THERE are plenty of feathered friends on hand to greet visitors to the new Black Mountain Falconry centre at Wern Ddu, near Abergavenny.

The centre, the first of it kind in Gwent, has 45 birds of prey on display to the public, including owls, buzzards, hawks and falcons.

Owners Roger and June James are falconry professionals and previously worked at the Welsh Hawking Centre, in Barry.

It was their experiences at bird displays and shows across the country that first led them to consider opening the falconry centre.

Mr James said: "When we gave displays at shows people always wanted to come and see the birds in their home habitat, and so we decided it was time to open a centre.

"We toyed with the idea for a while until this piece of land came up, which is just perfect."

As well as showing the birds to the public, the centre will also be training hawks to fly with the paragliders who take off from nearby Skirrid Fawr Mountain.

And to keep younger children entertained the centre has a special farmyard animals corner, with rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, chicks, and a Shetland pony called Tiger Lilly.

Mr James said: "For a toddler a bird is just a bird, so we wanted to have animals that children can actually touch and pet."

The five-acre site also includes a refreshments area serving hot and cold drinks and snacks, and a gift shop selling local crafts and gifts.

It is hoped that in time the centre will not only be a focus for birds, but will also be used for activities such as laser clay pigeon shooting, archery and falconry and medieval-themed events.

The Black Mountain Falconry Centre is open to the public daily from 10am until 5pm. Entry is £4 or £3 for concessions. For more information contact 01873 830 377. Lisa Stevens