"Poppy" 1999 (start of 6th season) NEHH

[North East Harris Hawker]

since the death of my last harris "lisa" back in 1999 poppy has been the new bird in my life. I decided not to rush out and buy the first bird that came along, but instead to take some advice and spend money on good stock.

It took a long time to drive down from Stockton on Tees to Trowbridge in Wiltshire and even longer to drive down to St Just near Penzance/Land's End.

Looking back now, im glad I took the long time of looking into the aviary to choose the bird I wanted.
It was a toss up between two females, both of which were larger than the mother. Eventually after an hour the 2 youngsters paths crossed...
They both looked at each oher, one moved forward and trod on the others foot, a small push and the Alpha female was made known!


Poppy has turned out to be a dream bird with exceptional manners, she has been flown all over Wiltshire, Penrith, Hull, Nottingham and the North East and Yorkshire, She has been up to The Isle of Skye, near John 'o groats, Dumfies and Stirling.

The most memorable of which was probbably Stirling. I was working with the Army cadets in cultybraggen and poppy was flown as part of a lesson on hunting and trapping (even though she kept ******ing off after hares and pheasants on the other side of the perimeter fence) The kids loved her and even though it was years back whenever i work with them they all remember her name and ask about her. :)

After she killed the first male she was paired up with, another male was sourced from Penzance and after 3 yrs of "quality time" she produced 4 youngsters.

The young birds have all turned out great with beautifull barring right up the tails and inside of the wings. the effort was worth it. I did consider a second clutch but I miss flying poppy so "Max" my brothers male will have to wait until next year for his fun.

Poppy comes out to play this saturday (when the last youngster goes) or at least she will see me and the dog again for a little manning and weight reduction before she takes to the wind for me again :) 8)

[Saker-Clive]

Good luck Lee and hope you still enjoy the thrill of it all; as you can see I still up. I am still on a mega high from earlier this evening after taking Zarbu out.

Next time I come up to Darlington, I will le you know and maybe meet up for a beer or a fly even!

[North East Harris Hawker]

i went in and caught the youngsters up at 16 1/2 weeks to fit anklets, i caught poppy up too, she looked at me in disgust when i grabbed her legs as if to say "hey dont grab me, ill stand on my own!" she had her kit fitted without being blind folded, just sat there all chilled out! she flew onto the scales at 2lb 14 i think it was and even flew into her box!!
I recon it'll be easy getting her going this year :wink:

[Darren]

it shouldnt take you too long to get her hunting again

[Wightwings]

wicked Lee. look forward very much to your diary

[Sniper]

nice story NEHH, ever thought of writing for Mills and boon :D but i thought you only got opium from poppy's :wink:

[North East Harris Hawker]

the two young females went yesterday :cry: i must admit i was a bit sorry to see them go, one went to a falconer up in south shields and another chap turned up last night from sheffield to take the final female. poppy was caught up again and had her mews jess were fitted. she jumped onto the scales and weighed in at 3lb 1 oz and she was'nt fed yesterday! i took some photos with my **** camera and they'll be going on here

[North East Harris Hawker]

here she is

[North East Harris Hawker]

poppy

[Johnny]

Keep us informed on her training m8 she looks a powerfull bird .
All the best
Johnny

[Wightwings]

wow lee arn't you small :roll:

3lb 1oz :shock: crickey

[North East Harris Hawker]

heheh, thats my boy who has got hold of her(or is trying to hold her) :?
she is out in the garden in the sunshine today, shame about those photos being all over he shop? not sure why that has happened :?

[Hawkmaster]

There all fixed North, the picture were all to big, so I resized them to 600 wide. lol

[Ian Wileman]

Beautiful bird North, but dont you miss the baby colours. I think they are much more cute before their first moult, when they have their immature plumage.

[North East Harris Hawker]

she was handsome in her immature colours, very stripey she was, i only got one photo of the youngsters but hopefully i'll be seeing the chap who bought the largest female and then ill get a pic of her


thanks for the photo thing HM your a star!

[North East Harris Hawker]

poppys weight is coming down slowly, she is now spending most days on the bow perch in the back garden, had a nice walk out with jiff and his new bird sky yesterday. his bird soon got used to my dog cutting around. the birds made friendly noises to each other too.

[North East Harris Hawker]

got back from london last night expecting my bird to be ready today.... 2lb 6? not quite the weight i had planned for her
turns out the wife had been in there feeding her apparently
"its not kind leaving her hungry"
women!

