RAPTORS ARE LOVEABLE

Just watched a programme regarding the training of raptors for falconry.

There is no doubt that a lot of love and devotion towards the raptor in question is on the same level as we put into our sport.

I would not mind having had a go at training a raptor, not for falconry but for pleasure.

I had tame jackdaws and a magpie as a youngster and to have any wild bird accepting you as a friend is a delight.

This of course does not excuse the raptor populations getting out of hand.

But the Raptor Alliance has everything in hand just as I said it would when first heard of the proposition.????????.

Sorry my mistake, it has as much chance of doing anything at all towards solving the problem as I have of being the first man on MARS.

I told the then General Manager it was a complete waste of time and money, he relied that he preferred the solicitors opinion.

There is of course a possible solution, all go and get yourself a raptor.

Regards,

I think it was said by those involved that by November 2014 the Government would have eased the problem, I wrote to the General Manager and said it was a complete waste of time and money, he replied that he prefered the solicitors opinion.

There is a solution lads and lasses, all go out and get yourself a raptor.


Regards.

how many years has this raptor scam been going with the rpra, be a few now I would rekon.....have they made any progress at all in those years...?

are we any further to having a bit of protection for our birds , or reducing the numbers of hawks / bops etc...?

There is new proposals being put forward for consideration regarding the welfare of animals etc; which has been published in the fancy press, there is nothing whatsoever, even were everything passed that will in any way help the sports situation, in fact it could make matters worse.

Anyone who thinks the present people in government give a jot a about our situation are living in dream land.




I wrote to the Government and still have their reply, very sorry for our problem but as the raptors are a protected species they could not help nor offer compensation when other countries do so when they suffer from a protected species.

The matter has been going on for over 5 -6 years.


Only a fraction of the money spent on this futile effort would have been needed to challenge our right, in court, to deal with raptors on our own property, just as farmers can do with dogs etc; attacking their sheep, even were we to lose the case we would have a sound starting point instead of wollowing in the dark.

But what can you expect from a mob that out of hand dismissed the view of the RPRA by a independant proffesional body ??????.

Regards.

Not a problem here as such. Out here in the open. Cities it is different. From a young age mine observe the raptors from the safety of an aviary. When they do go out they are smart enough and strong enough to avoid them. Usual is for the birds to go high when a raptor is present. They can out fly them in a straight line. Have seen that. Raptors usually get the birds from a dive on them in the air or on the ground. The white rump, if sprayed with an animal colour marker, red or green, also deters them from fellow fanciers obsevations.

just last night I had a yb back with a hole in its chest that's 5 out of 27 ybs that have had a injury and that's just loft flying training has not started yet ...do what you have to and keep quiet nobodys coming to help us the government are hell bent on doing the opposite of what we want anyway it seems ,it will all come home to roost when pigeon racing is finished and species are wiped out due to lack of prey but will anyone care ,I doubt many will plenty animals hunted to extinction by man

Hal, it is interesting regarding the white markings etc;, the raptors do not appear to worry the wood pigeons as their are thousands of them that could be easy prey, I wonder if the white markings at the back of the neck of the woodpigeon puts the raptors off?.


Regards.

Misty. From what I understand the white rump of a pigeon is a bullseye for the raptor. Something to focus on.

did read an article some time ago stating the white rump may put off the raptors but it certainly has not stopped them here

Hal, you may be right regarding our pigeons but the wood pigeons markings at the back of the neck may deter them from above, it seems strange that the raptors very rarely take wood pigeons when they would be very easy prey.

In nature many animals use colour as a means of survival to fool those who prey on them, into thinking they are another species not in their best interests to attempt to eat them.

It would be ideal if we could come up with a means of marking the pigeons in away that would deter the raptors.

Regards.

or could it be the hawk/bop prefers a corn fed pigeon, rather than one which survives on scraps, and bits of leaves etc...?

