WORLD

of

FALCONRYISSUE NO.33 | JANUARY 2018 | £5.00

2 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
 EDITORIAL
WORLD OF FALCONRY
Edition 33: January 2018

EDITOR: BOB DALTON
Solent Design Studio Ltd.
3 Mill Court, The Sawmills,
Durley, Southampton
SO32 2EJ
TELEPHONE:
01489 892344
EMAIL:
falconry@solentdesignstudio.com
WEBSITE:
www.worldoffalconry.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS:
World of Falconry welcomes submissions
from would be contributors.
Please either post or email any articles
and relevant photographs to the Editor at
aplomado@btinternet.com,
or phone 07774 267790.
Well another Festival of Falconry has come
and gone and still the dust is in the process
of settling after such a large gathering of
falconers from across the globe. These
Festivals really are unique in that they bring
so many nationalities together in one place
at one time to help celebrate and promote a
common love. For the organisers I can only
imagine the nightmare of trying to piece
such a huge jigsaw together and ensure that
things run as smoothly as possible. For those
that were fortunate enough to be sponsored
to attend the event most embraced the
opportunity whole heartedly and represented
their countries as well as their sport to the best
of their abilities. As is human nature there were
a tiny majority who just treated the whole event
as one big free bee and let themselves and
the falconry community in general down. But
then sometimes human nature does throw up
those that want to think only of themselves. The
vast majority of those that attended however
took the event to their hearts and had a great
time as well as making lasting friendships with
falconers from across the world.
As well as the Festival I was fortunate enough
to attend a truly friendly field meet in Northern
Ital at the close of the year and have invites
to attend a couple more in the near future.
As well as this I have managed to finish my
latest book and once again the artwork is
being supplied by David Rampling and all his
illustrations are stunning.
With the emergence into a new year many
thoughts will be turning to the British Falconry
and Raptor Fair to be held in May at its new
venue, Broadlands in Hampshire. Not quite to
the scale of the Festival but still the largest single
annual falconry based event anywhere in the
world. We wish the event continued success.
Finally, a welcome to our new readers from
“The Falconers” magazine. We hope you
enjoy our format and content and would
welcome any comments you may have on
what you would like to see through the offices
of the editor.
As always, good hawking.
THE EDITOR

CONTENTS
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www.webscribe.co.uk/magazine/falconers 4. NEWS

ADVERTISERS: 6. UZBEKISTAN: A NEW START (PART TWO)

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World of Falconry please contact:
Advertising Manager: Peter Gammon
13. DEEP SOUTH DUCKS

peter@solentdesignstudio.com
18. SUE FULTON, PHOTOGRAPHER / ARTIST
DISCLAIMER: Whilst every care has been taken to
ensure that data in this publication is accurate, 20. THE FALCONRY WEEKEND
neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors
can accept any liability to any party for loss or
damage caused by errors or omissions resulting
24. ITALIAN FALCONRY MEETING
from negligence, accident or any other cause.
World of Falconry does not officially endorse any 27. BRITISH ARCHIVES OF FALCONRY
advertising material included within this publication.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any
29. THE FALCONRY FESTIVAL 2017

35.
form, without prior permission of the publisher.
BOOK REVIEW: ARTIST FALCONERS BY DR. DAVID GLYNNE FOX
Front Cover Picture:
The Eder Family from Austria

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 3

NEWS:

NEWS
ROGER UPTON

I oIt was with great sadness that on the

29th of October 2017 Roger Upton
passed away, having been in failing
health for some very considerable time.
Roger was a considerable motivational
force in keeping the bridge between
current falconry and its past history very
firmly in place and it is doubtful if anyone
has done more since the days of Gerald
Lascelles to keep the sport not only alive
but alive in an ethical and truly sporting
manner. Fortunately for the falconry
community Roger left plenty of his vast
historical knowledge of British Falconry
behind in the form of three volumes
devoted to the subject. As an author
he also left us with a fascinating work
on Arabian Falconry, based wholly on
first hand experience, and also a basic
manual on the rudiments of the sport
which is clear, concise and of great use to
any tyro falconer.

My own personal memories of Roger

are many and varied and I enjoyed
Grouse Hawking with him in Sutherland
on occasion. Hawking with him was a
calm and enjoyable time interjected with
humorous anecdotes. I think everyone
has their favourite Roger story, myself
included. My abiding memory of Roger
will be of him opening his front door to
a keen and enquiring youth who was
desperate to learn about falconry and
the friendliness and warmth with which
that person was received. A few kind
words and a little guidance from a
falconry great may not seem much but
when you are nineteen and burn with
desire for knowledge of your chosen
passion it means a very great deal and
that kindness was never forgotten. But
then that was Roger, one of life’s true
gentlemen as well as a truly gifted and
accomplished falconer.
It is a great shame that Roger never got
to see the opening of The British Archives
of Falconry, but his son Mark stepped
up and so in a way Roger was there. To
sum up Roger Upton is a man that will be
greatly missed, who could ask for more.

4 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

NEW BOOK

S ymon Latham’s Second Book of

Falconry 1618 has now been
transcribed and is almost ready for
publication. Once again, the extremely
talented artist David Rampling is
providing the illustrations, 16 glorious
full colour plates. This second work
by Latham centred on The Goshawk,
Sparrowhawk, Lanner, Hobby and
Merlin and compliments his first book
which was entirely on the Peregrine Falcon
with a brief chapter on Gyr Falcons. It is
hoped the book will be available from
approximately the first week in March
onwards. It will be the same size and
format as the first transcribed work of 1615
and will be the sister companion to it.

To some it may be strange to find an

author on British Falconry discussing the
Lanner Falcon as far back as some four
hundred years ago. However it should
be remembered that at that time Lanner
Falcons were to found in Southern
England apparently and accordingly a
fairly logical assumption would be that
they were of the Feldeggi sub species
and therefore an extremely useful falcon
for the sport.

BRITISH when it comes to drainage and road their dogs once again and also a decent
FALCONRY & access is excellent. I know the organisers weathering of hawks, falcons and eagles
RAPTOR FAIR have a great many new things in the will be part of the make up of the event.
pipeline to get the five year agreement Also of course camping will be freely

T he British Falconry and Raptor Fair

will be staged this year on the Bank
Holiday weekend of the Sunday the
6th and Monday the 7th of May and
will be staged at The Broadlands Estate
Hampshire, a simply stunning backdrop
that has played host to the CLA Game
Fair on occasion. The ground is excellent
to hold the Fair t Broadlands off to a very
positive start.
Initial response to the move has been
exceptionally good and it would appear
that most people are in favour of the move.
Two of the advantages of not being held
at a centre means visitors are free to bring
available. So hopefully this will mean
the “Falconers Fair” as it is affectionately
known will soon be back on track as the
country’s number one annual falconry
outing. There is a facebook page giving
full details of the event.

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 5

ARTICLE: UZBEKISTAN: A FRESH START (PART 2)

6 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

UZBEKISTAN
A FRESH START PART TWO

T he following day saw another

early start with me being collected
from my hotel and setting off straight
away to an area that was often used
by the Tugan Club for their hunting
and training of the falcons. As I said
previously this day was to be the final
day on the creance for the young
Saker Falcon and Sakret and if all
went well then they would be flying
loose the following day. Our drive
was around two and a half hours to
reach our destination and when we
did it was probably one of the really
great places to train and fly falcons. It
was open for as far as the eye could
see on three sides and on the fourth the
land gradually rolled to the foothills of so those within the vehicles could take a Having enjoyed watching the wildlife
a range of mountains which showed cold drink and just take a few moments for a while and refreshed ourselves with
in the distance behind them. What a out having completed the journey here. cold drinks it was time to get on with
superb place to fly falcons, similar to As we sipped our cold drinks we slowly the final chapter of the recall training
what Salisbury plain would have been became aware of the abundance of life of the young Sakers. Each was to have
one hundred years ago, only with day around us. Quite literally within the first two flights and dependent on their
in day out sunshine. The land just gently ten minutes or so we had the pleasure behaviour today would govern whether
rolled on and on with no buildings, of watching a Steppe Eagle quartering or not they flew free the following
certainly no fences of any kind, least of the ground. The same of three separate day. Well both responded exactly as
all any barbed wire ones. It was quite Marsh Harriers, two Egyptian Vultures, they should and were nice and well
literally a falconer’s paradise. I would one immature and one mature. A mannered when to came to be being
imagine that at passage time Saker and Hobby, several Red Footed Falcons taken back up onto the fist again, so all
Peregrine Falcons would pass through and a Kestrel. A look at the ground was in order for their first free flights the
the landscape taking advantage of the would not fail to bring into view some following day.
prey species that proliferated the area. huge Grasshoppers that would be the
equivalent of at least a day’s meal to a The main hunting flights with longings in
Like all vast open places it would all Red Footed Falcon, they were literally Uzbekistan is that of Sakers at Hares.
too easily, to the untrained eye, seem to that big and they were everywhere. The Sakers are flown either singly or
be dead, lifeless, devoid of inhabitants No wonder Bee Eaters and Rollers in a cast and an Uzbek hunting dog,
with perhaps the exception of insects. also proliferated the area along the known as a Taz and very similar to a
But this would indeed be very far from ever present, or at least they are in Saluki, is run at the same time to keep
the truth. When we first pulled up our Uzbekistan, Mynah Birds. the Hare on the move. I had seen this
two-car convoy sat for a few minutes type of flight before in the UK with a

