Hi Y'all

[BarneyAndMonty]

:) GREETINGS ONE AND ALL,

I' ve been watching from the sidelines for a while, it's now time to say hello and start getting involved.
Tomorrow I go on my 5 day falconry course, the last peice of the learning process on my 'pre getting a bird checklist'. My first BOP will be a Lanner, hopefully a lanneret, all being well available in August. Then the learning really begins. I can't wait.

Thanks to those I've already pestered via the PM system.

All the best.

David

[Hawkmaster]

Hi there and WELCOME.

I will get it in before the barbarians come and kill you, why a falcon as a first bird? Many will say it is not a good idea to start with a falcon and there are many reasons.

Lets hear your side, we all just want to help.

Paul

[Sprout]

I agree, a Lanner not the best choice for a beginner, you'll hopefully learn why on your course. Where are you doing it?

[UKJay74]

Hi and welcome to the forum :D hope you enjoy it

[Big JoeJoe]

Hi Dave welcome to the forum hope you enjoy it there are some good people on here who you will get to know really well, anyway enjoy, enjoy, enjoy

Cheers Big JoeJoe

[UKJay's Nursey]

hello and welcome to the forum
hope you enjoy yourself here, and enjoy your course

[Hawkmaster]

As you will learn in falconry there are many ways to tackle any and every subject and the will always be more than one menthod.

Let me show you how:

Sprout said it is not a good choice to start with I on the other hand will say it is.

Who is right?

We both are. . . . want to know more?

[BarneyAndMonty]

As you will learn in falconry there are many ways to tackle any and every subject and the will always be more than one menthod.

Let me show you how:

Sprout said it is not a good choice to start with I on the other hand will say it is.

Who is right?

We both are. . . . want to know more?


Yes please, help and advice is why I'm here.
If I can be so bold, Can I ask 'Is there such a thing as a beginners bird'?
One thing I have learnt so far, any bird chosen as a a first BOP will require a load of skills to be developed, if the bird is to reach its full potential.

[Biarmicus]

:) GREETINGS ONE AND ALL,

I' ve been watching from the sidelines for a while, it's now time to say hello and start getting involved.
Tomorrow I go on my 5 day falconry course, the last peice of the learning process on my 'pre getting a bird checklist'. My first BOP will be a Lanner, hopefully a lanneret, all being well available in August. Then the learning really begins. I can't wait.

Thanks to those I've already pestered via the PM system.

All the best.

David

Hi David,

Welcome to the forum!

I too am hoping to train a Lanner as my first bird! They are extreamly interesting birds.

I see no problem with starting off with a bird that you truely want to train. During my falconry course I asked about the type of bird he thought I should start off with, my mentor said to start off with what bird I believed I was ready for.

I think as long as you study anything and everything you can on the said bird and find someone who has trained them before you will have more fun and enjoy working with the bird because its the bird you wanted.

I won't be able to get a bird till my family and I move away from the city, so I'll be interested in hearing how you and the future Lanner get along and hearing how the training goes! :)

All the Best,

Brittney ;)

[Claire]

My first bird is a kestrel, after a few years flying her as a volenteer at a centre though, personally I dont see why someone should get a so called beginners bird if its not what they want, just get more practice lol

[Saker-Clive]

IMO there are other factors which you should look at before getting any type of bird;
1. would type of land do you have............wooded, open, marsh or moor?

2. Quarry species...............rabbit, game, crow, gulls all of them.

3. It's best to match a bird for what you want to go for; or do you want to just pleasure fly?

I have a Harris hawk, which I hunt with; I also have a Saker falcon which I fly for pleasure. Both birds need different approaches in the way they fly. The broadwings are more like dogs; they tend to stay close and will follow you along the tree line, hedge rows and through wood etc. the longwings tend to range out far more. All these traits you must work out for yourself what you want from the bird.

From what I understand of Lanners, they hunt better as a cast but make superb lure birds............................

[Hawkmaster]

Yes in the UK we consider several birds as beginners birds.

My first question is do you want to hunt with the bird, and I hope you say yes, then your choices are:
Harris Hawks
Redtails Hawks
Ferruginous Hawks
These are by no means all you can also go for large owls and the common buzzard.

