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timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 6:30 pm Post subject: birds
Thanks for the welcome Falconary is my firts love fifteen years now the misses never sees me,,lol.. This is my Red Tail Hawk she is used for close quarter cathing prey IE shes put up into a tree and she will follow like a dog till the dogs flush out game or the ferrits: She weighs in at 3 Lb 3 Oz and has feet like a Tawny Eagle : [img][/img]

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 6:31 pm Post subject:
My son flying a Saker x Perry : [img][/img]

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 9:36 pm Post subject:
They are lovely Timberdog (keep wanting to write Timberwolf, apologies in advance if I do!). The helmet (I bet it's not called that ) on the last bird looks very carefully modelled; are they made individually, or just for different breeds? I've never seen one close up like that, and had always assumed they were just very simple hoods!

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 9:44 pm Post subject:
Great pics timberdog, have you read 'Urban Dreams/Rural Realities'? The guy in that flew a red tailed tawk. IIRC he used it for rabbiting. If you stick around (and I hope you do) bugs will be after an article on falconry, If you manage to resist her guile it will probably be a first for this site.

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 9:51 pm Post subject: hoods
LOL ..People always say Helmets when not in the know...he he No the Hoods are all sized most birds will be of one size IE Females of one breed one size and males of the same breed another size but all birds must be fitted like you would do for you own shoes. These hoods help to calm the bird when not hunting or in Transit to hunting grounds

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 9:58 pm Post subject: birds

No problems on an artical but book writer i am not..but i will try to answer any questions you have meanwhile anyone wanting to learn more as us Falconers are always looking for support and new blood to this sport and given Mr Blairs Hunting bans we could do with all the support we can get this is a link to our Forum its a great site and lots for anyone wishing to learn more:

https://www.falconryforum.co.uk/index.php

any more questions on Falconry ask away!!!

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 10:03 pm Post subject:
I read that training a falcon is basically keeping it hungry and making sure it knows that you are it's primary food source so it doesn't fly away, is this the case?

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 10:19 pm Post subject: BIRDS

You are not far wrong but when they say keep it hungry you have to be carefull with that one as people think keep it hungy and thats it ..

Alot of people who do not understand ths kill many birds and give us a bad name, It works this way their are two weights for your bird a FAT weight which means well fed as it states and this means that the bird has not been flown for a while and unfit as athelites train and keep fit same for birds if not flown they get FAT.. And with birds of prey they only as you say see you as the provider of food and as you say they are not pets if they are at Fat weight they think why should i go back to him IM FULL!! , and will if a Falcon they may fly off to the next county if an Hawk they may find a nice tree and sit up thier and snooze ... which is anoying to most.

Flying weight is when food is given in line with weighing your bird and also testing its response to food when you show it to the bird if the bird comes to you for food when you show it like a flash of lighting you know your flying weight is about right even then if you are out a 1/4 of an ounce you may loose your bird.

Building food assosiation is also required YOU + FOOD = FULL BELLY so the bird knows you provide.

The sad thing is that people who rush out and think they know all about Falconry and start to reduce a birds weight an they wonder why they have a dead bird due to starvation it is a fine balance yes but i also compare it to yourself you can reduce your weight but you must have fuel to use if you go training otherwise you run out of fuel and conk out!!

Alos the bird will fly purley on adrenalin and this is only good for short bursts like when you were a child and you got caught scrumping and found out you could jump a fence that you could not before you were being chased !!!...lol

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 10:29 pm Post subject:
From an animal welfare point of view it must be difficult to manage. You need to restrict food as a training method but you don't want keep the bird in a state of semi-starvation. Do you only restrict feed in a structured manner before you fly? If that is the case then I assume flying the bird has to be pre planned rather than 'I'm bored lets go fly the falcon.'

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 10:46 pm Post subject: birds

You ar right you structure the feeding to suit but not to the point of putting the welfair of the bird at stake that is a no no!!

So if the bird has say three poortions of food for flying weight you may feed four when not flying and cut back to three the night before to give the birds optimum flying weight the next day ,

also the bird must cast before flying as this also adds to its weight and can give false reading when you weigh the bird thus giving a wrong flying weight and giving rise to loosing a bird!

Also if the the bird has not cast this is a danger in its own right..Cast being the bits from the birds last meal which it does not digest IE: Feathers if feeding birds etc of fur if rodents.

The only sving grace then if the bird decides to do a runner is Telemtry which is a transmitter atteched to the tail feathers of the bird and Registerd with I.B.R Indipendent Bird Register they supply rings for the bird so if caught or wosre killled they will report this to you.

And yes i have had to chase a few birds in my time...

PS also you cannot be a weekend Falconer i have to rise each day with the sun and fly my birds as no flying no fittness no performace as if you or i were training for a run etc...

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 10:56 pm Post subject: birds
Some more pics for you: My Pure Bred Goss Hawk Mace: [img][/img]

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 05 8:24 am Post subject:
Sounds fascinating and a big reposnsiblility. Look forward to more info Cheers

Alchemist

Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 05 12:46 pm Post subject:
Fascinating stuff. I've got a voucher for a day's training at the local falconry centre sitting in front of me on my desk which i've been meaning to use for months. I may finally bite the bullet and go and do it.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 05 12:56 pm Post subject:
I hope you don't look too much like your avatar then.

timberdog

Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 149

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 05 8:54 pm Post subject: birds
go do your day and i gurantee you wil be hooked!! nothing like getting satisfaction of seeing the fruits of your work..

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