Marsh Harrier

[Jarreth]

Hi
I am flying a female Marsh Harrier, has anyone flown one before, if so it would be great to have your input, she is going well, not quite quartering yet but getting there.

[Ramka]

Hi Jarreth,
My sponsor fly female this year. Unfortunatly, she fly off in september. She soar very easy and highly.
Sorry for my English..

[Tr1gger]

Hi
I am flying a female Marsh Harrier, has anyone flown one before, if so it would be great to have your input, she is going well, not quite quartering yet but getting there.

Got any pics m8

[Jarreth]

Not yet. but I will get somone to come and take some next week, I am abit **** with a camera. And I will post them. She is a lovely looking bird.

[Jarreth]

Hi Jarreth,
My sponsor fly female this year. Unfortunatly, she fly off in September. She soar very easy and highly.
Sorry for my English..

Thank you for replying I don't mind what your English is like I am just pleased to have found someone who has had experience of them flying.

How long did he fly it for? And how did he fly it to lure or glove? What was it's basic character? Did he hunt with it?

Sorry I have so many questions!

[Ramka]

Jarreth, feel free to ask me.. :)
She was a full imprint, taken from nest at week age or so. She begin to fly since she can fly physically. Sponsor give her some baggied pigeons or another birds daily (we are living in the Russia, buggied game is legal here). He call her on lure. She soar and follow well, but forest flights are more difficult for her - she try to fly by round ways, not through crowns like accipiters.
She was wery intellengent and mentally like a buteo than accipiter. There was som difficulties whith her behavior because of found right hunting weight. My sponsor think she need much more time for mental mature then goshawks. He plan molt her at winter.
She try hunt regularly, but don't catch anything wild game. There are some flights wery close to success. Once they try to catch a brown hare, but it was mature and too large for her.
Totally she fly about two month. She fly out at the and of september, with small overweight, simply soar and go away. She have a marshall transmitter, but next day she don't land and go away on high flight to south...
There some pictures of her. Also I have some video of her flights.
My sponsor wery intrested in experience whith marsh harriers, so can you told about your hawk, pls. :)

[Tr1gger]

That is one nice looking bird

[Jarreth]

She is beautiful, much darker than mine, Shoshone is more chestnut brown, I think yours is more stunning.

Shoshone had problems when she hadn't taken well to being in a centre on view to the public, and all her feathers were very badly damaged was so difficult to handle, it took such a long time. for her to settle, turns out she is an imprint though. She has moulted so looks better.

I can imagine the things you said, so I think Shoshones problems aside they must all have a similar thought process.

I haven't introduced the lure yet but intend to. My aim is to have her quartering above me quite high following on, and then stoop her to lure. Would love to hunt with her aswell.

Honestly right now I am just grateful she's flying!

[Jarreth]

I will post a photo soon Trigger, the back view is fantastic, the cream colour comes to a v ending between the wings, absolutely lovely.

[Jarreth]

Shoshone flies at 1lb 9oz. Is this somewhere near the flying weight of yours?

What did you call her?

I was also told that the eyes are yellow when young and go brown, My male Cheyenne had yellow eyes and Shoshones were brown, so I thought this was true but you say that this was a young bird so females must have dark eyes, and male yellow always.

[Jarreth]

Also feel free to tell your sponsor about Shoshone, I am really pleased to have someone to talk to about her.

I live near wild ones in the summer and the young are dark, but yours is very dark.

[ChrisRobbo]

i had no idea that these birds where residents in some parts of th UK as well! after reading this thread i did some research and what do you know you learn something new everyday (or every month in my case!).

Sorry to but in!

Good look i would like to hear how you get on! Keep us posted!

[Jarreth]

Yes sure thing. I will get some pikkis up as soon as. I have never trained a shortwing and think it might of been useful.

I live on the edge of a place called Leighton Moss. There are wild Marsh Harriers in the summer and in autumn they migrate and the Hen Harrier comes in for the winter.

[Jarreth]

Please feel free to butt in anytime you like. More the merrier.

