Millets Farm Falconry

Good Morning, I’m pleased you are joining me on day five of Wren’s Worldwide Wanderings Blogging from A-Z challenge. E is for England, Europe.

Home of my birthland and the ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’ sentiment, there’s humour in adversity, underplaying the gravity in any situation and overplaying the importance of a cup of tea to fix most things!

Question: ‘How’s your week going?’

Answer: ‘Not bad’

Translation: “If it wasn’t for tea and biscuits, I’d be in serious trouble!’ (@soverybritsh)

My England involves enjoying the squirrels’ party tricks on the garden bird feeder, cow parsley and blackberries in hedgerows, park runs in Oxford, long walks and pub lunches, London shows and haircuts. To name a few of my favourite things…

Posts you’ll typically find here will involve countryside cottages and gardens: Cotswold countryside wanders, National Trust gardens and stately home visits.

Spring in Europe is a true celebration of the beauty of Seasons – something I don’t really experience in my Bangkok life, we just have hot, hotter, and friggin’ hot!

Get through to Easter was always my thought from the depths of winter and Spring would arrive, with all the hopefulness and cheer of long Summer days lay ahead. The bright daffodils are out and the sun is shining, so won’t you join me for a little wander about Millets Farm Centre?

Millets Farm Centre started off back in my childhood as a strawberry Pick Your Own place has developed beyond belief to a farm destination for all ages.

In Britain, garden centres have firmly established themselves as more than a place to buy your bulbs and the compost, They are a day out in themselves, a shopping extravaganza for your latest bug hotel, a diners delight for a quiche and a salad lunch date, and a great spot to let the kids let off a bit of steam.

Millets Farm must be one of the best examples of this going around. Not only do they have the beautiful Frosts Garden Centre, where the green-fingered amongst us will delight in everything for the garden and more, there is a glorious gift shop, there is the choice of the Kitchen Farmhouse or the Potting Shed Cafe, a huge Farm shop where I can stock up on chutney and marmalade. There is the kid’s adventure playground, and an indoor play barn, alongside a growing menagerie in the animal walkway from bunny rabbits, alpacas, miniature ponies, rheas, lambs, and a fishing lake.

Today, I have some feathered friends that I would like to introduce you to at the Millets Falconry.

So here we are at Oxfordshire’s largest Falconry Centre home to over 100 birds of prey. It has been established seventeen years and is a very special way of getting up close to some interesting and massive birds from all over the world.

The reason this is interesting to me was first to see how the birds are handled, secondly to learn more about these amazing birds.

We seem to be noticing birds of prey in greater numbers around the British countryside.

As a bird who loves to fly, I wasn’t keen about seeing birds tethered and caged. However, I was convinced of the passion of the staff for their birds of prey, they fly their birds regularly and as someone said they do spend a lot of time in the wild sitting on posts.

The birds were well cared for and all looked in fabulous condition, there were a lot of baby chicks being fed on, so be warned!

A big part of their work is the educational aspect and whilst we are there, two schools are enjoying learning more about their unique and diverse birds and learning more about how they live and what they are capable of.

Entry into Millets Falconry allows you to come and go all day. They have two flying demonstrations daily which are not to be missed:

Timetable of events: (check the website for updated times)

12 noon: FLYING DEMONSTRATION

2 pm: FLYING DEMONSTRATION

It is not just Birds of Prey, they offer an up close and personal Meerkats experience which would be a great gift looking at the fun personality of these cute guys.

Millets Farm Centre Opening Times:
Tuesday – Sunday 10.30am – 4.30pm.

Thank you for joining me for a little wander around the farm today, what an experience!