Hello

[Tony James]

I'm afraid I'm a little late in saying hello --- it's taken me this long to work out how to start a thread!
I'm a falconer from England who's less familiar with falconry in the US than I'd like to be. I look forward to getting to know some of you, as well as learning from you.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[everetkhorton]

(welc) Tony!

[thunderheartiii]

Hello and (welc) to NAFEX.

[Chris L.]

Hi Tony,
Welcome to NAFEX.

What types of birds do you fly?

I hope you find the forum useful...

I look forward to your posts

All the best,

Chris

[GyrXPeals]

Good to see you here Tony. Nice to have the BFC represented. You are most welcome here.
Best Regards,
Jeff

[tony123abc]

(welc)

[sakerjack]

Welcome Tony..

[outhawkn]

Oh no!:eek: There goes the neighborhood...............toungeout

Glad you made the leap...clapp

[California Native]

Glad to see you on NAFEX Tony. It will be great to have your input and perspectives. Many here can learn from the falconry history you know about your country.

Dan

[Tony James]

Gentlemen, you're all very kind.

I should perhaps have said a little about myself, so you could know a little about the interloper.

Peregrines and merlins are my biggest passions and in particular gamehawking and lark hawking, but I'm a big admirer and supporter of all quality falconry.

I joined the British Falconer's Club in 1979 and tried my best to give good service in various positions over the years.
I'm also a member of ANFA, the French falconry club, and am very proud to be so.

I believe we are responsible as individuals for doing our bit to preserve falconry in all it's aspects, but we're lucky enough to have some good people and organisations who work tirelessly on our behalf. I'm particularly grateful for the efforts made by the IAF and, with regard to preserving our history, The Archives of Falconry.

Although my knowledge of American falconry is very poor, I can say with certainty that falconry around the world has benefited through your efforts. I look forward to learning more about it.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[adam norrie]

Hello Tony.

It's good to see you on here. You seem to know your subject and it will be a pleasure to read some of your exploits in the field.

Hang on, I think I know you:D:D:D

adam

[Tony James]

Hello Tony.

It's good to see you on here. You seem to know your subject and it will be a pleasure to read some of your exploits in the field.

Hang on, I think I know you:D:D

adam

Hi Adam,

I'm not big on writing about my own exploits, but be careful, I might write about yours:eek:.
Only kidding. Not long 'til you have a falcon on the fist rather than a gos. Welcome to the world of the crazy folkcrazyy.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[GONEHAWKN]

Gentlemen, you're all very kind.


Peregrines and merlins are my biggest passions

Tony.


looks like i have another brain to pick in regards to flying Merlins....i have been flying birds for a long time, but have never flown a Merlin. i hope to change all of that in the fall Tony(if i am not successful in trapping a passage peregrine) . any good reads you could suggest on training passage or captive bred Merlins would be appreciated. i just picked up the John Loft book A Merlin for me. welcome to the site!!!

[adam norrie]

Hi Tony,

It will be a change from Goshawking. But like you my heart is also with Merlins. But I have only flown Jacks, bar one that I trained for Neil Mumby.

They are such a sporting little falcon, very hard to beat in that respect.
I will, fingers crossed be at yours when they are at hack.

All the best mate

adam

[Tony James]

looks like i have another brain to pick in regards to flying Merlins....i have been flying birds for a long time, but have never flown a Merlin. i hope to change all of that in the fall Tony(if i am not successful in trapping a passage peregrine) . any good reads you could suggest on training passage or captive bred Merlins would be appreciated. i just picked up the John Loft book A Merlin for me. welcome to the site!!!

Hi Bill,

I'm sure John would agree, you'd have to go a long way to beat E.B Michell's 'Art & Practice' if you were intending to fly a merlin at larks in the UK, but of course you will have entirely different circumstances in the US.
I understand a comprehensive work on merlins is close to publication by Western Sporting, which will be exactly what you're looking for, with chapters that relate to your circumstances so much better than anything I might be able to say.
That said, if there's anything in my brain worth picking, you're most welcome to pick.

Thankyou for the welcome,

Tony.

[Tony James]

Hi Tony,

It will be a change from Goshawking. But like you my heart is also with Merlins. But I have only flown Jacks, bar one that I trained for Neil Mumby.

