A rather gloomy day awaited the group on arrival at Holdenby, the fog was thick and showing no signs of letting up. The morning started with coffee and a pre meet talk to establish details of exactly where we were permitted to fly the hawks.

Suitably refreshed and instructed, we set out to walk the estate. Jim and Kevin had first slip as we walked a hedgerow toward some crop cover, but with no slips. Once we arrived at the crop cover, 2 or 3 pheasant were flushed, but the conditions were proving difficult, and we had no success here either.

We moved along to more crop cover, where a couple of male Harris' were put up. The bird's keepers stationed themselves at the top of some crop cover while the rest of the group walked the cover up. One flush was made with both birds chasing and narrowly missing.

The females were then put up again as we walked another hedgerow, and though there were a few pheasant flushed, they were proving rather elusive! Still no success, and the fog wasn't letting up.

As we crossed the road, we walked a field of stubble, one rabbit getting up, but too far away to give chase. We then walked a hedgerow along the edge of a wood, putting ferrets down into a warren. Mick's male Buddy was put up along with Kevin's female, and eventually, a rabbit was bolted. Both hawks instantly reacted and chased, Kevin's female hitting the quarry first, but not holding on, and as the quarry turned, Buddy was there to make the hit, only to be pushed of by the bigger, stronger female.

The birds were by now getting thoroughly wet and a little frustrated as the conditions hampered them. The group proceeded to a known warren and tried the ferrets again, one rabbit being bolted, and Kevin's female half heartedly chasing as she did not get a good jump on the quarry. One or two more simply emerged from one hole only to bolt straight down the next nearby hole, and so it was decided that as the light would soon fade, we would walk one more crop cover, then head back to Holdenby House.

Not a great day's hawking, bagging only one rabbit, but there were some good slips, and the banter always brightens up the day, whatever the weather!

Present:

Martin - Male Harris

Kevin - Female Harris

Jim - Female Harris

Mick - Male Harris

John - Male Harris

Dave - Spectator

John Tyas

29th Nov 2008