Joe Akka

Joe Akka

One of my many interests is watching out for birds of prey. I love discovering local birds of prey and an aviation centre is usually the first place to look. One of my favourite places to start with if you’re in the Manchester area is The Wild Wings Birds of Prey centre in Worsley. Here you will find on display a variety of birds including several species of falcons, eagles, hawks, owls and vultures.

I love birds and staff often ask me when I’m there ‘Joe Akka, would you like to stroke these birds?’ At first I was reluctant, but I have since become somewhat of a pro at handling birds of prey. I think if you’re in the area it is well worth a visit and I know that both children and adults alike will love holding and stroking the birds as well as watching the eagles fly around and admiring their peaceful nature. It may sound crazy, but the birds must recognise me now, I swear they sometimes call out ‘Joe Akka, over here’ – usually when I have some food in my hand!

I love nature and I frequently get asked about the best places to spot birds of prey inManchester. They say ‘Joe Akka…where do you recommend?’ and I often tell them that the Wild Wings Birds of Prey centre in Manchester is one of the best bird sanctuaries in the region. Venturing outside of Manchester and into the region of Cheshire, you’ll find the Gauntlet Birds of Prey Eagle & Vulture Park in Knutsford which has many displays and birds of prey experiences  involving handling and flying a variety of birds. I love it here and I think you will too. You may want to make a day of this if you have children, who may wish to take turns in handling the birds. There are also photography workshops which can help to capture this special day.

I find watching the birds of prey a panacea to the daily toll of life.  Every day I hear people say to me, ‘Joe Akka you’re needed here, Joe Akka, what do you think of this…?’ and whilst I am always willing to tell them, eventually it can begin to become tiring. Watching birds of prey is just one activity I like to get involved in to recuperate and relax.  I can’t tell you which birds are my favourites, I think that each kind has a character all of its own.

In some ways the birds can remind me of people I know in my everyday life. I’m sure by now you might be thinking ‘That Joe Akka, what a nut’ but this is far from the truth. I am of course referring to growing up, the teenage Joe Akka and how some of us, if we are businesspeople especially, like to span our wings and fly onto new territory. I take this mantra with me, as being part of the story of Joe Akka’s life.

admin | Birds of Prey | 10 17th, 2011 | No Comments »

Joe Akka trying some new football skills and tricks

admin | Video | 01 3rd, 2012 | No Comments »

If you’ve never had any involvement with birds of prey, you really should try, because it is an experience unlike any other.

For me, Joe Akka, there is no better sight that seeing an imperious eagle soaring overhead before coming to land on my outstretched arm- it is the ultimate panacea.

If you live in a big city such as London or Manchester, you might believe that you have no hope of ever having an experience such as this, but if someone such as me, Joe Akka can, then anyone can!

For me, I became involved with birds of prey purely by chance during an exhibition on holiday.

Prior to that, my only real hobbies had been supporting Manchester City Football Club, and believe you me, for someone like myself, Joe Akka, this is something entirely different.

What is lovely though is that to a certain degree, people of all ages and sexes can get involved.  My wife is not a huge fan, and in many ways would probably prefer that I still spent my Saturday’s supporting Manchester City, but my son, Joe Akka Junior, loves it.

For my last birthday, my wife bought me my own hawking glove with ‘Joe Akka embroidered in the lining, and last week, I just bought one in Manchester for my son, Joe Akka Junior.

I didn’t think I’d be able to find something like that in Manchester, but it’s amazing what you can find when you put your mind to it- I discovered that there was a specialist outdoor pursuits warehouse just south of Manchester that people come to from far and wide for their Birds of Prey equipment.

So if you are thinking that you really fancy trying a new hobby, I would really urge you to give Birds of Prey a go.  After all, if someone like me can develop a passion for it, then surely anyone can!

admin | Birds of Prey | 11 15th, 2011 | No Comments »

I think that what I love most about working with birds of prey is the intelligence that they have.  You do sometimes wonder who the master is and who the servant is!

There is something about seeing one of these majestical birds soaring overhead that is nothing short of pure panacea.

Last weekend, I caught the train from Manchesterto the Lakes, must to the disgust of my wife I must admit.  She said to me ‘Joe Akka, I am beginning to feel like I am taking second place to a bird!’  I do believe she was only half joking!

It was my birthday last week, and she got me a hawking glove with Joe Akka embroidered in it- I’ve no idea where she got it, I’ve never seen one like it, especially in Manchester, but I think it is the nicest present I have ever received.

It felt a bit weird having a hawking glove with Joe Akka written in it- you would think I was some sort of expert or something!  As I sat on the train from Manchester, I was thinking how amazing it was that someone like me, Joe Akka, a city boy could have become so hooked on birds of prey.

Yet here I was, with my Joe Akka embroidered hawking glove, on a train fromManchesterto the lakes to indulge in the most glorious pursuit I have encountered.

If you have never had any involvement with birds of prey, you really need to- I cannot describe the feeling on seeing one of these birds soaring through the sky before coming back to land delicately on the arm of someone like myself, Joe Akka.

