"poppy" 1999 FHH (7th season) NEHH

[North East Harris Hawker]

I managed to wait until the frosts came before i got poppy out.
pops came out of the aviary at over 3 lb and so the weight reduction started.
half an ounce of food every other day brought her down at a decent pace.
I promised simon one of our newer club members that i would take him out for the first flight.
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Poppy tipped the scales at 2lb 7+3/4oz and i was a little worried that she was too heavy for the maiden flight of the year.
Everytime i passed the aviary though her plumage went sleek and she started hopping around the place and making the friendly quiet croaky noise.
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i decided to put her on the creance for one flight but i need'nt have bothered. she came the 30 metres immediately.
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the jess were swapped over, transmitter was fitted and she was off!
Stig my GSP went straight into action and was soon on the scent of a rabbit.
poppy took her post on top of a nearby building and kept a watchfull eye on the proceedings below.
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a couple of shallow stoops made simon and I aware that the bushes we were exploring definately had guests in them!
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Suddenly a rabbit broke cover and poppy came down at speed smashing into the cover and narrowly missing the rabbit.
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we moved on and stigo pointed and put up a hen pheasant, poppy flew after it but the pheasant reached cover well before poppy arrived on the scene.
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the light was fading now and i decided to call her back. she had eaten a few titbits so i knew she was at least 2lb 8oz and i feared she might be reluctant to return.
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I whistled and she came 200m instantly. Not a bad day out for the first trip!

[DeathFromAbove]

superb mate - can't ask for more than that eh...now all that's needed is to get her fitness up mate and there'll be no stopping her.

[North East Harris Hawker]

picked her up today at 2lb 7oz and took her over to the local industrial estate. the weather had cheered up a lot and was almost perfect for flying cold with blue skies and sunshine. unfortunately no wind.
stig got off to work rumageing through some *****ly bushes and for a moment poppy showed some interest but a good thrashing of the cover revealed there was no one at home.
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we moved off over the next field where the dog stumbled upon a cock pheasant that flushed immediately. poppy was well out of position and the cock bird was fit, it left her in its wake.
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poppy moved into a nearby tree and was showing a lot of interest in some adjoining cover. stig was sent in to investigate. there was a small pond nearby and i was convinced by the dogs movement that the scent he was on was that of a bird.
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after a lot of back and forth scanning from the dog I was sure that we were chasing a waterhen or a coot as whatever it was, it did'nt want to flush.
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suddenly poppy took to the air and after a few wingbeats smashed into the cover. the squeal that followed surprised me to say the least..
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The rabbit was quickly dispatched and poppy was fed up from the kill, once full i picked her up and returned to the truck where she hopped back into her box. a nice result for the second trip out.

[Bones]

sounds like yer having fun hope the season goes on as its started for you
PAUL

[North East Harris Hawker]

thanks a lot, really she has'nt had any training at all this year. she has has a half hour manning session one short flight on a creance and she was off!
just goes to show that the birds have got a memory, good as gold she has been. hopefully i'll remember to take my camera out with me next time i go out. get some nice pics on here

[Bones]

yea i know of a few HH's that are as you say and they tend to get better every season when first brought out after the moult less manning needed just fitness work to get them back up to scratch carry on the good work
PAUL