EVE'S DIARY 2009 - 2010 her 2nd season

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Thu 28th May  2009

Eve has dropped her last 2 primary feathers, unbelievable quick moult, she dropped her first two deck feathers on the 24th Feb.

Tue 28th July 2009

Eve's dropped a deck and a primary feather, she's starting the moult cycle again. I'm going to reduce her food to try and prevent her dropping any more feathers  :(

Sun 2nd Aug 2009

Saw a strange fly on Eve. Found out it was a Hippoboscid (Pigeon louse or flat fly) a blood sucking fly that lives under the feathers.

Caught Eve up and sprayed her with Johnson's anti mite. I will spray her each week for 2 weeks. She was 2lb 10.3/4oz.

Sun 16th Aug 2009

Eve is very wary of me now after catching her up last week. I have been reducing the amount of food she has been having over the last couple of week. Her deck feather is 2" long and still in sheath. I just hope the other deck doesn't drop, they normally come out in pairs.

Tue 18th Aug 2009

Caught Eve up. Her weight was 2lb 8 1/2 oz.  Her flying weight was 2lb 2 1/2oz last year. Lined the aviary floor with carpet and removed all the perches. Sprayed her with anti mite and manned her for 2 hours in the house before putting her in the travel box for the night. She had 2 gutted chicks. She will be tethered to the bow perch in the aviary in the morning.

Wed 19th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 9 oz at 8pm. Manned her for 2 hours in the house before putting her in the travel box for the night she had 1 gutted chick. She bated a lot.

Thu 20th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 8oz at 7pm.She didn't bate as I took her out of the travelling box and put her in the aviary. Manned her for 3 hours in the house before putting her in the travel box for the night. No food. She was very relaxed.

Fri 21st Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 7 3/4oz at 8pm. Manned her for 2 hours in the house before putting her in the travel box for the night she had 1 gutted chick.

Sat 22nd & Sun 23rdAug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 7 3/4 oz Saturday and 2lb 7 1/2oz Sunday. Manned her for 3 hours each day. No food. She was a bit nervous when I picked her up but after that she is fine.

Mon 24th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 7 oz at 8pm Manned her for 3 hours. She had 1 chick which she found herself hid behind the travelling box. She didn't bate at all. Noticed a lot of flakes dropping on the glove as she was preening, must be bits of feather sheath.

Tue 25th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 7 1/4 oz at 10pm. Manned her for 2 hours, she spent most of the time with her head tucked between her wings asleep. No food. Fitted new anklets to Peters bird.

Wed 26th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 3/4 oz at 9pm. Manned her for 2 hours in the house. No food. Eve has dropped 2 1/4 oz in a week. Another 4 oz to go.

Thu 27th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 3/4 oz at 7pm. Put her on the creance in the garden and she jumped to my fist then she flew 3, 6, 12 then 25ft for 1 1/2 chicks. Manned her for 3 hours after fitting a tail mount to Andrews MHH

Sat 29th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 1/4 oz at 7pm. Took her to the school field and put her on a football post with the creance attached. She came 6 times for 2 chicks but I couldn't get further than 30ft from her, she was flying to me as I walked away. When she landed on the glove I tossed a tidbit onto the floor. The 6th time a bike went past, she dropped down to the tidbit and flew off with it 10ft, She ended up getting tangled in the creance she bated as I was winding it in. I then walked round the fields for an hour with Eve on the glove.

Sun 30th Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 oz at 5pm. Manned her for 3 hours. No food. Her deck feather is nearly half way down.

Mon 31st Aug 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4 oz at 9pm. Manned her for 3 hours. No food. When a mate came around she started to squawk as we were talking it was as if she was trying to join in, she normally never makes a sound.

Tue 1st Sept 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4 oz at 6pm. Took her to the Welsh hawking club meeting and coped her beak after fitting a tail mount to Darren's Red Tail. She had 1 chick.

Wed 2nd Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 oz at 7pm. Took her for a walk down the golf course road for a hour at 9pm  with the lamp. She bated at a couple of rabbits we saw. Got her to come on the creance 3 times but I couldn't get more than 30ft from her. She had 3 chick heads. She freaked out as I was winding in the creance.

Thu 3rd Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 oz at 7pm. Took her to Susan's manned her there for 3 hours no food.

Fri 4th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 7pm. Took her to the school field with Charlie. I put Eve on his fist and walked off the length of the creance, she came as soon as I whistled. It was getting dark so I got the lamp out of the car and fitted Eve with flying jesses. Her tail mounts not fitted because of the growing deck so I had to risk it but lamping is a lot safer than flying in the day light. Eve went for the first rabbit we saw but just missed it, she threw up in the air and turned like a falcon and came straight back to the glove. She chased 3 more rabbits but she wasn't crashing in for them.

We finished off flying Eve 50 meters back and forth to Charlie and myself half a dozen time. She had 2oz of quail.

We then took Charlie's lurcher Jess out for a run and got 2 rabbits, we had about 20 slips.

Sat 5th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 oz at 6pm. Manned her for 3 hours. No food

Sun 6th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 8pm. Took her to shrimps lamping. Dark windy night. Saw a few rabbits but the cover was too thick,  Eve was chasing them and seemed to be really trying but the cover was getting in her way. After 6 slips she caught one. Fed her the heart and lung then she ate a back leg on the glove as we walked back to the car. She bated at another rabbit we saw but it wasn't the rabbit she wanted it was a mouse just to the side of the rabbit, she caught it, and it went down in one.

Rabbit 1 (Lamp 1 Day 0), Mouse 1

Mon 7th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 1/4 oz at 7pm. No food

Tue 8th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4 oz at 6pm. No food. Went to the Cheshire hawking club meeting Terry Large was the guest speaker.

Wed 9th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 8pm. Went to shrimps lamping. No wind, I got eaten alive by the midges. Eve caught the second rabbit she chased so I fed her the pluck (heart and lungs). After a couple more chases she caught another. I fed her the pluck and then a front leg as we walked back to the car. Her deck feather still has 2" to go.

To allow the feather to grow I'm flying her at a high weight. Because she wasn't fed the day before and I have always fed her the heart and lungs from each kill she is keen to catch. It will help build up her fitness as well.

Rabbit 3 (Lamp 3 Day 0),

Thu 10th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 3/4 oz at 6pm. No food

Fri 11th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4 oz at 8pm. Her weight is too high but I went lamping with Charlie to Tomas's field. I thought if she chases a few it will help with her fitness. First rabbit we saw was a young one 50 yards away Eve took off after it ,instead of the rabbit running into the cover it ran down the out side and Eve nailed it. I gave her the pluck and carried on. She had another 6 flights but she seemed to be less keen with each slip. Her response to me was perfect.

Rabbit 4 (Lamp 4 Day 0),

Sat 12th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4 oz at 6pm. Manned her in the garden for a couple of hours. No food

Sun 13th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4 oz at 7pm. Went to the Quarry with Phil, it was very windy. After a 40 minute walk Eve caught the only rabbit we saw, I fed her the pluck. We then headed to the dunes. After Phil's bird had a few chases and was fed up on a rabbit she caught we headed back to the car to get Eve out. At the car we met a man with a lurcher who was fascinated with the birds and offered to take us to a golf course he had permission on. Eve chased a rabbit and caught it right in front of Mike. I fed her up on it and then Mike got his lurcher out and caught 2 rabbits after really good slips.

Rabbit 6 (Lamp 6 Day 0),

Mon 14th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4 oz at 6pm. No food. I went to the Pennine Trout farm with Alf. I caught 2 rainbows and Alf caught a rainbow and 2 brown trout all were 3lb each

The trout we brought home

Tue 15th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 6pm. Went to the bumpy road no wind at all.  After 4 consecutive long slips which each included a couple of re-chases through long grass Eve sat on the floor and wouldn't come back to me. I went and picked her up, she was panting like mad and it took her over 5 min's to recover and get her breath back. She had a couple more chases before catching one, I fed her the pluck. After that she ignored a couple of long slips then she went for a rabbit sneaking down a track. I fed her up on it and called it a night. Being the start of the season her fitness level are still low, its also harder  to fly when there is no wind to give lift.

Rabbit 8 (Lamp 8 Day 0),

Wed 16th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 oz at 5pm. No Food

Thu 17th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4 oz at 6pm. Went to the bumpy road with Kev, no wind at all. Eve had a couple of flights before she spotted one in the grass with out the lamp. She nailed it and got the pluck (heart and lungs). The next rabbit a large buck she caught 60 yards away, just as she went for it, it turned and she caught it after a re-chase. As we headed back to the car Eve caught her 3rd and I fed her up on a back leg.

Rabbit 11 (Lamp 11 Day 0),

Fri 18th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 3/4 oz at 6pm. No food. Deck feather has just over 1" left.

Sat 19th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 8pm. Went to Shrimps slight wind. She caught the second one she went for and the 4th. I gave her the pluck from both then headed back to the car. After 15 min's we spotted another and Eve caught it through long grass. Fed her up on it.

