My Latest Endeavor...

CarolM · May 18, 2018

This has been totally facinating (and this is the second time I have read it, for some reason though I somehow or other missed the first 5 pages). And you have a gift with your ability to put it all down in writing. Don't forget to share with us the release please - you know for the final of the current series season "Minerva". It has really been an entertaining and very interesting read. Thank you.

Tom · May 20, 2018

I haven't gotten around to updating this thread…

My daughter and I drove out to the area where I caught Minerva on a Saturday morning about a month ago. Minerva's weight was way up and I fed her a thawed mouse with a dose of Ivermectin injected into it, and a quail. She was pretty fat and happy for the ride. As we drove out to the site, there were no other raptors for miles. Her territory is apparently still uninhabited.

When we arrived, it was cool with a light breeze from the west. I carefully cut the bracelets off:

After cutting everything off, I stepped over and faced her into the wind and raised her up on my glove giving her the option and cue to take off, as I have so many times before. She paused, looked at me, and then took off into the wind. She circled around for a bit and then decided to go land on a post in the middle of the field near her former territory. We walked through the field and little critters scurried about as we approached Minerva on her perch. Two jackrabbits jumped up too, but she showed no interest in her fattened and full state.

We stood with her for a while and she seemed pretty content. We took a few pics and said our good byes before walking away.

She seemed very relaxed and content. This was the last view I had of her before we walked away… or was it?

About a week later I had a job out that way and after I wrapped I drove over to this area again. For miles I saw no raptors, until, about a half mile from the release point, I saw one large red tail hawk sitting up on a telephone pole in Minerva's usual fashion. I passed by and then passed the release point and drove a few more miles. No other raptors anywhere. I flipped a U-turn and went back to the one I saw. The bird showed no reaction to passing cars, but as I rolled up with my window rolled down me and the bird made eye contact and she took off into the fading twilight before I could snap a pic. I can't be 100% sure, but I'm fairly certain that was her.

I'll be out that way again in October when its time to get a new bird and I'll see if I can find her again. Farewell Minerva. Thanks for all the lessons.

Jay Bagley · May 20, 2018

She really is a beautiful bird.

CarolM · May 20, 2018

Tom said:
I haven't gotten around to updating this thread…

My daughter and I drove out to the area where I caught Minerva on a Saturday morning about a month ago. Minerva's weight was way up and I fed her a thawed mouse with a dose of Ivermectin injected into it, and a quail. She was pretty fat and happy for the ride. As we drove out to the site, there were no other raptors for miles. Her territory is apparently still uninhabited.

When we arrived, it was cool with a light breeze from the west. I carefully cut the bracelets off:
View attachment 239277

After cutting everything off, I stepped over and faced her into the wind and raised her up on my glove giving her the option and cue to take off, as I have so many times before. She paused, looked at me, and then took off into the wind. She circled around for a bit and then decided to go land on a post in the middle of the field near her former territory. We walked through the field and little critters scurried about as we approached Minerva on her perch. Two jackrabbits jumped up too, but she showed no interest in her fattened and full state.

We stood with her for a while and she seemed pretty content. We took a few pics and said our good byes before walking away.
View attachment 239278

View attachment 239279

She seemed very relaxed and content. This was the last view I had of her before we walked away… or was it?

About a week later I had a job out that way and after I wrapped I drove over to this area again. For miles I saw no raptors, until, about a half mile from the release point, I saw one large red tail hawk sitting up on a telephone pole in Minerva's usual fashion. I passed by and then passed the release point and drove a few more miles. No other raptors anywhere. I flipped a U-turn and went back to the one I saw. The bird showed no reaction to passing cars, but as I rolled up with my window rolled down me and the bird made eye contact and she took off into the fading twilight before I could snap a pic. I can't be 100% sure, but I'm fairly certain that was her.

I'll be out that way again in October when its time to get a new bird and I'll see if I can find her again. Farewell Minerva. Thanks for all the lessons.

Thank you for the update. I actually feel quite sad and happy for Minerva. She is quite stunning and will more than likely be the closest I get to a bird as beautiful as she is.....That is until October when you get your new bird. Really looking forward to reading your new chapters and the adventures/ lessons you will have with a new one.

mrnewberry · May 21, 2018

She made it through her first winter. Hopefully that is a big enough boost to help her make it through her second.

Tom · May 21, 2018

mrnewberry said:
She made it through her first winter. Hopefully that is a big enough boost to help her make it through her second.

This one is a survivor. I've got no doubt she'll be fine.

