EASTERN CAPE.
There has not been much change in the Eastern Cape over the past year. Our club membership has dropped and only two members have been active. Our dealings with nature conservation have not come to anything with our area being divided up into several regions and none of the deputy directors willing to make a decision or even comment on our policy draft and regs.
Our club membership stands at six, with Alan Stephenson, Bryan Reeves and Aiden Zimmerman inactive this past season. Andrew Pringle has recently joined us from Gauteng. He will be flying a gabar.
Arnold Slabbert flew his old female lanner and has recently aquired an eyas tiercel peregrine that fell out of an eyrie in central PE. This pair bred in a disused lift shaft and produced four chicks this year.
This past season I flew my 3 times intermewed red naped shahin Shakira and a passage female Peregrine. The red nape had a good season taking 41 assorted ducks and a few greywing and orange rivers. The Peregrine was a pleasure to train and fly. She took to ducks with no trouble and ended the season with 43 duck and 12 partridge. Shakira has been retired to a breeding pen and I will fly the Peregrine again this 2005 season.
My new bird is another passage Peregrine which I trapped in the western cape courtesy of the Western Cape Falconry Club . We spent a week down in the windiest cape, travelled about 5000 kilometers and saw 24 Peregrines of which only two were immatures. She is big, dark and beautiful
Kayla, my 3 times intermewed hacked eyas Peregrine of 2001 was flown briefly at the beginning of the season and then put out to hacked back. She did not leave and set up territory here. I had some ausome flying from her during the three months before she dissapeared for two months. She arrived back suddenly one day in July with a badly hurt wing. I caught her up and got her going again for Dale Guthormson who was staying with me to fly at the SAFA meet. She has now been placed in a breeding pen.
Alan Harvey
FREE STATE
Francois Breedt continued to fly his intermewed Gyr-Prairie, Zin Zan, during 2004.
Zin Zan took duck and partridge in fine style.
Penny, the nine times intermewed African Peregrine, retired to a breeding project during 2004. Penny’s was first paired with Freddy, but Freddy appears to be like his namesake, not quite straight. She was then paired with a 4 year-old tiercel, Kalgor, bred by Allan Harvey and flown by Steven Squires. They produced 2 beautiful tiercels at Steven’s facility; both these birds will be flown by Steven in 2005.
Francois has disproved the current theory that the size of falcon flown is inversely proportional to the falconer’s kit. He and Haley have produced an eyas of their own. She will be attending the 2005 field meet with her dad, and may enter the new black gyrkin for the sky trials. Be sure to be there!
Anton Muller flew his intermewed passage peregrine female and she continued to impress, so much so, that she was the winner of the National Skytrials.
Angelo Grobler flew Storm, a seasoned African female peregrine. Good fun was had on waterfowl.
Leige Strapp flew his Black Spar musket on quail in the Bethlehem area.
Carel de Jager flew his African Goshawk female in and around the streets of Bethlehem and posed a real threat to the Indian Mynah population.
Tim McPherson flew his Black Spar musket with great success, taking a variety of quarry. He also flew a passage female Lanner that was given to him by Anton Muller. This bird produced spectacular stoops out of thermals.
Steve Lodge joined the Club during 2004. Steve has fun with a Martial Eagle which he obtained in the UK as well as an African Hawk Eagle obtained locally. Steve was a helicopter pilot in the RAF and is now residing in Bloemfontein with his partner Kelly. Steve flies the well-known Rooivalk helicopter at the Bloemspruit airforce base. The jury is still out on which bird is the most challenging to fly, but according to Kelly who is chief lure puller, the Rooivalk is less exhausting. We hope they have a long and enjoyable stay in the Free State.
Gert Pretorius is working on a potato farm in the UK. He has purchased a Peales peregrine tiercel, which he hunts with in Scotland. He plans on returning to SA with this bird, which rumor has it is called Spud.
Steven Squires continued with his cast of tiercels flying mostly doves, but also adding shrikes, barbets, cisticolas, larks and about fifty bats to his bag. The three year old cast of Norbit and Mervyn are going to be retired to the breeding establishment and will be replaced by a new cast of Oliver and Paddy, bred from Penny and Kelgor in 2004.
Despite the low member numbers, the FS Falconry Club has managed to achieve and maintain a high standard of falconry during the last year.
Steven Squires.
