MCCORMICKLOFTS
116 posts
Aug 16, 2005
10:34 PM
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Yep, getting to be that time of year.
Brian.
Last Edited by on May 30, 2007 11:15 AM
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
431 posts
Aug 17, 2005
3:44 AM
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Starting to have some half hearted attacks about once a day now.Mostly from young Coopers.Which is 99% of my hawk attacks.I like these kind of attacks because it gets the young birds in shape for whats coming.They are running way behind in attacks this year.Hope it continues but I know it won,t.David
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spinnerpigeon
36 posts
Aug 17, 2005
5:38 AM
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Hey all,
I too, have started seeing the Coops back. Although it just seems to get earlier every year! lol! Usally I can make it till mid-Septmeber, but they are starting to hit already.
Caleb
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dave
12 posts
Aug 17, 2005
9:29 AM
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I have gotten 3 attacks going back to last saturday. It was not this bad last year. Hawks have gotten 3 and I lost 5 that never came back because they got scared and flew too high and too long til it was dark. I flew all year last year but will probably have to lock down this year.
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big al
89 posts
Aug 17, 2005
11:41 PM
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Hey everybody,
Well as a person with quite a bit of falconry experience from the eighties when I flew, I can tell you this...
I and many others think that the natural instinct to migrate is starting to subside in some raptors. One of the main reasons is because of a limitless food source. Even though some birds especially raptors were affected by DDT IN THE 60'S AND 70'S. It appears that many of the other birds began making a comeback much faster than the raptors did. With a shortage of natural enemies mainly the Air Sharks, some of those bird's numbers increased dramatically. In areas like Southern California where I live, the weather is nice all year round for the most part. Oh we have an occassional bad storm or two, or snow in selected areas but as an overall the food source for raptors is readily available all year. It appears that some of the raptors are migrating for shorter distances and realizing they don't have to go far. It's only a matter of time before the Buetos ( Red Tails, Ferruginous, Harris's, Red Shoulder, etc...) will stay put. I think the migrating instinct is slowly leaving the birds in certain parts of the country. Accipiters (Coopers, Sharp Shinned, Gos, etc...) same thing. The peregrins are also traveling shorter distances during migration.
In the May/June NBRC Bulletin I did an article asking any and all with experince locking up for the hawk season to spread the knowledge. (Glance at it) Eventually we will all have to do it! (Lock up)
We have to get prepared for the inevitable... The hawks are going to change the face of Roller flying and competition in regard to the time we can dedicate to certain aspects of training.
Hope this sheds a little light.
See you in the roll...
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Big Al
"High Plains Spinner Loft"
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big al
95 posts
Aug 19, 2005
12:01 AM
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Check this out!
Today I'm in L.A. and see a Cooper's Hawk go onto a
rooftop in a residential area, walk to where the eaves and roof connect and take a squab from a commie pigeon nest!! A massive female coop.
Walked up there just like she owned the home!!
About 5 of us were just standing there with our mouths open!!
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Big Al
"High Plains Spinner Loft"
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Newflyer
12 posts
Aug 28, 2005
8:56 AM
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As a new flyer to Rollers I had my first experience with my neighborhood Air Shark yesterday afternoon. I let my y/b out of the settling cage for the first time. They all flew in different directions.Just like y/b do. For about 20 min all was fine. Then like a rocket here comes the Air Shark out of nowhere. Luckey all but one y/b landed and trapped. The Air Shark made one last swoop at the kit box.and hit the front of the wire front door. I was standing about 2 to 3 ft away at the time....W O W.. I had never experienced anything like this before. What BALLS this Air Shark has. Set me aback. So, Sunday morning I let 2 of my old birds oiut for thier morning fly. All was fine for about l0 min. and all of a sudden again out of nowhere here comes Mr. Shark Swooping down at my 2 airborn birds.In a heart beat both birds vanished off into the air, not to be seen. About 15 min later I stood next to the kit box shaking the food can and whistling , maybe to get the 2 birds back and once again Mr Shark swooped dn ,it seemed right at ME. Now Iam at a lose about what to do with the y/b's air time. ANY thoughts on how I should go about thier training??? PLEASE HELP.........
Paul
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Newflyer
13 posts
Aug 28, 2005
11:58 AM
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Hey thanks Scott and Geo for your quick response. Guess this is all part of my learning process for me. I guess I will keep them in the kit box for the next week. Although, will this take away from any of their ability to get up into the air amd learn to fly and to kit? Or will it just make them holdovers until next Spring? And I ll have to start all over with them?
And one more question. If the birds hatched in July are supposed to be the better birds. How are they ? With the Air Shark on attack Sept thru May. How do they get the neede training at this time of yr. Where can I get a hawk trap?
Paul
Last Edited by Newflyer on Aug 28, 2005 12:04 PM
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Newflyer
16 posts
Aug 29, 2005
1:53 PM
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Thanks for all the advise guys. J_Star I ll give you a call later this week.
Paul
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upcd
25 posts
Aug 29, 2005
11:35 PM
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If God is with me and I have trained the birds right. We can get by with little loss. First, Look and then listen. then make a noise like Teeaarrr a few times. I as a hawk am claiming my territory. If I get a responce the birds stay in. No responce I have the sky for an 1-2 hours. Birds need to go out hungry. Do thier business and get back in. Slow or rebellous birds don't live long. I try to keep a feral flock around so the rollers can receive warning and learn what the corect response is to a hawk over head. They need to listen for my whistle and get in or join the feral in continous flight until the hawk has left.
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siddiqir
32 posts
Sep 02, 2005
7:39 PM
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Got hit today. Did not lose any thing. Sounds like long crapy winter coming... I never seen hawks in my area until late oct. but this year they are back toooooooooo early.
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motherlodelofts
265 posts
Sep 07, 2005
11:01 AM
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You made a good point about never being chased , there is a point with my young birds where I welcome a chase by a Red Tail or imature Cooper, part of lifes lessons for them when a real problem move's in , I think it is valuable for them to learn how that all is not well in the air and to learn how to deal with such problems at least to some degree.
It is rare that I will loose a bird that has allready been through a hawk season, the fact is they are just smarter
Of coarse you don't just put your birds through a gauntlet of talons everyday either, which is nothing short cruel.
Scott
Last Edited by motherlodelofts on Sep 07, 2005 11:02 AM
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siddiqir
33 posts
Sep 07, 2005
11:17 AM
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I usually lose a bird or birds once they get chased. Well, I think this was just passing by attack and nothing I losed. I am flying every day no more attack since then. This hawks was kind of big and manage/try to catch the bird while they were flying high. The hawks which will move in by Oct. are kind of very skinny and they do not bother to go high and try to get the bird...they sit and dive in when the birds are couple of feet away from kit box roof...
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