Hi from England

[Sparviter]

Hello everybody. My name is Lee, and I am from Cheshire, UK. Just stumbled across this forum, and not sure whether us chaps from across the pond are welcome here but thought I would join anyway and have a nosey at whats happening over there. Some of you may recognise me from IFF or elsewhere.

For those of you that dont know me, I am a big accipiter addict. Looking forward to next season so I can get a new gos.:D

Looking forward to meeting new people, and talking ACCIPITERS!!!

Lee.

[GyrXPeals]

Hey Lee, I certainly recognize you from the IFF. Brits are always welcome mate. 'Look forward to some stories.
Best Regards,
Jeff

[Jimmy]

(welc)Lee. Good to have you here.

[Sparviter]

Cheers Jeff.

Some pics...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/blackbird.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/3magpies20004.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/tealandcassie20015.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/sparrow20hawks20034.jpg

[Sparviter]

Thanks Jimmy

[GyrXPeals]

LOL Cheers Lee,
More Spar pics please, Alf tried to sneak me one across the pond, but the bird flu scare killed the effort.
I'll fly one someday.
ATB,
Jeff

[Sparviter]

LOL Cheers Lee,
More Spar pics please, Alf tried to sneak me one across the pond, but the bird flu scare killed the effort.
I'll fly one someday.
ATB,
Jeff

I think its a case of 'the grass is always greener'! I would love to fly a coopers or sharpie. I have loads of spar pics for ya'....
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/Nixie20and20Cassie20011.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/Nixie20and20Cassie20004.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/jeremyonsparrow012.jpg

[GyrXPeals]

Thanks for the fix Lee.
Cheers,
Jeff

[Sparviter]

A couple more...http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/slaughterday002.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/dunnock014.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/teal07014.jpg

[Zarafia]

Welcome Lee. Of course you are welcome here. I'm pretty sure I remember you from IFF. Were you Teal's dad?
I loved those pictures of Teal, she looked so completely nuts:D. We don't have very many non-native raptors flying here but spars are pretty close to out sharpies and coopers.
I hope you enjoy yourself here.

[Zarafia]

I have a really stupid question for you here, I should know but I guess I didn't pay enough attention in school. So please forgive my ignorance.
What is the difference between England, Briton, Wales and the United Kingdom?
I figure you ought to know, thank you.

[everetkhorton]

Lee:
Welcome to the site, we all like picture. How does a spur compare to our Coopers and Sharpie in size and weight.

[Sparviter]

Welcome Lee. Of course you are welcome here. I'm pretty sure I remember you from IFF. Were you Teal's dad?
I loved those pictures of Teal, she looked so completely nuts:D. We don't have very many non-native raptors flying here but spars are pretty close to out sharpies and coopers.
I hope you enjoy yourself here.

Thanks for the welcome.
Yeah Teal is the bird in most of those pics. Here she is as a baby...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img136.jpg

Teal was my second spar, and the first that I imprinted myself. I must admit that she was never as good as my first spar "Jet" trained by a friend. The most fearless magpie hunter I have ever seen...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img142.jpg

[Sparviter]

I have a really stupid question for you here, I should know but I guess I didn't pay enough attention in school. So please forgive my ignorance.
What is the difference between England, Briton, Wales and the United Kingdom?
I figure you ought to know, thank you.

LOL. England, Wales and Scotland used to be seperate coutries but are now united (they are all on the same island known as Britain.) Our country the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland as well as Britain.

[Sparviter]

Lee:
Welcome to the site, we all like picture. How does a spur compare to our Coopers and Sharpie in size and weight.

The European Spar lies somewhere between the sharpie and coops. I must admit that I have never seen any of your native accipiters in the flesh. Both female spars that I have flown have been below average weight (195-225g). Many are up to 250g. Most males (muskets) are about 120-150g.

[Sparviter]

Well, its getting bloody late here so Im off to bed. Nice chatting to you all. The forum looks great... I will be back soon!

... One more pic before I go!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/Teal_in_moult202.jpg

[kimmerar]

(welc) Lee! Thanks for all those pics. That looks like so much fun. Can't wait to hear hunting stories.

[outhawkn]

Hi Lee.......(welc)

[chamokane]

Welcome, Lee.

I like the photos with the Magpies. I wish we could hunt them here, they're pretty crafty.

I watched two of them build nests once. Each was stealing sticks from the other's nest. I'm sure I saw the same stick go back and forth several times. I'm not sure they were ever able to finish the nests.

[Sparviter]

Glad your all enjoying the photos...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img147.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img137.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img146.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/img145-1.jpg

[outhawkn]

Lee

What weight does he fly at?

[Lee Slikkers]

Welcome Lee, great to see you here and the pics of your Spars are excellent!

I look forward to more...

[Sparviter]

Seeing as your all enjoying them, I will keep going.
Here is a little musket that I flew a couple of years ago...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/jeremy20004.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/jeremy20014.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/jeremyonsparrow005.jpg

[Sparviter]

Lee

What weight does he fly at?


The European Spar lies somewhere between the sharpie and coops. I must admit that I have never seen any of your native accipiters in the flesh. Both female spars that I have flown have been below average weight (195-225g). Many are up to 250g. Most males (muskets) are about 120-150g.

The musket in most of these pics "Jeremy" was about 225g, I think.

[Sparviter]

Tell me when you get bored!!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/goodpic01-1.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/goodpic02.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/sparrow20hawks20019.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/yarismountainhare046.jpg

[Lee Slikkers]

Lee, we usually get bored and loose interest after about 3-4 yrs clapp

Spars are rare (nonexistant) here so this is excellent stuff, imho!