TRANSVAAL FALCONRY CLUB, GAUTENG
Club President: Tim Wagner Coordinator Beginner Falconers: Colin Williams
Vice President: Dirk Verwoerd SAFA Representatives: Dirk Verwoerd
Secretary: Greg Jean Jacques Paul Strydom
Committee: Mark Labuscagne
Paul Strydom
Life in Gauteng can be frenetic and hectic for most falconers. Most all predisposed to having to work to make a living, fighting through traffic snarl ups, managing time constraints, balancing falconry time with family time, procuring hawk food and rushing to far flung flying grounds many kilometers away with limited available quarry. All this adding to the recipe for stress and poor quality falconry, at the very least, which is unfortunate. They say someone has to do it and so we do it, day after day with no sign of respite unless one heads for the Free State or the KZN Midlands for some R&R and the prospect of some serious falconry!
No ground breaking or noteworthy news from Gauteng for 2004, suffice to say Mark Labuscagne flew his four year old Gyr Pairie Tiercel Hybrid with spectacular success on Quackers. His captive bred African Peregrine Falcon was doing nicely, but succumbed after eating a Rock Pigeon that had ingested some poisoned grain.
Dirk Verwoerd’s four year old Gyr/Peregrine Hybrid Tiercel has become a most proficient performer on Quackers notching up a very respectable score of ten and in fine style to boot. His African Peregrine Falcon notching some thirty head assorted Quackers.
Time Wagner flew his team of 2nd year Gyr/Peregrine Hybrid Tiercel, Passage African Peregrine Falcon, 1st year captive bred African Peregrine Falcon with various degrees of success, finding suitable quarry – an ongoing challenge.
Gary Warren flew his two intermewed captive bred African Peregrine Tiercels now in their 4th season flying mainly Redwing and Orange River Francolin and proving very effective.
Grant Neale flew his 3 year old captive bred African Peregrine Tiercel and 1st year captive bred African Peregrine Falcon. He passed his other Tiercel onto Herhold Gauche to fly.
Ray Thompson flew a Black Spa Imprint female ex Free State Angelo Grobbelaar proved to be most capable on Orange River Francolin.
Greg Jean Jacques flew his 1st year captive bred Female Black Spa taking Guineas and Francolin quite proficiently. Also his 4 year old Black Spa Musket took a handful of Francolin.
Rory Jean Jacques’s Eyas Black Spa Female taking Guineas and Francolin.
Mike Thompson’s 1st year captive bred Musket Black Spa died from Aspergillasis at the start of the season. He flew his African Gos female.
Colin Williams – tried and trusted African Gos female
Elco Meyis – captive bred African Gos Musket
Leon Hawerman – African Gos female
Pieter Rabie – African Gos
Rowan Becker – African Gos female
Byron Magaw – African Gos female
Heinrich Schreuder – Eyas Black Spa Musket – Killed while hunting (flew hard and fast)
Paul Strydom – 2 Eyas Black Spa females - both amassing good scores. Inadvertently released at the end of season
Leo Oodendaal – intermewed Ovambo
Ronnie Watt – Lanner Tiercel (rehab bird)
Captive Breeding 2004 Season
Tim Wagner: Produced 12 Peregrines out of 13 eggs
Black Spa’s 7 eggs
3 lost in incubator
3 lost in breeding pen
1 egg fertile – raised 1 chick
Mike Thompson: African Peregrines
3 chicks from 1 pair
2 chicks from another pair (died at 21 days of causes unknown)
Black Spas
Produced 3 eggs - Hatched 1 male
African Gos none bred
Pieter Rabie lost his female out of the pen.
Mark Labuscagne no breeding.
Transvaal Falconry has had a chequered existence over the years. Between 1969 and 1970 the Transvaal Falconry Association was formed and in the mid seventies falconry was banned.
The Club was resurrected in 1985 as the TFC, based on the premise that falconers would police themselves and ensure that all members abide by the policy guidelines that allowed the legal practice of falconry and hunting. This has worked really well and a healthy working relationship with Conservation has been fostered, which opened numerous doors for falconers. Notably the establishment of captive breeding programmes and the granting of permits to import exotic falcons and legal access to all forms of quarry across a twelve month hunting season window.
What is important to note however, is that the TFC will be 20 years young in 2005. We intend building on its solid foundations and guarding the privileges and rights we enjoy so that future generations can also enjoy the unbridled pleasures and traditions of falconry pursuits in years to come.
