January Meeting 2012

This is a reminder that it is the first club meeting of 2012 tomorrow night and Jem will be doing a demonstration on game preperation.

We look forward to seeing you and we will be in the skittle alley tomorrow night.

Home counties hawking club agenda 2011/12

April 19th:           Speaker, (Dave Jones on imprinting Goshawks).

May 17th:            Speaker, (Alan Hender from West Berk’s Gundog Club).

June 21st:            Talk from Alan Greenhalgh on telemetry followed by a telemetry hunt.

July 19th:             Speaker, Lea Readfern Windsor Great park’s head keeper.

August 16th:        BBQ at the club venue.

September 20th:   Equipment making night.

October 18th:       Quiz night.

November 15th:    Club evening/social, talking birds.

December 20th:     Christmas auction to raise club funds.

January 17th:        Game dispatch, preparation, cooking and tasting evening.

February 21st:       Video’s and photo evening of pictures from this last season.

March 20th:          Club AGM.

Fly Fishing Event

The Home Counties Hawking Club held a fly fishing event on the 4th June at Barn Elms fishery in Bradfield nr Reading. Ten members were fishing, conditions were not good with bright sunlight and little wind giving calm conditions which were less than ideal.

A sweepstake was held with two competitions running, the largest fish and the first to catch their limit. James Holliday won the largest fish at 2lbs 14oz and Richard Markham and James who both caught two fish shared the other prize as they were the nearest two to catch the limit of three fish.

Both Paul Gray and Steve Forrest caught there first ever trout on the fly. Steve hooking three altogether but lost two of them.

Steve also took his new male goshawk that he was imprinting with him to the lake which sat in its nest tray at the lake.

21st June Club Meeting

The next Home Counties Hawking Club meeting will include information on Telemetry.

Try the 434, 216 and 173 telemetry used to locate your Falcon or Hawk.

Buddy The Goshawk

Steve Forrest’s latest edition to the family, his male imprint Goshawk, Buddy.

Tuesday 17th May Speaker

Alan Hender who is an A panel judge for pointers with over 30 years experience and runs the West Berkshire Gun Dog Club will be speaking at tomorrow nights meeting.

Don’t forget its at the Frog and Wicket Now and membership fees are also due!

Home Counties Hawking Club March 2011 Newsletter

March 2011

MEMBERS
	The Home Counties Hawking Club member profile is… John Byrne Club member for? 16 years and an Honoury Member for services to the club. Years in falconry? 30 Years Birds kept? 7/8ths Gyr/Saker Dogs used? Bruno a Brittany X Setter. Ferrets, love them or hate them? Don’t mind them Other field sports involved in? Bit of shooting, fishing and ferreting Vehicle used for falconry? Anyone who will give me a seat in their four wheel drive Favourite bird? Merlin and Sparrowhawk Favourite game to eat? Muntjac and Wood Pigeon Profession. Pest controller
Club news
At the February meeting we had the photo competition. Sue Winn kindly judged the entries and chose a picture of John Byrnes Brittany cross Setter as the winner. I gave a game despatch and preparation demonstration of Pheasant and Rabbit which was vacuum packed ready for the freezer. The March meeting was the clubs AGM. The current committee stepped down and nominations were received. Paul Gray has decided to take a much deserved break as social secretary and stood down after many years.  His contribution will be missed and all members thanked him for everything he has done for the club. The new committee is: Chairman : Jem Pettit Secretary : Nicky Forrest Treasurer : Alan Greenhalgh Hawk Liaison Officer : Steve Forrest Social Secretary : John Byrne Following this meeting after learning that Alan had never tasted rabbit before, we had a tasting session of the game that was prepared at the last meeting which consisted of cold roast pheasant and a rabbit and mushroom pie. This proved very popular and after several requests as to how I cooked the pie I have included the recipe in this newsletter. The new committee will now look at what we can organise over the next year and report back at the next meeting. If there is something you would like us to organise please let a committee member know. Many thanks Jem Club Website We would welcome some articles to put on the site from members, so if you feel that you have something worth while to write about please do so and email any articles to Stuart or Kelly at the site or hand to a committee member.
Club Meeting Dates for 2011 April 19th, May 17th, June 21st, July19th, August 16th, September 20th, October18th, November 15th, December 20th. Easy way to remember is, it is the Third Tuesday of every month.
Rabbit and Mushroom Pie Recipe
First catch your rabbit???? For those that can (hawkers), if you are a falconer see someone who flies hawks lol!! Ingredients 1 rabbit 1 onion Field or chestnut mushrooms 1 can Campbell’s condensed chicken and mushroom soup 1 can Campbell’s condensed chicken and white wine soup Packet of puff pastry Packet of short crust pastry 1 egg Cut the rabbit into pieces, two back legs, two pieces of saddle and two forequarters. Place in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and simmer for forty minutes. Throw the water away and allow the meat to cool. When cool (I help by running under a cold tap) peel the meat off of the bone. Roll out the short crust pastry and line the bottom off your pie dish. In a bowl empty both cans of the soup, the meat, the onion chopped up and the sliced mushrooms. Roll out the puff pastry and place over the top of the pie Take the white of the egg and a splash of milk mixed together and brush the top of the pie. Place in an oven on gas mark six for between thirty and forty minute( check regularly after thirty minutes to ensure it does not burn).
For Sale and Wanted
To place an Advert in next months newsletter contact Jem on 0786 3339074 or jp243@aol.com (falconry related items only). Wanted. The use of a small male ferret that is working well to breed with two of my ferrets. If you have such a beast please contact Jem on 0786 3339074

