Pleasure flying?

[Sarkee]

What exactly is pleasure flying in comparison to hunting? I'm asking because I am considering a CB and understand they are sometimes difficult to get hunting.

[Hawkmaster]

Mmm hard one like doing both.

Me not looking for quarry for my hawk? My hawk not looking, maybe a bit over hunting weight or just excerise?

[Darren]

having a stroll with the hawk a little overweight & he follows on...good way to exercise him.

[Gary Timbrell]

What's a CB?

Gary

[Hawkmaster]

CB = Common Buzzard

[Gary Timbrell]

Thankyou. I would have thought watching paint dry was more of a pleasure than keeping a common buzzard!

[Sarkee]

Are they really that bad?

[Finnish]

Are they really that bad?

Of course it is up to the individual but what i have seen of CB not for me :)

[Sarkee]

Thanks for the insight Finn. I might have to reconsider.

[Finnish]

What made you want to get a CB in the first place.????

[Sarkee]

I live in a small close with houses very nearby and I have heard horror stories of screaming HH but not CB, these seem to be the main choices for a newbie so I thought I'd go with the CB. I know it's down to training but I'm panicky about getting a bird and the neighbours petitioning my extradition because of screaming.

[Sarkee]

The bloke showing me the ropes has already given me a lecture on how not to get a screaming HH and that they are better birds for falconry than CB but it is still a concern for me, as a newbie I might mess up and create a screamer or maybe it will just be a rather vocal Harris by bad luck either way it could end my hobby rather abruptly.

I appreciate that a CB could be screamer aswell but I am trying to limit the odds.

[Chris S]

some birds are more vocal that others,you pays your money!!!
there are a lot of falconers with close neighbours.

[OutOnAWing]

i think that hawks in general are more vocal than alot of bop

[Hawkmaster]

I think you have more chance of NOT having a screaming HH than a CB that hunts well! There are you odds, they can be awesome, but also not for me.

Stick to the rules and you will not have a screaming HH, first thing make sure it is the correct age.

[Sarkee]

Thanks for the input everyone.

[Bubo]

well I am certainly thinking about a common buzzard for next year. I cant hunt with a hawk here because i need a special license and it would take me a long time to get to the flemish part of belgium to hunt. so to be fair on the bird i would like a cb for the pleasure of it's company and to see it fly.

[Hawkmaster]

Fair enough! Always beware they can become hunters at anytime!

[Bubo]

I understand that but i have heard that they are not as hot and fired up like a harris hawk. From what i have heard they are rather on the lazy side where hunting is concerned. But that is only what I have read. I am still on the reading up side of things. So if any of you experts know any different i would appreciate any info. But i do think they are lovely to look at.

[Debbie]

Well Gary Timbrell as for your comment about what was it watching paint dry :twisted: - well thats your opinion a nasty one :( but still your opinion. You and I will have to differ 100% on it though :wink:

I love CB's have done since childhood. The first HUNTING bird I ever met was a CB and she was an amazing huntress and at 7 years old I was spellbound. I had the honour to call her owner a friend for about 20yrs until he passed away.

Many of our forums membership own CB's and several hunt successfully with them and some do not.

Sarkee I hope a few will see this thread and help you understand the differences temprement and hunting ability of this very beautiful bird.

As HM and a few others have pointed out already if you follow simple guidlines there is no reason for your bird to scream.

If you are that worried about your neighbours it might be worth approaching them and asking how they would feel about you getting a bird. You may be surprised. Barking dogs and screaming children are much noisier as are many parrots.

A bloke 2 doors up keeps chickens in the summer when all the windows are open I love hearing them. But the lady a few doors the other way hates it but she has no problems with the airplanes that fly over our houses daily and make your insides shake - oh the joys of living in a flight path :roll:

Debbs x

[Shaun Byrne]

In my humble opinion, all flying is a pleasure!!

[ScarletFever]

Yes, I agree. When I did my falconary course, they gave me a tame and well trained CB to man while they gave the talks etc. It gave me such a buzz having any sort of BOP on my fist, I knew that this was the beginning for me. Okay, the hunting is not what you'd get with a harris, but then again, IMO, getting out and flying the bird, getting it to follow on can sometimes be rewarding enough.

Dan

[Ben C]

Harris hawks live in social groups and are sometimes vocal, why would you want to stop it? Unfortunately curbing this behaviour is more for the human than the hawk....I think Sarkee is being very sensible, and CB are absolutely fantastic hawks...its all about your priorities isn't it :D :D my Harris makes a hell of a racket when I am about. But I don't care, as soon as the jesses are off he is quiet...however I moved house to get it so I planned ahead, just in case.
The problems of a screaming harris are varied because of their brains methinks (read hollinshead 'a passion for harris hawks):D But in all fairness if you can't handle the screaming then its tough....birds make noises...hawks scream.....their voice will break and then everyones happy :D :D :D

[Brfalco]

Here where i live there aren´t CB, but i think that poliborus planctus and mivalgo chimachima is the same way of fly.
I´d like to know which kind of training we have to make with this kind of birds.

[Yorkshire Hawker]

Different people get pleasure from flying a bird even though the chances of catching anything are remote, a common buzzard can be difficult to enter yet will fly great lengths or even wait on above the falconers head, a kestrel can give the same amount of pleasure to any individual who just wants to exercise a bird to the lure seeing this little bird put all his effort into this will give his owner a great amount of pleasure.
A fit harris hawk or falcon playing in the wind can be viewed as pleasure flying its all down to the individual, have fun ??

[Dave Whitt]

Are they really that bad?

CB are great fun I had one when I was 11, I used to walk round our field with it following on (badly) then I wanted to start hunting and very quickley moved on to a HH.
My advice buy a HH from a good, well known breed pay the money for it and it will last you years as a beginner you would outgrow a CB quite quickley and ther is just as much chance of it screaming.

[GDN]

I think any time that you go out flying a BoP is pleasure flying. You have something on you glove that while is still captive bred or in some cases imprinted - it still thinks and acts like a wild bird in many ways. For example it will not show signs of injury or illness as they are signs of weaknesses.

I have been out flying my birds and it has hit me like sledge hammer - HOW LUCKY AM I. I have even run away as fast as i can from the bird (admittedly it was a HH) to see if it would follow on. No shouting. Nothing. Just wanted to see if it would. And it did. What a buzz. I have met people who would kill to be able to do what we do. How does it feel when you sit on the side of a hill or a dry stone dyke for example looking at the land you fly over and the HH you are flying (or any bird if you want) comes over lands next to you and stands there looking at what you are looking at (admittedly probally in a lot more detail than you are). I get a real buzz out of it. I sit and think i am part of a team with this technically wild bird. What can i say but RESPECT. To the bird that is.

It makes no difference as to what bird it is we fly we all get pleasure from flying them. Be it hunting or just flying. Hunting weight or not.

I suspect i haven't answered the original question but this may sound corny i spoke from the heart.

Given half a chance if a HH will follow on and come back to th glove for food it will hunt if it thinks it stands a good enopugh chance of catching somehting. Those guys are always hunting no matter what. The only difference is how easy is it to catch it.

That is maybe not the answer to the original question that was asked.