The weather forecast was not over optimistic on this February Sunday, but NRC members still braved the elements for a late season day's hawking.

Only two birds on this meet, Poppy and Freya, both female Harris Hawks, sisters, Freya being 12 and Poppy her younger 4 year old sibling. The group consisted of four people, two birds, and we set off into our first wood before the weather turned on us.

The birds started out in good form, chasing well, with several near misses, and after the first wood was walked, the group moved to a much larger wood to really start the day off.

Again, quarry was flushed, and eventually Freya took the first in good style, and so the bag was started.

The weather outside the wood was getting decidedly worse, and after a long walk from one end of the wood to the other, the group decided on a lunch break, and began to work out the afternoon plan.

Once a route was planned , the group moved off, with the weather turning squally and making it difficult in the open for the birds.

That said, as the group walked a hedge row, en route to another wood, Poppy suddenly lunged from her tree into thick undergrowth, and took the second kill of the day.

As the weather really was getting too much, we entered the last wood on the way back to the vehicles, with both birds still following on well....though most likely very tired..like their keepers!

All in all, despite the inclement weather, a good day's hawking.

John Tyas

February 2011