Rabbit 14 (Lamp 14 Day 0),

Sun 20th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 1/2 oz at 6pm. No food

Mon 21st Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 oz at 7.30pm. Went to Shrimps with Susan, windy. Eve was chasing but her high weight was obvious she was only giving about 75% effort, her footing wasn't very accurate and she was slow to re-chase. She had about 10 flights the more flights she had the worse she got due to fatigue.  At one point a fox followed us for 10 minutes, every time I put the lamp on it was about 30 yards from us, it made me a bit nervous about slipping Eve.  She caught a easy rabbit just as we got back to the car I fed her the heart and lungs and then one side of a rabbits back with vitamins on from my bag which I had cut up as tidbit's .

Rabbit 15 (Lamp 15 Day 0),

Tue 22nd Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4 oz at 6pm. No food

Wed 23rd Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 7.30pm thought she would be a bit lower. Went to Shrimps with Spud, light winds. Eve caught the second rabbit she went for. The 2nd and 3rd rabbits she caught where really good long flights with plenty of misses and re-chases. The 4th rabbit she slammed straight into it. She got the heart and lungs from each one and then a back leg from the 4th rabbit as we walked back to the car. We were back at the car within half an hour.

Rabbit 19 (Lamp 19 Day 0)

Thu 24th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 6pm. No food

Fri 25th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 7.30pm. Went to Bumpy road with Alfie and Charlie, light winds. Caught 4 easy rabbits out of 5 chases. The one she didn't catch was a good flight, Eve turned it 4 times before it managed to get to cover. Fed her the pluck from each one and a back leg from the last one as we headed back to the car.

Rabbit 23 (Lamp 24 Day 0)

Sat 26th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/2oz at 7pm. No food. Manned her in the house for 3 hours

Sun 27th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 8pm. Went to Faircloughs lamping, no wind. Eve chased 2 rabbits on stubble but the rabbits went onto the next field which was a tree nursery and Eve had no chance keeping up with them as they weaved through the young trees. We then came to a half harvested celery field Eve went for a rabbit which had started to run 50 yards away. She turned it 3 times before catching it. I fed her up on it and called it a night.

Rabbit 24 (Lamp 24 Day 0)

Mon 28th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 7 1/2oz at 7pm. No food. I think she will be too high tomorrow.

Tue 29th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 8.30pm. Went to Tony's lamping, windy and light drizzle. Eve had 8 long flights at rabbits but she wasn't really trying, she was giving about 75% effort. After she landed in the long grass a couple of times she was soaked. She did grab hold of one rabbit by the back leg but she couldn't keep hold of it. I fed her 2 chicks with A1 vitamins on.

Rabbit 24 (Lamp 24 Day 0)

Wed 30th Sep 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 9pm. No food.

Thu 1st Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 8pm. Went to bumpy road lamping with Susan,  very windy and a full moon kept peeping through the clouds . Saw a lot of rabbits. Eve had 5 flight and caught 5 rabbits. Each flight was around 20 yards and she slammed into them as the rabbits were sneaking off. With the wind covering the noise they didn't hear her coming, Eve was like a silent assassin. Not very exciting slips. Fed her the pluck from each one and a back leg from the last one as walked to the car. Probably gave her too much food to be back on weight for Saturday night.

Rabbit 29 (Lamp 29 Day 0)

Fri 2nd Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 1/4oz at 8pm. No food.

Sat 3rd Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 8pm. Went to bumpy road lamping with Phil,  Gale force wind and a full moon. The wind caused Eve problems on a few slips but she managed to get 3 rabbits. Fed her the pluck from each one and fed her up on the last one before heading back to the car. We then gave Phil's bird a go. On each slip she got more used to the wind and after her first catch there was no stopping her. She caught 4.

Rabbit 32 (Lamp 32 Day 0)

Sun 4th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4oz at 8pm. No food.

Mon 5th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 8pm. Went to Andrews lamping with Paul. No wind, clear sky and a full moon. Drove round the stubble fields in Paul's Trooper and didn't see any rabbits. Paul had his 243 riffle, we saw a fox 200 yards away which was lamp shy, it took off straight away. We then had a walk round the barns and shot 2 rats with Paul's .22 rimfire. We drove round the fields again and Eve caught a rabbit hopping along the bank 30 yards off. Eve went for another rabbit and landed on the floor when the rabbit went out of sight, she then took off over a bank and disappeared. With not having a transmitter on I panicked a bit. Where she had gone was a acre field thick with 8 foot tall Japanese Knotweed. After 10 minutes off calling her I started to battle through the thick weeds. I found her 40 yards in imprisoned on the floor by the stems. I got her out and fed her up on the rabbit she caught earlier.

Rabbit 33 (Lamp 33 Day 0)

I went to the Pennine Trout farm with Alf in the morning. I caught 2 rainbows and Alf caught 4 rainbows biggest was 4lb

The trout we brought home.                               Japanese Knotweed if you have never seen it before

Tue 6th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 6pm.Took her to the Welsh hawking club meeting and fitted her tail mount with transmitter clip. No food

Wed 7th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 8pm. Couldn't get my transmitter to turn on so I flew her without. Went to Carform with Mark lamping. No wind at all, very quiet. Eve caught one after a couple of misses in long grass. The second one she caught she grabbed it on the back and got dragged round for a while before she took hold of its head. She got the pluck from both. The 3rd one she caught was over 100 yards away. It took me ages to run to her. Mark said I looked like Forrest Gump " run Forest run" :) As I got my breath back Eve had a bit too much to eat from the rabbit and her crop was over half full. I thought she wouldn't go for any more. Just before we got to the car Eve caught another rabbit after a 80 yards flight. I fed her up on it.

Rabbit 37 (Lamp 37 Day 0)

Thu 8th Oct2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 3/4oz at 6pm.No food Sent my Transmitter off to Marshall UK

Fri 9th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 7pm. Went to Tony's for a quick lamp, light winds. The first two she went for she missed by a mile due to her high weight. The third one she caught 60 yards away running through tall weeds, I fed her up on it.

Set off to Scotland for the weekend stalking with Paul, bucks and stags are in season.

Rabbit 38 (Lamp 38 Day 0)

Sat 10th Oct 2009

Twenty minutes into the morning stalk we got our first buck. We came across another shortly after. Paul shot but there was a log in front of the deer and the bullet hit it. In the afternoon Paul shot a Red stag. It rolled down a hill and from our position we could just see it legs kicking out. We waited 5 minutes and started to walk over. A Stag appeared from over the hill and walked off into the trees. We spent 3 hours trying to find it but we didn't. There was a lot of blood were it was shot. We were both gutted. We saw 14 deer all together.

A Roe buck we shot

Sun 11th Oct 2009

Stalked in the morning. We shot a dog fox from a high seat then 5 minutes later a Roe buck turned up. Paul shot but missed. We saw 7 Doe's today, 24 deer in total. We had couple of hours sleep after dinner then drove home at tea time.

Got home at 8pm I was going to take Eve out lamping but her weight was 2lb 5 1/4oz so I butchered the deer instead. Eve had no food

A fox we shot

Mon 12th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 8pm. Went to Shrimps lamping, dark night no wind at all very quiet. Started off on the open fields Eve had 6 long flights before catching one. We then headed to the ground where the cover is thick. It was too noisy walking through the cover and we only saw one rabbit hiding in some brambles during the half hour walk. Eve caught it and got her reward. We then went back out to the fields Eve had 3 long flights in quick succession then we spotted a rabbit squatting. When we got 20 yards away it took off and Eve caught it after a short chase. Fed her up on it.

Rabbit 41 (Lamp 41 Day 0)

Tue 13th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 6pm. No food. Went to the Cheshire hawking club meeting and picked up a new  transmitter from Steve at Marshall as my faulty one was still under warrantee :)

Wed 14th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 4.30pm. Went to Raymond's for a walk, sunny and no wind. Got a field meeting on Sunday, now I have a working transmitter I can check her response in the day time at this weight. When we got to the field Eve took off after a rabbit sat next to a hedge 200 yards away. The rabbit did a couple of hops and disappeared, Eve landed in a tree above it. I spotted a rabbit close to me and called Eve back to the glove, she came instantly but the rabbit had gone. I started to beat the cover as Eve followed on. Eve dropped out of a tree and started to chase something it was a black cat. luckily she turned off it. She then went for a Moorhen on a pond but it disappeared under the bank. As we headed back to the car I spotted a pheasant going into a wood Eve took her position in a tall tree as I started to beat the cover. Eve dropped down and took hold of the old cock pheasant by the head. I fed her up on it. Good preparation for Sundays meet. Manned her at home while I watched the football.

Rabbit 41 (Lamp 41 Day 0) Pheasant 1 (1 Cock 0 Hen)

Thu 15th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 7pm. No food.

Fri 16th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 8pm. Went to bumpy road lamping, dark windy night. Saw a lot of rabbits. Eve caught 2 fairly quickly and one just before we got back to the car. Just fed her the heart and lungs from each one.

Rabbit 44 (Lamp 44 Day 0) Pheasant 1 (1 Cock 0 Hen)

Sat 17th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 8pm. Went to the Cheshire Falconry Club field meet as a spectator. Saw a few good flight with the Goshawks. Then I went with Richard to fly his falcon at 5pm. The falcon went up over a pond as we flushed a couple of ducks. The falcon got a drake Mallard after a superb stoop.

