Bird of Prey Project unveils 2026 British Bird of Prey Day line-up
Naomi Johns, Chris Sperring MBE and Nick Patel head a day built around two flying demos, habitat walks and conservation talks at Newton St. Loe.
The Bird of Prey Project unveiled its 2026 British Bird of Prey Day line-up with the sort of programme that matters to serious falconry fans: two flying demonstrations featuring British species, returning conservation names, and a new field walk component. The day had been set for Saturday, August 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the centre in Newton St. Loe.
The centre pitched the event as an annual gathering for wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, families and the general public, but the agenda made clear it was built for more than casual spectators. Naomi Johns returned in her new role as ornithologist at the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, while Chris Sperring MBE of the Hawk and Owl Trust also came back to speak on UK-wide conservation projects.
For anyone weighing whether this was worth the trip, that is where the value sat. Johns brought a fresh conservation perspective tied directly to ornithology work, and Sperring added the kind of established raptor-conservation voice that gives a programme real substance beyond the flight ring. Those are the names that turn a bird day into a learning day.
The new addition for 2026 was Nick Patel of Wilder Skies, who led wildlife walks from the centre out around the local habitats near Newton St. Loe. That pushed the day further into field-based territory, with the focus moving from watching birds fly to seeing the landscape they use.
Alongside the talks and walks, the programme included local artists, wildlife groups and interactive workshops. That mix gave the British Bird of Prey Day a broader community feel, but it also showed how the modern raptor gathering has shifted: the strongest days are the ones that put flying demonstrations, conservation work and practical knowledge in the same programme.
If the question is whether this was a spectator event, a learning opportunity or a networking date for hobbyists, the answer was all three, but not equally. The spectacle came from the flying demonstrations. The learning came from Johns, Sperring and Patel. The networking came from the stalls, the workshops and the conservation crowd that the centre brought together in one place.
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