Any Falconers???? by peacekeeper

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Any Falconers????

POSTED BY: PEACEKEEPER
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 19:38
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Monday, August 23, 2010 5:41 PM

Keeping order in every verse

Hi there Guys? I am in the process of getting my LANTRA accreditation and I have been manning my very first Sparhawk.She is proving a real bitch to imprint. Anyone on here got any tips, or do you know anybody that sports Birds of Prey. A little left field topic I grant you, but the world is full of surprising people???
Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010 10:24 AM

JONGSSTRAW

Sorry, I know nothing about it, except that I think it's very cool! Good luck with your bird.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010 5:16 PM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse

Thanks Jongs. I'm sure there are the Anti-hunting sorts around, but to see a wild bird ib full flight, that you have personally trained, swooping in for the kill is a sight to behold. BTW, today, she jumped 30 feet to my glove for a nice nibble of meat. BUZZIN!!! I'll have her out in the field in about 2 weeks. Magpies and pigeons beware!!!

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010 5:35 PM

OUT2THEBLACK

It's on my bucket list.

Has been there about as long as I've known of such a thing.

So , yes I think it is very cool. Congratulations on your pursuits.

I know a world-champion-quality glider pilot who has kept several raptor types. I don't know if he is still active in falconry , but he is still active in soaring.

I saw him at one of our conventions where he had an American Kestrel , which I think is an extraordinarily beautiful bird.
I often spot them atop fenceposts and on powerlines near rural roads. Plus hawks and occasionally , falcons too.

I've often soared with raptors myself. Once , from a coastal gliderport , I joined a huge column of Ospreys and we worked the same thermal for a long while. There were at least 200 of them , going down one of their flyways toward Panama and then South America.

Another time , I was tightly banked beyond 60 degrees , coring a thermal and 'skying out' while putting more than 2 G's on the meter. I happened to look up at my higher wing , and there was a redtail hawk surfing my tip vortex just above my wing. Even cooler , when I looked at my downturned wing , there was another redtail doing the same thing , right above that wing's surface and its vortex.

It was a thrill , mind. Days like that , you tend to get a notion that you're doing something right...

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010 5:49 PM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse

Man, that sounds beautiful. Gliding takes some serious guts and I take my hat off to you. I'm a big fan of the Kestrel myself. Very pretty likeable little birds.But they sure are cool when they catch a thermal and hover looking for quarry.
When I was being mentored, a common Kestrel was my first flyer.Even though it is only small, the impact on the glove is phenomenal.
Ospreysd aren't really used here for Falconry as they are purely fish eaters.We use the Harris Hawk or the Goshawk. I'm on the Sparrowhawk, because it's a real challenge.They are stubborn birds but by christ they are beautiful. I'm working with a 14th month old female called Shadow and she is bloody fearless.My mentor had to pry her off a crow, which is 1.5 times bigger. The poor thing was lucky she hadn't got through the breast feathers and we released it to fight another day. But to see that gorgeous bird flying straight at you at about 90 miles an hour, and hitting your fist with pinpoint precision is amazing.I just need to be able to do it without the mentor and I will be the happiest guy on Earth.

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010 2:30 PM

BORIS

the only time I've ever seen a hawk in action was while I was visiting my brother in India when he lived there with his family. My brother niece and I were walking to a park in New Delhi near their home when a hawk expertly swooped down to a garbage bin and plucked out a kitten that was foraging for food and flew off with it. I was both impressed with the majesty of the birds movements and coordiantion and horrified for the kitty.

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:38 PM

ASORTAFAIRYTALE

This is honestly something that I have wanted to do since I read "My Side of the Mountain" in third grade, but I've never really known how to go about getting involved in it. As such I can't actually help you at all...hope it goes okay for you!

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