Sun 18th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 7am. Flew Eve at the Welsh Falconry Club field meet. Forgot to fit a bell to her anklets and had to get my telemetry out 4 times. Eve caught a cock pheasant poult in the first wood we walk through. She then followed one across the valley, by the time I got to her she was sat on a post, all her breast feathers were all rustled up she must have got kicked off one.  She had a few more flights but her response had faded and she started to ignore me. I fed her up on the next one she caught. Her weight was too high for a field meeting.

Rabbit 44 (Lamp 44 Day 0) Pheasant 3 (3 Cock 0 Hen)

Mon 19th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/2oz at 6pm. No food.

Tue 20th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 7.30pm. Went to Faircloughs lamping, slight wind. Eve flew at something in long weeds 100 yards off it turned out to be a Hare, she circled over it and came straight back to the fist. She then caught a young rabbits in the tree nursery, I got her off with a couple of tidbit's. On the next field she chased a rabbit at full speed she missed it a couple of times before it got to the hedge. We then saw a squatter 20 yards away which took off as Eve left the fist. She caught it on the 3rd attempt. Fed her the heart and lungs and one side of its back. 

Rabbit 46 (Lamp 46 Day 0) Pheasant 3 (3 Cock 0 Hen)

Wed 21st Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 7pm. No food.

Thu 22nd Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4 oz at 7.30am. Went to Cheshire Falconry Club field meet, bright day with light wind. Eve flew at a Hare but turned off, her weights too high. She then dropped down from a tree on to something, when I got there a mouse's tail was sticking out of her beak. I kicked up a pheasant which flew across a pond Eve almost caught it in the air, she then chased it 200 yards across a field, she didn't stop beating her wings at all and caught it as the cock landed. I cut a chunk of breast meat off and threw it off to the side, Eve left the pheasant for it. A pheasant flew across us in the next wood we went through. Eve chased it and caught it I somebody's garden. There was no answer when I knocked so I jumped over the 6ft wall and got Eve off with another chunk of breast meat. I had a dentist appointment in the afternoon so when I got out off the garden I fed Eve up on a pheasant head as I headed back to the car. Finished at 11.30am

Rabbit 46 (Lamp 46 Day 0) Pheasant 5 (5 Cock 0 Hen) Mice 2

Fri 23rd Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/2 oz  at 7pm. Took her lamping round Tomas's fields just to burn some weight off her, going ferreting up the lakes on Sunday. Heavy rain was forecast for later tonight, there was rabbits everywhere they must have been out feeding before the bad weather set in. Eve had around 10 long flights and slammed into the cover after the rabbits on the first few occasions. The more flights she had the less she seemed to trying. Fed her 2 chicks heads.

Sat 24th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4 at 7pm. No food.

Sun 25th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 6.30am. Went to Herons ferreting with Phil. Gale force wind and showers. Eve went for a pheasant in the wood as we headed to the pasture fields. I thought she had it but she was sat on a pile of feathers 8" in diameter. We found a sheep in the wood tangled up in bramble and set it free. With the wind Eve was soaring over us holding her position but It was a bad sign when we saw flies coming out of the warrens and no fresh scratching. We tried about 15 warrens and only bolted 1 rabbit which Eve caught, I gave her the pluck. We disturbed a couple of rabbit in cover but Eve was out of position. She also dropped on a rabbit in nettles which had mixy. We walked back through the wood as we headed back to the car and Eve dropped down on a hen pheasant. I fed her up on its head and neck.

Rabbit 47 (Lamp 46 Day 1) Pheasant 6 (5 Cock 1 Hen)

Mon 26th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 6.30pm. I wasn't going to fly her tonight but because of her weight I took her to Tony's lamping after I went putting corn down to draw in the pheasants at Smith's and Raymond's. Flying yesterday in the strong winds must have taken it out of her. It was a bright and windy night. Eve grabbed the 1st rabbit she chased just as it went under a pile of sleepers and got knocked off. She went for the 2nd one as it was running towards a hedge, it did a back flip just as she slammed in and landed behind Eve, it then jumped into the cover. She caught the 3rd one running through some marsh grass. I fed her the pluck and the meat off a front leg.

Rabbit 48 (Lamp 47 Day 1) Pheasant 6 (5 Cock 1 Hen)

Tue 27th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 8pm. Went lamping to Faircloughs. It was very windy. Eve had about 8 long slips but the rabbit were hitting top speed straight away and with the wind Eve was finding it hard to keep up nether mind catch up. She almost caught a couple crashing into the cover after them. As we headed back to the car down the side of a potato field I spotted a red eye peeping over the top of a drill 40 yards away Eve spotted it to and took off. As Eve dropped down behind the drill all hell broke loose it turned out to be a old cock pheasant. Got her to step off for a large piece of breast meat then fed her up on its neck and head.

Rabbit 48 (Lamp 47 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)

Wed 28th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 7pm. No food.

Thu 29th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 9am. Went to Smiths for a walk it was sunny but windy. Eve dropped down from the trees at pheasants in brambles on 4 occasions but she couldn't get at them, the bramble were too thick. She dropped down from a telephone post onto red and green bag in some nettles, in all fairness it did resemble a cock pheasant. As she was in the nettles a cock pheasant walk right under the post across the track, it would have been ideal for her but that's how it goes sometimes. She also chased a partridge in to brambles but again they were too thick and height to beat. Fed her one side of a rabbits back

Rabbit 48 (Lamp 47 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)

Fri 30th Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/2oz at 8pm. Went to the bumpy road lamping. Slight wind and a full moon. Saw a lot of rabbits. Eve caught everyone she went for and caught 5 all were fairly easy slips, gave her the pluck (heart and lungs) from each one. We were back at the car after half an hour.

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)

Sat 31st Oct 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 9pm. No food. Got my gear ready for the Scotland trip tomorrow.

Sun 1st Nov 2009

Went to Scotland with Paul for a week deer stalking. Got there an hour before dark so we had a quick stalk, we didn't see any deer.

Eve's weight was 2lb 2 1/2oz at 7pm. Went for a lamp round the farm we stayed at. It was gale force wind and raining. Eve went for 3 rabbit which were lamp shy but she had no chance. Fed her a rabbits back leg.

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)

Mon 2nd Nov 2009

Didn't see any deer on the morning stalk. It didn't stop raining until the afternoon, the deer don't come out of the forest when its pouring down. On the night stalk we spotted a Roe waiting to go out into the fields, it went back into the forest. We waited to see if it appeared again but it didn't.

8 weeks ago somebody from the syndicate told Paul about a young goat they saw next to its mum who had got her head stuck in a fence and died. We found it still with its rotted mums corps. Someone had abandoned them in the forest 6 months ago. The young goat hadn't left its mum side after all that time. There was no shelter for it, we didn't think it would survive the winter.

Eve's weight was 2lb 3oz at 9am. Went for a lamp round the farm again. Full moon and no wind, because it has rained so much the ground was boggy and made loads of noise as I walked. Eve had two chases at rabbits but the fields are covered in marsh grass, as soon as the rabbits get to the grass patches they vanish. Fed her some back meat.

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)

The young Goat with it's mum :(

Tue 3rd Nov 2009

Stalked all morning in the heavy rain, didn't see any deer. Sheila who owns the farm we are stopping at said she would house the goat until she found it a new home after we told her the story, so we went to catch it. I had to rugby tackle the Billy goat then we both dragged it about a mile off the mountain, it was hard work.

Eve's weight was 2lb 3oz at 1pm. Took Eve out for a walk round the farm in the day. We spotted a Woodcock behind a clump of marsh grass and Eve caught it. We then came across a splash with ducks on Eve caught a Mallard drake. As we headed back to the cottage another wood cock took off from under my feet and she caught that as well. She had a good feed from each one

Shot a roe doe on the evening stalk

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 2,  Duck 1

Wed 4th Nov 2009

A 65 year old man went missing in the forest at 5pm on Tuesday night. Search helicopters were flying over the forest and mountain rescue where going through the forest all night long hence we didn't see any thing, too much commotion. It was perfect weather conditions as well. The man was found in a shelter just out side the forest at 2pm with hypothermia, he was air lifted to hospital.

Stalked the far end of the forest in the evening. Spotted 2 roe but they spotted/scented Paul before he could take a shot.

Eve's weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 9am. No Food

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 2,  Duck 1

Thu 5th Nov 2009

Sat in a high seat all morning because it was pouring down. Didn't see any deer. We saw a roe in the afternoon but could only get a head shot. Paul pulled the trigger but the bullet was a dud he had to reload and shoot again but missed

Eve's weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 1pm. Had a walk round the farm Eve dropped down on a Woodcock as it was taking off. Fed her the head. She then chased a young hare but it disappeared in the marsh grass.

Sheila found a new home for the Billy goat :)

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 3,  Duck 1

The young goat at its new home.

Fri 6th Nov 2009

It was misty in the morning, visibility was down to 50 foot. when it cleared it started to rain. Didn't see a thing.

