Spotted a RT with Bells & Jesses

[LaBella822]

Location: Disposal Road, Lyndhurst, NJ.

Flies and perches up and down Disposal Road since the beginning of December 2011.


Took this photo Today along Disposal Road. This RT is Beautiful
I can post more photos if needed.

[Flintknapper]

From the appearance of the tail it looks like it has been kept in a giant hood. You should try catching it or get a local conservation officer and see if he can catch it before it gets hung up in something. Should have a ban on it's leg that will tell where it is from.. Also check with the local falconry club in your area maybe they will trap it.

[Tom Scheib]

Gosh, she's been out there at least 6 weeks and she still hasn't pulled her jesses. That seems unusual.

[joekoz]

This is most likely Sadhak's bird. He lives in Rutherford which is close to where this bird was spotted. See his post on here.

http://www.nafex.net/showthread.php?t=13302

[joekoz]

I just spoke with Eric Swanson (Shortwingn here on NAFEX) hoping he had Sadhak's phone number. He didn't. However, he told me that he and others are aware of this bird and have been trying to trap it for several weeks now.

[LaBella822]

I just spoke with Eric Swanson (Shortwingn here on NAFEX) hoping he had Sadhak's phone number. He didn't. However, he told me that he and others are aware of this bird and have been trying to trap it for several weeks now.

I really hope that someone can trap it. It's bells definitely give it up when it's trying to hunt. I haven't seen it catch anything this weekend or I could have bad timing. It was there again today perched in a tree along Disposal Road.

I'm not sure why DeKorte Park hasn't had anyone come and trap it yet.

[wyodjm]

I just spoke with Eric Swanson (Shortwingn here on NAFEX) hoping he had Sadhak's phone number. He didn't. However, he told me that he and others are aware of this bird and have been trying to trap it for several weeks now.

Follow it around and find where it roosts at night. Then make a set for it under its nose before first light. It shouldn't be that difficult to trap. If it is trap wise to a BC, try a padam or phai trap. PM me and I can share with you how to bait a Padam for a redtail.

Best,

[joekoz]

When I spoke with Eric this morning he told me that there is plenty of game in this area; that this bird is an effective hunter; and that it is often observed with a very full crop. Apparently he and several other falconers that fly in the area have tried multiple techniques attempting to trap it including dragging a Swedish Goshawk Trap out to its hunting area.

[wyodjm]

When I spoke with Eric this morning he told me that there is plenty of game in this area; that this bird is an effective hunter; and that it is often observed with a very full crop. Apparently he and several other falconers that fly in the area have tried multiple techniques attempting to trap it including dragging a Swedish Goshawk Trap out to its hunting area.

You can also throw a tarp over a few trash cans to sit under for a blind and set up a bow net. You can stake a seeled, jessed pigeon in the middle of the bow net. You can run a line from the blind to the pigeon's jesses to agitate the pigeon to get the hawk's attention.

This works very well in peoples' backyards when you're trying to catch a goshawk or Cooper's hawk in the neighborhood. It would would work well for a redtail. You just have to figure out and predict where the hawk will be.

[joekoz]

You can also throw a tarp over a few trash cans to sit under for a blind and set up a bow net. You can stake a seeled, jessed pigeon in the middle of the bow net. You can run a line from the blind to the pigeon's jesses to agitate the pigeon to get the hawk's attention.

This works very well in peoples' backyards when you're trying to catch a goshawk or Cooper's hawk in the neighborhood. It would would work well for a redtail. You just have to figure out and predict where the hawk will be.

Dan:

Although I live in New Jersey, I'm not that close to where this bird has been seen, and haven't been involved with any of the trapping attempts.

Eric who I referenced in my post has been at this game for a very long time, and I'm sure that he has drawn from his full time FBBA experience, and extensive bag of tricks/tool kit trying to trap this bird.

Also, given that this isn't his bird, he deserves a lot of credit for the time and effort he has put in trying to do the right thing.

[wyodjm]

Dan:

Although I live in New Jersey, I'm not that close to where this bird has been seen, and haven't been involved with any of the trapping attempts.

Eric who I referenced in my post has been at this game for a very long time, and I'm sure that he has drawn from his full time FBBA experience, and extensive bag of tricks/tool kit trying to trap this bird.

Also, given that this isn't his bird, he deserves a lot of credit for the time and effort he has put in trying to do the right thing.

Sorry. Did I step on someone's toes here? It wasn't my intent. Just trying to help by tossing out some ideas.

All my best,

[joekoz]

Sorry. Did I step on someone's toes here? It wasn't my intent. Just trying to help by tossing out some ideas.

All my best,

Dan:

No you have no reason to be sorry. You didn't step on anyones toes! You provided great suggestions, however, just wanted you to understand that it wasn't being read by the person(s) involved with the trapping effort.

[sadi74]

Sorry guys, just checked this post today & I have already responded to Jana via E-mail.
Firstly, we were hunting when I lost him, so those are "Field Jesses".....
Secondly, I did spot him one day in December (Same Place) more than 2 weeks since I lost him. Wherein he refused to be lured down, due to a full crop! The comforting part, is that he is hunting well.....
NJ Fish & Wildlife has been informed of all the sightings & they assure me that the hardware should eventually come off with weathering - said I should concentrate on trying get my 2nd Hawk before the end of December.
I am going out tomorrow morning, and will still make every effort to get him down, 'Just to get the Hardware Off!'
Everyone's contribution is truly appreciated, especially Eric Swanson!
Best Regards,
Sadhak

[ikcus]

Why was my post deleted?

[FredFogg]

Why was my post deleted?

It happens!

[Dirthawking]

Because public bashing of other members is not allowed by forum rules. Please see admin if you have a problem with the rules. Please take it to PM if you want to bash somebody is kinda in the rules too.

