Gravesend Bird Club viewing birds

Pelicans at Birdworld in Surrey video - August 2012

Aviaries in Kent and South East England
Establishment	Details
Kent - Eagle Heights	Eagle Heights, Hulberry Farm, Lullingstone Lane, Eynsford, Kent DA4 0JB. With a focus on birds of prey, they provide indoor demonstrations and outside displays, and also offer the following courses that have been overhauled recently: The Eagle Experience £99 for one, £169 for two (minimum age of 14 years and reasonable fitness required); The Owl Experience £90 for two (minimum age of 14 years and reasonable fitness required); VIP Activity Day £119 for group of 4 people (minimum age of 8 years, 1 adult over 18 must be included in the party of 4, children must be supervised with max. group size of 10;
Kent - Wildwood Trust	Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7LQ. Not as wide a selection of birds as those above but includes owls and storks. Kent Experiences: features a range of introductions to particular animals rather than a focus on birds. The price varies according to the animal and the experience. See their website for more details.
Kent - Wingham Wildlife Park	Wingham Wildlife Park, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1JL (on the A257 between Canterbury and Sandwich, approximately 5 miles from Canterbury.). Large collection of parrots, cockatoos, storks etc. Keeper for the Day: consists of working with animals across the wildlife park rather than a focus on birds. Full day is £100 (includes a cooked lunch). See website for more details. Wingham now offer a focus on specific animal types with an opportunity to get up close to penguins now a feature. Its Penguin Experience allows for 20 mins in the penguin enclosure in different time slots. Price of £70 for one person, £120 for two (includes entry to the park). See website for more details.
London - ZSL Zoo	ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park, London, England NW1 4RY. Aside from dedicated aviaries on a host of different species, there's the walk-through Blackburn Pavilion that allows you to get up close to beautiful birds like the Pope Cardinal. Keeper for the Day: consists of working with animals across the zoo rather than a focus on birds. The price is also considerably more expensive for a full day currently £280. See website for more details.
Surrey - Birdworld	Birdworld, Holt Pound, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LD. Very large collection of exotic birds in 26 acres of parkland. Well recommended. The day includes feeding sessions with the penguins as well as talks with a variety of birds eg macaws. A wide area covering a large number of species. Keeper for the Day: working with staff on preparation and feeding of the birds. Full day at £145 (minimum age of 16). See website for more details. Birdworld also offer an Owl Encounter Experience allows for 30 mins to join the keepers in getting up close to these birds (minimum age of 10). Price of £65 does include entry to the park. See website for more details.
Kent - Leeds Castle (retained for information)	Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL (just off Junction 8 of the M20). Superb setting that had a wide range of exotic birds and was renowned for successful breeding of Bali Starlings and Channel-billed Toucans. The news that Leeds Castle was to close its aviary was a huge blow to aviculture in the Kent area as well as the loss of jobs for the dedicated staff. The curator, Laura Gardner, had to engage in discussions to re-house the collection before October 2012. The aviary had won awards for its care and understanding of breeding rare and endangered species. Leeds Castle will be very much the poorer - in educational and enjoyment factors - as a result of this closure.

Aviaries in Kent and South East England

Establishment

Details

Kent - Eagle Heights

Eagle Heights, Hulberry Farm, Lullingstone Lane, Eynsford, Kent DA4 0JB. With a focus on birds of prey, they provide indoor demonstrations and outside displays, and also offer the following courses that have been overhauled recently:

The Eagle Experience £99 for one, £169 for two (minimum age of 14 years and reasonable fitness required);
The Owl Experience £90 for two (minimum age of 14 years and reasonable fitness required);
VIP Activity Day £119 for group of 4 people (minimum age of 8 years, 1 adult over 18 must be included in the party of 4, children must be supervised with max. group size of 10;

Kent - Wildwood Trust

Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7LQ. Not as wide a selection of birds as those above but includes owls and storks.

Kent Experiences: features a range of introductions to particular animals rather than a focus on birds. The price varies according to the animal and the experience. See their website for more details.

Kent - Wingham Wildlife Park

Wingham Wildlife Park, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1JL (on the A257 between Canterbury and Sandwich, approximately 5 miles from Canterbury.). Large collection of parrots, cockatoos, storks etc.

Keeper for the Day: consists of working with animals across the wildlife park rather than a focus on birds. Full day is £100 (includes a cooked lunch). See website for more details.

Wingham now offer a focus on specific animal types with an opportunity to get up close to penguins now a feature. Its Penguin Experience allows for 20 mins in the penguin enclosure in different time slots. Price of £70 for one person, £120 for two (includes entry to the park). See website for more details.

London - ZSL Zoo

two blue-bellied rollers in the Blackburn Pavilion of London Zoo

ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park, London, England NW1 4RY. Aside from dedicated aviaries on a host of different species, there's the walk-through Blackburn Pavilion that allows you to get up close to beautiful birds like the Pope Cardinal.

Keeper for the Day: consists of working with animals across the zoo rather than a focus on birds. The price is also considerably more expensive for a full day currently £280. See website for more details.

Surrey - Birdworld

Close up of a Kookurra bird from Australia

Birdworld, Holt Pound, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LD. Very large collection of exotic birds in 26 acres of parkland. Well recommended. The day includes feeding sessions with the penguins as well as talks with a variety of birds eg macaws. A wide area covering a large number of species.

Keeper for the Day: working with staff on preparation and feeding of the birds. Full day at £145 (minimum age of 16). See website for more details.

Birdworld also offer an Owl Encounter Experience allows for 30 mins to join the keepers in getting up close to these birds (minimum age of 10). Price of £65 does include entry to the park. See website for more details.

Kent - Leeds Castle (retained for information)

Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL (just off Junction 8 of the M20). Superb setting that had a wide range of exotic birds and was renowned for successful breeding of Bali Starlings and Channel-billed Toucans.

The news that Leeds Castle was to close its aviary was a huge blow to aviculture in the Kent area as well as the loss of jobs for the dedicated staff. The curator, Laura Gardner, had to engage in discussions to re-house the collection before October 2012. The aviary had won awards for its care and understanding of breeding rare and endangered species. Leeds Castle will be very much the poorer - in educational and enjoyment factors - as a result of this closure.

Gravesend Bird Club

Viewing birds

Gravesend Bird Club

Come along to the next monthly meeting