Eve's weight was 2lb 4oz at 12.30am. Went for a walk with Eve, she dropped on two more wood cock and then caught a snipe as it took off, which I almost stood on. Gave her a good feed from each one.

As we were driving into the forest for the evening stalk I spotted a deer on a clearing up the side of the mountain. Paul shot it 255 yards off. Beck, Paul's Pointer tracked it for us

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sat 7th Nov 2009

Mist was on the mountains so we stalked a low valley and spotted a roe doe 80 yard off. It went straight down after it was shot but Beck made sure it wasn't going anywhere. Headed home in the afternoon with 3 roe deer. The weather conditions were against us all week and luck wasn't on our side but we enjoyed the week away.

Eve's weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 9am. No food

Rabbit 53 (Lamp 52 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sun 8th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 8pm. Went to bumpy road lamping with Charlie. No wind at all. All the rabbits we saw were a long way off, because it was so quiet we didn't see any under 100 yards away. Eve had a few really long slips and managed to catch 2 and was fed the heart and lungs from each one. After that she wasn't trying that hard and after a couple of slips where she turned off we called it a night

Rabbit 55 (Lamp 54 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Mon 9th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 9pm. No food

Tue 10th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3oz at 7.30pm. Went to the Cheshire Hawking Club meeting then went lamping afterwards to Carform. Bad fog, no wind. Eve had a couple of flights at rabbits before getting one 30 yards away which we could only just see running off in the thick fog. I then got lost after walking around for 20 minuets,  I went past the same tree 3 times before getting my bearings. Eve then caught one in the middle of a field just before it got to its warren. As we headed back to the car we spotted another one and Eve caught it just as it made it to cover. Fed her the pluck from each one and a back leg from the last one as we headed to the car. Saw a couple of mixy carcases :(

Rabbit 58 (Lamp 57 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Wed 11th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 7.30pm. No food

Thu 12th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3oz at 9.30pm. Went to the Faircloughs lamping. No wind, it had poured down all day so the ground was wet and muddy. Eve had 4 long chases 70 -100 yards at rabbits but didn't manage to get hold of any. We then went to Tipfeilds. Eve caught the first rabbit we saw after turning it 3 times, she grabbed it in a stream as the rabbit tried to jump it. I thought good chase, Eve will be soaked I'll feed her up on it and call it a night. When I got to them and saw the rabbit I thought I'm not feeding her up on that. It was a descent size rabbit but the ugliest one I have ever seen, it was covered in lumps had no fair on its face and big bald patches all over it. It didn't have mixy its eye were perfect. I got Eve off it and dumped it. I didn't think she would get another being so wet but we gave it a try. After 5 unlucky misses she caught a big buck rabbit after turning it a couple of times. It dragged her about a bit but she kept hold. Fed her up on it.

Rabbit 60 (Lamp 59 Day 1) Pheasant 7 (6 Cock 1 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Fri 13th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 7.30pm. No food

Sat 14th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 9.00am. Went for a walk around Smiths. Over cast with a slight wind. Eve crashed into the brambles after pheasants a couple of times but didn't have any luck. As we got to the wood it started to rain heavy, it lasted for 10 minutes. She dropped on a stripped pheasant carcass which I took off her, she then went back up a tree. I called her to follow on as I walked through the wood. She bang hard into the back of my head, I don't know if it was an accident or whether she took the knock over the carcass? she didn't get me with her talons. She flew up a tree on the edge of the quarry's cliff. I could see something had caught her eye so I went up the banking to join her. She took off and nailed a hen pheasant at the bottom of the quarry. I had to run 1/2 mile round the cliffs to get into the quarry then weave my way through the lorries and diggers to get to her. Fed her a bit of breast meat and a back leg as we headed to the car.

Rabbit 60 (Lamp 59 Day 1) Pheasant 8 (6 Cock 2 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sun 15th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 9.30am. Went ferreting to Leyland with Spud and Bud for an hour. Eve caught one in the brambles just before we got to the warrens. Eve had a cracking flight at the first bolted rabbit weaving through a fence then under a lorry trailer, the rabbit made it to cover just as Eve slammed in. She went up a tree were the rabbit had disappeared. Before she came back to us another rabbit bolted in the opposite direction to Eve. It had a massive 70 yard advantage, Eve took chase and followed it over a banking and caught it as the rabbit was going down another warren. Although Eve's weight was the same as yesterday her response to me wasn't that good today so I started to fly her from the fist. A couple of rabbits bolted that I didn't see and I kept hold of her. She caught one which bolted from the last warren we ferreted. She had the pluck from each rabbit and the back leg from the last one as we walked to the car. Ferrets caught one as well.

Rabbit 63 (Lamp 59 Day 4) Pheasant 8 (6 Cock 2 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Mon 16th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 7.30pm. No food

Tue 17th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3oz at 7.30am. Went lamping to Carform with Pete. Strong winds. Eve seamed to be struggling from the start with the wind and missed a few rabbits which she normally would have caught. She did catch 3 fairly easy rabbits which were in sheltered areas and was fed the heart and lungs. She chased a rabbit which ran straight through my legs as Eve was about to grab it. She caught my leg, luckily her talons only went through my pants and not into my shin. As we got to the car we spotted a rabbit 20 yards upwind, Eve flew at it then turned over in the air as the rabbit made it to cover. She flew / was blown straight past me and hit the car door, it took her a few minutes to come round. Manned her at home for over an hour, she just slept. Bowed her out in the front room for the night. 

Rabbit 66 (Lamp 62 Day 4) Pheasant 8 (6 Cock 2 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Wed 18th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/2oz at 7.30pm. Gave her a rabbits liver.

Thu 19th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2oz at 7.30am. Went lamping to Tony's. Gale force winds. Good job I had a spare glove in the car. Saw a lot of rabbits, Eve was going for them but the wind was causing her a lot of problems especially when the rabbits turned, it was taking Eve that long to turn and get back on track that she had no chance catching up with them again. She did manage to get one before it turned, I gave her a good feed from it. She also went for a mouse which went into a clump of grass, she caught it as the mouse made a run for it. I just let her eat it.

Rabbit 67 (Lamp 63 Day 4) Pheasant 8 (6 Cock 2 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, Mice 3

Fri 20th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 3/4oz at 8.30pm. Went lamping to Faircloughs with Charlie and Alfie, no wind. Had 1 long flight but missed it. Didn't see anything else so we tried Tipfield. Eve caught the second rabbit she went for. Gave her the pluck and a front leg. She flew up to the glove and I wasn't expecting it, natural reaction was to cover my face which I did with my gloved hand and she caught my lip with a talon and slashed me.

Rabbit 68 (Lamp 64 Day 4) Pheasant 8 (6 Cock 2 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sat 21st Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/4oz at 7.30pm. No food. Charlie helped me cope Eve's beak

Sun 22nd Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2oz at 7.30am. Flew Eve at the Welsh Falconry Club field meet windy and showers. In the first wood Eve grabbed a couple of pheasants but couldn't keep hold of them. As we walked to the next field I only had hold of her by one Jessie, she bated and did a 360 round my fist catching me with her talons across my face, cutting my nose and under my eye. Her talons are like razors. On the next hedges she grabbed a pheasant in a fallen tree the pheasant weaved thought the branches and got away. When I got to Eve her foot was twisted through the branches and I thought she had broken her leg, the way it was pointing didn't seem natural. I snapped the branches and freed her leg, she limped a couple of times then flew up to the fist. With in a minute she saw a hen pheasant and nailed it. Fed her a bit from its chest then did a trade. After that she wouldn't go for anything, she would fly over and have a look but that was it. After 30 minutes I decided to call it a day and headed back to the car. On the way a cock pheasant was at the bottom of a 6 bar gate Eve went for it and just as she stuck her feet out to grab it the cock went under the bottom bar and was off, Eve hit the bottom bar with her neck and her body swung under the bar and she ended upside down on the other side of the gate. I got the pheasants out of my bag and fed her up on it. She has been in the wars this week.

Rabbit 68 (Lamp 64 Day 4) Pheasant 9 (6 Cock 3 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Mon 23rd Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 7.30pm. Fed her a quails head, neck and leg. She will be sleeping in the travel box for a few days so I can collect a mute sample and send to the vets to check for worms.

Tue 24th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 3/4 oz at 7.30pm. Fed her a small gutted quail . I'm going to give her a few days off this week to give her a rest. Gale force wind anyway

Wed 25th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2 oz at 7.30pm. No food . Sent the 3 day mute sample off to the vets.

Thu 26th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/2 oz at 7.30pm. Vet found one worm egg.  Prescribed Panacur as a precaution. Fed 2 gutted chicks with A1

Fri 27th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2oz at 8.30pm. Went lamping to the bumpy road. Slight wind. We got 4 rabbits but she missed a few she should of had. She got hold of the last one as it went down the hole. Gave her the heart and lung from each one and a big feed off the last rabbit she caught. Going to put her weight up a bit.

