Wimbledon is just days away and I have been counting since last month! It won’t be long before tennis fever grips the nation and many of us will rushing out to stock up on the strawberries and cartons of cream. Yesterday I was invited along to an event to meet Rufus the hawk, who is perhaps the nation’s most famous bird – known for keeping pigeons away from the Wimbledon venue (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club) for their own safety, and to minimise disruptions during the tennis matches. His owners Imogen, Donna and I discussed all things birds (of course) and Wimbledon – how could we not? He is a VIP there and has met all the top stars including Andy Murray. He also has a big following on Twitter!
The gorgeous hawk is deployed as a nonlethal deterrent and doesn’t hurt other birds. When he sat down on my arm, Rufus was very gentle and calm as he looked at me and stretched his wings. I got to talk to him and pet his beautiful body. At 800 grams, he is much lighter than I expected him to be! He really was an absolute darling and I cannot believe I got to spend the entire evening with him. I will be keeping an eye out to spot him on my TV screen and in person when the Wimbledon Championships begins on Monday. I can barely contain my excitement. Let the tennis commence!
With thanks to Stella Artois, sponsor of Wimbledon, for inviting me to experience the delightful event.
