To Kite or Not to Kite?

[Hawkmaster]

Just want to get a general idea of world wide kite usage?

[Ian Wileman]

Can't affors it! Birds will have to learn to fly to high altitude like their wild cousins until prices are realistic. I could not justify the kind of money asked. My missus, dad, mum, sisters and brothers (and dogs, next door neighbours etc - I am sure you get the picture), would all be mortified if I spent money like that on a small piece of cloth and two sticks! And before anyone replies...I understand the technical design spec, and work that goes into it, all of the above would still see two sticks and a bit of material. Dp you know, you couldget a weeks hawking on game for about hte same price as one of the more expensive kites...ask your bird what would it prefer, two sticks and a bit of material, or a week chasing game.

[Hawkmaster]

Ian good point and this is another example of why this site can be such a good thing, because here we can share ideas, designs and help easch other out.

You can make your own for not much, would you like to give it a go?

PS WELCOME and what do you fly?

[Ian Wileman]

I would love to try making one if I could get the pattern for it. I make everything for my birds that I can. Jesses, bewits, anklets, leashes, carry box (designed to fit into the boot of a mini cooper! Perfect fit! I am even making a new mews as I type (or rather I was until I had dinner - I'm a mess right now). I will post some pictures of it when finished if you like.
I currently fly only harris hawk (I say only, I actually think they are awsome - and I am a school teacher - my kids think Oak is awsome too). Between me and my friend we have four Harris. We have just put deposits on two Sakrets (picking them up after our holidays in August) hence the mews building so a kite making session could prove useful.
I also fly fish and build my own custom rods, flies etc. Oh yes, I also photograph and draw wildlife and dogs. I could post some of my work as well if you like.
Anyway, thats me in a paragraph!
cheers.

[Kornie]

ian where did you get oak from, id really like to know

[Kornie]

unanimous.....again... hawkmaster haha :lol:

[Hawkmaster]

As soon as we can upload pdf files I will post it here!

[Ian Wileman]

Hi Kornie, got Oak from Scotland.

[Ian Wileman]

By the way Kornie, why would you 'really like to know' where I got Oak from?

[Kornie]

Coz I OWN HIS SISTER!!!! I take it you got it from Ronnie O Farrell or Helen .C

[Hawkmaster]

Ian, I am keen to see some of these drawings.

[Ian Wileman]

Hi Kornie. How can you be sure?
What pictures? Artwork or photos? Artwork at moment...Barn owl (unfinished), Bengal Eagle owl (unfinished)..both need landing/perching areas...dogs (mainly terriers), primates (chimp is my favourite), wren, tigers, etc, etc, many of these are drawn in the after school art club I run. The two owls are unfinshed as I am trying to find the right finish. The barn owl has taken 17 hours so far, dont want to spoil it by having it fly to the wrong perch...might post the picture for ideas from you lot. Photos are of the animals/birds that I then draw. Unless you mean the photo of my new mews or the mini?

[Ian Wileman]

By the way Kornie, what sub species of harris is yours?

[Kornie]

Well I know the harris went down manchester/liverpool way and he is the same age as mine, I know that he was to be named Oak. I think that pretty much clears it up. Sub species I didnt know there were any.

[Ian Wileman]

hi Kornie. there are three sub species of Harris. Parabuteo unicinctus unicinctus, Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi and Parabuteo unicinctus superior. P.u.superior is the largest of the three, P.u.unicinctus is the smallest, and P.u.Harrisi has predominantly dark feathers on the chest. Females are a third larger than males so if my Oak flies at 1lb 7oz and you have his sister, she probably flies at about 1lb 15oz - 2lb 1oz? I think anyway.
Anyone else out there take a guess at what subspecies Oak is flying at 1lb 7oz? I know he could be a mix of two of the three, or even all three subspecies, but the person I bought him from said he was P.u.superior. I have seen smaller males, a freind has one flying at 1lb 3oz and he thinks his is P.u.unicinctus.

[North East Harris Hawker]

There are three subspecies of Harrises: Parabuteo unicinctus unicinctus, Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi, and Parabuteo unicinctus superiour. Parabuteo unicinctus unicinctus is the smallest, and Parabuteo unicinctus superiour is the largest of the three. Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi is sometimes known as the Bay-winged hawk.

not that this is a lot of help as most breeders have mixed up stock

superior normally have horizontal bars running up the inside of the tail feathers and can be seen best in the birds first year plumage, whereas peruvian stock has small spots or "speckles" a combination of both indicates parents of mixed stock

[Ian Wileman]

Cheers North, what about weight? I am getting another harris at the end of september from someone in Oldham who has original imported wild stock (with paper work to prove it). Both parent birds are P.u.superior. The females out of the nest are over 3lb in weight....I think more like P.u.holyshitia