Rabbit 71 (Lamp 68 Day 4) Pheasant 9 (6 Cock 3 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sat 28th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2 oz at 7.30pm. No food

Sun 29th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 6.30am. Went ferreting on a Welsh Falconry club field meet at Yorkshire. It didn't stop pouring down the hole time and the wind was very strong and cold. Richard took the Harris hawk group and the Gos men headed off in the opposite direction. Before we got to the fields  the birds were soaked. We bump a couple of rabbit as we walked to the first warren but didn't manage to get one. We bolted a couple from the warren doing single slips but by this time the birds were so wet they were struggling so we started to fly them together to give them a better chance. Eve caught one as it ran into marsh grass and the ferret nailed one. As we headed back to the cars we bumped up a couple more rabbits but by this time the birds were ringing wet and struggling to fly.  We tried another warren after a short break and a bite to eat but the weather had got worse and the birds weren't that keen. Dried Eve off with the hair dryer at home and fed her up. Started the coarse of Panacur. Thanks to the guys that took us round.

Rabbit 73 (Lamp 68 Day 5) Pheasant 9 (6 Cock 3 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Mon 30th Nov 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 8.30pm. Went lamping to Tony's. Ground frost and no wind, very noisy walking. Eve went for the first rabbit we saw as it was running to its warren. As she went to grab it the rabbit did a back flip and changed direction and ran straight towards me. Eve caught it at my feet. Fed her the pluck. All the other rabbits we saw were sat on the warrens. Didn't get another proper slip. Fed her up on the bits in my pocket.

Rabbit 74 (Lamp 69 Day 5) Pheasant 9 (6 Cock 3 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Tue 1st Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 6pm. Went to the Welsh hawking club meeting, Terry large was doing a speech. Went in the back room to fit a tail mount to 3 of James birds. Had to stop and wait until after the speech to fit them because two of the birds screamed the place down when I cast them. Sorry Terry / Members. Fed Eve a chicks head with Panacur.

Wed 2nd Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/4oz at 6.30am. Went on a Welsh Falconry club field meet at Dave's. Jake and I where given a section to cover as the rest of the group went to a different part of the estate. Eve dropped down onto a hen pheasant at the end of the first part. We then followed a  line of trees down to the next wood, at the end of the line Jakes male dropped down from the tree followed by Eve and hit a cock pheasant. Jakes first one so he said he was going to feed him up on it. I got Eve to let go of the head grip and the pheasant managed to get away. In the next wood we split up Eve missed a couple before I met up with Jake again. Then both birds spotted a cock. Eve got it in a head lock as Jakes bird came in and gripped onto Eve's leg. It was dispatched straight away this time. I got Eve to step off and let Jake feed his bird on it. I carried on walking for a bit but Eve seemed to lose interest so I fed her up on the hen she caught earlier and called it a day. 

Rabbit 74 (Lamp 69 Day 5) Pheasant 11 (7 Cock 4 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Thu 3rd Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb oz at 6pm. Fed Eve a chicks head with Panacur.

Fri 4th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3oz at 8.30pm. Went to Shrimps lamping. Slight wind and drizzle. Didn't see a single rabbit after 20 minutes so we headed to the marsh area. Eve caught the 3rd one she went for and ended up soaked.  She caught one as it went down a warren but ended up with a pile of fur. After that she had a couple more flights but as she soak so I fed her up on the one she caught earlier.

Rabbit 75 (Lamp 70 Day 5) Pheasant 11 (7 Cock 4 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sat 5th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 6pm. No Food.

Sun 6th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 6.30am. Went ferreting with Phil and Mike. Strong wind, heavy showers and hale. Had a look at a new part first on top of the mountain. Saw a few rabbits but it was covered with thick gauze bushes and they just disappeared, couldn't see any warrens. Eve was up in the wind a lot. Caught one after a good chase where the cover wasn't as bad, then it poured down for 1/2 an hour. Decided to try down in the valley thinking it might be more sheltered. As soon as Eve was starting to dry out it poured down again. She stooped down a banking to a cock pheasant and hit it in the air as it took off but she couldn't keep hold. We then tried a dozen warrens and didn't get a single bolt. Too much water,  the rabbit must have moved to dryer holes. Fed her up on the bits in my bag back at the car. Sick of all the rain :(

Rabbit 76 (Lamp 70 Day 6) Pheasant 11 (7 Cock 4 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Mon 7th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 7pm. No Food.

Tue 8th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3oz at 7.00pm. Went to the Cheshire Hawking Club meeting, auction night. After it I went lamping to Carform. Very slight wind. Eve had a couple of flights and caught her first one as it went down its hole. After that she was picking her slips, she also turned off on a couple of flights. She caught another as it went down a hole then the 3rd one she didn't get hold of it properly and got dragged around a bit until she got it under control. We then headed back to the car and she caught one more this time she got it round the head. Gave her the heart and lungs of each one and fed her up on the last rabbit she caught.

Rabbit 80 (Lamp 74 Day 6) Pheasant 11 (7 Cock 4 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Wed 9th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 3/4oz at 7pm. No Food.

Thu 10th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4 oz at 7.30am. Went to a Cheshire Falconry Club field meet. Dry day no wind. Eve's was too high but she was keeping up with the other birds and after flying for a while she got keener. She missed a few but ended up catching 4 pheasants, 2 cocks and 2 hens. As we headed back to the car I fed her up. I gave the last one she caught to a lad with a new bird that hadn't caught anything to feed up on. Afterwards I went out with a gamekeeper and got 2 foxes.

Rabbit 80 (Lamp 74 Day 6) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Sat 12th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 6 1/4oz at 7pm. No Food. Went fishing to Liverpool docks with Alf I caught 12 whiting and a codling ,none of them were big enough to bring home :(

Sun 13th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/2 oz at 7.30am. Went for a walk with Phil to the River. Dry sunny frosty morning, no wind. Both birds were over weight but hadn't had food since Thursday so we gave it a go. Bolted a rabbit from a warren, both birds went for it but didn't really try. Ferret nailed one. Phil struggled a bit with his bird getting her on the glove and put her back in the box while we where still close to the car. We then went for a walk Eve went for a couple of ducks and pheasants but didn't really try. She caught a rabbit she spotted in brambles. She was following on ok. Gave her a chick and some rabbit as we walked back to the car.

Rabbit 81 (Lamp 74 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1

Tue 15th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 4 oz at 8pm. Went Lamping to Tony's. Still night with mist patches. Eve's first flight went on for 200 yards, Eve turned the rabbit 5 times before it made it to cover. She then went for a rabbit 80 yards off, as she got 20 yard from it a lapwing flew up right in front of her and she caught it. On the next field she caught a mouse. She then caught a easy rabbit which ran straight towards us. Fed her up and called it a night

Rabbit 82 (Lamp 75 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, Mice 4.  Lapwing 1 oop's

Thu 17th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2 oz at 8pm. Went Lamping to the bumpy road. Freezing cold, when I got there there was a good wind. Eve's caught 4 rabbits, all were decent flights. She missed 6. The second one she caught, she had it pinned to the floor by its ears. The last one did a summersault over her as she went for it and then it dodged her twice before she caught it in a thick bush. Fed her the pluck from each one and fed her up on the last one.

Rabbit 86 (Lamp 79 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Sun 20th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2 oz at 7am. Went ferreting with Phil to Raz's. Show showers all day. Phil brought 2 young Jill's we only bolted one rabbit they weren't really working and a pain coming out of the holes. We then had a walk down the River, Eve crashed in on a rabbit and a pheasant but the cover was too thick. Fed her a handful of rabbit bits.

Rabbit 86 (Lamp 79 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Mon 21st Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/2 oz at 8pm. Went lamping to Tony's. No wind and on the ground was frozen snow, very noisy as I walked. Eve had a few slips but they were all over a 100 yards long and the rabbits were close to cover when we saw them. She nearly caught one just before we got back to the car but it dodged her at the last second. Pity it would have been good to feed her up on it. Fed her the bits I had in my bag

Rabbit 86 (Lamp 79 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Wed 23rd Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 1 oz at 7pm. Decided not to go out. Eve's weights a bit low, the weather is still the same, no wind with frozen snow on the ground plus I have got flu. Fed Eve up on a skinned rabbits back and back legs, smashed the bones up first.

Sat 26th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 3/4 oz at 7pm. Fed Eve up on a skinned rabbits back and back legs, smashed the bones up first.

Mon 28th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 oz at 8pm. Went lamping to the bumpy road. No wind at all and there was a full moon. Eve left the fist 4 times in two hours lamping. The first 3 rabbits she went for where sat on their holes and as soon as Eve took off they disappeared. The last one we saw  on the field before we got back to the car as the lamp was dying headed away from the cover and she caught it. Fed her up on it.

Rabbit 87 (Lamp 80 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 5,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Wed 30th Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 1oz at 8pm. Went to smiths for a walk. When I got to the fields the farmer was putting on a clay shoot for his family so I ended up going for a walk down the river. Eve went for a rabbit which was taking cover in two fallen trees but the branches got in her way. After half an hour walking she went crashing into the bottom a holly bush and caught a woodcock. I fed her up and went home to bed, still got flu. Struggling keeping her weight up this week with the cold weather.

