Luke's got hidden talons

LUKE Summers who has given up his job as a corporate development manager to become a mobile bird and pest technician, a falconer. He is pictured with Scarlett, a young Harris Hawk.

LUKE Summers has invested three life-changing years to achieve a high flying dream ...

Because the 40-year-old from High Crompton has landed an exciting job as a mobile bird and pest technician for a top environmental consultancy.

Luke, secretary of Saddleworth Round Table, made a total career change quitting his role as a corporate development manager with a global insurance company.

He joined Norfolk-based NBC Environment which provides environmental planning, ecology services, and sustainable bird and pest control to customers in facilities management, health and safety, construction and property management areas.

And he says he was attracted to the company by its use of falconry for bird control.

He said: "There just aren't a lot of companies that pay you to be a falconer these days!"

Initially no job was available but the company kept his details on file and advised him to take essential British Pest Control Association training.

After qualifying, Luke worked in the pest control sector before NBC offered him a job.

On his first day, Luke accompanied a falconer flying a young Harris hawk named Scarlett and declared: "It was a really inspiring way to start the job."

He returned to the North West working on pest control and was reunited with Scarlett for the first part of his falconry training.

"I never imagined she would become my first bird, and I had to learn how to handle, feed and fly her.

"Caring for a hawk is a big responsibility.

"I was definitely more nervous than she was," he confessed. "Though she was only nine months old, Scarlett was already well-trained and knew exactly what to do."

Luke now travels throughout the North West with Scarlett in-tow carrying out a range of bird and pest control, falconry, ecology and proofing works.

He said: "I love the variety. The industry is constantly changing so it's a continual learning process, but the company has a great support network and there's always someone available for advice."

He is due to return to Norfolk for further training later this month.

The business was founded in 1993 by John Dickson who saw an opportunity to use specially trained hawks and falcons as a visual and humane deterrent to discourage problem birds from settling.

NBC's working birds are not trained to hunt, instead their presence taps into the birds' natural instincts to avoid predators at all costs.

The process requires a professional falconry programme to change the habitual behaviours of a bird population over time.

And since its inception, the business has diversified to incorporate ecology and other pest solutions and now covers the whole of Great Britain.

The company's managing director, John Dickson, and Andy Hulme, head of falconry, have been flying birds of prey since their teens.

• Check out more pictures of Luke Summers on our picture sales page.