# My Bird



## eminart (Dec 29, 2011)

I've been absent from the photography forum world for quite a while. This has been my main distraction:


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## MLeeK (Dec 29, 2011)

WOW! As in you have a permit and everything and it's YOURS? WOW WOW!!! Beautiful! 
I have parrots, but that is so much cooler!


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## eminart (Dec 29, 2011)

MLeeK said:


> WOW! As in you have a permit and everything and it's YOURS? WOW WOW!!! Beautiful!
> I have parrots, but that is so much cooler!



Yes, I'm now a licensed falconer. It's time consuming but I love it, and it's great for my photography hobby as well.


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## MLeeK (Dec 29, 2011)

Oh, I am coming to your house! How awesome that would be!!!


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## Miladymimi (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm also a falconer.  Nice looking redtail,  good luck with him.


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## SCraig (Dec 29, 2011)

MLeeK said:


> Oh, I am coming to your house! How awesome that would be!!!


Stop off in Nashville and I'll drive us down there!


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## dakkon76 (Dec 29, 2011)

Falconry is just bad ass. Plain and simple. I'd feel like a big nerd doing it, but at the same time it's awesome to know you have a bird doing your bidding. Would love to see some action shots.


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## eminart (Dec 30, 2011)

Miladymimi said:


> I'm also a falconer.  Nice looking redtail,  good luck with him.



Nice, what kind of bird do you fly? 


I'll get some good action shots eventually, but it's difficult to be the bird handler and carry photo gear.


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## Miladymimi (Dec 30, 2011)

I usually fly a redtail as well, but I didn't trap a bird this year.  Last year I bought a Harris hawk and he was doing well until he got hurt.   Unfortunately he didn't survive his injuries.  I know people like the versatility of the Harris, but personally I enjoyed the redtail more, so next year I'll trap again.


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## eminart (Dec 30, 2011)

Miladymimi said:


> I usually fly a redtail as well, but I didn't trap a bird this year.  Last year I bought a Harris hawk and he was doing well until he got hurt.   Unfortunately he didn't survive his injuries.  I know people like the versatility of the Harris, but personally I enjoyed the redtail more, so next year I'll trap again.



I have one more year as an apprentice. I was thinking after that I might buy a harris but the more I've read and thought about it, I may stick with red tails for a while. 

Anyway, to keep this photography related, I have a Nikon 50mm f1.4G coming on the UPS truck today. Hopefully I'll have some new "portraits" of the hawk soon.


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## Miladymimi (Dec 30, 2011)

I thought you might like to see the Harris we had and a European Barn Owl we kept for a while.  I've had a general falconry license for 3 years now.











I'm sure you'll enjoy your new lens.  I've got the Canon 50mm 1.8 and I find I use it more and more.  

Good luck


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## Joel_W (Dec 30, 2011)

Good luck with your Falcon. Sure sounds like a fascinating hobby. Must take up a lot of your spare time. Just out of curiosity, how expensive are these birds?


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## eminart (Dec 30, 2011)

Joel_W said:


> Good luck with your Falcon. Sure sounds like a fascinating hobby. Must take up a lot of your spare time. Just out of curiosity, how expensive are these birds?




It is very time consuming. 

As an apprentice, in the U.S. you're required to catch a wild bird, so I guess mine was free. But, once you get your general license, you're allowed to purchase other types of hawks. Most of them run anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand depending on how hard they are to come by.


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## eminart (Dec 30, 2011)

Miladymimi said:


> I thought you might like to see the Harris we had and a European Barn Owl we kept for a while.  I've had a general falconry license for 3 years now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Those harris' look really leggy after dealing with a red tail every day. My wife loves owls. She wants me to get one. I keep telling her no. Haha.


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## eminart (Dec 30, 2011)

Got my new lens today. I ran out and got a few quick shots to try it out. Love it so far.


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## Miladymimi (Dec 30, 2011)

very nice!


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## Joel_W (Dec 30, 2011)

Solid pics, but your bird is the star.


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