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 7

ARTICLE: UZBEKISTAN: A FRESH START (PART 2)
Jerkin and an older Greyhound and
also in Spain with a large Gyr hybrid
Falcon flown in company with a brace
of salukis. Now whilst this is not the sort
of flight that I would want to practice
myself back home when the most
abundant quarry you have is the Hare
and it is to be found in really wide open
spaces practically devoid of cover then
if you wish to practice falconry you are
not realistically left with many options.
Ground game, from Sousliks to Hare
do feature on a wild Saker Falcon’s
diet and so the flight is not a wholly
unnatural one for them. Unfortunately,
on this trip I was not going to witness this
style of flight but as I will be returning
to Uzbekistan I shall have to keep my
anticipation in check.
However, despite the fact both young
Sakers had done so well in this training
session I wold not get to witness their
first free flights the following day as my
8 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
hosts had arranged something really
rather special for me and we would
be off bright and early to the simply
magical city of Samarkand, capital
of the Old Silk Road. Samarkand is
one of those places that when you are
younger the very mention of the name
starts your imagination on a journey of
hope and longing, or rather perhaps
it was just mine that the name had this
effect on. I knew quite a lot about it
from various books I had devoured as a
child and anyone who knows anything
about the great Silk Road will be more
than just simply aware of its existence.
On the morning of our departure to this
magical city, which was very early due
to the fact it was a five hour drive, my
hotel surprised me in the nicest possible
way. On going through reception to
meet my friends the man behind the
reception desk presented me with a
packed breakfast which included a
small flask of coffee. The girl on the
reception desk the night before had
heard me make arrangements with my
friends to be picked up at six am in the
morning but didn’t get the opportunity
to speak to me. So, she had gone to
the kitchens, spoken with the manager,
and as the breakfast isn’t served until
seven o’clock, between them they had
arranged that someone would come
in early and pack me a breakfast.
She had even checked whether it was
tea or coffee I took with my breakfast
and hence the small flask of coffee to
accompany my packed meal.
There are those that would argue that
this was a high class hotel and therefore
such things could almost be expected.
I would agree had it been requested.
But this was the result of an overheard
conversation and concern on the part of
the staff that I would not get a meal to
start the day. If I could sum up Uzbekistan
with one incident, which realistically is
simply impossible to do, this would come
as close as you can get. The ordinary
people of Uzbekistan care very much
for their country and they are justifiable
proud of it. They want visitors to be
happy with their visit and always seem
to have a smile and word of welcome for
strangers. During my visit I met people
from various layers of the social strata
and the feeling of being made to feel
genuinely welcome was the overriding
factor at every single meeting. Whether
it was a government official or an old
bird trapper I met in a small village deep
in the hills. The welcome and warmth
was always the same.
of a quandary as we happily travelled
down the quite good roads, through
beautiful countryside, getting ever
closer to our destination. So often in
life things you can normally only ever
dream about and only experience by
looking at pictures in a book can turn
out to be disappointing in real life and
very much something of an anti-climax.
Problem is when that happens your
dreams are then shattered forever as
the reality will always super impose
itself on the fantasy of the mind. As we
drove to Samarkand these somewhat
negative thoughts kept coming to the
forefront of my mind.
However, there were many distractions
on the long journey to keep the mind
occupied. The wildlife was stunning
and on one long section of road we ran
parallel to a line of pylons which had
been taken over by Storks. Practically
every pylon had one or two nests and

So complete with breakfast, which

I happily shared with my travelling
companions of the day, but not the
coffee I have to admit, we collected
three more travelling companions and
set off on the road to Samarkand. I must
be truthful and say I was in somewhat

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 9

ARTICLE: UZBEKISTAN: A FRESH START (PART 2)
they all had well developed young in
them. Parent birds were coming and
going, and it was a beautiful sight to
behold. Obviously, we had to stop for
to take the obligatory photographs.
Saw plenty of Marsh Harriers, several
Steppe Eagles, Kestrels and Red Footed
Falcons. Bee Eaters with their explosion
of colours, Rollers and Mynah birds
also were around in quite large
numbers and a pleasure for a visitor like
myself to see.
10 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
At just over half way we stopped for a
late breakfast and enjoyed some very
strange pasty like items which were
filled with what I thought was something
akin to Spinach. However, it turned out
not to be Spinach but was actually
a type of grass. The explanation
of this and my resulting incredulity
seemed to keep everyone amused
for a considerable time. Which I then
proceeded to compound the merriment
by making quite a faux pas in the men’s
toilets. I say toilets, but this subject is
however the one thorn in the side of the
otherwise close to perfect Uzbekistan in
my opinion. Public toilets in anywhere
but cities and major towns are quite
simply a hole in the ground. Better class
ones have the hole within a cubicle,
even if they are on occasion decidedly
ramshackle. Others have a waist high
screen around them. Apparently, the
rule of thumb is if the door of the screen
is not propped open then someone is
sure to be inside squatting. Would have
been beneficial to both myself and the
man I surprised mid squat if that fact had
been explained to me before I found
it out by experience. In this case an
apology, despite obviously being in the
wrong language soon appeased the
situation although I have to say I was
very rude in the fact that when things
were all smiles I declined to shake the
man’s hand. I had noticed the lack of
toilet paper and my mind simply didn’t
want to think any more on that fact or
my hand to become, however briefly,
touching the other persons.
With breakfast and resultant
entertainment over we continued our
journey to Samarkand and the sheer
natural beauty of the countryside we
passed through was something which
held me in awe. It would be all too easy
to turn this article into a travelogue but
suffice it to say I will be back to the area
and with a great deal more time on my
hands to explore the valleys and hills
we passed through. Finally, after just
on five hours of travelling we drove into
the centre of the city and parked. From
where we parked the minibus there was
no immediate sign of the grandeur and
splendour I had been expecting to see
but apparently, we here literally just
five minutes or so away from Registan
Square. We walked a hundred yards
or so out of the car park and crossed a
busy road and there in front of us was
the sight I had dreamt of seeing so many
times over the years. The square consists
of three huge buildings known as
Madrassahs and two of them were built
more than six hundred years ago and
the third some four hundred years ago.
The colour, spectacle and magnificence
of the buildings cannot fail but to move
anyone a state of wonderment.
The club had combined taking me to
see the wonders along with getting
some publicity shots with a couple of
Saker Falcons from the facility. The
whole experience of the buildings
and the falcons just seemed to go
together quite naturally and many of
the visitors to the site were fascinated
by the falcons. Club members happily
answered questions and allowed the
almost obligatory selfie type photos to
be taken. The only ones that seemed to
be upset by the presence of the falcons
was the local Mynah Bird population
who screamed their protestations each
time a falcon shifted on the glove. As
well as Registan Square we also visited
the Ulug Beg Observatory, again built
more than six hundred years ago and
also the stunning Gur-Emir Mausoleum
where Amir Temur is entombed.
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 11
ARTICLE: UZBEKISTAN: A FRESH START (PART 2)
After a very late lunch it was time to
head back to Tashkent and on the long
drive digest some of the wonders I
had seen that day. It would be fair to
say my misgivings about whether the
city would live up to the expectations I
had over the years built up in my mind
were totally unfounded. The reality way
surpassed the dreams. I cannot let my
life pass by without returning to this
wonderful place. Almost all of the drive
back to Tashkent was in daylight and
so again I could look at the wildlife as
we travelled through the countryside.
About an hour from Tashkent we
stopped at a roadside restaurant that
specialised in a particular type of
fish dish that is apparently a favourite
amongst Uzbeks. When we sat down
to eat the chef came over because he
wanted to meet the English Falconer
and it turned out he knew one of my
close friends. Not through hawks but
through working dogs. It really is a very
small world at times.
The following day was back to the
falcon facility and I helped with coping
12 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
and fitting equipment and we discussed All too soon it was time to pack my
various aspects of falconry as it bags and start the journey home.
applied to the situation if Uzbekistan. Unfortunately, the airport delays at the
A very pleasant day that seemed to start of the journey had cost me one
accomplish a very great deal. The late whole day out of my trip and certain
afternoon and early evening were things that had been laid on for me
spent going around a couple of huge to do had to be rescheduled and one
markets, one of which was indoors, activity dropped altogether. However,
following the normal tourist pursuit of the trip is one I will never forget and
looking for gifts to take back for loved in all my years of travelling to different
ones and friends. For the ladies it was countries to watch falconry I can say
simple, silk scarves abound in Tashkent that this trip to Uzbekistan rates as one
and the prices are very low. of, if not the very best of them all. The
countryside and the wildlife were both
The final full day was out flying again, superb, but my overriding memory will
which the showed just how much the be the warmth of the Uzbek people.
two young Sakers had progressed in
a matter of days. In the evening club
members had laid on a farewell bar-b-
cue for me and it really was a very nice
occasion, with all the usual exchanging
of e-mail addresses you would expect
on such occasions. What is nice is that
a couple of my hosts and their children
will be attending the Falconry Festival
in Abu Dhabi and so we will catch up
again quite soon.
DEEP SOUTH DUCKS
T he diverse habitats and climates of
North America provide falconers
with the opportunity to pursue duck
hawking from north to south, and
across the continent, through a series
of state-managed hunting seasons.
Where I live, one may begin hawking
with freshly trained or molted falcons in
October, when weather for high flying
is ideal and waterfowl numbers are
sufficient to provide consistent slips.
As autumn turns to winter in the northern
tier, inclement weather pushes ducks
south to wintering grounds. If one is
willing to travel, purchase multiple
hunting permits, abandon the erstwhile
obligations of home, adapt to a wide
variety of landscapes, and manage
game hawks under variable conditions,
new doors are opened. The pursuit of
“Endless Autumn Falconry” extends
hawking opportunities to places with
good weather, balmy temperatures,
and reasonable game populations.
In recent times, my winter peregrinations
have taken me to places offering duck
hawking opportunities when poor
weather, erratic duck migrations, or
season closures limit this activity close
to home.
The idea of flying large falcons at
ducks in southeastern states has
been largely dismissed by American
by Bruce A. Haak
falconers. Geographically, the South
is characterized by extensive forests,
unsuitable ground, and a lack of
accessible game. However, there
are naturally occurring expanses of
open country, sometimes adjacent to
river corridors. And like everywhere
else in the world, human hands have
altered the landscape, sometimes in
unexpectedly positive ways.
I too was skeptical when first invited to
hawk with my friend Robert. A native
Southerner, he promised to show me
ponds in open pastures that anyone
with a decent falcon would be happy
to fly. From the airplane, all I could
see from my window was a sweeping
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 13
ARTICLE: DEEP SOUTH DUCKS