More will be explained as time goes on and more folks join in to help you, but the main thing here is you, I presume do not have experience and therefore need to get a bird that is large to handle any of your mistakes in weight management you may make, and can fulfil your requirements over time without over taxing you initially as a person and one that will lead you to become a good falconer.

[Biarmicus]

Hi again,

Here is a previous thread regarding Lanner Falcons: http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9091&highlight=Lanner

There is a amazing amount of interesting information. :supz:

Brittney

[Kevin Massey]

hello and welcome to the forum, its good that you have taken time to fill in your profile aswell:supz:

there is a massive amount of info to browse and also an excelent search facility.

[Sprout]

Its not a cse of good or bad birds, they've all evolved to what they are for a reason/ Why do I feel a falcon is not a good beginners bird?
1) Smaller in weight needs more skill to maintain correct balance
2)Flying ability - learning to swing a lure correctly takes time and practice, something to be learned over time NOT at the same time as learning EVERYTHING else!
3) What do you want to do with it - hunting a lanner is not impossible but not easy and hunting ANY longwing is a different prospect to hunting a boradwing etc in terms of land/dogs/experience etc Otherwise, I agree, why learn on a bird you have no intention of keeping?? There is none, but if after your course you are still 100% on a Lanner and no other bird then find a feloow falconer who flies longwings and learn with him BEFORE you get one, I doubt you'll learn and master all the skills on a 5 day course to allow you to do a Lanner justice

[Barbary Boy]

Yes in the UK we consider several birds as beginners birds.

My first question is do you want to hunt with the bird, and I hope you say yes, then your choices are:
Harris Hawks
Redtails Hawks
Ferruginous Hawks
These are by no means all you can also go for large owls and the common buzzard.

More will be explained as time goes on and more folks join in to help you, but the main thing here is you, I presume do not have experience and therefore need to get a bird that is large to handle any of your mistakes in weight management you may make, and can fulfil your requirements over time without over taxing you initially as a person and one that will lead you to become a good falconer.i would question the ferru as a beginners bird?

[Finnish]

Hello and welcome hope you like the forum...:supz:

Finnish

[Skeld]

I would also question the Ferruginous as a beginners bird. They can be very temperamental. Also you need a lot of open ground to get the best from them, as well as a fast pair of legs!

[Hawkmaster]

Now BB as we trying to teach people I was hoping someone may mention that.

Here is my reasoning and I will keep it simple and we do not want to confuse folks new to falconry.

Sprout said about a Lanner not being a good bird to start with, well in the UK it is true, for most part, BUT if that person knew they had a good reliable mentor for either a Lanner or a Ferru, although with that one there are other factors, like are you a strong forceful person, do you have the touch with hawks, do you find you need to work at your skills or do they come naturally?

Many things to consider in falconry and nothing is always wrong or right, we just have to direct you in the correct way.

BB I sure you will agree, most things can be done, but there is always a better method, so as you said a Ferru is not always a good beginners bird.:wink:

[GregMik]

Welcome to the Forum. I feel a good first bird is a bird that fits into the terrain you fly in and the quarry you have.

Greg

[Barbary Boy]

on the question of weight control, a female lanner is only a couple of ounces below some male harris hawks , so thats not an argument. frank beebe the noted american falconer offers what i beleive to be the very best advice, and that is get the bird that suits your circumstances.why get a harris hawk when you live in alaska when a gyr is what you need etc etc, years ago most people started with the good old kestrel and they need the lure? it is a bit more complicated flying a falcon than a broad wing but i find most beginers (i say most not all) so well prepaired and keen that they will do a sterling job with whatever they start with. dont let anyone put you off if youve got your heart set on starting with a lanner, then go for it, i think you will learn more from the experience than with a broadwing but certainly wont catch as much? personally if your dead set on starting with a falcon i would go for a teircel peregrine.

[BarneyAndMonty]

I have spent time with 2 local falconers, one chap flew a FHH & RT, the other a Lanner. Having experienced 2 very different styles/methods of flying BOP's, the one that gave me the most satiasfaction was seeing the Lanner up and flying.

Yes, I want to hunt with the bird I choose but I also want to see the bird I choose and train up and flying, so pleasure flying is important aswell. Hunting with a Lanner is something not many falconers practice anymore, but as recent information on this forum suggests, it can be done.

The main land permission I have is open farmland.

