Shropshire Star

Missing: Keira the falcon not seen since Shrewsbury Flower Show display

She thrilled crowds with her daring aeronautical displays.

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But now eight-year-old Keira, a Lanner Falcon, is missing – having flown off during the display on the second day of Shrewsbury Flower Show three weeks ago.

Despite one sighting in the Gains Park area of Shrewsbury, owner Ray Liker from Redtail Falconry in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has drawn a blank at what has happened to his little bird.

The distinctive falcon has been part of his display team for years and has flown at shows all over the country and Europe.

Having successfully flown his birds on the first day of the Flower Show in the pouring rain, Ray prepared his birds for a display on the Saturday in the main arena.

He launched Keira and she hovered around above the arena, but when he called her in to perform her routine she failed to materialise.

"I have got seven different falcons and she is the one that I fall back on. This is why her disappearing is so strange. Normally the birds will hang around the area and keep an eye out on you but it seems she did just fly off."

Ray had fitted Keira with a transmitter, which he picked up a signal from close to the football ground. But then the signal suddenly died.

"Birds tend to stay in a certain area and hunker down and that is what I expected her to do," said Ray. "I have lost birds at displays before but I have always found them within a day or two. That is what I expected to do with Keira. When we picked up the signal with the transmitter I got in touch with some falconers from the local area and they went out looking on the same frequency. But there was nothing. It was very strange. She is a very sociable bird who isn't afraid of people, cars or animals so perhaps someone has found her.

"One lady did contact us last Friday and said that she had seen a bird like Keira on the roof of her house in Gains Park. But she didn't leave her details so we have had no chance in getting back in touch with her."

Keira stands 17-20 inches tall and has a wingspan of 37-41 inches. She has a gingery coloured head and a salmon coloured breast with slate grey back feathers and wings. Her beak and legs are pale yellow and she is fitted with a breeders ring on one leg and a transmitter with a yellow band on her tail. She also has two leather jessies fixed to her legs which allow her to be held when she comes in to the arm.

"I just want to know what has happened," said Ray. "Even if someone has seen her body, I just want to know."

  • Seen Keira? Call Ray on 01945 450648.

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