For this week’s weekend walk we went to Brambridge, which is on the Itchen between Twyford and Eastleigh. We parked at the garden centre and were surprised and delighted to see about twenty birds of prey sat on their little perches in a paddock by the river. We had chanced on the base of the Falconhigh Display Team. The birds consisted of falcons, hawks and owls, and some cross breeds. We were able to get right up close to them as someone from the team showed us round.

This owl had been rescued from a life in a box in someone’s flat:

One of the many hawks:

A Great Horned Owl:

Who quite liked to be stroked:

One of the many falcons, perhaps a cross breed. They can fly faster than 150 mph

I didn’t like seeing these great creatures tethered but it seemed they were being well looked after.

After the birdies we walked upstream along the Itchen Way:

Meeting a sunbathing horse:

…

Steps stepped: 6485, plus some more when Adam, James and I go out to see True Grit. Edit. = 9805