Hacker
06-03-2008, 10:14 PM
On Monday i was covering at didcot landfill.
Weather was cold with very strong winds.
I had with me "Memphis" my 2007 tiercel gyrxpere flying at 1lb 8.5ozs.
As the day progressed the winds grew stronger so i had decided not to fly him as he was a hunting bird.
Unfortunatly into the afternoon the gulls decided to cane the landfill taking no notice of secondary deterrents so i had to put him up.
went to fit him with telemetry but could not find my new 3v battery so had to fit a shorter range transmitter as i had new batteries for this one.
i cast him off and he gained height as the guls quickly dispersed downwind.
He carried on gaining height as the gulls did like wise but he started to pull up above them before singling out a black backed and then put in a series of stoops.
The flight was awsome as both he and the gull gained height, whilst still trying to avoid him whilst he tried to connect with the gull.
Unfortunatly with the high winds they were drifting off a very long way and soon were specking out whilst still dogfighting each other.
I then lost sight and started to track him in the car but soon lost the signal as they outflew the range of the transmitter.
I then spent the next 5 hours driving around in ever increasing circles to try to locate him with no sucess.
Went home and tried next day but still no signal.
On wednesday i had to go to Bicester to look at a job north of the site so travelled with roof antenna but no signal.
i then went west over to witney to a site but still could not pick him up.
Starting to feel a bit peeved at this point as this bird was turning out to be a good un, with drake mallard,partridge and potentially pheasant on his scorecard.
on my way back from Witney i had decided to call into the notorious falcon collector in the area to see if he was flying him in displays:lol:
Just before i got there i recieved a call from the IBR to say that the RSPCA had found my bird, had to be as thay said it was a Saker with Flourescent orange jesses on.
It was in Abingdon at a garden centre sat on a telegraph pole.
The guy from the RSPCA had a harris so had kept it around by flashing a doc at it, so quick lure and down he came.
Well fat after two nights out in really cold weather and feather damage on one wing with two broken primaries and two others with chunks out of.
Can only presume he caught his gull and it had put up a fight but being well fed he had eaten something, maybe the gull, who knows.
Just like to say a thanks to the IBR for being there when we need them and the RSPCA for having a guy on the ground that knows his onions.:supz:
Weather was cold with very strong winds.
I had with me "Memphis" my 2007 tiercel gyrxpere flying at 1lb 8.5ozs.
As the day progressed the winds grew stronger so i had decided not to fly him as he was a hunting bird.
Unfortunatly into the afternoon the gulls decided to cane the landfill taking no notice of secondary deterrents so i had to put him up.
went to fit him with telemetry but could not find my new 3v battery so had to fit a shorter range transmitter as i had new batteries for this one.
i cast him off and he gained height as the guls quickly dispersed downwind.
He carried on gaining height as the gulls did like wise but he started to pull up above them before singling out a black backed and then put in a series of stoops.
The flight was awsome as both he and the gull gained height, whilst still trying to avoid him whilst he tried to connect with the gull.
Unfortunatly with the high winds they were drifting off a very long way and soon were specking out whilst still dogfighting each other.
I then lost sight and started to track him in the car but soon lost the signal as they outflew the range of the transmitter.
I then spent the next 5 hours driving around in ever increasing circles to try to locate him with no sucess.
Went home and tried next day but still no signal.
On wednesday i had to go to Bicester to look at a job north of the site so travelled with roof antenna but no signal.
i then went west over to witney to a site but still could not pick him up.
Starting to feel a bit peeved at this point as this bird was turning out to be a good un, with drake mallard,partridge and potentially pheasant on his scorecard.
on my way back from Witney i had decided to call into the notorious falcon collector in the area to see if he was flying him in displays:lol:
Just before i got there i recieved a call from the IBR to say that the RSPCA had found my bird, had to be as thay said it was a Saker with Flourescent orange jesses on.
It was in Abingdon at a garden centre sat on a telegraph pole.
The guy from the RSPCA had a harris so had kept it around by flashing a doc at it, so quick lure and down he came.
Well fat after two nights out in really cold weather and feather damage on one wing with two broken primaries and two others with chunks out of.
Can only presume he caught his gull and it had put up a fight but being well fed he had eaten something, maybe the gull, who knows.
Just like to say a thanks to the IBR for being there when we need them and the RSPCA for having a guy on the ground that knows his onions.:supz: