The Falconry Centre — Attraction in Bromsgrove

The ropes that tie the flying birds in the large pen are too restrictive. There were about 7 inches of rope between the bird and the post. The birds are waiting to be flown and tied up for 7 hours of the day between 10am - 5pm. ( I am hoping they are let to fly in an avery after 5pm closing time.) They flap their wings and make alot of noise squarking when you walk past and jump around asking to be flown. Not all birds get flown everyday. Even being tied up and restricted for an hour is bad enough I think. Maybe they could have more than one holding pen and less birds in each say about 3 and increase the length of the ropes so they can fly without bumping into each other or twisting the rope round anything if they need to be tied up at all. Even abit of extra rope so they can walk about abit further. The pen can be designed to make it safe so they could sit on a perch without twisting the rope around the perch or itself. (By tying the rope above the birds towards the front of the pen and putting the perches far enough so the rope cant twist round it if they fly to sit on it.) I am sure food would be enough to get them to fly to the handler to take them out. It is amazing to watch them fly but wont be visiting again simply for the reason I dont understand and cant stand seeing birds tied up with such short pieces of rope and dont agree with keeping birds in cages anyway if not allowed out as some pet owners do. It was a rush job to show my baby...

We had a family/small group bird handling experience,two boys one 16 other 13, myself and husband, it was a really hot day and I was a bit concerned it might have got cancelled, as obviously did want the birds or ourselves getting too hot.... No need to worry, as birds were only flown for a few times while we held out our arms...think we were more frazzled than them....our guide,who's name I forgot ....sorry!!....was excellent, took us through each step, in fact one of our boys was really nervous and decided to step out of the ring...she tried to coax him back but to no avail...she was very informative, cared greatly for the birds and their well being the heat, overall a great experience, we even got a chance to look around all the cages after our handling...we had an owl, a buzzard and a falcon...lots of information on all cages, they are trying to do a woodland walk where you can sit at picnic benches, not as yet up and running...but I don't think it will be long,there is a small gift shop that sells cuddly birds, water,jewellery and a few bird pictures. There is no toilet, but you can use the Webbs garden center.This has a large restaurant come cafe, you have to park in the garden center carpark for the falconry center anyway. They also do flying displays at certain times, however, if weather is too hot for the birds obviously it will be a shorter display... We thoroughly enjoyed our time and experience...

"Hagley Falconry Centre: An Unforgettable Bird Handling Experience" Located alongside Webbs Garden Centre in Hagley, this hidden gem requires careful attention - the entrance is actually through the garden centre itself, which I nearly missed while following my sat nav. Our group of three had all received tickets for the Half Day Handling Experience as gifts, arriving with little idea of what to expect.

Abbey, our wonderful instructor, immediately put us at ease with her warm welcome and comprehensive introduction to the centre's history and the magnificent birds we'd be working with. Moving from the comfortable coffee area into the bright sunshine of the small outdoor arena, we were each equipped with traditional sturdy leather left-handed gloves (historically allowing sword access if attacked - a charming detail).

The entire experience proved absolutely brilliant, offering something genuinely different and memorable. Each bird had its own personality, though I was particularly smitten with Walnut, an adorable little owl who sadly couldn't accompany me home.

For anyone seeking an unusual morning/afternoon activity or struggling with gift ideas for birthdays or Christmas, I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. Their website offers additional options including bird sponsorship and various other experiences, making it perfect for wildlife enthusiasts...