Falconry Displays

Archive for August, 2019

Things have been going well although the weather at times has been very testing – wind and rain – it is amazing and quite depressing how accurate the weather forecast can be several days ahead – we always live in hope that it may be wrong if the forecast is bad.

Anyhow we have done some nice events and I have a nice photo to include below of ‘Leah’ catching the lure at a show in Warminster for the Wiltshire medieval society. What I like about it is that the lure line is fully extended which suggests my ‘throw up’  was perfectly timed.

We are going to invest in some new transmitters – tags that go on the birds just before flying – this is so I do not have to employ 30 under falconers to stand downwind in case my wayward falcon passes over. Of course I jest but this is how the whole operation of falconry was carried in the Middle Ages – properly organised! The modern day transmitter or falconry telemetry is now an absolute necessity.  Although if a lost bird is sitting on the ground the signal range is limited and difficult to pin down. If there is a ‘bleep’ there is hope! GPS tracking is now available and no doubt once the system is proven and durable it will be standard equipment for all falconers.

Anyway here is the photo of ‘Leah’. 

Things have been going well and the birds have been flying well. I include a photograph of me and ‘Bo’ on a school visit earlier in the summer. ‘Owls’ are so popular with audiences ‘The Harry Potter thing’ that even a hardened falconer like myself concedes this point and where possible ‘Bo’ comes with us. She delights audiences especially when she skims over their heads in silent flight.

Next year in 2020 we are going to make some changes to our show display. We will continue with the popular static display or ‘waiting to fly area’ for the duration of the event but instead of offering two x 20 minute flying displays we will now offer one thirty minute arena flying display with commentary.

It is a better use of resources for us and is a better fit for most events that run for the afternoon or from late morning into the afternoon. The second display is normally in the later stage of the event and is not at its optimum in terms of audience numbers. So one longer display is a better fit for most events placed at the peak time in the event programme.

This not an overnight decision but something I have thinking about for a couple of years and now is a good time to do it. For events that run all day or for repeat bookings things will remain as they have been.

The display lasting thirty minutes is designed to appeal to families, some interactive elements with audience participation and of course for me too an element ‘if you like’ reflecting my life long interest in falconry. Hopefully a balanced and full display – which we have always provided but now structured within one display.

Other news our local Buzzards have against all expectations produced one chick. I was sure they had not been successful again this year. I do not hang around the nest site so I could not be certain – imagine my surprise to see a young buzzard having just left the nest sitting in a tree looking at me and the dog as we walked past!