Baby snowy owl nests at Mary Arden’s Farm
An adorable baby snowy owl can now be found nesting at Mary Arden’s Farm, once home to Shakespeare’s mother.
Named “Sooty”, the fluffy baby owl is just 7 weeks old but is already starting to fly! She has to be fed regularly and spends her time either sleeping flat on her face or wandering around the falconers. Sooty will be making an appearance at the Farm at weekends.
Snowy owls are originally from the cold climates of the Arctic Tundra. They have a very efficient feather system that will keep them warm down to -30 degrees. In the early 1970’s they flew south to breed in the Scottish Isles so are now native to Great Britain and protected by law.
Known as the “Ghostly Hunter”, they hunt in the snow and can locate a mouse under the snow just by sound. They are a ground bird and their nests are built in the rocks. When they are born they are dark grey and black to give them camouflage and then turn white as they mature. Male snowy owls are completely white whereas females are white with black markings. Their feathers are soft and their tails short and square. They are classed as a diurnal bird of prey as they have colour in their eyes; in this case Sooty has yellow eyes. Their eyes are 35 to 100 times more powerful than human's eyes and take up more room than their brains which are only thimble-sized!
Mary Arden’s Farm is a working farm with a difference and promises to be a real treat this summer for all the family. Visitors can experience “Tudor Housework” every Monday when they can see how the Tudors kept their houses and clothes sparkling clean. Every Tuesday, on “Churning Tuesday”, visitors can discover what a Tudor dairymaid got up to and help her churn butter and make cheese ready for market. Every Wednesday on “Woolly Wednesday”, experts will teach about the importance of wool in Tudor times whilst visitors can have a go at tozing, carding, spinning and weaving.
Each Thursday the secrets of the spice chest and how the Tudors used spices will be revealed with “Sugar, Spice and all things Tudor” whilst on Fridays experts will demonstrate the art of baking bread from processing the grain to threshing and winnowing. Every Saturday “Quills, Parchment and Tudor Ink” will show visitors what a typical school day was like for the young William Shakespeare and how to make Tudor ink. “Tudor Toilet Trouble” takes place on Sundays and will give visitors an insight into how the Tudors went about their daily life without modern amenities!
Finally, Mary Arden’s Farm will play host to a “Tudor Fair and Market” from Saturday 28 – Monday 30 August. Visitors can join in the hustle and bustle of a typical Tudor hiring fair where people gathered to find work and hire workers for the next 6 months. Country crafts and traditional activities will be available for visitors to enjoy.
Not only is there ample parking, a delightful café and lots to discover both in the house and grounds, but all tickets to the farm are valid for unlimited entry for a whole year. So for a summer holiday season at great value, take advantage of all the activities at Mary Arden’s and simply visit again and again – for free.
Please note Mary Arden’s Farm will be closed for restoration from 1 November to just before Easter 2011. For details of all activities please visit: shakespeare.org.uk
