Going well!

[BeebosMum]

Morning all.

Just to let you know, things are going well with my EEO, Beebo got his gear on last Thursday with a minimum of trauma - both to him and me!

I was very surprised - thought it was goingto be much more eventful, we had a fair bit of sqawking and protest but the falconer wasnt taking any nonsense - not from that little rascal!

So we've been going out, Im getting a few jumps to the glove every night and we are getting to about half a metre now. Had a bit of trouble last night as it was just little too windy for him. But a HUGE plus point was - we were away out walking down the fields and we met the local farmer, he'd already said I could use the field behind the house to fly him Beebo in but last night he said I could walk/hunt his land which goes on for miles behind where we live - lovely big open fields with a fair amount of woodland!! Pheasant, rabbits etc by the bucket load!! I was so pleased as Id read in various books how difficult it can be to get land to fly birds over - and Ive got loads!!

Bodes well as Im thinking about a harris hawk next year or the year after that, depending on how much experience I can get helping out at the centre where i did my course.

[The New Kid]

hope it all keeps going smoothly :D hope im as lucky as that when i get a bird! :P

Greg

[Mary Quite Contrary]

good luck

[Albie]

When Beebo catches his first rabbit I hope he leaves you enough for a sandwich lol.
Good luck with him and good flying!
Albie.. :wink:

[GDN]

Be careful taking his first rabbit off him. He won't be up for sharing.

[BeebosMum]

Thanks folks.

We've been rehearsing the "Now, give that to mum" thing. Junior has been getting a bit bossy with toys, so the minute the twittering and screeching starts I just brass it out and take whatever it is he (or she- jury is still out on that one) has away. Im not taking any nonsense from Beebo, love him to bits but I do understand he isnt like a cat or dog - different ballgame entirely.

By the way - not that Im bragging or anything but that was about 4 metres on the creance outside last night, ok I think for an EEO after only a week or so ( he is only 13 weeks) isnt too bad! Please feel free to correct me if Im wrong!

[Tanith]

Hi Beebos mum. Sounds like you are doing just great.

Keep us posted with his progress.

[Osiris]

Nice one BeebosMum - looks like he's coming on nicely!! :D Any pics yet?

[BeebosMum]

Nice one BeebosMum - looks like he's coming on nicely!! :D Any pics yet?

Thanks - yes but no decent PC to be able to scan them in so I can create a gallery on here for him.

Im really chuffed with the way he is coming on - I think a lot of it is due to the training I got from the falconer who is doing my course (I still have 1 day left) I was lucky to get someone who really knows his stuff and is good at passing it on! Had to be someone with a long fuse and lot of patience.......!

[Bubo]

Thanks folks.

We've been rehearsing the "Now, give that to mum" thing.
!

If i remember you are quite new to owling. I appreciate the fact you have taken a course but i'm afraid rehearsing is not going to get you far. just look how your owl will react if you take it's food away! Owls are extremely protective of the quarry they catch and it shows in the hunting games and toys i have used around my own owl and owls i have helped to raise. even a barn owl is pretty gruesome if he thinks he is going to be robbed.

Even though getting an eagle owl to hunt is not impossible taking the quarry is a totally different ball game and you could end up seriously hurt if you have no experience.

I would suggest knocking the idea on the head until you have a lot more experience with your owl and have a little more hunting skills behind you too. it is not just a case of owl kills bunnies and you pick it up. also never underestimate their weapons!! it may think highly of you because you imprinted him/her but nothing counts when they are protecting their catch!!

[BeebosMum]

Thanks folks.

We've been rehearsing the "Now, give that to mum" thing.
!

If i remember you are quite new to owling. I appreciate the fact you have taken a course but i'm afraid rehearsing is not going to get you far. just look how your owl will react if you take it's food away! Owls are extremely protective of the quarry they catch and it shows in the hunting games and toys i have used around my own owl and owls i have helped to raise. even a barn owl is pretty gruesome if he thinks he is going to be robbed.