[ikcus]

Because public bashing of other members is not allowed by forum rules. Please see admin if you have a problem with the rules. Please take it to PM if you want to bash somebody is kinda in the rules too.

My previous post that was deleted was so far from a bash that I am little confused. I have moderated sites and I DO know that bashing is not allowed and I would never do so on Nafex. To excuse my French I do not poop where I eat. How is asking another falconer to take care of his trapped bird that got lost and putting the bird back to the wild the way he found it bashing anyone? Furthermore, my post was in protecting every other falconer in that we do things to protect and make the public see that we are totally commited in the care we give these wild animals. When we trap these birds, it is our sole responsibility as a licensed falconer to do all in our power to hunt, catch game, and release the bird in a better fashion than we originally started with. Am I wrong?
If the Mods want to delete this post once again, then do so. The fellow falconer that lost his bird might have been ill informed on leaving equipment on his lost RT but as a licensed falconer, I have to speak up and say that please leave the hawk you trapped in the same or better condition than when you trapped it. Letting a RT fly around with a dinner bell and jesses is no part of falconry that I want to take part in. To the fellow falconer that lost his RT, please do not take this as a bash to your falconry career, but please see this as a plea from a fellow falconer to correct the situation at hand. Do your RT that you trapped the justice it deserves. Falconry is more about the hawk and falcons we work with and far from our egos.

Please, Do the right thing.

[Lowachi]

My previous post that was deleted was so far from a bash that I am little confused. I have moderated sites and I DO know that bashing is not allowed and I would never do so on Nafex. To excuse my French I do not poop where I eat. How is asking another falconer to take care of his trapped bird that got lost and putting the bird back to the wild the way he found it bashing anyone? Furthermore, my post was in protecting every other falconer in that we do things to protect and make the public see that we are totally commited in the care we give these wild animals. When we trap these birds, it is our sole responsibility as a licensed falconer to do all in our power to hunt, catch game, and release the bird in a better fashion than we originally started with. Am I wrong?
If the Mods want to delete this post once again, then do so. The fellow falconer that lost his bird might have been ill informed on leaving equipment on his lost RT but as a licensed falconer, I have to speak up and say that please leave the hawk you trapped in the same or better condition than when you trapped it. Letting a RT fly around with a dinner bell and jesses is no part of falconry that I want to take part in. To the fellow falconer that lost his RT, please do not take this as a bash to your falconry career, but please see this as a plea from a fellow falconer to correct the situation at hand. Do your RT that you trapped the justice it deserves. Falconry is more about the hawk and falcons we work with and far from our egos.

Please, Do the right thing.

I've stayed out cause I don't know the details, but from what I've read, someone needs to get up & do the right thing, and that's it. Trap the bird back & release it as you found it!!!! have some respect!

[Shortwingn]

Sadhak,
I know you didn't think getting your bird back was a big deal. After all you left it out with jesses and bells on and just trapped another bird. Most falconers would see this as bad falconry. But other things can happen besides your bird getting hung up.




Looks like thats your bird flying on the side of the runway at JFK. I'll send you a e-mail and PM with the contact info for the biologist at JFK. Get this bird already before it gets hit by a plane.

[teatags]

A month or two ago a falcon with leather ribbons dangling visited my Ringwood, NJ backyard. We were on our swing and it perched in our trees. It didn't come any closer and then flew away.

Jeanine Louttit

[PHILADELPHIA CITY HAWKER]

As Falconers these things happen to all of us! It appears that this Hawk has a good chance of surviving with the equipment on and will eventually fall off. It is perplexing why the Redtail didn't pull the jesses nor chew off the bewit from the bell. They eventually do. All of my hawks have chewed their bewits and sometimes there jesses during the molt only to find the bells on the floor. I use a """"thin"""" leather on my equipment.

I think there should be some thought as to the quality and thickness of leather we use on our birds. With the use of better and thicker leathers (and synthetics) its harder for the equipment to wear off. Convenient for us but not so convenient for the Hawk if its lost.

This brings me back to forty (40) years ago when a friend was flying a kestrel and the bird escaped with a foot long leather shoe lace in one of the jesses. Four (4) years later the bird re-appeared at his small farm with the leather shoe lace still attached. We couldn't believe it! Back then we knew little about falconry nor did we know any falconers.

[RT Alison]

How I was taught:
Bird missing? Go get it and don't come back with any lame excuses.

[Joby]

How I was taught:
Bird missing? Go get it and don't come back with any lame excuses.

Yep, nuff said!!

[wingnut]

How I was taught:
Bird missing? Go get it and don't come back with any lame excuses.

Easier said than done.

[Todd Brown]

Seems to me that attemps have been made to retrap the bird several times with no luck, I'm not sure as to exactly who was trying to trap her, seems as though it was several people.

However, A live lure attatched to some carpenters twine might get her.

Get her to come into the lure and while she's eating walk in big circles around her it will tie her feet togather and you got her. I've heard of wild hawks caught this way.

I had a EMRT that flew off on me once for 4 months with hunting jesses and bells on both legs. When I finally found him...he came right to me as if he'd been gone for 15 minutes. All his equipment was intact and in good working order. He weight 1.5oz more that his fly weight

[mainefalconer]

However, A live lure attatched to some carpenters twine might get her.

Get her to come into the lure and while she's eating walk in big circles around her it will tie her feet togather and you got her. I've heard of wild hawks caught this way.

I've got friends in New Jersey that trapped a redtail this way. I was really impressed.

[RT Alison]

Easier said than done.

You are spot on correct, but it's the mantle of responsibility we put on when we trap one in the first place. We will lose birds. Even the most experienced falconers will lose birds. I feel no sympathy for someone who doesn't uphold their end of the bargain. That sympathy rightly goes to the bird.