Perfect site for bird of prey centre

Dec 13 2007 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A BIRD of prey conservation centre is being planned for the wooded grounds of a country house hotel.

The Beamish Hall Hotel in County Durham is applying to Derwentside Council for a zoo licence for the centre.

The aim is to build seven or eight large aviaries, and also smaller enclosures, using trees as support structures.

The centre would be a visitor attraction at the hotel, which is a near neighbour of Beamish Museum. But centre manager Stuart Morris said that it would also have a strong conservation role.

It is hoped to start with around 60 birds covering 30 species, ranging from eagles and vultures to owls, hawks and falcons.

Talks are under way on the centre linking with a Spanish project which is releasing lesser kestrels to the wild and also with Moscow Zoo on a similar breeding project involving stellar eagles. There are also plans to work with Newcastle University on a project involving the breeding of honey buzzards. As well as providing a conservation education purpose, the centre would be a breeding base to help endangered species.

If approval is given, it is hoped that the centre could open in June in a natural setting in woodland at the rear of the hotel.

“It would be perfect site,” said Mr Morris, who is a volunteer with the Derwent Valley red kites project and a registered bird rehabilitator.

Yesterday he released a tawny owl, which has recovered from an injury, into the wild at Beamish.

Another hope for the centre would be to set up a red squirrel breeding programme.

The oldest part of Beamish Hall dates from the 17th Century and it was once the home of the Shafto family.