Greg Jean Jacques.
LIMPOPO FALCONRY CLUB.
The Limpopo Falconers Club at present holds 28 birds, made-up of 12 Captive bred, 12 wild taken and 4 rehab. birds. The following is a list of species held:
7 Peregrine Falcons
3 Lanner Falcons
2 Black Sparrowhawks
12 African Goshawks
3 Gabar Goshawk and 1 rehab. Black-shouldered Kite.
As can be seen from the above list of birds, the bulk of our membership is C and D grade falconers (3 and 8 respectively). Most of these hawks and members have made their first kills and are looking forward to cooler weather to really get some action.
Our senior membership (7 A grade and 2 B grade falconers) have all had a good past season and are taking up birds after the moult, as well as training a few youngsters. The three Peregrines, from Tim Wagner’s breeding project, flown by Richard Harper – Ronald, Paul and Pierre Venter are all showing great potential and we look forward to seen great things from them. At present the heat has been their greatest stumbling block – roll on Winter.
Our relationship with the Limpopo Conservation Authorities over all is very good and we are grateful for all their assistance. The department recently provided the LFC with 3 GPS’s to assist them with surveying and monitoring of raptors in the province.
There are two issues that we are taking up with the Limpopo Conservation Department. One is the handling of a Taita Falcon chick that came into rehab. and the subsequent passing on of the bird into non specialist hands. The other issue is the “Cost Recovery” on falconry permits. It was pointed out to the authorities that we are a recreational club and the present fees are prohibitive. Hopefully these issues will be sorted out in due course.
The 2004 SAFA Field Meet was attended and enjoyed by 5 LFC members. It would be nice if this year more LFC members find their way through the “Boerewors Curtain”.
Trevor Oettel.
MPUMALANGA FALCONRY CLUB.
Mpumalanga Falconry Club is a small but active club. Our members are not only involved in Falconry but also participate in trapping and ringing, rehabilitation, the Birding Big Day, education on birds of prey and raptor conservation.
In 2004 we saw Dullstroom Bird of Prey Centre move to a new location. It is now situated just before Dullstroom as one enters from the Belfast side. The Centre got a nice new clinic and is also officially registered as a rehabilitation centre. We wish Mark Holder / Mark Bett team the best of luck and hope that business will be good.
We also witnessed the confiscation of raptors from James Buttel in Dullstroom. Mpumalanga Parks Board visited his site and found numerous raptors in a horrific condition. These were confiscated and given to Ben Hoffman in Kwazulu Natal. Sadly Mr Buttel released some of the birds in his care. One can only speculate their fate. I am pleased to report that at the time he was not a member of our club.
Steven van Rensburg flew a Gyr/ Saker, a Lanner and an Afgos. He reported that he had various successes and great fun. Since Ray Jansen has moved to Gauteng to reap the greener grass, Steven will be heading the Penryn Falconry School. He is flying an eyass Black Spa female now.
Mark Botha from Doornkop Fish and Wildlife Reserve progressed to a B Grade. He again flew an Afgos with great successes. He also rehabilitated a female Rock Kestrel. Mark later found her nest with chicks and I must admit it looks very cool to see a wild falcon with anklets feeding chicks. At present, he is flying a Black Spa female.
Willem Breytenbach flew his peregrine and lanner. At present he is flying a Black Spa female and a minute Little Spa musket (84 grams).
We have got 6 (six) C grade falconers all with Afgosses. Some more successful than others but they are all having fun.
George McAllister (A veteran falconer) from Zimbabwe and Botswana joined our club and is presently flying a young tiercel peregrine.
Steven van Rensburg.
NATAL FALCONRY CLUB.
The NFC has continued to weed out so called “ghost members” resulting in membership numbers decreasing to a total of 25. This is a most favourable situation in that the NFC is steadily becoming a smaller club with more active members enjoying excellent falconry in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
For 2005, the NFC committee is as follows: John Bamber (Chairman), Angus Burns (Secretary), Ben Hoffman (Co-Secretary), Greg McBey (Grading Co-ordinator), Bruce Padbury, Kyle Solms and Charles Woods.
We continue to enjoy a healthy relationship with our provincial Conservation Authority (eKZN-Wildlife). Special thanks must go to Bill Howells, Sharon Hughes and Wendy Cowley for their continued support and assistance.
