Family day out to Millets Farm Centre.

Saturday 11th June 2022.

One of the many Red Kites overhead at Millets Farm Centre.

A change from my usual birding jaunt on a Saturday morning as my family and myself, took a trip to Millets Farm Centre for both Becky and Isabelle to feed the Meerkats. This was my wife’s birthday present from last year and finally, we got to use the vouchers I bought her. Taking Isabelle’s parents along with us, we made the long journey up the A34 to Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, and to be honest, I was quite amazed on how large the complex here was. Not only did the guys get to feed the Meerkats (literally, out of the hand!), but there was a Falconry Display, a Farmshop (tad expensive!) and several craft and garden shops to explore. There was also a Carousel and a small Park for Isabelle to play on as well. All in all, a fabulous place and also it could have been dubbed ‘Red Kite city!’ 

Snowy Owl.

One of the Meerkats.

A juvenile Pied Wagtail.

This unusual looking Blackbird deserved a photo although it quickly disappeared when the Falconry display started! 

For my blog, I have to mention the Red Kites that soared low over the Complex and they performed superbly throughout the day along with several Common Buzzards and even a Kestrel that was hovering near the Falconry Display. A few House Martens were noted overhead, a species that seemed to be difficult to find this year and also a few Pied Wagtails mulling about by the animal enclosures. I did take a lot of photos during our 5 hour stay here and so I have put my favourites on my blog including the gorgeous male Red-footed Falcon and the female Goshawk, which Sinead took with her mobile phone.

Turkey Vulture.

Striated Caracara. This and the Turkey Vulture were part of the Falconry display along with this Gyr x Lanner Falcon (below).  

It wasn't all just birds they had here either for there was a large selection of tropical Spiders, Lizards and Snakes present too.

I have to say, we will most certainly take a trip back to here as Becky discovered that you could book to feed the Racoons! The weather was just perfect; sunny but not too hot with a nice breeze and though there were a lot of people around today, it was quite a spacious place, even inside the shops. There were a lot more Red Kites and Buzzards seen on the way back to Portsmouth too; easily double-figures of both species today. 

Another photo of one of the many Red Kites overhead.

The male Red-footed Falcon. There have been quite a few wild ones reported of late in Hampshire.

Female Goshawk. Photo by Sinead Townsend from her mobile phone.