12:30 we will stop for lunch. Lunch is included within the day, but should you wish to bring any food yourself you are welcome to do so. After lunch we will continue with some static subjects and then fly some of the faster birds within the neighbouring fields. At the end of the day there is the chance to handle one of the birds. The day finishes at 16:30 approximately.
The birds we use for the photography day are always changing depending on the time of year, and young new birds we may have. Within our team we have some native British species, as well as some non-native species you may not recognise. Should you have an interest in a particular bird, give us a call and we can tell you what is available.
Unfortunately due to the nature of the day we cannot allow spectators, but we are not far from Gloucester or Cheltenham, and many other points of interest in the Cotswolds and the Severn Valley. There are plenty of walks to be had, such as the Cotswold Way, local footpaths, and along the nearby Sharpness-Gloucester canal, not to mention a wealth of local pubs for lunch.