Rabbit 87 (Lamp 80 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Thu 31st Dec 2009

Her weight was 2lb 2 3/4oz at 8pm. Went to shrimps lamping. Full moon and no wind, cold but the ground wasn't frozen. Eve had a good chance of catching the first 6 rabbits she went for but they were dodging her at the last second then taking of at full speed. She caught the 7th one as it was going down a hole. After that we didn't see anything for an hour so I fed her up on the rabbit she caught earlier. Went round the clubs in Southport later on.

Rabbit 88 (Lamp 81 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Sat 2nd Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/4oz at 6.30am. Went to Corwin with Phil and Mike ferreting. Cold sunny day with thick snow on the ground. All the birds flew into the wood. Eve and Phil's Harris went for a couple of pheasants and woodcock but Mikes bird just sat in the top of the tree and wouldn't come to him. It then flew back towards the car and we lost it. We put our birds away and went to help Mike find his bird. We found it eventually but it wouldn't come down and ended up spending the night out. Mike got it back the next day. I went to Tony's lamping when I got home at 6pm the moon hadn't come up yet and there was a slight wind. Eve caught 2 rabbits then ignored a couple as we headed back to the car.

Rabbit 90 (Lamp 83 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Mon 4th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 2oz at 7.30pm. Went to carform lamping. Strong wind and sleet showers. Eve caught her first rabbit after a cracking flight and nailed it as it reached cover. The second one bolted from under our feet as we walked and Eve caught it after a short flight. She had hold of three more but they all got away. The first one she grabbed it as it hit a gorse bush I could see her getting bounce against the bush as I ran over but she couldn't keep hold. The second one she hit running down a hill, Eve had the wind behind her as well and hit the rabbit at full speed. They both did a 360 summersault and Eve let go as they landed against a tree stump, she re-chased but the rabbit made it to a warren. The 3rd one she caught it as it was going down a hole under a fallen down tree trunk she had hold of it for a while but I couldn't get to it. Then the lamp started to die so I fed her up on a rabbit she caught earlier.

Rabbit 92 (Lamp 85 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Tue 5th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 7.30pm. No Food. Welsh Falconry club meeting was cancelled because of the snow.

Wed 6th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 7.30pm. Went to Tony's lamping. Slight breeze and the snow was 8" deep. We walked around the entire farm and also had a look on the neighbouring farms fields and didn't see any rabbits at all. I took a dead rabbit with me and fed Eve up on it when we got back to the car. First time I have lamped in the snow.

Rabbit 92 (Lamp 85 Day 7) Pheasant 15 (9 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Fri 8th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 7.30pm. No Food.

Sat 9th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 2 1/2oz at 12.30pm. Went to Smith's for a walk. Sunny day, deep snow on the ground. Eve sat and watched as a pheasant took of from under her then after that she switched on and went for the next 3 she saw including one that flew all the way across the quarry. A buzzard kept mobbing her even when I was 10 foot from them, Eve didn't even bother. As we walked down the track to the bottom field Eve took off from her high perch and flew round the back of a large bush and crashed in. A pheasant came out of the front of the bush and took off. I though she had missed it. As I got to her she had hold of a cock Pheasant by the head I lifted them out of the bush and fed her from it on the track as the neighbouring farmer drove down. Fed her a leg as we walked back to the car

Rabbit 92 (Lamp 85 Day 7) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Sun 10th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 12.30pm. Went to Raymond's ferreting with Charlie. Cloudy with a slight breeze, snow on the ground. There was people in the wood we were going to ferret with chainsaws felling trees, Typical :(  We had to ferret the pond, there are a lot of bushes and trees with no clearings. We bolted a rabbit from each warren but because of the cover Eve couldn't get at them. We then tried the stream and bolted two more but the cover got in the way again. The ferret nailed one 4ft down, the ground was frozen solid, I couldn't dig, it came out after a few minutes. Eve then spotted a pheasant, she hit it but didn't keep hold. The chainsaws had stopped so we headed for the wood. On the way we found a warren in the open and Eve caught the rabbit that bolted. As we started to walk again I spotted a woodcock creeping under a bush and Eve took off and chased it out of the bush and only just missed it. We ferreted another warren and Eve caught the rabbit after a short flight. The next rabbit that bolted ran towards the sheep wire fence and just got through as Eve hit the fence the rabbit came back into the wood and got a massive head start. Eve caught up with it and nailed it 80 yards away. Fed her up on it. Gave the farmer a hand putting bails out for the sheep.

Rabbit 95 (Lamp 85 Day 10) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Tue 12th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 7.00pm. Went to the Cheshire Falconry Club AGM meeting then went lamping to the bumpy road. Strong winds with frozen patchy snow on the ground. Eve caught the first rabbit we saw within 5 minute of leaving the car after a short but fast flight. We didn't see another rabbit for 20 minutes and that one beat Eve to some bushes. I thought feed her up on the next one and call it a night. I went behind the bushes (never been to this part before) and in the middle of a small fenced off  field was a rabbit. Eve took off as the rabbit started to run towards a building and she caught it. As I climbed over the fence I realised it was somebody's garden. I didn't feed her up on it, I did a quick trade and got out of there. As we headed back to the car through the wood Eve caught another rabbit as it weaved through the trees. I gave her a full crop from it. Got in at 1am

Rabbit 98 (Lamp 88 Day 10) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Thu 14th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 6oz at 7.30pm. Went to Faircloughs lamping with Susan. No wind, frozen snow on the ground, very noisy to walk on. Eve went for a rabbit at the edge of a stubble field but it headed into the tightly planted tree nursery before Eve could catch up to it. We then spotted 2 rabbits sat out 200 yards away. Eve took off but they ran as soon as the lamp was on them. I then had a look on the tip field the only rabbit we saw was squatted under a conifer tree in cover, Eve crashed in for it but it got away. Fed her a couple ounces of rabbit meat I had cut up in my bag

Rabbit 98 (Lamp 88 Day 10) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Sat 16th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4oz at 10.30pm. Went to Smith's for a walk. Dry and windy. As we got to the land I met 2 guys with Labrador's and shotguns who had just been round the whole farm. I knew we wouldn't see anything after the dogs had been through the cover so Eve just had a fly following on. Fed her half a dozen 1/2" square rabbit tidbit's

Rabbit 98 (Lamp 88 Day 10) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Sun 17th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 1.30pm. Went to Raymond's ferreting for an hour on my own. Cloudy with a slight breeze. Had to do a trade with Eve before we got to the warrens, she found a dead magpie in the field. The first 3 warrens didn't produce. A rabbit bolted from the 4th. With Eve right behind it, the rabbit ran through the bushes round a tree and then went back into the warren. I thought Eve had caught it as it went into the hole, her wings straggled across the hole and her feet were right down it. As I went over Eve stepped back and in the hole was the ferret. The hole had two tunnels the rabbit went into the right hand tunnel as the ferret came out of the left one. They both looked at each other and Eve flew up onto a post before I had chance to panic. The ferret then followed the rabbit into a dead end and I had a 3 foot dig. At the next warren Eve caught the bolted rabbit running through the wood. Fed he the pluck. We did another warren and bolted two rabbits. The one Eve went for tried to jump a deep ditch. Eve took it in midair and ended up at the bottom of the ditch tangle up in brambles in a foot of water. I got them out and fed her up on it.

Rabbit 100 (Lamp 88 Day 12) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Tue 19th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 7.30pm. Went to Carform with Paul and Steffen lamping, Steffen took his Harris which has never been lamping before. No moon and strong winds. Started off just slipping Eve, she had a few long slips but the rabbits dodged her at the last moment. As we were walking Eve took off, when I put the lamp on she was chasing a rabbit she had spotted and she caught it. Steffen's bird was bating as I slipped Eve so we let his bird go at the close rabbits and Eve take the long slips. Steffen's bird went for a couple of rabbits but on his 4th attempt I was stood slightly in front of him and his bird took Eve off the fist. After we had separated them we headed back to the car. A rabbit ran across the track 30 yards from the car and Eve caught it and was fed up on it. Fed her a bit too much, Field meet on Thursday. Finished on a good note though. 

Rabbit 102 (Lamp 90 Day 12) Pheasant 16 (10 Cock 6 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,

Thu 21st Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5 3/4 oz at 7.30am. Went to a Cheshire Falconry Club field meet. Only 4 Harris's flown. Dry day, windy but not in the woods. Eve's was too high only 36 hours since her last feed, normally 48. We just got into the wood and Pete's bird flew over and had a go at Eve. Eve didn't fight back and ended upside down hanging by her tail which had got caught in the V of two branches 25 foot up. She managed to get free by herself after a minute but after that she was under constant attack. Eve and Steve's bird then nailed a moorhen in the stream and both ended up soaked. All 4 birds then chased a cock pheasant, when I got over Eve and the two other birds were holding the pheasant and Pete's bird had hold of Eve. Pete hooded his bird and carried it on the fist for the next section to see if would settle down but it didn't and flew at Eve a couple of times while she was on the fist. Eve then caught a hen in the air after another bird had mist it. Pete's bird then got a warning from Eve she must of had enough, Eve flew and landed a foot above Pete's bird and properly threatened it, wing slightly open and her head was fully out stretched she didn't physically go for it but you could see Pete's bird cowering away. After that all the bird were flying together fine with no more problems it just needed putting in its place. Eve then grabbed a cock on its back as the pheasant was flying about 5 foot off the ground. The pheasant carried on flying for 20 foot with Eve on its back but Eve couldn't keep hold. We then spotted a big Reeves pheasant Eve went for it but the pheasant stood its ground and Eve landed a few feet from it, the other birds stooped at it but wouldn't go in Eve then spotted a hen pheasant and left the Reeves and nailed it but another bird came in and knocked it out of her feet and it got away. As the birds stood there the Reeves walked right past them. The cockiness of it plus the colours of it must have put the hawks off. After a few more misses I called it a day and fed her up on a neck and head. Welsh meet on Saturday.

