Saturday, July 18, 2015

Miriam and a Harris's Hawk

     On Wednesday evening a pot luck supper was held for the volunteers of the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus fledge watch. Chris and Karen von Knobloch kindly hosted this event and it was attended by many of the regular falcon monitors.
    Rudy Kruppa, the falconer involved with our team, brought a couple of his birds with him, and everyone was able to have close and intimate encounters with a Harris's Hawk Parabuteos unicinctus and a Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis.
     
Harris's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk


     Harris's Hawk seems to be the most universally used species by falconers and those seeking to control other birds, such as at airports and of all places, far from its habitat in the southwestern desert of North America, in Trafalgar Square. When Miriam and I last visited there a falconer was walking around with a Harris's Hawk on his arm and there was nary a pigeon in sight.
     Here is a closeup of the two species.




     Given our druthers, we would prefer to see these birds in the wild, but given the fact that they are routinely and legally kept in captivity, Miriam did not let the opportunity pass her by to have an up close and personal encounter with a magnificent raptor.



     Thanks again to Chris and Karen for hosting the event and for barbecuing the most delicious, succulent chicken I have ever tasted!
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

16 comments:

  1. Amazing serie of photos !!
    Greetings

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post, David! The Harris Hawk is just beautiful. Awesome photos. Have a happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Miriam seems very accomplished at keeping that hawk under quiet control? Practice makes perfect I guess.

    Enjoy your weekend David.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW!!
    Miriam looks radiant :)
    So nice to see here again even thought it is not for real....yet!!!
    I love those Harris hawks, they seem to be such lovely characters!
    I remember having seen an escapee some years ago up close.
    Lovely post, David, enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. There's no getting away from it, whatever one's views are on falconry, David - being close up to these wonderful birds is an amazing experience!

    Had to look up 'druthers' on t'interweb - was amused by the derivation!

    See you in four and a half days! I think I'll now venture a 'bon voyage' - Richard

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful pictures of these birds and your wife Miriam. Often this is the only way to see these birds up close.
    I wish you a nice weekend and a good journey. Gr Jan W

    ReplyDelete
  7. It was a great evening David and wish we would have had more time to chat :) It was Chris's and my pleasure to have everyone over. Miriam fits in quite well to the garden scene here and seems quite relaxed holding Desi. Being up close and personal with a raptor like this is a really neat experience!
    Have a wonderful time away and I am sure you will bring back lots of great stories!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hawks on the arm and chicken on the BBQ..............nice!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello David,
    What a great birds. They are wonderful.
    Good shots!!

    Greetings, Marco

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello David, Great captures of the raptors. Nice to meet your wife Miriam in this manner. Lovely photos of her with the birds.
    I am not a great fan of birds of pray in captivity but that is another discussion.
    Regards,
    Roos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nor am I, Roos, but as long as falconry is legal it is going to happen. We should also remember that captive birds have been key to the recovery of some endangered species.

      Delete
  11. The Harris' Hawk is fantastic, good for posing with.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great series of shots, top work David

    ReplyDelete

  13. Beautiful pictures of the birds of prey, nice to see.
    Enjoy your weekend, Tinie greetings

    ReplyDelete

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Followers