At present, our members are flying a range of different hawks:
Greg Mcbey – Cast of Lanners, the usual Peregrines, a Red Breasted Sparrowhawk & a Black Sparrowhawk (to mention a few).
Ben Hoffman - Captive bred Lanneret.
John Bamber – Captive bred North American Peregrine, a captive bred Red Naped Shaheen & he has been handed an injured tiercal Peregrine that he hopes to rehabilitate and fly.
Angus Burns – Captive bred Lanneret & a captive bred Gabar Goshawk.
Bruce Padbury – Black Sparrowhawk.
Alan Howells – Black Sparrowhawk & Passage Lanneret.
Kyle Solms – Cast of Lanners.
Charles Woods – African Goshawk.
Kevin Hutton – Red Breasted Sparrowhawk & captive bred Gabar Goshawk.
Other members are flying African Goshawks successfully and a few will be progressing on to Black Spars / Lanners later in the year.
The NFC looks forward to a great year of falconry and hawking for 2005!
Please note our new contact details:
P O Box 288
Umlaas Road
3730
Tel & Fax: 034 312 6158 / 031 785 2981
Cell: 084 400 1234 / 082 359 0900
E-mail: egtproject@mweb.co.za / pbc@africanraptor.co.za
Angus Burns
WESTERN CAPE
As with most clubs, our CFC membership fluctuates a bit, and we currently have 64 members, with 27 actively hunting with an interesting variety of hawks. Up to the time of the moult, these were; 1 rock kestrel, 12 afgos, 2 jackal buzzards, 4 Harris’ hawks, 4 black spas, 2 lanners, 2 sakers, 1 gyr/saker, 3 peregrines and 2 gry/peregrines. Since then Odette Curtis and Ian Little acquired black spas and are successfully hunting them, Edmund Oetttle now has a tiercel gyr/peregrine and Adrian Lombard is training a peregrine. Lanners seem to be have been getting the better of Kevan Hearshaw this season, so we’re holding thumbs that his latest will be the one that doesn’t take off for Siberia, and doesn’t land on a power line.
Taking an overview of the different birds hunted, one is reminded that falconry can be enjoyed on many different levels, and none should be dismissed as less worthy. Seing Michelle Walter’s delightful little rock kestrel flying to the lure at our annual CFC Meet was just great, and I have no doubt that the her first kill of a large redwing starling probably brought the same adrenalin rush as the taking of considerably larger quarry with a big macho raptor. However, that said, we are all dying to see Edmund Oettle fly his tiercel gyr/peregrine, who sounds like an absolutely awesome handful. He apparently attains a pitch which takes him way beyond the reach of the human eye, necessitating telemetry tracking just to locate him in the air.
There are several captive breeding projects in the province. This year saw limited success with 2 African Goshawks bred by Adrian Lombard.
At our annual small hawk meet which is held in June each year to give the apprentices and other falconers who fly small hawks an opportunity to strut their stuff, the floating award went to Jannis Kruger’s Charlie, a prolific hunter. This meet is coupled with our AGM where we were privileged to be able to welcome Ron Hartley to the club. The news of his tragic death in April this year was devastating. We also welcomed Rudi Giesswein, from Zimbabwe, who was made an honorary member of the club.
Our annual CFC Meet held at the Sandveld Bungalows near Redelinghuis in August was enjoyable, although less well attended than the previous year. Game birds were plentiful, but the thick bush and generally difficult terrain on the mountain slopes made finding your hawk, your dog and your hunting companions a real challenge. The alternative of stomping around for miles through the very sandy ploughed lower fields obviated any need for gym membership. These conditions notwithstanding, a respectable head of quarry was taken. Wentzel Coetzer’s beloved afgos “Cutie” spent a night out, but the two were happily reunited the next day when Solly went into thick brush in the lower fields to look for Hank’s black spa who had stooped in after a francolin --- and found the truant Cutie instead! The meet was held in typical Cape weather – an extremely hot first day, followed by the full spectrum of temperatures to icy cold, with rain belting down by the Saturday. Driving back to the cottages on the extremely wet and slithery dirt roads on the last night after a pretty good dinner at a restaurant in Aurora, was an instantly sobering experience.
Our hawks are once again having success in the field, getting fitter by the day, and the delicious anticipation of a whole new season lies ahead. Good hunting!
Suzette du Toit.
The opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily the opinion of the editor or of SAFA.
