Keepers of a north-east visitor centre are appealing for the public’s help to secure the safe return of four falcons after they escaped into the wild during Storm Malik.
The birds of prey were being kept in a barn at Huntly Falconry Centre when the gale force winds damaged the roof of the enclosure, allowing two white falcons and two grey falcons to escape.
Despite a frantic overnight search by owner John Barrie to locate them, the birds remain missing.
He is now calling on local residents to keep an eye out, to help bring them home safe.
He said: “We breed quite a few falcons. The birds were in pens in quite a big barn we have got.
“We have got Perspex windows which let light in but the winds blew one of these big windows out and four falcons escaped.
“They were young birds we were keeping back for breeding.”
The birds, aged between three and four-years-old, were born at the centre to be used as part of their breeding programme.
Each bird is marked with a ring on its leg, with the white falcons featuring green coloured rings and the grey falcons marked with black ones.
Mr Barrie, who has owned the centre since 1993, fears the birds may be “miles away” due to the strength of the winds on Saturday.
He says without the public’s help, they may never be found.
“Without the help of the public we have not much chance of getting them back,” he added.
“That wind could have carried them miles yesterday. We have been looking local but they could be miles away.
“We have been looking all day. We have had quite few people phoning today but a lot of the time its common buzzards but we still look anyway.”
Storm Malik causes further damage to the centre
Alongside losing the birds, the centre has incurred further damage due to the intensity of the storm.
The roof of the café suffered some damage, with several boundary fences also left in a state of ruin.
The north-east visitor attraction is among several premises left picking up the pieces in the aftermath of the storm.
Mr Barrie said his priority lies with finding the birds as the cosmetic damage can be repaired.
He said: “It’s done a bit of damage to the centre to the café. A bit of the roof is damaged and some of the fences are down.
“Early yesterday morning the winds were really, really strong but I won’t be the only one that’s got damage I can assure you.
“We can replace the panels on the roof, the fences and mend the roof on the café but the birds were for a breeding project. They are three and four-years-old, they are birds that were bred here.”