Rabbit 102 (Lamp 90 Day 12) Pheasant 17 (10 Cock 7 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1,  Joint effort on a cock pheasant and a moorhen

Reeves Pheasant

Sat 23rd Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/4oz at 7.30am. Went to a Welsh Falconry Club field meet.  Dry day but foggy in the morning. First time on this estate it was a bit of a learning exercise for future meets. The people who took us round all had dogs, only 4 Harris's flown with 6 dogs. The morning was a disaster the birds wouldn't follow on, go after anything the dogs flushed and getting them to come to the fist was hard work, tidbit's had to be given each time. The dogs were held back at a section and and the birds started to hunt again. Eve dropped vertically at a couple of pheasants right underneath her but she didn't seem to be able to control her position properly as she dropped the angle was too steep. After lunch we went in to the last wood of the day without any dogs. I almost stood on a hen pheasant and it took off and landed in the top of a pine tree Eve nailed it and dropped down to the ground with it. Fed her the head and neck.   Harris group total for the day was 2 pheasants and a rabbit

Rabbit 102 (Lamp 90 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sun 24th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 8 1/4 oz at 10am.

Mon 25th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5 1/2 oz at 7pm. fed 1/2oz chicken.

Tue 26th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 7.30pm. Went lamping with Ian to Beefs, Golf coarse road, Faircloughs then Tip field's. Cloudy and no wind at all. Not many rabbits out. Had a couple of very long flights at each place apart from Tip fields didn't see anything there. Got stopped by the police by the golf course. All the flights Eve had were over 150 yard. Just as she was going in the rabbits dodged her then run at top speed back to the hedges before Eve could catch up. Fed her the meat off a rabbits back I had cut up in my bag.

Rabbit 102 (Lamp 90 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Thu 28th Jan 2010

Her weight was 2lb 31/2oz at 7.30pm. Went lamping to Raz's, then to Shrimps. Thin cloud, full moon very bright, occasional drizzle and strong winds. Eve had a couple of long slips at Raz's then caught one as it went down a hole after a 100 yard chase across a stubble field. Fed her the heart and lungs. At shrimps Eve just missed a rabbit on the first field. She caught one on the second field as it went down a hole 50 yards from me. As soon as she caught it a fox ran towards them from a bush 10 feet in front of me. I started to run towards Eve and the fox turned off. Fed Eve the heart and lungs and then carried on. We walked round for an hour and didn't see another rabbit so before we got to the car I gave her a full crop from the rabbit she caught earlier.  When I got back to my car, a car had parked right next to mine, considering the car park is 150 square meters I thought it was a bit strange. As I was putting Eve in her box I realised the couple inside the car were at it lol :) 

Rabbit 104 (Lamp 92 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Fri 29th Jan 2010

Fed Eve a couple of ounces of rabbit at 7pm then set off to Scotland deer stalking for the weekend with Paul.

Sat 30th Jan 2010

Stalked in the morning, there was 2" of snow on the ground and it was very sunny. Paul spotted 2 deer up a ride as we drove into the forest. He stopped behind the trees out of their sight and I stayed in the car as he took a shot. We searched for 20 minutes and couldn't find it, Paul said he was sure he got it but two deer had run off. Without finding the shot site so the dog could follow the a blood scent the dog just had the scent of the deer that ran off. We assumed he had missed and carried on. We then spotted 2 roe feeding in a new plant section 300 yards away, as Paul shot 2 more appeared and he ended up getting 3. For the night stalk we decided to try the ride where Paul had missed in the morning. I found the deer Paul shot about 70 yard further up from where we had looked. There must have been another deer in a dip. Didn't see anything else.

The three Paul shot together

Sun 31st Jan 2010

Stalked in the morning, it had snowed again and was freezing cold and cloudy. I saw a fox 200 yards away, as I was setting up the tripod we saw 3 roe running out of the new plant into the forest to the side of us 400 yards away. When I looked back at the fox it had gone then we spotted another roe near to where the fox was then another 3 roe 600 yards away all of them ran into the forest with out stopping.  We stalked a roe 500 yards up a mountain at the side of a felled area, it was going in and out of the forest but when we got within range to shoot it didn't appear again. We headed home in the afternoon

Eve's weight was 2lb 31/2oz at 6.30pm. Went lamping to Tony's. Patches of snow and frozen ground very slight breeze, full moon was just coming up. Eve had a cracking flight as soon as we left the car and caught it, gave her the pluck. She had about 6 more flights but the rabbits got to cover before she had reached them. Gave her some meat from my bag I'm going to fly her again tomorrow. 

Rabbit 105 (Lamp 93 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Mon 1st Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4oz at 7.30pm. Went to the bumpy road lamping. Perfect night for it, windy cloudy and dark, heavy rain was on its way. Saw lots of rabbits and had some amazing flights. The rabbits that got away deserved to, they put in a good effort. After Eve caught 3 and got the pluck from each one. I decided to head back to the car and feed her up on the next one she caught. We struggled to get another one and carried on past the car.  Eve had about 8 unlucky flight before we spotted two rabbits sat out. Eve caught the one that split to the right after a weaving chase. When I got over to them Eves middle toe was through the rabbits mouth I wedge a branch between its teeth so it couldn't bite her then dispatched it and gave Eve a full crop from it.

Rabbit 109 (Lamp 97 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Tues 2nd Feb 2010

Fed Eve the liver and kidneys from 3 rabbits. Went to the Welsh Hawking Club meeting.

Wed 3rd Feb 2010

No food. Went to the Yorkshire Hawking Club meeting in Doncaster with Michael. 1st time there, they made me feel really welcome, great bunch of people.

Thu 4th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 7.00pm. Went to the bumpy road lamping with Spud. Windy with thin cloud and a bit bright. The first two rabbits Eve went for headed for the bushes, she almost got them but she got caught up in the branches. She then caught 2 easy ones running away but they didn't have a clue Eve was going for them. We had 8 more flights after that but the rabbits either dropped down holes or dodge her at the last moment. Didn't see many rabbits tonight. Gave her 3/4 of a crop from a rabbit she caught earlier back at the car.

Rabbit 111 (Lamp 99 Day 12) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sat 6th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4oz at 11.00am. Went to Raymond's ferreting for 2 hours on my own. Foggy. First bolted rabbit went down another hole just as Eve grabbed it, she ended up with a foot full of fur. The ferret caught it down a dead end. At the next warren a rabbit ran through some bushes and Eve got held up by the branches. She caught the next one as it ran through brambles. At another warren a rabbit ran though the wood, when Eve got a couple of feet behind it the rabbit ran into a pheasant which took off right in front of Eve, she hit it but couldn't keep hold, and both got away. Tried a couple more warrens which didn't produce so we called it a day, gave Eve half a crop.

Rabbit 112 (Lamp 99 Day 13) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sun 7th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 7.00am. Went to Corwin with Phil and Mike ferreting. Foggy. The first 6 warrens didn't produce, we then came to a large warren. We bolted 4 rabbits but each one went down another hole before the birds could get hold of them and the ferrets nailed them underground. We tried another 6 warrens, in one the ferret got a chunk bitten out of its ear don't know what it was maybe another ferret or stoat?

We bolted 2 rabbits from another large warren and Eve caught the first one. The birds banged into each other as they went for the 2nd one and it managed to escape. We didn't bolt anymore and called it a day. Rabbit carcase all over the place. Gave Eve half a crop.

Rabbit 113 (Lamp 99 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Mon 8th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 3 3/4oz at 7.30pm. Went lamping to Raz's, then to Shrimps. No wind and occasional light showers. Had 5 straight long slips at Raz's all 100 yards plus but the rabbits managed to get to their holes just before Eve caught up. One crossed a stream as Eve went for it and she got soaked. At Shrimps we went out on to the marsh section we got 30 feet from 6 squatted rabbits before they bolted. Eve turned each one at least 5 times before they reached the bushes. The 7th one she caught before it turned. With her being wet and the lamp starting to dim slightly I fed her a full crop from it and called it a night.