[Sparviter]

Welcome, Lee.

I like the photos with the Magpies. I wish we could hunt them here, they're pretty crafty.

I watched two of them build nests once. Each was stealing sticks from the other's nest. I'm sure I saw the same stick go back and forth several times. I'm not sure they were ever able to finish the nests.

A few more for you...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/pest20control20005.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/magpie1220004.jpg

Here is my hawking buddy, Rob with one of my spars...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/teals20second20magpie20001.jpg

[Sparviter]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/ROBIN20004.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/pest20control20006.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/ROBIN20011.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/teal20on20sparrow20004.jpg

[kimmerar]

I want one. Great weight to mess with. 225 gram accipiter. And as Dave said - I wish we could take that quarry. How fun.

How are there personalities? I'm guessing great. Can you post some info on those birds in falconry?

[Sparviter]

I want one. Great weight to mess with. 225 gram accipiter. And as Dave said - I wish we could take that quarry. How fun.

How are there personalities? I'm guessing great. Can you post some info on those birds in falconry?

Why can you not hunt magpies? Are they protected? I dont think your maggies are the same as ours are they (Pica pica)?

The European sparrowhawk is a popular bird here in the UK. They are almost always imprinted (usually social imprints but occasionally creche reared.) PR spars tend to be very nervous. Actually I had one that died last night from shock (we had the biggest earthquake for 25 years.) :-(

They are very brave birds and most easilly cope with magpies. There are some people who constistantly take carrion crows with them! The real challenge is flying sparrowhawks at our european blackbird. This is a very challenging quarry, and is seen as one of the pinicle branches of falconry. It requires a team of beaters to flush the blackbirds from hedgerows. Because of the hard work and effort involved, most people turn to flying their spars at magpies from a car window, which is much easier.

[Sparviter]

How are there personalities? I'm guessing great.

Oh yeah... I forgot, their personalities...

Many people have gone down the 'McDermott' root with imprinting these birds and have regretted it. It seems to cause lots of mantling and aggression. My first spar (trained by a friend) was text book McDermott trained. She was only ever called to the lure but as soon as she was on the lure, she would drag it to my ankles and attack them.

I used a very similar training method with my second spar, and she was very aggressive with my hands. Both spars trashed their tails.

It seems that most people are now feeding their spars only from the fist from a very early age. They then scoop the spar on to the fist with its kills. No lure is ever used. I will certainly give this method a try with my next spar.

[kimmerar]

Thanks for that info Lee. Again nice pics and we have an imprint section here for logs on your next bird. HINT HINT. I don't think we've had anyone from over seas use it yet. You could be a first. :D

[Sparviter]

I've actually just ordered a PR male Finnish gos for next season. My hawking buddy is gonna be doing an imprint spar. Hopefully we will be doing drive by corvid hawking together, as well as bunnies and pheassies with the gos. Im sure I will have lots of stories and photos to share from both birds. :D

[Sparviter]

I have also spent a lot of time last season with a young female Harris. My hawking buddy, Rob trained her last year and we would work her between the two of us. I used my springer spaniel and team of ferrets to provide slips for her quite successfully.

Here is Rob on the last day of the season...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/sparviter/mountain20hare202.jpg

[chamokane]

Why can you not hunt magpies? Are they protected? I dont think your maggies are the same as ours are they (Pica pica)?

Yes, they are protected here, although, I've talked to wildlife officials who say they wish that they weren't.

The Magpies that I see are what we call Black Billed Magpies. The Last time I checked, there seemed to be some argument as to whether they should be classified as Pica pica or Pica hudsonia because mtDNA studies placed it closer to the Pica nuttalli from California. I'm not a biologist so I don't care much. They are Magpies and I would just like to hunt them.:D

[Sparviter]

In UK magpies have been hunted for centuries because of the damage that they do to gamebirds, stealing eggs and chicks. The only reason that some people dont like hunting them with accipiters is because they say they are too easy. I think its great fun, and a good way of getting a young hawk killing before the cover dies back, and small birds can be hunted. I certainly wouldnt feel guilty about killing any number of magpies!

[chamokane]

I was thinking it would be fun to hunt them with something like a male Barbary Falcon.

[Sparviter]

In the UK, magpies can rarely be found on open enough ground for longwings. Most magpie hunting is done with accipiters (male gos/female spar) from a vehicle, giving a short dashing flight. I know that there are a few who try longwings at magpies but not many (I believe.)

[GyrXPeals]

Lee you've turned this into a nice thread. You've made me get out some of the DVD's Tim York sent me from Wales with Spar footage on them.
You guys really need to quit getting me fired up on these little little birds mate, I'm gettin too old for it.frus
Cheers,
Jeff

[outhawkn]

Oh yeah... I forgot, their personalities...

Many people have gone down the 'McDermott' root with imprinting these birds and have regretted it. It seems to cause lots of mantling and aggression. My first spar (trained by a friend) was text book McDermott trained. She was only ever called to the lure but as soon as she was on the lure, she would drag it to my ankles and attack them.

I used a very similar training method with my second spar, and she was very aggressive with my hands. Both spars trashed their tails.

It seems that most people are now feeding their spars only from the fist from a very early age. They then scoop the spar on to the fist with its kills. No lure is ever used. I will certainly give this method a try with my next spar.

Next time you imprint something maybe you'd start a thread and show us how you do it?haill

[Sparviter]

Thanks for all the welcomes from everybody. I love the forum, and will be checking in daily. I think thats me well and truly introduced now.

Regards...

Lee.

[Bryant Tarr]

Hi Lee. Just catching up here and wanted to add my (welc)

Great pics mate! Looking forward to more from you!