Hi.

[Matthew Patching]

Well where to start...................

I'm English, living in Nottinghamshire, in the UK, and have been hunting with hawks for the majority of my life.

I've flown a few different hawks over the years, and have trained a few birds & other animals for public demonstration, tv, film & theatre work.

I'm currently working as a chef, due to the free daylight hours that this type of work allows me to have, which I find Especialy useful during the season.

I've spent the last few seasons flying goshawks, and nothing else, this season coming up I should be flying a home bred female, which is a first for me, and somthing I'm looking forwards to immensely.

My semen donor goshawk has been my hunting companion for the last 3 seasons, and he's proved his worth time after time, which I'm hoping will set a good grounding for his daughter to fill his shoes.

I've come to the nafex forum, because I've become very disillusioned with, (UK),forums recently, and thought I'd give it one last go, before chucking in the 'falconry forum' towel, so to speak.

Anyway, thought I'd post up a couple of pictures of the last few seasons.

Female goshawk on rabbit.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Sif/Image155.jpg

Imprint male, ready for anything.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis/Image232.jpg

Imprint male on crow.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis/Image122.jpg

Imprint male on rabbit.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis%20the%20gentleman/VP9V9994.jpg

Imprint male on hen pheasant.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/2011-2012%20hawking%20season/photo-17-1.jpg

[Goshawk635]

Welcome and what a striking bird! Congratulations on the successful breeding of your goshawks.

Phil Smith

[Matthew Patching]

Many thanks Phil.

[sakerjack]

Welcome aboard.. Great photos, thank you for sharing and posting.

[neo]

welcome mat to a new forum hope you enjoy it

carl

[Matthew Patching]

Thanks for the welcome, couple more pictures for you.

Just out of the pen, ready for reclaiming. 2010/2011 season.
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis%20the%20gentleman/a020.jpg

Last day of the season 2010/2011 season, Hodsock fieldmeet, both decks imped, because of an unfortunate tussle with a drake mallard. Probly caused the damage at home, the previous week, though, and weakened them.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis%20the%20gentleman/VP9V9970.jpg

Late 2009/2010 season.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis%20the%20gentleman/221030.jpg

Partridge in the snow. December 2011.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/Dennis%20the%20gentleman/dennis010.jpg

One of my favourite pictures of 'Dennis' cock pheasant taken late December 2011, this was an awsome flight, and it's an adult cock bird, you'll notice it's decks are in blood, when I approached him I thought its whole tail was in blood, but every other feather on it was full grown & penned. Pulled down over about 250m.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/mattpatch/2011-2012%20hawking%20season/photo-17.jpg

[Barticus]

Beautiful birds Mat. And welcome.

[den63hawk]

Welcome Matthew. Look forward to your future threads, and I wish you the best of luck this season.

[FredFogg]

Nice birds Matt! What weight did your male fly at? I flew a male finnish for a season, my first gos, very trying at times but was a lot of fun and I am now hooked on gos's. I am going to give it a go at producing my own NA's next spring so I can fly something I produced. We will see! LOL

[Betelgeuse]

Welcome Matthew. Though a bit more tame than other forums perhaps, there isn't scads of overwhelming inconsistency and head scratching moderating going on in this forum. From my limited falconry forum experience I see this as the best place for exchange of useful information in our sport. Sure, the other forums are good for a laugh and a grimace but there seems to be less meat in them for the most.

Thank you for the photos, it's always nice to see a hawk on his game.

[dirtwinger]

Always nice to have another Brit on here I feel lonely sometimes on here.:D

All the best

[Matthew Patching]

Thanks for the replies.

Fred he tops out in cold weather at about 1lb 12, didn't get him there last season realy due to the warm winter, so he spent most of the time sat at about 1lb 10oz. The female that his semen has gone into was flying at 2lb 12-14oz, and I'm hoping that his daughter will come out in the 21/2lb bracket. I'm of the mind that bigger isn't always better.

Terence, nice to hear from you again, I remember your posts on the Iff from a few years ago.

Atb Matt.