land of green trees. However, I soon

learned that farmers had cleared large
section of forest for cattle pasture. To
accommodate stock, ponds and swales
were created for year-around water.
During a summer visit, he showed me
numbers of ponds filled with fish and
turtles. But in winter, with thousands
of wintering ducks looking for feeding
and resting spots, these ponds would
become ideal for falconry.

Fortunately, I had cut my teeth flying ducks

with prairie falcons in western Oregon.
There, ponds were often located in out of
the way places: tucked into rolling hills, in
areas bordered or surrounded by trees,
and on sheet-water in expansive grass
pastures. The uninformed might consider
these locations to be tight quarters or
conversely, too open to approach.
However, most ducks don’t bail into
brush ahead of a stoop (teal being the
exception). Nor are they inclined to
leave the safety of water when a falcon
is airborne and anywhere within striking
range. Thus, a well-made game hawk
simply commands the sky wherever it may
be, flies in such a manner as to discourage
premature departure, and capitalizes on
opportunities when ducks are forced into
the air and over open ground.
There are drawbacks to flying falcons
in this type of terrain. The first being
topography. Beyond the margins of the
flying fields are extensive forests and
braided rivers that are inaccessible:
a wayward falcon will be lost. When
the falcon is either in the euphoria
of soaring, or committed to pursuing
distant quarry, there is no easy way to
intersect with it going cross-country.
Getting the falcon trained under these
conditions is a challenge. Teaching one
to take a respectable pitch is imperative,
as is discouraging it from goofing off
and chasing check. This country is full
of red-tailed hawks and great horned
owls, both capable of killing unwary
falcons. Thus, pitch and focus are the
two primary lessons for the new pupil.
As I learned in Oregon, one must be
conservative with first-year falcons and
not let a precarious situation get out of
hand. An overweight falcon inclined to
soar high on warm days will give you
ulcers. In this situation, presenting the
lure and going home with your hawk is
the preferable alternative to a telemetry
drill offering low odds of success.

Because of fast-changing weather in

the South, the falconer must employ
strategies similar to hawking in northern
climates. Violent winds and rainstorms
of biblical proportions form quickly
in the Gulf of Mexico, posing serious
threats to both falcons and falconers.
I was once chased north to Nebraska
by a hurricane-grade storm, which was
no laughing matter. Bent over treetops

14 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

and sheet-rain coming sideways at high
velocity are only tolerable when one is
safely indoors.
Perhaps the most challenging variable
is that of the heat. In the north, we
simply don’t deal with that issue past
September. Balmy temperatures and
sticky air resulting from high humidity
do little to put an edge on a game
hawk’s appetite. Add to this the rich
flesh of ducks, and it’s easy to see how
even a small reward from a kill can put
a falcon out of sorts for a day or two.
The logical recourse is to adopt the
feed and famine approach to training,
whereby the falcon is flown every other
day after successful flights.
In this country, black vultures are the
litmus for soaring weather. A common
scavenger found in the southeastern
U.S. during winter, they are the ultimate
natural glider. With broad wings held
upright in a characteristic dihedral (“V”)
posture, vultures spend hours on the
wing searching for food.
They often follow the lead of turkey
vultures whose olfactory senses are
more highly developed than their own.
The vulture’s ability to detect the minute
fragrances of dead and rotting carcasses
wafting on the breeze from miles away is
an ability that few birds can mimic.
Similarly, vultures expend little energy
by soaring on unflapping wings, hour
after hour, as they traverse great
swaths of the landscape in search of an
immobile meal. Just as western game
hawks key on ravens lifting effortlessly
into the sky, so an educated game
hawk recognizes such opportunities.
Under certain conditions, rising pockets
of air, the processes of deflection and
radiation created by earth, wind, and
sky, aid the falcon in its quest for altitude.
While it is a given that a proper game
hawk willingly works itself into a nice
pitch under all climatic conditions,
there is no shame in a smart one simply
taking the elevator to the top floor. In this
manner, an unhooded falcon first checks
to ensure that vultures are not potentially
lethal eagles, then goes quickly to join
them in the rising column of air that
signals a free lift into the heavens.
A thermal pitch can be a grand thing.
But as spring approaches, the last thing
you want is a passage tundra peregrine,
a subspecies famous for its strong
migratory instincts, floating off into the
blue abyss with a flock of vultures, never
to be seen again. Fortunately, most of
the falcons I’ve flown go off in search of
lift, then work their way back overhead
in anticipation of a flush. By then, they
are often at such height that timing the
flush becomes less important than being
in a position to witness the event.
In the South, one must always be
cognizant that water courses such
as creek bottoms, oxbows, and
marshes may harbor several species
of poisonous snakes and alligators.
Fortunately, they tend to be inactive
during the cooler months of January
and February. However, a temporary
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 15
ARTICLE: DEEP SOUTH DUCKS
spike in warm temperatures, a not
infrequent occurrence, puts one on high
alert to avoid an unwelcome encounter.
Likewise, an insidious creature inhabits
the warmer latitudes from Texas east to
16 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
the Atlantic Ocean. Its conspicuous little
mounds dot the landscape and portend
of an unpleasant experience should
one get down in the dirt on its terms. I
am, of course, referring to the unwanted
immigrants from South America known
as fire ants. Officially called red
invasive fire ants (RIFA), they hitchhiked
to places like America and Australia via
shipping containers and their adopted
countries now spend millions of dollars
annually on control efforts.
Last winter, my falcon downed a
mallard in a pasture and the ants got
there before I did. In general, they
swarm their victim and then, it seems,
begin biting in unison. In this case,
I extracted the falcon and her kill
safely from the scene, but not without
bites on my legs and arms from these
unexpected enemies. The sting of these
insects is painful and leaves scars
created by peptic ulcers.
The Mississippi Flyway is famous for its
waterfowl movements, and especially
for the high concentration of wintering
birds of all species on the Mississippi
River Delta. The colder it gets up
north, the more concentrated the area
becomes with a dozen or more species
of hawkable ducks. The delta itself
may be unsafe due to its flat, open
topography, devoid of landmarks,
where a falcon might easily be lost. Plus,
it is overpopulated with shooters and full
of feathered distractions that might tempt opportunities on accessible quarry with
a falcon to go self-hunting. Fortunately, fully summed falcons.
ducks fan out from the delta proper into
more controlled settings for falconry. The bitter reality is that few places
could be deemed perfect for hawking
Following a forty-year moratorium on all season long. And for the most part,
the use of tundra peregrines, American North American falconers are at the
falconers again have the opportunity mercy of natural production, which is
to trap, train, and fly limited numbers highly variable from year to year. Thus,
of passage peregrines. Since acquiring for long-wingers in particular, mobility
these birds, I’ve felt the need to extend is one hedge against the limitations
the season for as long as legally imposed by shortened seasons and
possible. While Europeans may pursue poor local production.
game hawking during summer months,
access to cropland, the migration
activities of waterfowl, and the weather
are not conducive to good hawking
here. Given that autumn and winter
are the best times for falconry in North
America, and understanding that the
molts of arctic peregrines are more
amenable to flying later in the season,
it makes sense to take advantage of
extended seasons that provide hawking
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 17
SUE FULTON PHOTOGRAPHER / ARTIST