[Barbary Boy]

I have spent time with 2 local falconers, one chap flew a FHH & RT, the other a Lanner. Having experienced 2 very different styles/methods of flying BOP's, the one that gave me the most satiasfaction was seeing the Lanner up and flying.

Yes, I want to hunt with the bird I choose but I also want to see the bird I choose and train up and flying, so pleasure flying is important aswell. Hunting with a Lanner is something not many falconers practice anymore, but as recent information on this forum suggests, it can be done.

The main land permission I have is open farmland.
then just go for it m8s dont let the harris hawk brigade on here put you off, youll be fine, just take your time.

[Barbary Boy]

there should be plenty of young lanners around well before august, get one as soon as you can.

[Hawkmaster]

BarneyAndMonty I had a Lanner as my first falcon and it caught loads but in a different country and a different set of laws.

Can this guy that flies the lanner become your soul mate take you on as a student, will it be OK with his family? With falcons you have the extra little things to learn too like hooding and luring not to mention the most important thing of all, keeping it alive.

[Barbary Boy]

BarneyAndMonty I had a Lanner as my first falcon and it caught loads but in a different country and a different set of laws.

Can this guy that flies the lanner become your soul mate take you on as a student, will it be OK with his family? With falcons you have the extra little things to learn too like hooding and luring not to mention the most important thing of all, keeping it alive.
"keeping it alive" do you really think they are so much more difficult to "keep alive" than a male harris? i dont.

[Sprout]

As I said - if a Lanner is what you want and it suits what you want from falconry and have the land and skill to fly one then go ahead, they are stunning birds. My point was just as a word of caution - a longwing is a different proposition as a first bird than a broadwing. My first bird was a Kestrel! I wouldn;t recommend a Lanner as a first bird bt its horses for courses - in the end you'll put more effort and determination into a bird you truley want than a bird you don't - so learn all you need to know then get the bird you want.

[UKJay74]

With falcons you have the extra little things to learn too like hooding and luring not to mention the most important thing of all, keeping it alive.


I can fully agree with this statement i took on my first longwing a little while back a saker falcon and the added extras to learn hooding correctly so as not to make the bird hood shy, lure swinging so as not to get tangled up is a task.
But in saying this if you feel after your course that you are set on a lanner and believe you can give it all it needs then go for it :D

I do not in anyway regret taking on a falcon and hope to do so again :D

[Barbary Boy]

As I said - if a Lanner is what you want and it suits what you want from falconry and have the land and skill to fly one then go ahead, they are stunning birds. My point was just as a word of caution - a longwing is a different proposition as a first bird than a broadwing. My first bird was a Kestrel! I wouldn;t recommend a Lanner as a first bird bt its horses for courses - in the end you'll put more effort and determination into a bird you truley want than a bird you don't - so learn all you need to know then get the bird you want.
totally agree.

[Hawkmaster]

Maybe but for someone that is new to falconry, does not have good frequent support, it may become a burden to juggle everything else that is associated with a falcon and even still not understand weight control and then go into a flat spin? At least with a HH there is less to stress over.

[Barbary Boy]

lets just ban anything thats not a harris hawk then and rename this forum the international harris hawk forum?

[UKJay74]

lets just ban anything thats not a harris hawk then and rename this forum the international harris hawk forum?
I dont really think this is the aim of it BB, more just informing people about the differences of caring for longwings or broadwings
:D

[Sprout]

It is a case of having to see birds in action then decide what is wanted. I don;t agree with having a Lanner as a first bird for the already mentioned reasons as well as having a temperament that needs experience to understand (I know Lanners are fairly well laid back before anyone says so but they are a different prospect to HH in nature and skill required!!) but I'd rather see someone try with a bird they want than a half hearted attempt at something they don;t want. I was hoping the course would prove there are other options.

[BarneyAndMonty]

Thanks for all your thoughts so far, as I said the learning never stops.:D

[Barbary Boy]

where you will find a big difference is when you come to fly free for the 1st time.its one thing to have a broadwing fly straight towards you on a creance, then free for the 1st time, straight towards you and land on your glove but the 1st time you let your falcon free it will allmost certainly pass you by, then the ring starts twitching as it goes away from you before turning and maybe passing the lure a couple of times before landing. you will have to be made of sterner stuff than your average h/hawker. lol