TheLake Districtis also a very good place to start such a hobby, as there are numerous centres specialising in educating people about birds of prey and some of the world’s foremost authorities on birds of prey also live here.

admin | Birds of Prey | 11 6th, 2011 | No Comments »

I realise that in my last post, I didn’t actually tell you anything about my weekend with birds of prey in the Peak District- apologies for that, I got a bit side-tracked, which is not unusual when it comes to talking about birds of prey!

So, first thing Saturday morning, I found myself at Manchester Piccadilly station, along with my son, also called Joe Akka.

I wasn’t going to bring Joe Akka Jnr, but he literally would not stop plaguing me until I did, so there were two Joe Akka’s at Manchester Piccadilly station that Saturday morning, not one as I had envisaged!

So, we then, with a little bit of diversion at stations on the outskirts of Manchester, found ourselves at Edale in the Peak District, at the outdoor pursuit centre we were spending the weekend it.

I found it weird to think, as I was signing in as Joe Akka, that previously, the only hobby I had spend this amount of money on was my Manchester City season ticket, but there you go- people change and Joe Akka, I now have to admit is no exception to that rule!

I must admit though, it was the best spend of money I think I have ever spent in my life, not only for me, but for the experience it gave to Joe Akka Jnr.  There was so much to learn about Birds of Prey that you would never gather from simply having a hawk land on your arm at an exhibition.

We learnt all about the history of falconry, training of the birds, feeding and care- it really was a fantastic weekend.  What I was most impressed with though, was the enthusiasm with which my son, Joe Akka Jnr brought to the whole weekend.  For a boy previously obsessed with football, he absolutely loved it.  That in itself was panacea for me- to know that there was so much out there in the world for him to learn about.

admin | Birds of Prey | 11 1st, 2011 | No Comments »

I have just had an amazing weekend of falconry in the Peak district, not far fromManchester.  For those of you who don’t know, my name is Joe Akka, and although I am quite new to the bird of prey world, I am hooked to say the least!

I happened to be at an outdoors exhibition on holiday in the New Forest after the whole family drove down from Manchester where there was a bird of prey exhibition, and when they called for a volunteer, I found myself putting my hand up.- Joe Akka volunteering- there’s always a first!

So there I was, stood in the middle of this arena- me, Joe Akka, a man more known for travelling to the football at Manchester City than anything else- not really the country-type!.  When the commentator asked my name and when I told him, proceeded to say ‘Joe Akka, are you mad?’  I had to think that maybe I was.  The next thing I knew, my whole arm was encased in leather (something which I now know to be called a gauntlet), and a hawk was hurtling through the air towards me at high speed.

Well, you could have knocked me, Joe Akka down with a feather when, rather than tear my eyeballs out with his claws which is what I had envisioned, he instead landed so softly you could hardly hear it on my arm.

When the commentator said to me, ‘So Joe Akka, how do you feel with a ten kilo bird perched on you arm?’ and I answered simply ‘terrific’, I knew that I had found my calling.  It was the sort of panacea that I have never experienced in my lifetime before.

That was quite a while ago now, and after that exhibition, I was well and truly hooked, and travelled back tomanchester

After that first exhibition, I contacted the falconry team and went to have lessons. Although I’m yet to invest in buying my own bird to fly (not cheap you know), I am hoping that it won’t be long before Joe Akka junior takes to the skies!  Who’d have known you could start such a traditional outdoor pursuit in Manchester of all places!

admin | Birds of Prey | 10 30th, 2011 | No Comments »

This weekend is going to be really special for me.  My name’s Joe Akka, and just last year, after a holiday in the New Forest, I developed a passion for birds of prey and basically, everything to do with them.

To be honest, having originally come from Manchester, it’s about as far away from my city roots as you can get, but maybe that’s why it appeals so much to someone like myself, Joe Akka.

There was something about the first time that a hawk soared into the sky and then almost terrifyingly came dive-bombing at me only to screech to a halt and perch on my arm, which was a panacea unlike anything I have ever known.

I still find it weird that someone like me, Joe Akka brought up in a city like Manchester come have become so passionate about birds of prey.  My wife thinks it’s quite extraordinary, as prior to this, my only real passion has been following Manchester City Football Club.  To be honest though, with all the ridiculous money involved in the game now, I’ve pretty much lost track of it.

Instead, I’ve found myself travelling far and wide in pursuit of my new hobby, Birds of Prey.  My kids even take the mick, saying that they half expect to turn on the television and find themselves watching ‘Joe Akka and his birds’ or something!

I’m not sure that will ever happen though- it’s one thing moving into a hobby like this being a city lad from Manchester, but quite another to become some sort of expert overnight- I am trying to learn as much as I can though!

The truth is though; it gives you a greater appreciation of life.  My son, Joe Akka Junior, has recently become quite interested in birds of prey as well. To be honest, I much refer the fact that I know Joe Akka Junior is with me at the weekend than hanging out with his mates on a street corner getting up to who know’s what.

admin | Birds of Prey | 10 23rd, 2011 | No Comments »