Those pesky hawks!

We had a something very unfriendly attack our young birds this morning when they were out for their morning fly. One y/b still missing.

I am wondering if it might be better to keep the darkness birds in until they have got through their moult a bit more.

Does anyone know if hawks attack in the morning or afternoon more often.

Phil

Sorry to hear that mate, I'm not sure as I've never had a bird attacked from around the loft.
Lots come home damaged from racing though.
I don't think they hunt much when it's raining though Phil.

either time phil ...I find getting them out early as possible is best 6 am first light type of thing ,what type of hawk ...not a goshawk I hope ,can you not deal with it ,move it on as I have a feeling it will harass you now its found the loft .

I have 2 /3 visit a day from sparrow hawk, and peregrines overhead most of time, just the way it is here now.

redrog wrote:

I have 2 /3 visit a day from sparrow hawk, and peregrines overhead most of time, just the way it is here now.

How do you cope and or get your birds out?

Phil

oldstrain wrote:

either time phil ...I find getting them out early as possible is best 6 am first light type of thing ,what type of hawk ...not a goshawk I hope ,can you not deal with it ,move it on as I have a feeling it will harass you now its found the loft .

I'm not sure yet what sort of little B it is. It flew over my head this morning after one of our y/b's, but I was so concerned about the pigeon, I didn't really have a good look.

It was fast, but not as fast as our young birds though. I don't think it killed this morning because I saw it coming back the opposite way to where it went first thing. I reckon if it had killed, it would not still be chasing our birds.

Darren - you say get the birds out early 06:00 hrs if possible. How can you do that with birds on the darkness?

Phil

blueskylofts wrote:

redrog wrote:

I have 2 /3 visit a day from sparrow hawk, and peregrines overhead most of time, just the way it is here now.

How do you cope and or get your birds out?

Phil

y/b don't go out till they past moult this time cos on darkness, previuos years not let y/b out till 60days old plus, by this stage they have seen hawks from aviary numerous times and are strong enough to get up and away before attack comes, again I think I have been lucky with not having flyaways but see no point in giving hawks easy meal. as for old birds they have seen it all before and although not ideal it is a given I will loose some and have the inevitable injuries, just the way it is round here.

Some years usually have young strong on the wing before going out. As redrog says, they have seen the hawks from the aviary. To me it is a question of keeping them on the dark for mature young birds are doing it the way I usually have done it. Which means some will be dropping flights about 4 weeks in to the young bird races but minimal losses.
Have a hawk trap set up now. Has been my experience, after having disposed of many hawks, catch and release ( after the dogs have scared the crap out of the trapped hawk) because if nuked another will take over the territory. Whereas the trapped one will not bother again. It's mate might, other species of hawks might also but at least one will not be attacking. Right or wrong, for this area, works best.

blueskylofts wrote:

oldstrain wrote:

either time phil ...I find getting them out early as possible is best 6 am first light type of thing ,what type of hawk ...not a goshawk I hope ,can you not deal with it ,move it on as I have a feeling it will harass you now its found the loft .

I'm not sure yet what sort of little B it is.  It flew over my head this morning after one of our y/b's, but I was so concerned about the pigeon, I didn't really have a good look.

It was fast, but not as fast as our young birds though.  I don't think it killed this morning because I saw it coming back the opposite way to where it went first thing.  I reckon if it had killed, it would not still be chasing our birds.

Darren - you say get the birds out early 06:00 hrs if possible.  How can you do that with birds on the darkness?

Phil

darken the loft at 4pm take shutters off when its nightime so they wake to natural light

Do have a pair of Northern Harriers nesting near the creek. Never been a problem.

a bloody nightmare

At one location house was besides a apple orchard. Lots of Cooper hawks around.Seemed to hit early morning then noon then around 5 pm. Had two fly right in the loft with the pigeons. Had one hit a pigeon on the roof of the house. It went to the ground dead. Cooper saw me and took off. Other pigeons watched from the roof. Sat in a shed and waited. One hour later hawk was back and landed at the exact same spot he had killed the pigeon. I had moved the pigeon a few feet to get a clear shot. He looked around spotted it and hopped over to  it. 22 got him. They will return to scene of kill if disturbed.
Lucky here. Red tails, Kestrels Coopers are numerous. Have had a visit from a Peregrine but it could not catch an older young bird in a straight flight. Young headed for cedar trees and escaped. Very few around. Most other raptors are passing through. Pair of bald Eagles nesting 5 mils away but not a threat. As I see it, better here than the UK scenario.

oldstrain wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

oldstrain wrote:

either time phil ...I find getting them out early as possible is best 6 am first light type of thing ,what type of hawk ...not a goshawk I hope ,can you not deal with it ,move it on as I have a feeling it will harass you now its found the loft .

I'm not sure yet what sort of little B it is.  It flew over my head this morning after one of our y/b's, but I was so concerned about the pigeon, I didn't really have a good look.

It was fast, but not as fast as our young birds though.  I don't think it killed this morning because I saw it coming back the opposite way to where it went first thing.  I reckon if it had killed, it would not still be chasing our birds.

Darren - you say get the birds out early 06:00 hrs if possible.  How can you do that with birds on the darkness?

Phil

darken the loft at 4pm take shutters off when its nightime so they wake to natural light

Darren - That is exactly what I do. But it does not get light here until 07:50 hours.

Phil

about 7 am at present here but it will get lighter earlier as we move on through the month atb

peel bros wrote:

a bloody nightmare

Absolutely true Ray for many etc. I got hit last week here type of thing. One hen turned up Sunday dragging it's wing along the ground & a cock yesterday on Tuesday same, same as my little hen sadly. With my red cock (munch, munch) who got stuck in the fence I'm building up quite a team of the walking injured here unfortunately along with the one to the hawk last week.

How many of you keep your darkness birds in when they are moulting?

Phil

blueskylofts wrote:

How many of you keep your darkness birds in when they are moulting?

Phil

yep

1st year on dark for us so we will be trying ours by leaving them out and not forcing them, if they fly all well and good if not they'll be trapped straight away and we'll see how that works for us

ours go out never flagged though...