Rabbit 114 (Lamp 100 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Tue 9th Feb 2010

Went to the Cheshire Falconry meeting

Wed 10th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 3 1/2oz at 8.00pm. Went lamping to Leyland with spud and bud on fields round the factory's which were all lit up by the factory's flood lights. Frozen ground and no wind. Eve had a lot of chases but the rabbits dodged her at the last moment and Eve seemed to start thinking what's the point. Tried Faircloughs on the way home. After a couple of flights Eve chased a rabbit running back to the hedge and managed to get hold of it with one foot on its back as it went through sheep wire. The rabbit was bouncing about like mad on the other side of the fence trying to get away but Eve kept hold until I got there and dispatched it. Fed her up on it. She'll be sore tomorrow.

Rabbit 115 (Lamp 101 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Fri 12th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/4oz at 8.00pm. Went lamping to Wales with Mike. It was dry all the way there but as soon as we got out of the car it poured down and there was no wind at all. Eve caught the first rabbit she went for and caught it as it went through the sheep wire. After that she was soaked and would only go for close rabbits. Although Eve was pumping hard the rabbits were pulling away from her. It stopped raining as we headed back to the car but by that time she we soaked to the skin. Fed her up on the one she caught earlier.

Rabbit 116 (Lamp 102 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Mon 15th Feb 2010

Gave her a big feed on Sunday as it was raining. Her weight today was 2lb 6 1/2oz at 7.00pm gave her 1/2oz of rabbit

Tue 16th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz at 8.00pm. Went lamping to the Bumpy road. Dark night and no wind. Didn't see any rabbits until we got to the woods. Eve had 4 chases in the wood, she was trying really hard as the rabbits were weaving through the trees. We walked round the fields for 40 min's, Eve had a couple of flights but the rabbits disappeared before she had got a quarter of the way. She caught the 1st one after an hour, I fed her the pluck and then 10 min's after that she caught another. I fed her up on it and let her eat a back leg as we walked back to the car.

Rabbit 118 (Lamp 104 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Thu 18th Feb 2010

Pouring down, fed her a rabbits head.

Sat 20th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4oz at 11.00am. Went to Smith's for a walk. Cold sunny day as we walked down the track Eve went high up in a tree then took off towards the field about 500 yards away, when I got to the brow of the hill she had gone towards a pigeon magnet, two guys pigeon shooting popped up from their hide. Got Eve back and went for a walk down by the river. Eve spotted two rabbits in cover and I went in to flush them out.  Eve went for the wrong one and it went down a hole as the other rabbit ran off through the woods. Didn't see anything else.

Fed her tidbit's. Notice a old cut on her foot had opened up again

Rabbit 118 (Lamp 104 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sun 21st Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 1/2oz  Went to Ashleigh vets in Manchester and got 10 day supply of Marbocyl antibiotics for the cut on her foot, 10mg per day, also dropped off a mute sample. There was a female Harris hawk sat up a tree out side, the vet said he had phoned the IBR and that it had been there 4 days and caught a pigeon each day. I tried to call it down but it had a full crop and wasn't interested in me. Went to the Tawd for a walk with Lyndsey at 1.00pm. Horrible day snow, sleet, and rain. Eve was following on and flew to Lyndsey a few times. Fed her tidbit's.

Rabbit 118 (Lamp 104 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Wed 24th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 5oz at 7.30pm.  Went to Carform with Lyndsey, no wind, clear sky and almost a full moon so it was very bright. The first 10 rabbits Eve went for were sat on their warrens and disappeared before Eve got half way to them. I then spotted one out in a field but it vanished, I was sure there wasn't any holes there. When we got there I couldn't see the rabbit but Eve did, it was squatted. Eve got just as the rabbit took off. We saw the next rabbit 10mins later 100 yards off Eve went for it but the rabbit went into trees before she got to it. Eve carried on through the trees and nailed it. As I was getting Eve off the kill a dog walker disturbed us and after that Eve seemed a bit spooked so we called it a night. Fed Eve the pluck from both rabbits and the tidbit's I had in  my bag.

Rabbit 120 (Lamp 106 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Thu 25th Feb 2010

Her weight was 2lb 4 3/4oz at 7.30pm.  Went to Bumpy road with Paul Juda, no wind, clear sky and a full moon, very bright. Had 2 slips in the first hour but Eve didn't have a chance. We had a slip on the last four fields we tried. Eve grabbed the first one but couldn't keep hold. The next two Eve chased for 70 yards and just as she was about to grab them they disappeared down a hole. The last one got to some trees as Eve was catching up to it. Fed her tidbit's from my bag.

Rabbit 120 (Lamp 106 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sat 27th Feb 2010

Got her mute sample results from the vets, no worms were found. Fitted all the perches and ledges in the aviary and put Eve away for the moult

Rabbit 120 (Lamp 106 Day 14) Pheasant 18 (10 Cock 8 Hen)  Woodcock 6,  Duck 1, Snipe 1, 

Sat 13th March 2010

Eve has dropped her decks and 4 primary feathers, she is well on her way : )

Latest Entry

Just a personal log of what I get up to while Eve is moulting

Sat 6th March 2010

Went up Pendle Hill with Lyndsey for a walk, we did 8 miles in total.

Sat 20th March 2010

Went to Blackpool pleasure beach with Diane, Carl and Sheryl. 

Sun 21st March 2010

Canoed up the canal from  Runcorn to Preston brook tunnel and back with Phil. 12 miles in total. Found loads of fishing gear tangled up in the trees overhanging the water.

Sat 27th March 2010

Went to Alton Towers with Lyndsey £38 pp to get in. We were queuing for that long we only managed to go on 4 rides all day.

Sun 28th March 2010

Tried out my new canoe, went from the Ring o Bells pub in Burscough to the Ship Inn at Haskayne and back 15 miles in total with Phil. Had a couple of pints at the Ship and capsized getting back in to the canoe. Being a nice day everyone was sat outside the pub watching lol. First time I have canoed with out my wet suit on and I had my phone in my pocket as well. I was freezing cold by the time we got back to the car : )

Fri 2nd 2010

Canoed from  Preston brook up the canal to Thelwall and back 13 miles in total with Phil.

Sat 3rd April 2010

9 of us went to see Carl Cox at the Warehouse project in Manchester

Tue 6th April 2010

Went to the Welsh Falconry Club meeting

Sat 9th April 2010

Went mountain hiking with Phil to Snowdon. We did the horse shoe walk about 12 miles. Mountain rescue air lifted someone off Crib Goch.

Tue 13th April 2010

Went to the Cheshire Falconry Club meeting

Wed 14th April 2010

Went to the Yorkshire Falconry Club meeting

Sat 17th April 2010

Canoed round lake Windermere with Phil. We started at Ambleside and went all the way to Lake Side and back, 23mile altogether. I caught 2 pike trolling a plug behind my canoe : ) first was caught on a 4" perch plug second was on a 4" pink plug.

Sun 18th April 2010

Had a walk round Grizedale forest with Lyndsey. We did the green route which is 10 miles but I got a bit lost and we ended up doing about 12 :)

Fri 23rd April 2010

Camped at  Glanllyn Campsite in Bala with Phil and El. Did a bit of fishing whist having a few cans :) Phil had a couple of bites

Sat 24th April 2010

Canoed round Bala Lake with Phil. 9 miles. Caught a 2lb brown trout trolling a 6" perch plug.

Sun 25th April 2010

Helped out with the Yorkshire hawking clubs stall and display at Lydiate Parish halls St Georges Day event for local scouts.

Mon 3rd May 2010

Went to the falconry fair with Mick and his family.

Sat 15th May 2010

Canoed round Lake Ullswater  with Phil. 18 miles

Sun 23rd May 2010

Went canoeing with Lyndsey up the Leeds and Liverpool canal. 9.5 miles from Ring o Bells pub to the Waters Edge pub and back. Gorgeous sunny day.

Tue 25th May 2010

Went to the British Falconry Club meeting in Burscough.

Sat 29th May 2010

Went mountain hiking with Phil to Carnedd Llewelyn. Poured down all day with 35 mph winds. At 500 ft visibility was down to 30ft constantly. The paths aren't very clear and we ended up going the wrong way and coming down a steep part at the wrong side of the reservoir.  Did 4.5 miles, should have been 6.5 miles.

Sun 30th May 2010

Went to The Syndicate club in Blackpool with Lyndsey, Spud and Tracy to see DJ Sander Van Doorn. Great night.

Wed 2nd June 2010

Went to the Yorkshire Falconry Club meeting. George Duncalf from The Fenlands Bird of Prey Rescue gave a talk on Artificial Insemination. It was really interesting

Sun 6th June 2010

Went to the Pennine Trout farm with Alf, we both blanked : (

Tue 8th June 2010

Went to the Cheshire Falconry club meeting. Pete did a talk of pictures he took in Dubai and at a Eagle meet.

Sat 12th June 2010

Went mountain hiking with Phil to Carnedd Llewelyn, did the full route this time. Started off cloudy then turned into a glorious day.

Tue 29th June 2010

Went to the British Falconry Club meeting in Burscough with Mick.

Sat 3rd July 2010

Went canoeing with Phil to Colwyn Bay. Went 2 miles out mackerel fishing and came home with 40 between us. I got a hook straight through my thumb nail with 4 mackerel tugging on the other hooks. I canoed up to a fishing boat and borrowed a pair of pliers and cut the hooks eye off then pushed the hook out of the other side of my thumb.