Even though getting an eagle owl to hunt is not impossible taking the quarry is a totally different ball game and you could end up seriously hurt if you have no experience.

I would suggest knocking the idea on the head until you have a lot more experience with your owl and have a little more hunting skills behind you too. it is not just a case of owl kills bunnies and you pick it up. also never underestimate their weapons!! it may think highly of you because you imprinted him/her but nothing counts when they are protecting their catch!!


Thanks for the advice Bubo, yes I am very new at this and of course appreciate any help I can pick up as a newbie. I am taking it seriously and understand its going to be a different thing taking food away. I only used the toy thing as an example - I wanted to illustrate that I dont take any nonsense from him and also from his point of view that he cant have his own way all the time. They may not be too bright sometimes but they as you know are capable of learning that if they find something they can get away with once - its worth trying it again.

[IAmTheWeasel]

Well, I would invest in a tetnus shot fairly quick if you plan on trying to pull food away from an EEO as they can and will try to take it back in a not so friendly manner. You need to "fool them out of the food and this takes alot of practice as many experienced falconers still make mistakes with the technique now and then. You simply can't just pull it away from them as they will only get worse as time goes on and you will end up in alot of pain if it decides to fight back.You will need to learn how to do a transfer as this at least fools the bird into beleiving that it still has the food even if it's only a small portion. And remember, a EEO can fly with a rabbit in it's grasp.

[Renton]

Even though getting an eagle owl to hunt is not impossible taking the quarry is a totally different ball game and you could end up seriously hurt if you have no experience.

Unfortunately, only too true! They are very powerful birds and as Weasel says more than capable of reclaiming their kill if they think they are being robbed. An amiable easy-going imprint, like my EEO, will be a completely different bird when at hunting weight and defending a kill.

Be very careful :!: :!: :!:

[BeebosMum]

Ah well, sounds like Ive got my work cut out for me!

Im up to date with my tetanus shots so thats ok!! No seriously, Im going to see how it goes - Ive no particular wish to end up minus fingers or eyes. Im quite happy to be flying my owl and enjoying doing it but if he manages to catch something while we are out and about I will be being very very careful about how I tackle him. I will be consulting the falconer before I do anything with him like that. Mobile phones are very useful things and currently I take mine out with me any time I go incase of any mishaps - Ive been told I can phone for help any time (within reason obviously - unless its an absolute emergency). Havent done it yet.

Last night was a bit of a duffer, we went out for a walk, then tried some flying when we got back, little terror sat there on his post and ignored me completely. I think I fed him too much the night before so he wasnt interested at all. So it was very light rations last night - despite the tantrums, he wasnt a happy little owl this morning - I got a lot of abuse from him, but I bet I will get a his attention tonight! If I hadnt been in a hurry to get to work I might've taken him out this morning - but I dont want to disrupt his routine, it suits me better to fly him early evening.

[Bubo]

Beebo's Mum:

Having read your post re your young eagle owl, i am some what bewildered why you actually fly birds at all?

From your posts you have no obviouse comprehension of why or what you are doing, more worrying still is your approach to your task??

You are creating a monster with your attempts at what you imagine is Falconry, and the correct imprinting of your Owl.
Stealing from your young bird as you are, you are going to get a real shock in a month or two when your bird develops it's mature size and power

My concerns are not for you, as you obviously deserve everything you get for not fully preparing yourself or your bird, but for others around your bird, esp children.

You are preparing your young bird for doing all the wrong things which will lead to mantling and Broken feathers, outward aggression to any human and ultimatley a very nasty accident!

The means and manner by which you are going about training will set your bird up to be one very, very aggresive bird indeed which i would imagine will become useless to fly and therefore be sentenced to a life of captive misery.

Some folk i see have offered you very sensible advise, which you just seem obliviouse too? and are carrying on in your own sweet way?
This is def not going to be a case of Ignorance is Bliss

I suggest that you start to listen to some folk quickly before it's too late?
You obviously have your birds best interest at heart, but you are not experienced enough or qualified with the job you have taken on.

