Bayoh

Awesome pics!

roremc

Cool stuff. I tried it a few years back when I was in Ireland. I only did the short walk with my then gfriend. It was super awesome. The thing I remember most is how when the bird lands back on your arm it is so precise. Its coming in so fast but at the last second it puts on the break and you barely notice it on there.

I was lucky enough to know someone at this Castle who got me a free night and a walk with the birds.

Ireland's School of Falconry at Ashford Castle, Cong, Co. Mayo | Irelands First School of Falconry

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HoboMaster

Super awesome! We have all kinds of birds of prey up here, though I mostly only see the big breeds (Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Osprey, Turkey Vultures). There's a golden eagle that frequents the forest above my house that's absolutely massive, it must have close to a 6-foot wingspan.

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forestfalcon

Those falconry schools are good to get the feel of what it's like to have a raptor fly to you. The hunting part of it is what's really awesome (and the definition of falconry.) It's definitely cool to have one land on your glove, and watch them do it so precisely!



I love Golden Eagles. They have an average wingspan of 6 feet. When I used to work with non-releasables, my favorite bird there was a male golden eagle. Lethal hunters!

tomtom88

I'm jealous of your hobby, definitely one of the better threads I've read in awhile.

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forestfalcon

Thanks! I miss it. I had to release my last redtail a year ago, and I'm very itchy to get back into it.

Shortround

Very cool!
My father, until he retired, was a biologist in Edmonton, and when I was a kid during the 80's and they were replacing Peregrine eggs with dummies and planting chicks, we used to have the chicks in our house for a couple days, and I'd get to feed them cut up quail.

I always wanted to get into falconry (when I was a kid) but it's one of those hobbies that are pretty tough to start and probably you need to rearange your life around them. So now I've got another fun animal that helps me get pheasants:

He's not as cool as a falcon, but he's probably better at warming up a tent on cold nights.

I see a bunch of those pics are at feed lots - did you get hired to do bird control there? I know they do that at airports.

forestfalcon

That's pretty awesome! There were a few key people in the 70s and 80s that helped to bring the Peregrine back, most of them were falconers because they had perfected the breeding techniques. If you see a Peregrine, thank a falconer!Who is your Father? You don't have to say, or you can PM me, just curious.

You definitely have to rearrange your life around falconry. It's not gun hunting where you can just put your gun in the closet when you get home, it's continual husbandry, training, etc... fun, but difficult and time consuming.

I wasn't super successful at hunting pheasant with my birds, mainly because I didn't have a dog. Those suckers can haul ass on foot! Scares the shit out of you when you nearly step on one and it busts cover at your feet.

I don't do abatement. I know of people that do it for a living, but when we go fly the dairies and feed lots it's just for fun. Such a huge load of starlings there, the flights are fun to watch!

Shortround

He's John Folinsbee - not a particular big name in the falconry biz - he just happened to be a provincial government biologist for the Edmonton Area while Edmonton had a breeding pair, so a bunch of the grunt work fell to him. He'd (very occasionally) bring home a captive tiercel from the Wainwright breeding program that he'd take to schools for presentations - I got to hold it once, though it's one claw wasn't on the glove and kind of spiked me a bit.

It is pretty amazing how they've come back - I think there are something like 9 pairs in the Edmonton area now - and we were down to 2 in the whole province when I was a kid.

The dog definitely helps with pheasants - I wouldn't even bother going out without the little monster.

forestfalcon

That is super cool that he had a hand in the reintroduction. There are so many wild pairs now that in many states, falconers can participate in a wild take of Peregrines.

I have to say, I'm impressed that you, a non falconer, can use (and know the meaning of) the word 'tiercel.' Most people think when you say tiercel or tercel that you are referring to an old crappy car made by Toyota.

Yes, those talons can definitely get you! I've had a fair share of talons pop through 3 layers of leather like it was soft butter, and stab right into my hand. Sucks.

I used to work with non-releasables in an education program, but one of my favorite birds there was a male golden eagle. Here's a pic of me with him (like 6 years ago), but look at the size of his power talon (the innermost, forward facing talons.)