Flights without kills

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

having read the article on hawking larks with merlins right thru the winter in the 2007 bfc falconers journal, it got me thinking.

it was wrote that the falcon was fed up on the lure if she put a good effort in and produced a good ringing flight, followed by a stoop and putting the lark into cover, the falcon wa then rewared with a well garnished lure as soon as and as close to the put in as possible. in doing theis the falcon realises it will be well rewarded for its efforts even if it does not kill.
if the falcon checks off or makes no effort, she is not given a good feed up.

could this also be applied to other birds, such as corvids, if the falcon puts in the effort and rings up a flock of rooks or jackdaws, and chases them all opver the place and is then rewarded for good efforts, would it continue to chase? sort of flying at quarry for "fun" rather than a kill.

ive heard of deterent birds on landfill doing this with starlings and corvids, chasing and stooping them for fun but no effort to make contact and kill is made, its all in fun for the falcon.

[MattSpar]

I haven't read the article, since I'm not a member but one thing leaps out at me right away.

How the hell can a merlin not be fed up if flying in winter?

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

never thought about that one, im gessing it would be a case of if the falcon refused slips, she would be fed later, and not gorged. but if she killed or put a lark into cover following a ringing flight she was gorged there and then, giving her the association of chasing a lark up and then down again = big meal

[Alf]

I have always taken it upon myself to reward a hawk well when the hawk does something you feel is right.
I have seen me feed up a spar after it has span back round to the fist after an unsuccessful flight on the second flight of the day.
Hawks soon learn why they are being rewarded. Alf. .

[MattSpar]

never thought about that one, im gessing it would be a case of if the falcon refused slips, she would be fed later, and not gorged. but if she killed or put a lark into cover following a ringing flight she was gorged there and then, giving her the association of chasing a lark up and then down again = big meal

Hmmm... it doesn't add up does it?

For one thing, moulted September larks don't go up, then down. They just go up, and up, and up............., and up. That's why merlins stop flying them. Quite simply, they can no longer catch them, and they realise this perfectly well. It's the ones that go up, then down again earlier in the season that get caught every so often, in which case there's no earthly point in rewarding them with the lure.

I've done, and still do, a lot of lark hawking and one thing I can tell you is that one day in September, you go out, having had good fun the day before, and your merlin, however good, will suddenly give up on every lark that gets up, and right there and then, you know the season is over for that year. They just know when it's no longer any use chasing larks. They're very quick to learn what they can, and can't catch and I can assure you that once they learn the larks are too good for them, they stop trying. It's that simple.

As I say, I've not read the piece in question, but anyone who has seen real ringing flights (which are not common), flown by a merlin at the top of her form would, or should, be very disappointed by anything less.

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

yhe article said they once the larks ahve finnished moulting in september, the merlins stopp chasing but after a few hard frosts, the larks are a bit easier for the the merlin, and then they will start to achive rining flights again in november. the author did state that he got many rining flights that went "to the gates of heaven" so high they were bearly visable thru binoculars, followed by spectacular stoops, ending in a kill or a put in, upon whicg the falcon is gorged for the day

[Wingless]

I'm not a member of the BFC either, who was the article by?

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

wrote by Con Taylor and Grant Haggar

[Wingless]

but anyone who has seen real ringing flights (which are not common), flown by a merlin at the top of her form would, or should, be very disappointed by anything less.

I would say that, having only met the two guys mentioned below a couple of times, but had the opportunity to go out with another serious lark hawking friend of theirs for a couple of seasons, that they too will not accept anything less than the most spectacular ringing flight. They're current thoughts are also mentioned in the latest reprint of a merlin for me. Infact i'd go as far as saying the obsession they have for achieving such a flight with a merlin on a lark results in there immediate and uncontrollable need to sleep when watching any other bird fly (yawn) ;) It's a shame they are not on here to speak for themselves, i think you'd get on pretty well with them matt :D .

wrote by Con Taylor and Grant Haggar

[MattSpar]

....he got many rining flights that went "to the gates of heaven".....

I like that.