[Flying High]

Sorry to step in. but being some one who as not flown one before (would love to and hope to one day) what do you fly it at (if anything) and how would you train it and what would be the best way to fly it. (in your mined)

[Ramka]

Thanx for your reply :)
Her name is Lun, simply russhian species name. :)
My sponsor examine some nests before taking chick. Mother of this bird was wery stunning, whith large light zone on head and breast, it seem she was wery old and wery large.
Sister of this bird live now in one bop center and there are two young harriers from another nest, they more light and smaller. All of them had brown eyes. I know, all our young marsh harriers have dark eyes, but it may be subspecies difference. What age of your male? Shoshone is second-year, right? They mature in age more then 4 years.
I don'i know Lun's flying weight exactly, but I'm ask it.
I'll tell my sponsor about Shoshone, it would be wery intresting for him. He plan try another harrier in future. In Russia broadwings is not well accepted as hunting hawks, so we very intresting in foreing experience.
Do you plan hunt with Shoshone and what kind of pray she can take in yours judgement? How is about her speed and fervency? Is she try attack any prey by she's own? How high she flown and how quickly stoop down?
Thnx again :) I try to post somewere video whith Lun.

[Jarreth]

Carefully carefully and carefully, seems appropriate.

I bought the Harriers from a really great guy who justifiably believed they would sit nicely in front of general public at his centre when he bought them, he had no where else to put them, so when they didn't sit quitely, but crashed around and hurt themselves, for the birds sake he contacted me, having heard I wanted Harriers, and I bought them.

So they weren't straightforward at all, I had to take things really slowly and gently, they were terrified of people, and everything else. Very much at a pace dictated by the birds, just what they could cope with. It has taken 2 years to get to this point.

I'm sorry I'm not able to compare training with shortwings, cause I haven't done that yet. At the moment she is still flying to the glove. I am not sure how to explain my reason for this but just feel that it is really important for Shoshone, to have the glove well reinforced before introducing the lure. Which I will do next. And then have a go entering her on birds. Her legs are very fine. Have you seen the photos above? She could cope with a 1/2 grown rabbit, but a full grown one would be too much I think.

She is doing fantastic, I am very proud of her.

[Jarreth]

Thank you so much for all your experience.

Yes I do intend to fly her at birds, moorhen that sort of size.

I think all females eyes will be brown and the info I was initially given was wrong. The male Cheyenne, his eyes showed no signs of changing from the yellow colour.

Shoshone is 7yrs old, imprinted, and then I think she was put into a breeding aviary with a male, both probably sold in high condition weight, because both birds have turned out to be imprinted, spent about 5 yrs in a seclution aviary and then sold to a busy centre when they failed to breed, and put straight in front of the public. The centre owner was told they would be ok, but obviously they weren't.

So I'm afraid she's no spring chicken, but she has responded well, and I have high hopes.

[Jarreth]

I don't think she will be very fast, but she is extremely bouyant. She almost bounces in the air. I have never seen anything like it.

And the initial Harrier spring is very impressive. She can travel 5 feet in the air without flapping a wing! When she is up then she goes across.

She should stoop quite well, She hasn't been that high yet though. Nice long tail and she is quite manouverable. I was a little suprised that you mentioned that yours wasn't great in the woods, I haven't tried with Shoshone. I have seen wild ones perched in the woods, but not sen on flying through to see how it coped. I will give it a go soon and let you know how she does. The problem may be the bouyancy thing. They do seem to need alot of room to bounce along, maybe the trees interfere. After all they are really used to wetlands. I will find out.

It's great to talk to you

[Flying High]

sorry to ask and i ate asking this question but because i have never flown one before i and very interested into what kind of weight they fly at. is possible could you put it in pounds and ounces

[Jarreth]

no problem at all 1lb 9oz, male flew at 1lb 3oz

[Flying High]

that is a little bigger than i thought. what is the biggest thing you would fly at with you bird in the hope of catching it. only asking because i am very interested due to the fact i have not flown this kind of bird and would like to learn.

[Jarreth]

She would be able to manage some ducks, and probably upto a half grown rabbit. I don't intend to purposely try catching rabbits at all. Her grip isn't very strong, and her legs very frail, one kick from anything but a very small rabbit would cause damage I'm sure. It's not worth the risk.

There are loads of birds moorhen sized in a wetland which is her kind of place.
She would eat frog naturally too. I don't want to hunt them either actually lol.

She would be more likely to grab things in cover rather than take things in the air. Dropping into a reedbed styley. I have planted one in her aviary, so she feels at home! She loves it.

[Jarreth]

Don't mean to be funny. But I find it highly unlikely I could teach you anything! lol

[Jarreth]

I get the impression you have been flying for years. I am only an egg!

