Falconry Displays

The Art and Practice of Hawking by E.B. Michell published in 1900 is one of my favourite falconry books – for a variety of reasons. Michell followed the usual route of Oxford and beyond – as an international barrister – and is noted for buying the original site for the All England Tennis and Croquet Club – which is amazing.

In falconry terms he was an expert at flying merlins at larks of Salisbury plain and is best known for this. Many will not have seen lark hawking at its best but the chapter on flying Sparrowhawks – an achievable ambition – was inspirational to me and my friends. It gave us a goal of excellence.  The book was rarely in the local library but always out being read by someone often for weeks!

The book is beautifully written and without photos words were used to describe certain procedures. His description of imping is nothing less than superb. Of course my own book ‘Falconry – aspects of care of the trained falcon and hawk’ by me Michael Davie is full of photographs but with a lot less text. That is the difference between 1900 and 2024 when my own book was published.

What I have always liked about Michell’s book is the chapter on ‘Home Life’  covering the the necessary care and housing of the birds when not in the field. The daily grind if you like of animal care. I have never seen it quite that way. I have always enjoyed that aspect of falconry. I enjoyed spending time with the birds at home – cleaning them out and so on. Perhaps that is why the daily and long term care care of the trained bird is central to my book.

I sign off with a picture of me enjoying time sitting out with a peregrine  – watching it dry – after having a bath.