Toddrickfl1 · Jun 18, 2018

Not sure if these are Hawks or Falcons but they've been circling around my backyard all morning. The screeching you here is them. (My Camera is not the greatest)

Yvonne G · Jun 18, 2018

Probably buzzards. Hawks and falcons are solitary hunters, but buzzards fly in groups.

Toddrickfl1 · Jun 18, 2018

Yvonne G said:
Probably buzzards. Hawks and falcons are solitary hunters, but buzzards fly in groups.

Ya your probably right I didn't think of that we do have a lot of buzzards around here.

Tom · Jun 18, 2018

Toddrickfl1 said:
Not sure if these are Hawks or Falcons but they've been circling around my backyard all morning. The screeching you here is them. (My Camera is not the greatest)

I don't recognize that screech, so I don't think they are red tails, but this is the time of year when mated adult pairs are raising their babies. The babies are now fledging and just learning to fly, so seeing a group of 3-5 hawks this time of year would be normal. In another couple of months, the parents will kick their babies out of their territory.

I can't make out what those are. You have those black vultures back there which are a little smaller than our turkey vultures here, and not as recognizable from a distance. I think the wing outline looks more hawkish in your video, but I can't be sure.

Maro2Bear · Jun 18, 2018

From those sounds, I’d say hawks. We have many of those in our MD area as well - same shreaks. The turkey vultures don’t make calls like that.

mrnewberry · Jun 18, 2018

Toddrickfl1 said:
Not sure if these are Hawks or Falcons but they've been circling around my backyard all morning. The screeching you here is them. (My Camera is not the greatest)

I would guess red shouldered hawks.

Loni · Jun 18, 2018

wellington said:
View attachment 163634
Back of one of them, right side of pic, sitting on my fence.
Btw, I don't think they like squab (pigeon) The city brought the Falcons in to help with the pigeon over population. It hasn't worked, that was in the 80's they brought them in and the pigeon population has not seem to fallen at all.

If the population hasn't tripled, it probably is working...

wccmog10 · Jul 8, 2018

Apparently there are some other falconers on this forum (@Tom and @mrnewberry)- which is awesome. I am a falconer also. Currently my wife (who is also a falconer) and I have a redtailed hawk and a M/F cast of harris hawks. The hawks in the video are- no questions asked- red shouldered hawks. That call is a dead give away.

-Wade

Toddrickfl1 · Jul 8, 2018

wccmog10 said:
Apparently there are some other falconers on this forum (@Tom and @mrnewberry)- which is awesome. I am a falconer also. Currently my wife (who is also a falconer) and I have a redtailed hawk and a M/F cast of harris hawks. The hawks in the video are- no questions asked- red shouldered hawks. That call is a dead give away.

-Wade

They hung out flying around the area of my backyard for about a week. Haven't seen em since.

wccmog10 · Jul 9, 2018

Tom said:
My daughter names most of my animals anymore. She liked the movie and given the physical traits and habits of a hawk, she thought Toothless suited our new friend very well.

Who am I to argue?

Toothless is a great name. So great that our Harris hawks are named Toothless and Hiccup, and our red-tailed hawk is named Astrid

. I really liked the movie- and the principles that hiccup uses (although hiccup is unknowingly using them) to train toothless are similar to those used in falconry. I also do education with birds of prey, in addition to our falconry birds we have a great horned owl, eastern screech owl, and Mississippi kite that are education only- and the "How to train your dragon" references always works well with kids when I am telling them about how to train a hawk.

-Wade

PS- sorry to hear you lost your first bird to asper- it happens sometimes. One thing you will learn about falconry is that the highs are really high, and the lows are really low. You have to want to be a falconer real bad- because there will come a time when it will try to rip your heart out. Loosing a bird- especially as early on as you did- is really hard to handle. I am enjoying the read @Tom, someday we will have to speak over the phone a bit- seems we are both into leopard tortoises and hawks

wccmog10 · Jul 9, 2018

@Tom, I must say- for an apprentice and someone with very little experience (keep in mind I just read this thread from the beginning- when I "started" you were new to falconry- now you have some years under your belt)- you have done a very good job of portraying the sport, and come to some of the same conclusions that I have over the years. The biggest is realizing that falconry is a lifestyle choice. If you have read my few posts on here, by now you know we have 6 birds of prey at home (we also have 30ish herps). Our lives revolve around these guys all year long. If your are up for it- I do have a recommendation for your future seasons. A cast of Harris hawks has been amazing. My wife and I have had them for two seasons. When I started falconry back in 2008 I never thought I would become a Harris hawker. After two seasons with these birds I regret not doing it sooner. You (and everyone reading this thread) have come to witness the awesomeness that is watching a hawk hunt. So now imagine doing it with more than one bird at the same time. Watching these two birds hunt together has been some of the most fun I have had in falconry. Don't get me wrong- any bird you get you will have tons of fun, but this HH cast has been so cool. Ill have to find some photos and start a new thread.