Please, please, please.... if you care about your bird, get some advise and more importantly, listen

bubo

[BeebosMum]

Beebo's Mum:

Having read your post re your young eagle owl, i am some what bewildered why you actually fly birds at all?

From your posts you have no obviouse comprehension of why or what you are doing, more worrying still is your approach to your task??

You are creating a monster with your attempts at what you imagine is Falconry, and the correct imprinting of your Owl.
Stealing from your young bird as you are, you are going to get a real shock in a month or two when your bird develops it's mature size and power

My concerns are not for you, as you obviously deserve everything you get for not fully preparing yourself or your bird, but for others around your bird, esp children.

You are preparing your young bird for doing all the wrong things which will lead to mantling and Broken feathers, outward aggression to any human and ultimatley a very nasty accident!

The means and manner by which you are going about training will set your bird up to be one very, very aggresive bird indeed which i would imagine will become useless to fly and therefore be sentenced to a life of captive misery.

Some folk i see have offered you very sensible advise, which you just seem obliviouse too? and are carrying on in your own sweet way?
This is def not going to be a case of Ignorance is Bliss

I suggest that you start to listen to some folk quickly before it's too late?
You obviously have your birds best interest at heart, but you are not experienced enough or qualified with the job you have taken on.

Please, please, please.... if you care about your bird, get some advise and more importantly, listen

bubo

Hi Bubo,

Im sorry - but I suspect you may have picked me up the wrong way. Thats ok - these things happen on forums sometimes. Im not "stealing" from him. I havent taken any food away from him and Im very happy to take advice. Light rations meant 4-5 chicks not the entire large rat he had the night before. When I said he was giving me abuse I mean he was a little more vocal than usual because he is not a noisy bird and we dont normally hear a great deal from him - I didnt mean that he was atttacking me - nothing like that at all Beebo is a very affectionate and pleasant tempered little fellow - but as with any young animal he simply wants to see what he can get away with. Our neighbours children enjoy being around him and he displays no fear or aggression to either them or me, I am firm with him but thats in order to avoid any problems at the mature stage which you mention.

The two comments at the beginning of my last post about tetanus shots and "having my work cut out for me" were intended purely as humor and not meant to be taken seriously, I do take on board the advice offered by the obviously experienced, considerate and helpful members Ive been fortunate enough to see on this forum, I also consult the falconer before I do anything new with Beebo. Thus far - having seen Beebo in person and his general demeanor and behaviour he has no concerns about his welfare or developement.

Thanks again.

Regards
Beebosmum.

[UKJay's Nursey]

Sam our EEO is a pleasant natured bird, will happily hop over for a tickle, sit with you and is an all round good tempered bird, and knows who is boss (not her)but try going to take her dinner off her and its a whole new ball game, which i wouldnt want to play, saying that jay can fool her and swap food over which i wont even try :oops: even taking toys away is like stealing to them unless you are prepared to offer something else in return.

i hope training goes well for you :D

[BeebosMum]

Sam our EEO is a pleasant natured bird, will happily hop over for a tickle, sit with you and is an all round good tempered bird, and knows who is boss (not her)but try going to take her dinner off her and its a whole new ball game, which i wouldnt want to play, saying that jay can fool her and swap food over which i wont even try :oops: even taking toys away is like stealing to them unless you are prepared to offer something else in return.

i hope training goes well for you :D

Hi - it is - we had a great night last night, he was really having a good time flying to the glove, I could hardly get time to get to the end (well 6-7 metres so far) with the food before he was thinking about flying to me , he also had his first try in his aviary - the mews section isnt quite complete so he was out for a few hours in there watching us out in the garden and watching the birds etc then I brought him in. He wasnt stressed at all about being out there and seemed to quite enjoy it. He even had a paddle in his bath - which he really enjoys. Mind you once I brought him in he was sitting on the rug infront of the fire preening and drying himself off.