[North East Harris Hawker]

generally males range from 1lb 2 oz-1lb 12oz
and females 1lb 14oz-2lb 8oz HUNTING WEIGHTS

fat weights of youngsters are one thing, flying weights are another thing and hunting weights are what it all boils down to
a bird flying at 2lb 1oz is fine but if it wont hunt until it 1lb 14oz, its only a little bird

there are also those who buy the runts and breed from them so you may find males under 1lb 2 oz and females under 1lb 14oz

my hen bird "poppy" has chased and killed a rabbit at 2lb 8 1/2 oz but it was in very cold weather near the end of the season.
Typically though she goes between 2lb 4 and 2lb 7 :)
any lower than this and she is chasing sparrows :shock: too low me thinks :roll:

[Ian Wileman]

What do you recon a bird at fat weight over three pounds is likely to fly at? By the way, is there a theme to your names? Mine inc. dogs are amber, hazel, oak, sage, willow. I wanted to change Michelles name to twiggy to go with this but she told me to "f$ck off and grow up, and stop taking the **** you daft scouse sh&thead." I mean, any need for that? She is from your side of the country. Do you swear a lot like her? Potty mouth is what I say, get out the soap!

[North East Harris Hawker]

poppy comes out of the moult about 3lb 2 so you should be getting something of similar size,
the name thing is cos i dont like zena,xena,zara,tara,lara etc, girls should have girly names but i find it kinda funny when its on the softer side. this years youngsters will be named on their cert of captive breeding. nicely.
regarding the swearing thing, its not really my cup of tea, where is your woman from?

[Ian Wileman]

Middlesborough? Is that how it is spelt? I cant ask her, she will hit me! How do I post a picture (artwork actually). If you let me know I will log off this computer and go upstairs to the desk top and post one or two of my pics in a new thread, and you tell me what you think.

[Kornie]

Ian If that is so, my bird is almost definately Harrasi. Who did you get your bird off of? I heard that the Harris Sub-species are a myth. Anyone care to comment. :D who is the breeder on oaks certificate???? And Who actualy gave you the bird?????

[North East Harris Hawker]

its spelt middlesbrough, what part is she from?
click reply, under the box click on attachments and browse for your picture (i always put pics in my documents to make it easy)
if you get denied because of the picture size, edit, click image it and alter the skew / stretch down to 50% then file,save as, "abc.jpg" for example
try to post it again and it should go on
:wink: lee

[Ian Wileman]

ONe of my favourites. This took me about 22 hours to complete.

[Ian Wileman]

There are others, just takes ages to sort out file sizes. If you want to see more I will post another tommorow.

[Hawkmaster]

Yip pop up some more, great to see! Do you have Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop?

[Ian Wileman]

I have paint shop pro and adobe photoshop CS, but I did not use either for this or any other pieces of artwork. The wren is hand drawn on cartridge paper with graphite pencils (9h - 9b). I also draw with pastels and occasionally with coloured pencils. On average it takes about twenty hours to complete a picture, but some, like the barn owl or into their nine and tenth months. This is because although the bird is finished, I am finding it difficult (despite much walking and photography) to find the background for the picture. I will post something else tommorow.

[Kornie]

Ian, is a secret who you got your bird from?!!! PLease I need to know.

[Ian Wileman]

I got Oak from a woman called Helen. Why such interest Kornie? I have two Border terriers at home, I could not care less who has their sisters or brothers. By the way, they got four rabbits out walking last night - ALL had mixy. Anyone else got it around your area? We are riddled with it at the moment!!

[Ian Wileman]

By the way HM I have posted another picture in the non falconry posts under 'more artwork' I think.

[Kornie]

Nope, no mixy round here. I just had a hunch thats all, and you wouldn't tell me wether it was a right hunch. It is definate then Oak is Trinitys sister. Thats all I wanted to know. Cheers Ian :D

[Ian Wileman]

How well do you know Helen?

[Kornie]

she is running the Borders falconry fair, I know her very well.

[Hawkmaster]

Hi there Ian, I was just going to suggest using the art progs to resize your picture for posting. Let us know if you want to know how.

I will checkout the piccies, CHEERS!

[Kornie]

Got my kite today. Never flown onw before worked really well, Easily hold up the rabbit lure. I think its going to work really well. Trying it tommorow ill let you all know.

[North East Harris Hawker]

Got my kite today. Never flown onw before worked really well, Easily hold up the rabbit lure. I think its going to work really well. Trying it tommorow ill let you all know.
what bird are you using the kite with kornie?

[Hawkmaster]

Do you make your own kites?