[North East Harris Hawker]

picked her up this morn at 2lb 5oz, pants weather in the north though. after a fat boys breakfast with my brother and fitting popper girl with her tail bell/mount the weather had dried up a bit, a trip down to kirklevington was overdue! i loaded up the rover with dog/bird/boots/stick/flyingjacket.
followed my brother home and picked up his male max (who would be out for a manning session on the glove)
on arrival in the field poppy had a creance attached and came 5 metres immediately, one more flight at 10 metres and i was happy. She has had one manning session with jiff and no other training, nevertheless she was going free!
The jess were changed and the transmitter fitted, a jaunt around the wood saw the dog behaving well. The training throughout the summer was worth it, he is definately an improvement over the start of last season !
poppy stayed quite close by before spotting a pheasant and giving chase, unfortunately the quarry had a good start and the cover was thick.no joy. five minutes later stig put up a rabbit, poppy crashed into the cover, i heard the familiar squeal but on arrival the bunny had escaped, further on she crashed into cover again after another rabbit was flushed by the dog, he got away too! a trapse across another field and poppy smashed into a bush and a whole load of commotion later the pheasant gave her the slip. poppy was left on the floor with talons of feathers. gutted!
i gave her a titbit for her troubles and walked back over to the truck. a blow on the referee whistle and a full chick later she hopped back into her box. no kills but she is trying and i got her back, the dog did well and im happy. lets see how she does tomorrow :roll:

[North East Harris Hawker]

just back from a week in london, met up with ian wileman on saturday and went for a walk out on saturday. the weather was foggy with rain so i wasnt expecting too much, ian,myself and the two kids turned up at the farm and set the dog off about his business, im glad i spent some time with him over the summer and whilst he is a little on the dissobediant side he worked really well, a few pheasants and a few rabbits were located and duly put up. poppy's lack of fitness became apparent. all slips were missed but she was chasing at a scrape under 2lb 4oz. we walked around four miles and poppy was called in to the referees whistle. she grounded halfway across the last field. shattered. a minute later she arrived to the glove.soaking wet and out of breath. she had done well. i fed her about 3 oz of food and she was putaway to bed. ian popped round for a brew at our house and i dropped him off back at the in-laws in middlesbrough. ian is a funny lad with a great sense of humour. i hope to get out with him again.

[North East Harris Hawker]

sunday morning started well with a nice bright morning, poppy was loaded up along with the dog for another fitness session over the local industrial estate. stig was soon into the gorse having a good rummage around whilst poppy flew from rooftop to rooftop following him an watching whatever moved. it wasnt long before stig came on point. poppy showed interest in the area ahead of the dog. i flushed, poppy chased, the dog dropped. bugs dived out of the bushes and attempted to cross the path into the next patch of foilage. to slow! poppys first prize of the day and of the season had been claimed!
the bunny was carefully removed and poppy was flown for another 3 miles where she had a few more chases before the rabbit was thrown out for her to kill "again" this time she was allowed to feed up ending the day on a high.

[North East Harris Hawker]

first bunny

[Darren]

1st kill ov the season..it should only get better....you meet Ian then, he is a brill lad & very passionate about the birds.

[North East Harris Hawker]

yes it was a good walk out on the saturday, shame poppy never put anything in the bag whilst he was watching, but hey, you cant have it all! ian is a great lad and i look forward to going out again with him :D

[Wightwings]

good weekend had by all then well done mate :D 8)

[Kornie]

Congrats North how much did that one weigh?

[North East Harris Hawker]

nice one mate big slap on the back for you there ..lol



Andy........
thats right mate, i dunno what im doing but slap me on the back anyway :wink:
pmsl :lol:

[Ian Wileman]

Hi North, will not put too much and spoil your diary with my waffle.....just like to say thanks to you and your family for putting up with a cheeky little scouser. Will be in touch for another trip out when next up at the outlaws. Cheers again, Ian.

P.S. Well done that bird! She was obviously holding back Saturday...did you make her do that! lol.