They are such a sporting little falcon, very hard to beat in that respect.
I will, fingers crossed be at yours when they are at hack.

All the best mate

adam

Hi Adam,

I hope you can make it on the day they're taken up, but you're welcome any time.
I feel slightly embarrassed even talking about merlins here, as my experience is so linked to the pursuit of ringing flights at larks and there's a whole new world of experience here!

Best wishes,

Tony.

[Dakota]

Adam,

As soon as I could read well enough to tackle a book I read 'Falconry for You', 'Manual on Falconry' and 'Art & Pratice of Hawking' English books all there was in those days on Falconry. I was fasinated with English Falconry. Now I fly American grouse, and always wondered how it compared with the Red Grouse over there. I have flown Merlins but not the sky lark flights. Anyway Welcome!!http://www.nafex.net/images/smilies/welcome.gif

[Tony James]

Adam,

As soon as I could read well enough to tackle a book I read 'Falconry for You', 'Manual on Falconry' and 'Art & Pratice of Hawking' English books all there was in those days on Falconry. I was fasinated with English Falconry. Now I fly American grouse, and always wondered how it compared with the Red Grouse over there. I have flown Merlins but not the sky lark flights. Anyway Welcome!!http://www.nafex.net/images/smilies/welcome.gif

Hi Forrest,

I wasn't sure if your post was intended for Adam or myself, but I thought I'd say hi anyway.
I guess 'English Falconry' was the most accessible, and possibly only falconry available to read about until fairly recently, and no doubt accounts in part for the interest my American friends have in our history --- I'd go so far as to say falconer's in the US have, on average, more respect for our history than we do.
I'm afraid I've never been to the US, so I can't make any useful comparisons for our respective grouse, but from what I've seen of your's on film I can say they are each a very worthy quarry (I hope I don't upset anyone with this comment, but I think our red grouse is probably the easier option). If you ever find yourself headed in this direction, I'm sure I can arrange for you to see it for yourself.
Lark hawking, like classic rookhawking, is not a flight that is easily understood in the US perhaps, as I don't think you have a quarry that works in quite the same way. I remember a comment Robert Bagley made on seeing a classic ringing flight in France a few years ago;- "Now I see what I'd tried to imagine from those old descriptions". Again, if you want to see it first hand.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[Greg]

Hi Tony,
I think you are starting to stalk me!(welc)

[Tony James]

Hi Tony,
I think you are starting to stalk me!(welc)

Aha, my game's up:eek:.
Thanks for the welcome Greg. Now I feel very humbled, in the presence of my only English pal (I think) with a US falconry licence.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[sharptail]

Greetings Tony! Welcome to nafex!
The grouse thread was locked before I took the oppertunity to reply to your post and welcome you!

What position do you hold with the BFC?

[Tony James]

Greetings Tony! Welcome to nafex!
The grouse thread was locked before I took the oppertunity to reply to your post and welcome you!

What position do you hold with the BFC?

Hi Jeff,

sorry for the slow response --- I've just returned home after some time in France.
Until recently I was very involved doing my bit for the BFC, and in recent years was the treasurer. But sadly I became 'burned out' by the petty stuff that comes with it, and decided I'd given all I could in an official capacity.
Talking of the Grouse thread, I was thinking of some of you fellas as I drove up through France today, with it's vast areas of cultivated 'plains'.
Compared to almost all hawking ground in England, those French fields are paradise itself, yet for those of you who fly over vast prairie lands they would seem quite enclosed.
Of course, even family holidays are peppered with thoughts of falconry:-)

Best wishes,

Tony.

[Martin Hollinshead]

Hi Tony,
Picked this up a bit late. Anyway just thought I’d say hi.
Martin

[Tony James]

Hi Tony,
Picked this up a bit late. Anyway just thought I’d say hi.
Martin

Hi Martin,

a thread entitled 'Hello' wouldn't be high on anybody's list of viewing, but thanks for taking a look. Hope you're well, and guess I might bump into you next month.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[Live Bait]

Hello Tony(welc) Pete.


I'm afraid I'm a little late in saying hello --- it's taken me this long to work out how to start a thread!
I'm a falconer from England who's less familiar with falconry in the US than I'd like to be. I look forward to getting to know some of you, as well as learning from you.

Best wishes,

Tony.