Neck mount of bells (on spar/accipiters)

[Wilfred]

I would like to know any information I could get and see any pictures available of how to make and use neck mounting of bells on accipiters mainly. I am very seriously interested in using this method on my spar this year. So would be mainly interested in some falconer who used this also on preferably european spar or coopers or the like. Who knows which materials to use to make it. How to make it. And how to use. I think it would be great option since i just do not want to put weight on the legs or tail if not needed. And a neck mount for bells with sparrowhawk could be used only when being in the field.

I know there are some people here having more knowledge about this. Probably mainly the pakistani falconers and other middle east falconers since this method is more familiar there.

Get the info and the pictures going here!

[Tim Laycock]

Wilferd.
The simplest way to mount bells on the neck is by using a rubber band.

A 2" (50mm) rubber band works well with a goshawk.

[Wilfred]

Wilferd.
The simplest way to mount bells on the neck is by using a rubber band.

A 2" (50mm) rubber band works well with a goshawk.


yes rubber band is what i know but then just not how big they should be for spar..and whether there are better materials...and maybe some falconers want to advice me not to use it..it is just that i think it is a good option but want to know as much as possible about it. Can be i am wrong it is good option. And actually i never saw it in practise or used it myself. Only know about the method saw some pictures and indeed also know about rubber band. But that is all i know about the method. Really less in fact.

Think i will try to find some rubber band suitable for spar next weeks. But guess there are falconers here who might have better ideas?

[Tim Laycock]

Trial and Error Wilfred Im afraid, If you know how the neck bell should sit it wont be a problem

[Sparrow Hawker]

Hi Wilfred,

Did you have a go at neck mounting a bell on Spar?

Cheers,

SH

[Sean]

why?

[Wilfred]

Hi Wilfred,

Did you have a go at neck mounting a bell on Spar?

Cheers,

SH

well actually i had some problems. Fact is I had no possibility at all flying anything till now, and now it's late in hunting season. Still going to try entering the spars, but have to see whether i can. But will certainly try neck mounting on spar, since i think it's good idea at least to try.

[Sparrow Hawker]

Cheers Wilfred,

I like the principle behind it!

There must be some members on here who have used the method before?

All the best,

SH

[Alf]

I neck mounted a bell on a imprint female but didn’t like it much, fitted well enough but when the spar was feeding it tended to get in the way. Personally mate I would go for the tail bell its far better. Alf.

Cheers Wilfred,

I like the principle behind it!

There must be some members on here who have used the method before?

All the best,

SH

[Wilfred]

I neck mounted a bell on a imprint female but didn’t like it much, fitted well enough but when the spar was feeding it tended to get in the way. Personally mate I would go for the tail bell its far better. Alf.


Ok thank you alf! reason why i thought neck bell would be good was without taking any getting in the way with feeding into regard. So better not.

[FredrickFogg]

Here is a link showing Eric Edwards, a guy here in the states that uses telemetry with a neck mount on Merlins. He explains how he does it and has pictures showing him putting it on. It would be the same with a bell.

http://merlinfalconry.com/merlintelemetry.htm

Good luck,
Fred

[Palmer]

you should get him one of those little back packs

[Wilfred]

Here is a link showing Eric Edwards, a guy here in the states that uses telemetry with a neck mount on Merlins. He explains how he does it and has pictures showing him putting it on. It would be the same with a bell.

http://merlinfalconry.com/merlintelemetry.htm

Good luck,
Fred


Thank you a lot..great site! Interesting reads about merlin and AK a bit. And great site for ideas for equipment for smaller BOP.

[HawkMom]

I used the method on a tiercel goshawk years ago. The method I used was an elastic hair band looped through the bell. The neck bell needs to be quite short. The elastic will let the food pass through the crop. The bird tolerated it for a while, then got to trying to remove the bell with his foot. The band would then get in the beak, sort of like a horse's bit. Not very comfortable for the bird. Since he quit tolerating the bell, I removed it. I think this method would work for eyasses, introduce the neck bell while they are still young. Also, elastic cord works well too. The new softer 'not metal and painless' hair elastics look much more comfortable for the bird.

The neat thing about neck bells, is when the bird feeds the head moving up and down rings the bell. A great way to find birds on a kill prior to telemetry.

[SDMF_Reaps]

Rather than using a rubber band or pony tail holder I use a strip of 1/4" elastic that was made to be sewn in clothing. With this you can cut it to any length you need for the particular type of bird.

Now I was unable to find a picture of the stuff that I use but it looks similar to this, only white and as mentioned 1/4" wide.

http://www.ctsusa.com/_e/loc/product/ELASTIC-04K1W/zoom_img/ELASTIC-04K1B_1111712526.JPG


Edit:

Ok I decided to get off my lazy butt and take some pictures. These are of a transmitter I used on a Prairie Falcon. The elastic is worn and normally would have been slightly tight around my three fingers. That is supposed to be a quarter for a size reference.

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1399/dscn1207smallrj5.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8793/dscn1211smallnn0.jpg

[Sparrow Hawker]

Interesting views, I've noticed neck mounting seems more common place over in the States than it does here in the UK, does anyone find when neck mounting a transmitter that it gets in the way more so than leg mounting, especially if used on a bird that hits cover?

Cheers,

SH