[North East Harris Hawker]

i think she held back when she heard your accent, she probbably thought that if she caught anything that you might steal it off her!
look forward to seeing you again mate
lee

[North East Harris Hawker]

went out this saturday with my brother in a local wood to see how his bird would perform around my dog, it was drizzly and the birds were not really interested, had a chase on a squirrel but it got away

[North East Harris Hawker]

jonathan my brother and his bird max

[North East Harris Hawker]

stig having a swim

[North East Harris Hawker]

poppys second kill, waterhen caught today

[Kornie]

North have you ever seen a bird take a plunge much like stig here???? Nice pics, nice kill BAD HAT!!!! Get a cowboy one, you ain't cool less you got one. :)

Is there a story behind this moorhen?

[Kornie]

shoot waterhen i mean. (sry)

[North East Harris Hawker]

North have you ever seen a bird take a plunge much like stig here???? Nice pics, nice kill BAD HAT!!!! Get a cowboy one, you ain't cool less you got one. :)

Is there a story behind this moorhen?
heheh i have got me a proper indiana jones hat, will get a pic of me in it :wink:

[Darren]

dont tell me you gave one ov Kornie's village people hats as well

[Shaun Byrne]

Is it just me or is your Bro the spit of Kevin Webster of Corro?
Ask him if he'll service my truck lol!!!

[North East Harris Hawker]

heheh he does look a bit like him, now you come to mention it, unfortunaltely my kid bruv isnt to clever with a spanner :x

[Gaz]

Y..MCA,ITS FUN TOSTAY AT THE Y...MCA.A :mrgreen:

[North East Harris Hawker]

ahem! been out again with my brother this morning, poppy nailed a waterhen as soon as we got out so that was promptly removed before getting on with some more flying, she walloped a rabit in thick cover and unfortunately lost it, jonathans bird max decided he was going for a swim when poppy flew off in the direction of the dog, before i knew it 5 pheasants took to the air and poppy nailed one of them back down! a great morning out :D

[North East Harris Hawker]

me with my kills

[North East Harris Hawker]

got aout about four times last week with poppy, stig has worked really well but is becoming a little bit more disobediant which means that the stick will be coming out with me next week, im not messing around dragging the dog back to the spot where he was dropped for him to ignore me on the next command. short sharp shock time, im sure he only plays up when i dont have the stick with me! very clever!
anyways poppy caught more waterhens (boring i know) but ended the week with a nice grey squirrel which was caught out of my view! typical! fortunately my brother witnessed it and said that poppy was chasing the squirrel through the tree before she finally nailed it. i was quick on the scene to despatch and poppy sustained no bite injuries. happy days. i took some photos which i'll post when i get time 8)

[North East Harris Hawker]

heres that squirrel! :twisted:

[North East Harris Hawker]

went out tuesday with jiff over near catterick, my bird was a bit on the heavy side for the time of year (over 2lb7) and was not quite as obediant as i would have liked, the ferreting didnt go quite to plan so i wandered off with dog and bird to leave jiff to his ferreting, stig put a rabbit up not far away and poppy took the slip, the bunny made its cover and escaped. not much further on poppy took to the air and flew off over three fields before diving into a bush, after a run she was seen peering into a bush whereupon the pheasant flushed, off over the river it went with poppy in persuit, i got the referees whistle out but it was to late. the phasant was caught.

after a wade over the river and a good soaking i retrieved my bird(s)from a ditch, the pheasant was drowned and poppy was soaked. i made my way back over to jiff who's bird sky had caught a rabbit, paul who was doing the ferreting put a few rabbits in the bag too and we called it a day. poppy got a good feed up and was put away for a few days to rest. photos to come.

[North East Harris Hawker]

large gap from the last entry so apologies, was out again a couple of days back poppy round 2lb 6, this time she nailed a cock pheasant and had a grapple with a squirrel (which escaped) a nice day out spoilt by the drive to london straight afterwards

[Bubo]

that is one mean looking birdie !! nice piccy

[Shaun Byrne]

Not getting out much mate! Works a bummer!!

[North East Harris Hawker]

nice little jaunt out today for just three quarters of an hour, one water hen and a rat

[North East Harris Hawker]

had a walk out with my son and his mate today, poppy did really well. she missed on rabbit because of dense cover but flew over a stream to nail a nice doe rabbit shortly afterwards

[North East Harris Hawker]

another trip over to kirklevington with a friend of myine from trowbridge saw his gos nail a nice fully grown rabbit and poppy take a youngster, the gos was put away as he has has a slow start and poppy continued about her business for over an hour. there were some good chases near the railway line with poppy smashing intot he cover after pheasants/rats and rabbits, no more kills though, its just one of those things!