I doubt vey much if a raptor can tell what the difference is between a wood pigeon or a racing pigeon regarding the taste etc; and I dread to think what many racing pigeons will taste like with all the rubbish some fanciers put down their throats/

The wood pigeon in it's natural state feeds on the natural food available at different times of the year, which will be totally relative to it's well being according to nature and there is no reason to think that any of it is rubbish

Regards..

had my ybs out yesterday, suddenly noticed what I think was a male sparrow hawk fly by, light brown it was, and slightly bigger than a pigeon....never bothered the pigeons, but was it on a reconnaissance mission , to bring the hen back another day...?

the male sits out quite often by me, makes no attempt to take the pigeons, all down to size, the hen being 1/3 bigger again has no problem taking fully grown cock as it did last year, the woodys are too big for even the hen to bring down cleanly although I have seen her try more than once, flew hawks myself for over 10years and have the utmost respect for them, the problem we have with bop is manmade, have no idea how to resolve the problem but having flown a male red tail who would bring down anything from squirrel to mallard, these could have been painted pink with purple spots and he wouldn't have batted an eyelid once he locked on to whatever he'd seen he was pure death on the wing, I loved him but he eventually picked on a 9lb hare (he weighed 1lb 13ozs) who kicked 6 bells out of him before I could get to him, he died I gave it up after that, for us lot round here the female sparr is unrelenting, but her habitat has been demolished so she's here now and that's the way it is

Can well understand your love of the raptor, I agree the problem is realy man made.

If you take nature as a whole and all the animals therein there are not many that do not give rise to admiration in one way or another and the less man had interfered the better matters would be now in nearly every respect.

The saddest part of course is when we lose a well loved pet of any kind.

Live and let live is not a bad motto, but ????????????.


Regards.

There are many hawks/falcons around here. Red tail is not a problem. 50 inch wing span. to slow. American Kestrel and Merlin are fast but usually to small. Coopers hawk and the Peregrine are the biggest damage inflicters. There are many other raptors also but not a problem here.

With all those different raptors, Hal, there must be an enormous number of pry species,

Just what do they all feed on?

Regards.

Misty. Numerous species of birds. Rabbits, possums, rodents, cats occasionally. Enough live food around for them.

28 c today but low humidity. Took the dogs for a walk. The big Mastiff spotted a Coyote coming out of the corn field. He and the female chased it down. Female is younger and faster. She got there first. Big guy finished it off. Only took minutes. Turkey vultures will dispose of the body.

Hal,

The weather over here has been hotter than I can remember other than when I was a kid and you could cook eggs on the pavement.

You are blessed to have so much wild life around you, you cannot beat raw nature.

As for wild animals in these parts. once you could go for a nice country drive and see all kinds of birds and animals, my wife and I eat out as much as eating in as i it saves me washing up and is just as cheap, we go on country runs and see who can spot what animal, on runs where we once could count into the tens we often see none.

They try to blame the farmers etc; but many places have been unchanged in every respect for over 100 years and have ideal habitats and an abundance of food.

Once you could go to a place called Turkey Carpet to hear the nightingale or go and hear the Dawn Chorus, now, if you are lucky you may see a crow etc;


I am afraid once mankind becomes involved in the end things eventually come to a bad end.

I am afraid to make things better and acceptable we would need a wishing wand that worked.


Regards.

Hal,
Just come back from a 35 mile round country trip, weather hot buit bearable, animals seen, sheep, cows, one cat, the odd crow and thats it.

Had an hour in Peasholme Park, about a thousand sea gulls, countless Canadian geese, ducks, the odd pigeon, the old folks used to feed a large flock of pigeons in the park but the Council had a pest control firm cull them because some city lover said they had made a mess on the band stand roof, she obviusly did not know that it was the sea gulls because the roof has even more droppings now.

Wish the city lovers would stay there.

It annoys me when the old folks one enjoyment was taken from them because of some individual who comes once in a blue moon to our town.

Regards.

Counsil ...sometimes wonder.

halcanada wrote:

Counsil ...sometimes wonder.

Same same I suggest they forget etc who actually pays their wages at times Hal Girl friend of my wife had one plant protruding onto her side path by about 2/3 inches. 900 dollar fine . Unfortunately for them she was a friend of her local federal member here & he sorted them all out & she finished up paying nothing, fortunately.

Up your neck of the woods misty .at hinderwell. Went to Scarborough Wednesday. Whitby today then home tomorrow

peel bros wrote:

Up your neck of the woods misty .at hinderwell. Went to Scarborough Wednesday. Whitby today then home tomorrow

worth going to Whitby just for fish & chips best in world

If I had known you were in Scarborough I would have had a natter, we are not posh but you would have been more than welcome.

Hope you enjoyed your visit, there are not many better places to live for those who love a variety in life.

Sea, shops, and an abundance of countryside within walking distance.

Regards.