18 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

M y interest with birds, of all kinds,
can simply be, purely aesthetic,
sometimes. I am especially enthused by
birds of prey, their intensity of eye, their
focus, their agility and athleticism and
of course their sheer beauty as well as
behaviour, it's all of fascination to me.
As for photography, my curiosity was
sparked from a very young age. The
ability to capture fleeting moments, what
would have simply become memories,
that could be transformed into tangible
and tactile printed photographs, was
simply magical. I still marvel it, though
I print a lot less since the arrival of
digital technology! As a teenager, my
overwhelming interests at school shifted
toward Art and Literature. However, I
was too timid to go on and study Art at
university level.
My own art pieces are created from
photographs that I have taken whilst
visiting, or volunteering, at raptor rescues,
falconry centres, displays, workshops and
even on such things as an official Wild
Bald Eagle Count in East Texas whilst
living near Dallas. Others can simply be
from watching birds in our garden, or on
visits to nature reserves etc. Many of these
images I keep as straight photographic
bodies of work, but some I am driven
to create art from, mainly digitally, but
sometimes traditionally too. I believe,
in the not too distant future, I may enjoy
developing my traditional skills further by
embarking on a Fine Art degree, as and
when life allows.
Currently though, I divide my time
between creating my own work to sell,
and accepting commissions to produce
digital artwork of birds of prey, often
from a clients own photograph. Either
way, the final pieces are professionally
printed, giclee prints, on museum quality
grade paper, which can be a great gift for
raptor owners and avian enthusiasts alike.
www.SueFulton.com

Eventually, I would study professional

photography, with an element of art
practice, at college level as a mature
student. Upon completion of the course,
I was awarded a Triple Distinction grade
for my body of work. I also received the
further accolade of Student of the Year
(Art & Design) for the college. Something
I am still very proud of. Since then I have
covered several genres of photography.
I have further developed and expanded
the digital skills I learned in college.
Combining these skills has allowed me to
express myself once again through art, as
well as photography, both of which I very
much enjoy. It is something of a 'best of
both worlds' scenario.

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 19

ARTICLE: HAWKING IN SPAIN PART TWO

20 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

 THE FALCONRY
WEEKEND
T his year saw the 6th annual
staging of the Falconry Weekend
at The International Centre for Birds
of Prey at Newent. This year mother
nature decided to step in and make
it very much an event of two halves.
The first day was everything that could
have been wished for. Bright, constant
sunshine, with just a sufficient enough
breeze to keep things from getting too
warm and from a display givers point
of view conditions for flying falcons
was about as good as it is possible to
get. Day two was the very opposite
with it starting off drizzling and then
the rain got progressively stronger
throughout the day accompanied by
a very marked drop in temperature
making everyone damp and cold. In
fact, the weather conditions so took
the edge off of the day that towards
the end the displays were rolled into
one long one and the whole event
finished on a soggy note around an
hour and a half early.
The displays on the first day were very
good indeed with quite a number of
guests taking part as well as the regular
team from the ICBP itself. Joel and
Danny from Bull X Machine flew “Blair”
the beautiful Gyr x Saker Hybrid falcon
at a dragged rabbit and it made an
impressive display. Next up of the guest
display givers was Amy Wallace of The
Female Falconers Club with her Tiercel
“Mr. T”. The Female Falconers Club is,
in my opinion, a very innovative idea
and is generally speaking greeted
with warmth and respect by the clear
majority of falconers. Apparently, it
would appear there are still a few
dinosaurs that believe the woman’s
place is still in the kitchen but thankfully
they seem to be in the very tiny minority.
“Mr. T” flew exceptionally well and
the accompanying commentary was
very informative. Another first timer
for The Falconry Weekend this year
was Rhuallan Raptors with their cast of
Tiercels. One is an intermewed Tiercel
of ten seasons and the other a young
Tiercel of the year. They flew very well
indeed and for those that haven’t seen
them before and didn’t realise they take
a minute or two to get into their stride
there was probably a feeling for a
moment or two that perhaps this wasn’t
going to go well. However, once the
younger Tiercel switched on, which
he does when he has seen the older
Tiercel make a pass or two, then the
display very quickly got into full stride.
With both the Tiercels giving it their all
to catch the lure it really did make for
a very exciting display and George
needed all his wits about him not to get
caught out. It was the sort of display
that if it didn’t quicken your pulse then
perhaps you ought to check that in
actual fact you do indeed have one.
The next display was one that a great
many people had come primarily
to see and It was Dr. Nick Fox and
his team giving a display with the
RoCrow, RoPheasant and the rest of
the Ro team. The audience was treated
to a display of trained hawks flying
artificial quarry that was quite simply
one of the best I have ever seen of any
flying display or demonstration. The
falcons were incredibly fit and totally
focused on what they were doing. I
heard the remark many times over the
weekend that “it wasn’t real falconry”
and that “it is all just a money making
scheme”. Well as to the question of
real falconry, I don’t actually know
anyone that is claiming it is. On
reflection as an aid to getting a hunting
falcon fit, teach it quarry recognition
and reaction then I think it is a huge
success. Would I personally want to
use it then the honest answer would be
an emphatic no. But then I don’t use
drone, kite or model aircraft either. If
I was forty years younger perhaps I
might have a different attitude to the
plethora of artificial training aids that
are now available to the falconer.
However if we are being honest is not
a conventional lure about as artificial
as it is possible to get? As to the money
making scheme comment if you come
up with an idea, research it, build it,
refine it, constantly test and improve it
surely people don’t think the end result
will be happily given away free.
The rest of the displays didn’t quite
seem to have the same fire after Dr.
Fox and his team. There was one more
important display which featured two
different Lugger Falcons. Whilst they
were being flown a representative from
Project Lugger spoke abut the plight of
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 21
ARTICLE: THE FALCONRY WEEKEND
this species in the wild and what is being
done to help it. One of the Luggers flew
superbly and thrilled the audience with
its stoops to the lure. The other one
thrilled whoever was watching a very
long way off as the falcon in question
took to the air and did its own thing for
around an hour and then someone had
to drive off site and recover it. A shame
as it was obviously fit and flying well,
just not close to the centre.
The first day ended with a superb display
of flying falcons to the drone by Xavier
Morel and his lovely assistant. A minor
Peregrine Falcon and a stunning looking
22 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
Sakret were both flown whilst Xavier
gave a running commentary as to exactly
what was happening and the readings
he was getting from the transmitters fitted
to the falcons. Accordingly the audience
were made aware of height, speed, total
ground covered by the falcons etc as it
actually happened.
I have always been happy to freely
admit this is my favourite show of
the year because it takes place in
beautiful surroundings and has such
a nice friendly atmosphere to it. This
year however I felt the whole event
was strained, not as well run as normal
and had no flow or continuity to it. The
traders shedding situation was simply
farcical with cobbled together units and
very much mend and make do attitude
having been taken by the suppliers
Burgoynes. Instead of completing
everything, which was clearly booked
in very detailed form well in advance,
in a day as promised it was closer to
the best part of two. To say what they
erected and presumably charged full
money for was nothing less than a
shambles would be an understatement.
There has been a management change
at the ICBP and it manifested itself very
clearly, in various aspects, throughout
the weekend. From major items such
as lack of promised covered areas for
certain exhibitors to the general lack of
detail on the weathering areas. There
just wasn’t the attention to detail that
normally covers all aspects of the event
and it seems that from an exhibitor’s
point of view the management of ICBP
want more and more for less and less.
For example, no organised barbeque
in the evening but simply a grill left
available to use providing you lit it and
 or two slots featuring non-
falconry species may well
be considered acceptable, I
am not sure that five different
individual slots given over to
them should be deemed as
appropriate.

