Mayfield Birds of Prey

A private encounter with incredible birds that exceeded our wildest expectations

Before our 2022 Ireland trip, I knew I wanted to do something with birds of prey.

This wasn't going to be one of those we'll see what we find when we get there parts of the trip. I researched several falconry experiences before we left home.

Mayfield Birds of Prey kept rising to the top.

Part of that was practical. It was close to Lawcus Farm, where we were staying for the first part of our road trip, so it fit naturally into the route.

But the experience itself was what really sold us.

Mayfield offered a private encounter rather than a group experience. We wouldn't simply watch a demonstration or wait in line for a quick turn with one of the birds. We'd actually get to handle them.

And there were owls.

For Gina, who loves owls, that was a fairly persuasive selling point.

So we booked it.

What we couldn't know was just how much better the actual experience would be than what we'd imagined.

Private Really Made a Difference

When we arrived, we weren't joining a crowd.

It was us, Willie and the birds.

That completely changed the experience.

There was no feeling that we needed to hurry because another group was waiting. We had time to ask questions, learn about the individual birds and actually interact with them.

And Willie was a huge part of what made it work.

He knew his birds, clearly enjoyed sharing them with people and was incredibly easy to spend time with.

Sometimes there's a difference between someone conducting an experience and someone you simply enjoy hanging out with while they show you something they're passionate about.

Willie was the latter.

Then Came the Owls

This was where Gina was particularly in her element.

We handled several different owls, and the contrast between them was remarkable.

Some were tiny.

Then Willie would bring out another one and suddenly our definition of a large owl needed recalibrating.

Seeing these birds from behind a barrier is one thing. Having one perched on your gloved hand gives you an entirely different appreciation for its size, feathers, talons and personality.

We weren't simply getting close enough for a photograph.

We were interacting with them.

And because this was a private encounter, we had time to actually enjoy those moments rather than pose for a picture and immediately hand the glove to the next person.

And Then There Was Mikey

Mikey was the Harris's hawk.

For the hawk walk, we took him outside, where he moved through the trees around us before returning to the glove.

There's something very different about seeing a bird of prey sitting nearby and having one flying directly toward you.

You know exactly where he's going.

You know the glove is designed for it.

You know Willie has done this countless times.

Your brain nevertheless has a brief conversation with itself when several feet of wings are headed directly toward your arm.

And then he lands.

That moment has stuck with us ever since.

Not because it was frightening.

Because for a few seconds, you're no longer simply observing a magnificent bird.

You're part of what he's doing.

This Was Why We Chose the Private Experience

Looking back, choosing the private encounter was one of the best decisions we made.

A group falconry demonstration might have shown us many of the same birds.

But it wouldn't necessarily have given us the same experience.

We had time.

Time with Willie. Time with the owls. Time with Mikey. Time to ask questions and watch how the birds behaved without feeling like we were moving through a predetermined sequence.

That's what we remember.

We went to Mayfield because I wanted a falconry experience and Gina loves owls.

We left feeling as though we'd spent part of the day hanging out with Willie and some of his remarkable birds.

That's a very different kind of travel experience.

🟢 Our Take: GO

Mayfield Birds of Prey didn't merely meet our expectations.

It exceeded our wildest expectations.

The private format was worth choosing. The amount of hands-on interaction was fantastic. Willie made the experience personal, relaxed and fun.

And the birds?

They took care of the rest.

If interacting with birds of prey is something that interests you, we'd have no hesitation recommending Mayfield based on our 2022 experience.

For us, it became another reminder that an upgrade doesn't always mean buying something more luxurious.

Sometimes it's choosing the version of an experience that gives you more time, more access and more connection.

At Mayfield, going private gave us all three.