[Flying High]

when you are hunting do you use a dog or do you just walk things up

[Jarreth]

Haven't had much chance to do alot of hunting for a while, cause I run a centre. Hoping to do more this year. I would just walk things up, she really is too fragile at the moment still for a dog. It's taken this long to get her confident enough to fly without having a shed collapse at the slightest thing! I have sent you a private message with my phone number on it. If you every want to chat about her

[Flying High]

i have got that and thank. i have sent back. the center, is it yours our do you work at it if so how long? and where

[Jarreth]

The centre is in the grounds of a stately home called Leighton Hall. It's a bit wierd really, I am employed but apart from signing cheques, I am left to run it as if it were my own business, this is mainly cause my bosses no nothing about birds of prey and have enough to do without getting involved in my stuff, virtually everything I say goes over thier head anyway.

Next summer will be my 6th there. Been flying for 10yrs. There is so much I still have to learn. But I'm willing.

[Jarreth]

Carnforth Just above Lancaster. My house is on the same estate, I only live over the hill from my birds

[Jarreth]

Oh god I'm over the hill!

[Flying High]

sounds that you have got it ok thier. what birds do you fly appart from the Harries (still very interested in them) and who do you work for or what is the center called

[Jarreth]

At the moment I am working (varying stages of development) 5 harrises, a ferruginous, a buzzard, a snowy owl, a european eagle owl, a sea eagle, a steppe eagle, pere saker and gyr pere, and Shoshone.

Before long I will decide how much time I will have for actual flying, and which birds I want to concentrate on.

I am getting there, I have a fair idea of the line up for a while. lol

what do you fly and how many birds do you have? I know you have a centre on the Isle of Wight.

Leighton Hall Falconry I should have a web site up and running this week sometime hopefully, the Halls is woeful.

Leighon is owned by Richard Gillow Reynolds, They made furniture. along time ago.

[Flying High]

O no. i don't have a center on the island. DO not get me mixed up with the center that is already hear. i would NEVER want to be apart of that. I have a company, what i mean by that is no one can come to me and see my birds i go to them. I am waiting to sigh a contract (tomorrow fingers crossed) to have my birds at a venue seven days a week for six months, that way i will have some where at least for people to come and see my birds. right now i am not that fust to have a center because i am far to buzzy as the way i am

[Jarreth]

Sounds great. Is the centre not so great?

[Flying High]

i would not like to say because he is my competitor, but if you ask around i am sure you will find someone who knows it and then let them tell you

[Ramka]

Hi, Jarreth!
My sponsor said, that first time Lun fly over wood and was afraid to touchdown branches. Later, when she come on lure or follow, she fly between trees, but when she attack pigeon she fly much more stronger and straitly. It seems shee need more time and practice for good wood flights. I have similar problems with my hawk.

This is one short clip with Marsh Harrier flying in steppe on field meeting (4,5 Mb). If will be any problems with playing or something else, tell me, pls.

http://mybirds.ru/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=4194

[Smelleken]

Dear Ramka,

What a stunning video, I have just watched it. I do some rehabilitation work with wild birds of prey with my wife, wich is a VET. Last year we had a young Marsh Harrier in our mews, she was brought by somebody who had founded
her in the open field. I kept her alive for 4 weeks till she died of a viral disease. I was just at the point that I started manning her on the fist.

It was a very nice bird to work with, very friendly. I keep her in my mind.:cry: But it's the way the big circle works. Birds come and bird go.

Robert

[Jarreth]

Thanks so much Ramka. That was great. I really did enjoy it. I will get some photos taken of Shoshone next week, they wont be stunning as she isn't fit and not very confident yet. Because the thread will be so old by then, I will Message you. So You can have a look. I wiill message Flying High aswell, I believe he is genuinely interested in Marsh Harriers.

[Talon]

Hi Ramka just watched video it was great too see .
that bird went up some hight very good.

[Ramka]

Smelleken, thank you. It is so sorry to hear about your harrier.
Jarreth, thankyou, I'll be glade to see your hawk.
Talon, thank you.

Little more about Lun. Her flying weight was 680g (1lb 8oz). She has trend to soar after unsuccessful flight, it was not good for hunt.
This is another very short clip and good photo of her.

http://mybirds.ru/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=5195
http://mybirds.ru/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=2692

[Jarreth]

Hi Smellerken

You must be gutted they stunnin' birds aren't they! But hey you tried, and you gave it a chance! No one wins all the time m8

[Sprout]

Flying harriers at rabbit or hare in woods? Don't think so - as said their anatomy isn;t upto it. They are designed form quartering above fields/marshes and dropping on their prey! Don't try what evolution has evolved a bird to do. Would be nice to see one in display though, something unusual.