Trade stands were higher in number

brought your own food. This would be
fine if all exhibitors had been made
aware this was the case but they
simply weren’t. Then on the evening
itself it was stated the availability of
the grill was cancelled and so people
made their own arrangements only to
find it hadn’t been cancelled at all.
The normally expensive but first class
breakfast baps from the ICBP’s own
café had been replaced by equally
expensive but far from good quality
breakfast baps. I literally took two
bites from mine and threw the rest of
the cold greasy thing away. Outside
catering was very limited, although
to be fair I understand one of the
caterers that should have been on site
cancelled at the last minute.
than they have ever been although
after the shedding units they were
presented with this may not be the
case again at the next one. The
catering facilities for both traders
and public needs to be looked at, as
do the flying displays, whose content
and presentation need something of
an overhaul. I sincerely do hope the
management of ICBP make more of an
effort next year to please the exhibitors
and visitors and not just themselves.
Because for this person at least, as well
as a great many other exhibitors and
visitors he spoke to, that’s how it felt.
The positives from the weekend were
many and varied and let me stress
everything was very far from doom and
gloom, in fact quite the opposite. There
were artists in abundance and a very
wide and varied array of trade stands.
Ron Digby made a guest appearance
signing the new book his has
collaborated on with David Fox. Flying
displays, particularly by the guests were
excellent. Bull X Machine with their Gyr
x Saker hybrid chasing the
rabbit lure, Xavier Morel with
his display demonstrating the many
superb aspects of the Microsensory GPS
System, and of course Dr. Nick Fox and
the Wing Beat team with RoCrow. The
latter surely the pinnacle of the displays
for most of the spectators.
A raffle that has been going on for
a while now, with the prize being a
superb painting of a pair of Golden
Eagles by Alan Hunt, was drawn and
won by Phil Lott, a very deserving
falconer. The raffle helped raise over
a thousand pounds for Steve Hopper
and his “South Hams Hawks and
Owls” rehabilitation unit.

The flying displays were of a very high

standard and the guest demonstrators
that had been arranged were all very
good indeed and received well by an
appreciative audience. But again, the
hand overs were not smooth and the
was a great deal of one person coming
out of the arena without really knowing
what was going on next. It was by
no means shambolic but it certainly
lacked the flow and continuity that has
been the trademark of previous years
and indeed the benchmark by which
we tend to judge other shows. This was
a Falconry Weekend, so whilst one

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 23

ITALIAN
FALCONRY MEETING
I was very fortunate to meet up with
an Italian Falconer at the Falconry
Fair earlier in the year and through his
good services received an invitation
to join him in Milan and then go on to
an International Field meet that was
being held to the North West of the
city over a weekend. Accordingly,
mid-November last year saw me
heading to good old Gatwick Airport
for a morning flight to the beautiful city
of Milan in Northern Italy. I have a
great fondness for Milan and, through
working for Alfa Romeo for a period of
years, have spent a considerable time
there in the past, admittedly when I was
a great deal younger. I have always
found the Italian people to be very
warm and welcoming and although
to a reserved Englishman their manner from the airport I felt like I had been famous afternoon confections with,
seems easily excitable they are, in my in the city only yesterday. Nothing, at in his case, an obscenely calorific
personal opinion, on the whole a kind least to regards traffic and its flow, had drink based on chocolate and cream.
people. That is until it comes to being changed one iota. I simply opted for the much humbler
behind the wheel of car. Then it is every Cappuccino. Having enjoyed
single person for themselves and the My host for the trip, Michele Casiraghi, the repast, it was on to Michele’s
rule of survival is not to show weakness. suggested we stop off on the way to apartment, get unpacked, washed and
Within ten minutes of being collected his apartment to sample one of Milan’s changed and then out to dinner with
four other falconers, one of who I had
met previously when they had stayed in
England for three months. Dinner was
superb in every aspect, conversation,
food and wine were all excellent and
it was a very nice closing to a full and
somewhat tiring day.

The next morning it was up bright

and early to make preparations for
travelling to the meeting and the two
nights that it would be required to be
away from Milan. As well as the human

24 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

contingent there were the two falcons
to get ready for the trip. A male Prairie
Falcon “Rio” and a male Barbary Falcon
called “Fit”. Both were intermewed and
normally flown at Partridge, so the
meeting would hopefully present decent
hunting opportunities for both males. The
principal quarry species at the meet were
Pheasant and Partridge and whilst both
males were too small for cock Pheasants
certainly hens could prove to provide a
flight and certainly either Grey or Red
Legged Partridge would be perfect for
them both. So, we set off from Milan
with high hopes of a good weekend
ahead of us. The weather was superb
and forecast to remain that way for the
next few days. The trip itself was very
pleasant heading from Milan roughly in
the direction of Genoa and the scenery
was very pleasing and obviously quite
typical of Lombardy.
After just a couple of hours or so we
reached our destination of Ceresole
D’Alba and the hunting lodge that would
serve as the headquarters for the meet. As
we pulled into the car park of the lodge
we could se an area had been fenced off
as a safe and secure weathering for the
hawks and falcons and various residents
sat there on their respective blocks and
bow perches. Even before I got out of the
car I heard someone say, “Hello Bob”
and was greeted by my good friend
from Belgium Eddie De Mol. A good
falconer who I have had the pleasure
of knowing for many years and a
representative for the Marshall Telemetry
Systems. I was still shaking hands with
Eddie and exchanging pleasantries
when again “Hello Bob” was called out
and approaching was a good friend
from Spain, Jose Louis Arnilo. I had been
hawking in Spain earlier in the year
with Jose Louis and in fact he had been
kind enough in August to send over to
England a Brookei Tiercel he had bred
that year for me as a gift. So literally
within a couple of minutes of arriving I
had been greeted by two good friends
from different parts of Europe. It was a
very good feeling.
Michele and I went inside the lodge
to register our attendance at the meet
and to settle our applicable fees. I was
introduced to Massimiliano Mora who
is the president of the Gruppo Falconieri
Italiani, the club that were actually
hosting the event. Here I received a
very warm welcome from Massimiliano
and the rest of the committee and
was extremely pleasantly surprised to
discover all meals, hunting fees, hotel
accommodation were all being taken
care of by the club and I was indeed
to be their guest for the weekend. A
very generous gesture and a much
appreciated one, not so much in terms
of finance but in terms of the gesture of
friendship from a group of falconers to
a fellow falconer from abroad. It would
also be fair to say that everyone on the
committee of the club made a very real
effort to ensure I was enjoying both the
hunting and the social side of things. I
must say that when it was time to depart
the meeting and head back to Milan I
came away from Italy with very fond
memories of the entire group, not just the
committee. But I get ahead of myself.
Once we were registered it was time to
get hunting and the male Prairie was put
out to weather for a while and the male
Barbary taken up on the fist and we
located the nearest group of falconers to
us that were hunting with longwings. The
part of the ground we were on seemed
to favour Pheasant and so we spectated
for a few flights and then went off to
see if we could find some Partridge.
We had no dog with us and so had to
managed to persuade someone with
a stunning Setter to work her for us. A
covey was soon found and the “Fit” the
Barbary was allowed to take to the air.
He circled up quite nicely. Not to a very
great height but he was very focused
on Michele and was looking inward all
the time. The Partridge were sprung and
the Barbary stooped but no cigar I am
afraid. But nice flight never the less and
the Barbary was taken down to the lure
and then fed for the day as time was
marching on and we still needed to find
a flight for the Prairie.
Back to the weathering ground to swap
the falcons and we were soon heading
out again to try and find a flight for “Rio”.
The light was starting to fade just a little
and very soon we would be on the cusp
of the day and we needed to try and
find quarry quite quickly. Fortune was
smiling on us and some Partridge were
found and “Rio” was put on the wing.
Again, not tremendous height by the
male Prairie, however he was extremely
focused and at the flush stooped and cut
down his Partridge. But it wasn’t a lethal
blow and the Partridge got up again and
took off but a second blow from “Rio”
was enough to get the job done, and
done in style. Being an imprint, and a
mal imprint at that, care must be taken
when taking “Rio” up on the fist again
and feeding him up. Michele has the
measure of “Rio” though and despite
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 25
ARTICLE: ITALIAN FALCONRY MEETING