-Wade

This is Hiccup, he is apparently very interested in what ever my wife is doing.

This is Toothless.

mrnewberry · Jul 9, 2018

wccmog10 said:
@Tom, I must say- for an apprentice and someone with very little experience (keep in mind I just read this thread from the beginning- when I "started" you were new to falconry- now you have some years under your belt)- you have done a very good job of portraying the sport, and come to some of the same conclusions that I have over the years. The biggest is realizing that falconry is a lifestyle choice. If you have read my few posts on here, by now you know we have 6 birds of prey at home (we also have 30ish herps). Our lives revolve around these guys all year long. If your are up for it- I do have a recommendation for your future seasons. A cast of Harris hawks has been amazing. My wife and I have had them for two seasons. When I started falconry back in 2008 I never thought I would become a Harris hawker. After two seasons with these birds I regret not doing it sooner. You (and everyone reading this thread) have come to witness the awesomeness that is watching a hawk hunt. So now imagine doing it with more than one bird at the same time. Watching these two birds hunt together has been some of the most fun I have had in falconry. Don't get me wrong- any bird you get you will have tons of fun, but this HH cast has been so cool. Ill have to find some photos and start a new thread.

-Wade

View attachment 244558
This is Hiccup, he is apparently very interested in what ever my wife is doing.

View attachment 244559
This is Toothless.

Harris Hawks are so cool. I have done kestrels the past few years. But, one of these days the right situation may pop up and I don’t think it would be hard to tempt me into a Harris hawk. They do seem to be made for falconry.

wccmog10 · Jul 9, 2018

mrnewberry said:
Harris Hawks are so cool. I have done kestrels the past few years. But, one of these days the right situation may pop up and I don’t think it would be hard to tempt me into a Harris hawk. They do seem to be made for falconry.

Yes they do seem to be made for falconry. Hard to believe that falconry has been around for thousands of years, but people didn't start flying Harris hawks until the 70s. Now they are the most common/popular falconry bird. I have never been to Europe, but it seems like they are the most common falconry bird there as well, probably in part because there is no wild take (at least the UK does not have wild take). If you have not read Harris hawk revolution, by Tom and Jennifer Coulson, I recommend it. It has tons of Harris hawk information. I am pretty sure that you can buy a copy directly from them- http://www.coulsonharrishawks.com/the-book.php. I think you can also get copy from the big suppliers (Western Sporting, Mike's Falconry, or Northwoods).

wccmog10 · Jul 9, 2018

JoesMum said:
She is beautiful. I would love to do something like this.

Tom said:
Falconry is huge in the UK. I've heard of an outfit in Ireland that does a sort of "Falconry Tour" too. They let the public get some instruction and then actually handle and hunt with the birds. I don't know how far of a drive that would be, but it might be a neat way to get introduced to the amazing world of falconry.

I don't think you'd have any trouble finding a sponsor in your area. You'll be the best friend of every farmer in your area.

Falconry is big in the UK, but I wanted to point out- in case @JoesMum is still interested- that falconry in the UK is very different. Here in the states we have the apprenticeship program that @Tom has been telling us about. Our apprenticeship program is part of the federal and state regulations- you have to do it- you have no choice. In my opinion the program is very effective, but it can hinder people at times- if there are no falconers living near them or if no falconer is willing to sponsor them. Sponsoring an apprentice is a very time consuming endeavor, and sometimes people just don't want to take one on. The UK does not have this type of required program. Which means that in order to be a "falconer" all you need to do is go and buy yourself a bird (there is no wild take in the UK). The regulations and red tape that we have in the US is not something that you have to worry about so much in the UK- at least this is how I understand it to be. This means that there are lots of "falconers" in the UK that never hunt there birds. While I am not against keeping animals in captivity- provided that you do it properly- keeping a bird of prey as a pet does not make you a falconer. Falconry is keeping that bird and using it to hunt- which is very important distinction. In my opinion the hardest part about falconry is finding hunting locations. Finding hunting spots is a constant battle. I would imagine it to be very difficult to find hunting locations in the UK as well, this is what would make your falconry difficult in the UK.

-Wade

PS can you tell I like falconry? I have responded to this post several times today already...

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