In a brief moment of oversight, I completely forgot about our visit to Spier Eagle Encounters while we were in the Cape. They rehabilitate birds of prey that have been injured, and set them free once they are healthy and able to survive on their own. Their education program, with the help of hand-reared birds, informs visitors on how important birds of prey are to the ecosystem, and also agriculture.

In terms of photography, the light was awful when we visited, but I made the most of the shade we sat under while watching the demonstration to get some nice shots of a Barn Owl. I had to correct the colour temperature in post-processing, as the shade cast a green tinge over the birds. It was also my first experience holding a Barn Owl, which was exciting. They weigh next to nothing!

Our visit to Spier was informative and it was a great opportunity to see a wide variety of South African birds of prey, and a few exotic species as well.