a little screaming and a momentary The meal was typical of the region and Michele and I drove over to the lodge
temper tantrum all was soon well and a featured game that had been taken for the days hunting. Again I was
contented falcon was hooded and put locally, although by guns and not by fortunate enough to receive a very
on the cadge in the car. falcons, unfortunately. The various warm welcome from my hosts and many
courses were accompanied by local introductions to newly arrived falconers.
Then it was back to the hunting lodge wines and I have to say all went down The group of hunters would be split into
for coffee or wine and a bit of a get well. It wasn’t to be a late evening for three and I was to join the longwing
together with a dinner following a little Michele and I had driven straight to the group that included my friends. First up
later. I was introduced to various other meeting and so we needed to go to the to fly that day was Jose Louis with his
falconers from several different countries hotel and get checked in before it got Falcon and she left the fist and mounted
which included Romania, Hungary and too late. Fortunately the hotel was only a spectacularly. Taking very wide circles
Austria. Three falconers from the historic quarter of an hour or so away and was but gaining tremendous height very
city of Melfi came over an introduced easy enough to find. The reception was rapidly. Two Pointers were run under
themselves and very kindly invited me exceedingly efficient and soon I was in here and they soon located game. The
to be a guest at a meeting they are my room unpacking and laying clothes falcon was very high indeed and making
organising next year to celebrate the out for the morning. decent and very commanding circles
connection between city and Frederick overhead. To be continued...
the Second, surely one of the greatest A good night’s sleep saw me refreshed
historical names on falconry. Frederick and ready for the day ahead and
had his main castle at Melfi and it is still
completely intact. The meet next year will
be based around the castle and should
be a truly fascinating experience. It
never ceases to amaze me how, despite
the pretty obvious language barriers
that normally apply, falconers from
different countries always find some
way or another to communicate. After
much talking and exchange of views
and showing of photographs it was time
for dinner and just as we sat down some
friends of Michele arrived from Austria
and joined us at our table.

26 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

BRITISH ARCHIVES
OF FALCONRY
O n November 11th, the British
Archives of Falconry formally
opened its new exhibition facility,
attracting falconers from around the
world to share in celebrations. This not
only formed Britain’s contribution for
the 2017 World Falconry Day, but also
commemorated the foundation of the
British Falconers’ Club’s 90 years earlier
to the day. The event began for a number
of visitors with flights – sadly, for most of
them, these were on aircraft, but a small
hawking party did manage to take to the
field to enjoy the sport we had gathered
to celebrate.
We were delighted to welcome HE Majid
Al Mansouri, International Association of
Falconry Vice-president for the Middle East
and North Africa and Executive Director
of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, and Lt Col
Kent Carnie, founder and Curator Emeritus
of The Archives of Falconry in Idaho. Other
overseas visitors included Dick ten Bosch
from the Netherlands, Klaus and Elisabeth
Leix from Germany and Gary Timbrell
from Ireland. A whole host of falconers,
young and old, from all over Britain were
also able to attend, and the atmosphere of
positive enthusiasm for the Archives’ work
was incredible.
The exhibition was filled almost
to its rafters with art and artefacts
celebrating Britain’s falconry heritage,
focusing primarily on the host county
of Wiltshire’s particularly prestigious
history of the sport. Items from the
Archives’ ever-expanding collection
were complemented by exhibits on
loan from keen collectors of objects
linked to our shared passion. There were
scarce and beautifully bound treatises
on the sport, hawking diaries, items of
furniture belonging to some of British
falconry’s best-known names and a
striking collection of artwork including
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 27
ARTICLE: BRITISH ARCHIVES OF FALCONRY
original works by George Lodge, Ron
David Digby and Richard Treleaven. A
lovely collection of images of falconers
spanning many generations, arrayed
along the stairs leading to the main
exhibit, occasionally caused tailbacks
in accessing the main collection as many
guests stopped to pause and reflect on
those they knew, those they may have
liked to have met and, in some cases,
images of their younger selves.
The formal opening incorporated
speeches from Founding Director Mark
Upton, Honorary Patron Kent Carnie,
local MP Robert Buckland and falconers
John Loft and Elisabeth Leix, of the BFC others worldwide. His immense influence
and Deutscher Falkenorden respectively. and enthusiasm was very much in
All reflected on the achievements of the evidence amongst all present and, whilst
British Archives of Falconry and upon we will all sadly miss his companionship,
the significance, to falconers near and guidance and example, we carry on
far and indeed the wider world, of his endeavours with grateful thanks for
the 1,500 year heritage it represents. everything he did for our sport. By making
Following the speeches, guests were our collections more accessible, the new
welcome to enjoy refreshments, hosted premises will hopefully encourage and
in a nearby barn displaying further enable future generations of falconers
information on falconry heritage, and to pick up the torch Roger kindled in all
to partake in a get-together with like- of us, and to pass on that same love of
minded friends whilst continuing to falconry’s long, distinguished role in
explore the fascinating items on display. Britain’s cultural heritage to those who
follow them.
With so many falconers of all ages
present, the evening offered great
opportunities to recall old memories
and more recent ones of falconers, of
hawks and of days afield. Falconers
who personally knew the greats of the
Victorian and Edwardian era were
known by, and passed their memories
on to, some of the more senior falconers
present; those current falconers in turn
were able to pass their experiences onto
the younger generation present, and
so the evening was, in many ways, an
example of our living heritage in action.
The gathering was conscious of the very
recent loss of Roger Upton MBE, whose
pioneering work in the field of falconry
heritage was the original inspiration for all
of the British Archives’ Directors and many
THE FALCONRY
FESTIVAL 2017
D ecember the 4th to the 9th saw the
Confusingly titled 4th International
Festival of Falconry take place in Abu
Dhabi under the patronage of H.H.
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President of the United Arab Emirates. I
say confusing because there have been
two Festivals in Reading, England in
2007 and 2009 and then three in the
U.A.E. in 2011, 2014 and then the latest
in 2017. There was also many years
ago, in fact in 1976, an International
gathering in the Emirates which is now
classed as the first, the two in Reading
appear not to have occurred, and then
the subsequent three in Abu Dhabi.
Accordingly this recent event is classified
as Festival number four.

The emphasis at the Festival was very

much on youth and the future of the sport.
Many countries responded well and sent
youngsters to represent falconry in their
country and to pick outstanding ones
would be a little unfair. However it would
be fair to say that several countries went
to considerable trouble to ensure their
country, youngsters and the health of
their sport were very well represented.
To counter this it would also be fair to say days were spent in the desert at the from hood making to imping and just
that some countries most certainly didn’t. Mohammed Bin Zayed Falconry and about every other topic you could think
In fact, one country didn’t even turn up. Desert Physiognomy School at the of relating to practical falconry. These
Penryn College of South Africa and Telal Heritage Village in Remah. The workshops were very informal and
Falcon College of Zimbabwe certainly first two day were packed with various encouraged participation wherever
set the standard very high and their workshops and demonstrations relating possible. There was also a huge video
country displays and the effort they put to practical falconry as well as two screen that showed various films relevant
into participating fully in the event must hunting parties a day to hopefully see to falconry including the old standard
be made mention of. falcons flown at Houbara in the desert. “Kes”. On the third day there was an
These demonstrations and workshops International Falconry Conference as
Once again the format and structure covered a myriad of topics and were well as two more hunting parties going
of the event itself had changed quite well attended. They ranged from flying out in search of Houbara.
considerably and so the first three Sparrowhawks to passage falcons,

