Enrapt By Raptors

Tracy Spiers returns to wonderful Warwick Castle to witness an aerial display unlike any other, while also getting immersed in living history, from trebuchet and Tudors to battles and banquets

Steel birds flew overhead before the live ones stole the show. Ducks scarpered and we knew the kings and queens of the sky were near. Human eyes turned upwards, eagerly waiting. A swan in all its majestic glory flew by and received a clap. But the stars of this open sky, orchestrated to perfection, were quite simply awesome as they zoomed in low, causing heads to duck and mouths to utter oohhs and ahhs in unison.

A beautiful heart-shaped barn owl which appeared to float in from nowhere, marked the start of The Falconer’s Quest, a highly creative and engaging avian adventure, the latest spectacle at Warwick Castle. Set on the banks of the River Avon, it is billed as the biggest birds of prey show in the UK and it is a show unlike any other. Three years ago, my twins, parents and I watched these birds in the castle’s previous show. It was spectacular then, but this fresh approach, using a strong narrative to weave the aerial dynamics together in the form a young falconer seeking out the finest birds in the land, is extremely clever, innovative and truly spectacular. To watch hawks, eagles, giant bone-eating vultures, red kits and a peregrine falcon fly on cue made the story come alive whilst providing a fresh appreciation of these majestic creatures. To see and hear an Andean Condor, with its wingspan of 10ft, zoom past one’s ear, was thrilling.

It was the proximity of these birds along with the interesting facts about them that made it such an enthralling educational experience. It also highlighted the commitment of the castle in its bid to protect some of the world’s rarest breeds from extinction by working with other conservation charities. There is nothing like learning about something magnificent that is there in front of you when it does what it does best – lording the skies.