PDF Version

Home Counties Hawking Club March Newsletter

Breeding Pair of American Kestrels

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Uppark Meet 2011

Having arrived at Uppark in the howling wind with the looming dark clouds, it was decided that the Harris Hawks would fly first through a long thin strip of woodland which contained pheasant.

Four beaters we chosen to work the far end of the wood whilst the flyers worked the near end and hopefully meet the driven pheasants in the middle. The plan worked and the Harris Hawks were released as a cast at the game birds with no success.

There were several near misses the most spectacular that I saw was from Steve’s Harris who was within a whisper. She dropped like a stone from the tree to a pheasant that decided to make a break for it right underneath her.

As we were walking back, the heavens opened and didn’t relent for the rest of the day.

Next on the agenda was the Falcons, Unfortunately there was only one. Alan’s Gyr Peregrine Bernie. We all gathered round to watch.

And Bernie did not disappoint! Patiently waiting on in the blowing wind, a partridge was put up by a few beaters working a patch of stubble and Bernie stooped. The stoop was extraordinarily fast and the partridge did not stand a chance.

We stopped for lunch and then drove to another part of the park and it was the turn of the red-tails. So Chris, Paul and Stuart readied their birds. By this time, the rain was pelting down and it was debatable whether to continue, but we braved the rain and headed for another wooded area to have a shot at some more pheasants.

There were so many pheasants the 3 reds didn’t know which ones to fly at! Paul’s dog Oz bolted a rabbit and Chris took a slip that it. It bolted downhill but unfortunately the rabbit made it to the warren just as Chris’s Red-tail was about to strike.

Stuart’s Red-tailed Hawk – Rocky had a very close call at a pheasant, but the crafty bird managed to escape through the sheep fence just as he closed in and poor Rocky smacked the into the fence.

Paul’s Female Red-tail was sitting up a tree and had a good flight on a pheasant that took off narrowly missing it. Paul and Chris’s birds also had some easy slips at hunkered down Pheasants, but the brambles proved too thick for them to get to.

All the while Paul’s dog Oz had been on point in a huge pile of impenetrable sticks and logs.

Rocky also had a slip at a pheasant, missed and went high into a tree and there was a reason that he wasn’t coming down. He had seen a rabbit moving in some brambles and he swooped down, chased the rabbit into its hole under some brambles then put up a hen pheasant and went off after that. By this time we were thoroughly drenched right through.

We made our way back and Oz pointed a few more Pheasants, but by this time the birds were soaked right through and were not very enthusiastic.

After some deliberating on the weather, it was decided that the ferrets would come out and more flying was to be done despite it still pouring with rain and blowing a gale! Unfortunately the Red-Tailed Buzzards were too wet to continue, but all the Harris Hawks were ready. The first to return was Jem with his female Harris nice and fat with rabbit, So Jem got out his male and rejoined the crew.

There were some fantastic flights and the next to return (puffing and panting after walking up the hill!) was Steve who’s female had also caught a rabbit despite hitting the fence hard on two separate occasions.

Ryan returned next with a beaming smile as his Female Harris Hawk had caught her fist Pheasant. She had originally gone for a rabbit, landed in a tree and spotted the bird and flew it with success.

James came next but was unlucky with his Harris.

Then finally after having to dig out the ferret Jem returned with his well fed male who had also caught a rabbit and we all went home thoroughly soaked through, but pleased with the days events.

Here are the best of the rest of the days photos.

New Venue for HCHC

We are having to move the club meeting location again, taking effect Tuesday 15^th February 2011, i.e. next Tuesday.

Unfortunately The Royal Swan are no longer able to accommodate us, as they have turned the room where we meet into living accommodation.

We have been offered the use of a section of the pub and if you attended the meeting last month you will remember that this was not acceptable as it was cramped and noisy with no privacy.

Added to this it is unsuitable when the need arises to have birds at the club.

On the up side we have found another local pub who have a hall with a skittle alley who are willing to accommodate us for the rest of the year free of charge.

Details are The Frog and Wicket, otherwise known as The Toad and Stumps at Eversley Cross, this pub is 5-10 mins on from The Royal Swan.

The address is:-

The Green

Eversley Cross

Hants

RG27 0NS

www.thefrogandwicket.co.uk