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 29

ARTICLE: THE FALCONRY FESTIVAL 2017
To ensure all those attending the Festival
got to see as many aspects of falcons
being flown as possible there was also
demonstrations of falcons being flown to
a conventional lure as well as chasing
a lure being towed by model aircraft.
This just has to be seen to be believed
to appreciate how fit and truly persistent
a falcon can be trained to be. Those
attending the Festival were based for
the desert period in Al Ain and were
bused out to the Heritage Village each
day, a journey of only just over an
hour or so in very high standard air-
conditioned buses. Lunch in the desert
was a truly splendid affair taking place
in a massive air-conditioned tent where
three hundred people could comfortably
be accommodated, and the inner man
or women fed and fed very well indeed.
Myself and some others to spend day three
following our own plan and accordingly
in the morning visited the Bowardi Souk
in Al Ain and then in the afternoon to
a taxi to the Falcon Souk at Nad Al
Sheba in Dubai City. Bowardi Souk is
the everyman area for buying a falcon
and certainly the clientele that visited
with an interest in purchasing a falcon
when our party was there would hardly
be considered members of the upper
echelons of falconry. What was extremely
interesting was the attention paid to us
and the information given on particular
falcons and then hearing something totally
30 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
different to potential native customers. For
example, the first dealer we visited in the
Souk offered us a Black Gyr Falcon for
$15,000. When I said it looked like a Gyr
x Saker hybrid to me I was categorically
assured it was a pure Gyr from the finest
breeding in Europe. However, if we were
to pay cash then there would be some
movement on the price. We explained we
just wanted to buy some equipment and
things changed slightly in that the coffee
we had just been offered didn’t materialise
and other people walking through the
door took complete priority over us. The
same large black falcon was then offered
to a local as a hybrid at $6,000. The
dealer was unaware that one of our party
spoke Arabic.
We visited several dealers, and all
sold the same equipment, generally
speaking all originating in Pakistan,
and all had back rooms with falcons
that were for sale housed within them.
The falcons were hooded and lived on
screen perches. They were fed through
the hood and unless a prospective buyer
took one of these poor creatures up
onto the fist to have a close look at they
were left hooded day after day after
day. A truly miserable existence. These
poor falcons are fed the lowest quality
food, kept in poor conditions and the
general consensus amongst the better
falconers is that these places are where
the unsold falcons go to die. Some of
those within our party wanted to buy
some equipment and bartering took on
a new meaning when it came to settling
wthe bill. Elaborate games that lasted
two coffee’s in length ensued before a
sensible price was reached and both
parties to the deal seemed to think they
had get better of the other. The overall
experience of Bowardi Souk had been
an upsetting and disturbing one for any
European Falconer and the immediate
thought was how could things be brought
about to change the lives of these poor
unfortunate falcons that ended up in such
premises. Bearing in mind Souks like this
are replicated across the Middle East
and must quite literally have thousands
of inhabitants leading utterly miserable
existences. At least in the afternoon we
would be visiting a very famous and
a very up market Falcon Souk and it
was almost certain that standards here
would be considerable higher and
surely far more humane in the treatment
of the falcons that were for sale there.
The Taxi ride from Abu Dhabi to The
Falcon Souk in Dubai City was interesting
with the driver assuring us when we got
into his taxi he knew where he was
going and had been there before. On
the outskirts of Dubai City he decided
to tell us he hadn’t actually been there
before and his Sat Nav system wasn’t
working and dropped us at another taxi
rank. Fortunately, the next taxi driver
did know where we were going and in
fact we were just some ten minutes or so
away from it. On arrival we could see
this was a very upmarket establishment
in comparison to the ones visited this
morning and indeed our hopes rose
with regard to seeing falcons for sale
being kept in far better conditions. On
entering the premises, it was obvious
this was indeed a Souk of a very much various other places. These ranged fro
higher calibre and the individual shops Black and Red Shaheens to Sakers and
were arranged around the inner edges Calidus Peregrines. There was even a
of the large building. Equipment of the dark phase Steppe Eagle, trapped that
same Pakistani origins were for sale afternoon with a Harrier as the Barak
but priced with a somewhat more up Bird or in our terms live bait. In fact they
market clientele in mind. The hoods were trying quite hard to keep the poor
for example were exactly the same as Harrier alive, having been grabbed
we had seen in the morning but quite by the Eagle, so he could be used
literally double the price. Same was again the following day in the hopes of
true of blocks, lures, bags, gloves etc. trapping something else. I had to walk
Again, each shop had its back room away. Another dealer had Kestrels and
of falcons on screen perches, hooded, a Haggard Shikra Hawk for sale. Not
and looking in no better condition than
those we had seen in the morning. In
fact, during the course of our relatively
short stay I saw some things which were
truly awful and had to say I wanted to
leave as I could feel my blood boiling
and an eruption not too far away. I hate
abject cruelty and I most certainly saw
examples of it in this Souk.
The use of wild taken falcons is now
supposed to be illegal in Abu Dhabi
and Dubai but several dealers offered
to sell us unrung falcons that had been
trapped in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 31
ARTICLE: THE FALCONRY FESTIVAL 2017
for use by beginners as you may think
but for those who wanted live bait to try
and trap their own Saker Falcons.
Many of the Falcons on the screen
perches were quite clearly unwell and
it can hardly come as surprise that a
great many die of various infections.
One Saker was clearly struggling and
with a veterinary clinic being the shop
next door I asked the vendor why the
falcon wasn’t being treated. He said
that the treatment would probably
amount to more than the cost of getting
another one from his trapper and so he
would wait to see what god wanted to
do. Let me stress that these awful sights
were completely removed from the
Festival and just a very unfortunate part
of day to day life for falcons, both wild
trapped and captive bred, that have the
severe misfortune to fine themselves part
of the Souk set up across the Emirates.
As several very experienced falconers
32 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
reiterated several times the Souks are
where falcons go to die and I for one
believe it whole heartedly.
The fourth day of the event saw the entire
gathering of participants move from Al
Ain to Abu Dhabi city and once there the
rest of the day was spent setting up the
individual country stands and preparing
for the two public days that were to
follow. To ensure people from various
countries had to interact and get to know
each other each stand would contain
representatives from three countries and
things were deliberately mixed up a bit
so different cultures and languages were
deliberately brought together. With some
of the countries that had really made a
huge effort then they did have stands to
themselves and outstanding amongst these
were those of China and Japan. Fabulous
stands full of very fascinating artefacts
relating to their falconry. Amongst the
smaller stands two that for me stood out
head and shoulders above the rest for
the effort and forethought that had gone
into them would be the Netherlands and
Australia. Three young men represented
the Netherlands and it must be said they
made a staggeringly good job of their
stand and talking to visitors. Michael Calvin
from Australia was there with his son Tom
and also Will Goodwin, his nephew. We
all know Michael is dedicated to getting
Falconry legalised in Australia and works
tirelessly to try and bring this about. From
the effort that Michael puts into trying to
achieve this it can only be a case of when
and not if.
On the evening of the set up day our
Arabian hosts had invited one and all
to an evening dinner to be held in the
gardens of the Ritz in the inner city. It
was a grand affair with speeches and
introductions to those who attended
the original Festival in 1976. To be fair
things were a little long winded and
despite initial interest after an hour
or so this had waned somewhat and
people were generally just wanting to
get some food. Once people did finally
get to eat the evening just seemed to
die away with people making their
own arrangements to get back to
their respective hotels rather than wait
around for the designated coaches. At
least taxis are very cheap in Abu Dhabi
and they are certainly are plentiful any
time of day or night.
Finally, the Festival days that were open
to the public had come around and
most people were on their stands bright
and early to ensure that things were
just right for when the public arrived.
The vast majority of those sponsored
to attend did the very best they could
both for their individual stands and
for falconry in general. Taking time
to interact with visitors as well as with
fellow representatives from other
countries. As will always be the case
there were one or two individuals who
had just treated the whole exercise as
a free holiday in the sun and no doubt
their lack of cooperation or willingness
to be of real help to anyone would
have been duly noted with regard to
future events.
My overall impression of the Festival
was that whilst undoubtedly being on
not quite so lavish a scale as its last
two predecessors it was a successful
in bringing about what it set out to do.
Showcase falconry across the world
in a good light, encourage younger
falconers coming up through the ranks
and bring falconers from across the
globe closer together.
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 33
34 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY
BOOK REVIEW
ARTIST FALCONERS
D ue to the pressure of deadlines
and other books that came in for
review here we are at last, admittedly
somewhat belatedly, taking a look
at the latest offering from David Fox.
David’s love of falconry art is well
documented, and he has very publicly
sung the praises of the two artists
featured in his new book that has been
stunningly put together and produced
by Paul Morgan and his company
Coch-Y-Bonddu Books.

The subject matter of the book is the

life and work of two particular artists,
one the mentor in the early days to
the other. I should imagine it would
be hard to find a British falconer that
isn’t aware of either of them or at least
certain aspects of their work. David
Reid-Henry may well be best known in
the UK for his stunning illustrations for
Jack Mavrogordato’s “A Falcon in the
Field” and for his stunning contributions
to “Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the
World”. David’s pupil and protegee,
Ron David Digby, is equally well
known and amongst his many notable
contributions are the plates to Tom
Cade’s “Falcons of the World”.

David Reid-Henry passed away in

1977 in his beloved Rhodesia, as the
country was known then, aged just 58

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 35

ARTICLE: BOOK REVIEW

years old. A real tragedy that such an
incredible talent should have been cut
down so young. Ron David Digby is an
exceedingly active artist, despite the
fact that at the time of writing being 81
years old and is still producing some
simply stunning work. Both of these
gentlemen were very active falconers,
and this is reflected in a great many of
the pictures they produced, catching
moments that probably only a fellow
falconer would truly connect with.
seen before and there is an interesting
foreword by Mark Upton accompanied
by his own portrait of his Peregrine
“Oliver Twist”. Priced at just £30 I
consider this book an absolute bargain
and a must have. It can be obtained
Paul Morgan on 01654-702837 or
www.anglebooks.com

The book is A4 size and comprises

some 200 pages and is printed on
high quality paper and is nothing less
than would be expected from Coch-
Y-Bonddu Books. There are over 250
superb illustrations, a great many of
which will have not been generally

36 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

Promoting responsibility
Office open Monday to Friday
09:00 to 13:00 & 16:00 to 19:00
Saturday & Sunday
10:00 to 14:00
www.ibr.org.uk
email: barbara@ibr.org.uk
www.facebook.com/theIBR
Specialist suppliers of leather, leathercraft
tools and materials to the falconry world
Consistent performance leather is vital in all falconry applica-
tions. The Identity Store is dedicated to supplying falconers
with the best kangaroo, stallion, bullhide and calf leathers in
the world at true value prices. Our leather is sold in whole
skins and pieces designed for praticability and economy.
Thank you for your custom, Peter and Jackie Laight
www.theidentitystore.co.uk
THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 37
 INDEPENDENT BIRD REGISTER
IBR Registered Lost & Stolen plus Found and Reunited Birds of Prey 0161 790 5613
From 1st October to 31st December 2017 www.ibr.org.uk

The IBR would like to thank all of those people that have helped to capture, look after and reunite lost birds. To date we have now helped
to reunite over 7,500 birds. If you think one of the following birds is yours or you think you may know the owner - please contact us.
ALL birds reported lost or stolen will REMAIN on the database as lost or stolen until we are told otherwise.
ALL birds that have been found will be placed on the found section of the website if the owner cannot be traced.
ALL birds reported lost whether IBR rung or not will be placed on the database but please note that only those birds whose
registrations have been paid for will appear on the website, our Facebook page, IBR App and Map.
Part of the ring numbers have been replaced with a ‘?’ for security reasons.

REMEMBER! We offer a service. Please don’t abuse it.

REUNITED LOST UNREGISTERED BIRDS LOST

BREF RING SPECIES AREA LOST
SPECIES 83738 ?124? GYRPERESAKER Mansfield, NG19
AMERICAN KESTREL 1 BARN OWL 12 109049 ?425? BARN OWL Wolverhampton, WV4
APLOMADO 1 GOSHAWK 3 111077 ?ALK? GYRSAKER Rainhill, L35
BARBARY 1 GYR 1 111085 ?NBC? GYRSAKER Alcester, B49
BARN OWL 12 GYRSAKER 1 64228 ?208? HARRIS HAWK Maesteg
CHACO OWL 1 HARRIS HAWK 8 109223 ?451? HARRIS HAWK Barry, CF62
CHILEAN BLUE EAGLE 1 KESTREL 1 72361 ?044? SAKER Wetherby, LS22
EUROPEAN EAGLE OWL 3 LANNER 2 103208 ?510? KESTREL Wroot, DN9
GOSHAWK 6 PEREGRINE 4 110959 ?613? GYRSAKER Irlam, M44
GYR/PEREGRINE 3 RED TAIL 1 111158 ?JMA? SAKER Cobham, KT11
GYR/SAKER 10 SAKER 1 110766 ?635? BARN OWL Acocks Green, B27
HARRIS HAWK 24 TRIBRED 2 111168 ?KG? PEREGRINE Burton on Tweed
KESTREL 7 YELLOW BILLED KITE 1 110975 ?606? PERESAKER Hampton, TW12
LANNER 1 111188 ?RGW? LANNER Coupar Angus, PH13
PEREGRINE 6 106789 ?204? BARN OWL Bristol, BS16
PEREGRINE/BARBARY 1 109596 ?248? KESTREL Watton, IP25
PEREGRINE/LANNER 2 104137 ?938? TAWNY OWL Fritton, NR31
PEREGRINE/LUGGER 1 111180 ?NBC? GYRPEREGRINE Ware, SG12
REDTAIL 3 111233 ?MJW? HARRIS HAWK Bedford, MK41
SAKER 2 110654 ?494? HARRIS HAWK Bolton, BL5
SNOWY OWL 2 108209 ?275? BARN OWL Brackley, NN13
STORK 1 95511 ?TRE? PEREGRINE Louth, LN11
TRIBRED 2 59883 ?658? INDIAN EAGLE OWL Shepreth, SG8
URAL OWL 2 111307 ?EMC? GYRSAKER Peterborough, PE15
101649 ?744? BARN OWL Little Hulton, M28

Out of the 93 birds reunited, 54 were NOT registered of which 3 have now registered.

FOUND DEAD x 9 FOUND x 4

BREF RING SPECIES AREA FOUND
AMERICAN KESTREL 1
BARN OWL 2 28800 ?819? HARRIS HAWK Newport, NP18
GOSHAWK 2 111169 ?627? PEREGRINE HYBRID Andover, SP11
HARRIS HAWK 3 93506 ?046? HARRIS HAWK Telford
KESTREL 1 93556 ?998? HARRIS HAWK Waterlooville

38 THE WORLD OF FALCONRY

 CLUB DIRECTORY

The South East Falconry Group

AIMS TO SUPPORT FALCONERS IN THE CONTINUATION AND PRACTICE OF FALCONRY
Drawing its membership from around the South and East of England, the SEFG provides a forum for falconers
and would-be falconers to meet, discuss and practice the art. Members benefit from having access to a wealth of experience and knowledge,
good facilities and field meeting opportunities throughout the winter months.
Meetings take place on the last Tuesday of the month at North Stifford in Essex.
For members in our Southern region, informal meetings take place near Winchester, Hants. (Please contact Dean White on 01489 896504).
For further information or an application form please contact Peter Long (secretary) on 07889 438531
email us at enquiry@sefg.org
visit our web site www.sefg.org

The Welsh Hawking Club

British Falconers' Club www.thewelshhawkingclub.com
Founded in 1927 The Welsh Hawking Club has four regional groups
The oldest and largest Hawking Club in the country. throughout the United Kingdom meeting in:-

Thirteen Regional Groups - South Wales, North Wales, the South West and Essex

Scotland, Yorkshire, Midlands, Cotswolds, Eastern, North For more details please visit our website and click on Regions.

Western, Mid-West, North Eastern, Southern, Wales, South For all general equiries please contact:

Western, West Midlands & Borders & Wessex. David Barber on 07785 762373

Email Sue on membershipsecretary@britishfalconersclub.co.uk or

Or visit our website for details e-mail: secretary@thewelshhawkingclub.com

www.britishfalconersclub.co.uk
THE BRITISH FALCONERS CLUB (F.M.)
The Scottish
Hawking Club
For the dedicated falconer
The largest club in Scotland protecting the
needs of falconers.
AFFILIATED TO:- Countryside Alliance - Hawk Board - Scottish Hawk
Board - Zimbabwe Falconers Club - North American Falconers
Association - International Association for Falconry
Further details from:
Alan Rothery
E-mail: info@scottishhawkingclub.co.uk
• We are a D.E.F.R.A. recognised club•★
South Eastern Raptors
Association (S.E.R.A.)
Established for over 30 years, and now affiliated to the Hawk Board
and holding group membership to the Countryside Alliance, the aims
of S.E.R.A. are to further and maintain the standards of falconry in
the South-East of England. With a broad band of knowledge and
experience within our club, we extend a warm welcome to new
members, whether practising falconers or complete novices. Where
practicable, novices will be allocated a mentor. Helpful, honest and
friendly advice is always available.
Our meetings are held at 10.30am on the second Sunday of
each month throughout the year at The Village Hall, Station Road,
Groombridge, Kent TN3 9QX
Outings, guest speakers, field meets, (at home and away) videos,
quizzes and other special events are everpresent
features of our club calendar and may be viewed on our website.
Please visit our NEW website at: www.seraonline.co.uk
or telephone Alan for information on: 07973 733110

THE WORLD OF FALCONRY 39

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38 The Falconers & Raptor Conservation Magazine
COCH-Y-BONDDU BOOKS
Machynlleth, Mid-Wales SY20 8DG Tel: 01654 702837 www.anglebooks.com orders@anglebooks.com

Hbk £30.00 First 250 copies Hbk £69.95 Hbk £65.00 Two volumes in slip-case. £95.00
signed by Ron Digby & David Fox

Hbk £19.95 Pbk £29.95 Hbk £55.00 £25.00 Hbk £50.00 Hbk £35.00 £20.00

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 Symon Latham’s
First Book of Falconry
1615

TRANSCRIBED BY BOB DALTON

ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID RAMPLING

This classic work on falconry, widely acknowledged as one of the finest books on the subject ever written,
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To obtain your copy phone Bob Dalton on 07774 267790 or e-mail at aplomado@btinternet.com.