Merlins

[jasper65 6]

These birds are selling like rocking horse shit but personaly I think these days they're fetching far too much money, heres a few Bred by myself and and by another guy in the last 3 years, the first pic taken in the 06 season is the final result as it should turn out

[Fletcher 0]

Excellent photos, what quarry do they catch and what would be the hunting weight of a adult female?

[MAACCY 105]

Excellent photos, what quarry do they catch and what would be the hunting weight of a adult female?

my mate used to have one you need to be fast with your lure swinging these little birds can turn on a six pence buetiful little birds cracking pics mate

[Blaze 49]

Fascinating little birds!

 

Bought myself a copy of "John Lofts" book....excellant read!

[jasper65 6]

Traditionaly Fletch they're flown at skylarks but unfortunatley the season is pretty short, they're dynamite though mate and very gamey! and will chase birds alot larger than themselves.

 

Alot of the old stuff written would tell you that Merlins are only any good at this quarry in their first season and after become lazy and wanting, this is a total falasy! the guy I was talking about in the previouse post was flying a female a few years back called "Heidi", she was called this as she had a problem with one of her eyes and would hide her head under her wing when aproached, this bird started off pretty mediocre on Larks in its first season although personaly I think it was exagerated by a weight problem which then led to other problems like lack of confidence, anyway Rob persivered with her and each year she got better and better to the stage where should would speck out with the Lark totaly unsighted, the flight would normally start off with her cork screwing after the Lark when first slipped and finally standing off as they gained height, she was a clever girl and once she reached her ceiling would bank away from the Lark in wider circles giving it a wider birth and the oportunity to fold and drop for cover, this usualy worked and one hell of a stoop would develop, I'm not saying this Happend all the time as obvioulsy different quarry reacts in different ways, some flight was just straight tail chase rat hunts across the stubble but if the quarry took the turn to climb up and away a cracking flight was guranteed...

 

 

Maaccy!! You're right these birds will turn you inside out on the lure when fit and certainly sharpen your reaction time up for the next time .

 

The first edition "A Merlin For Me" is fetching some good money these days blaze1, its a cracking read. I had the first edition signed copy of "The Imprint Accipiter" for a few years but it did nothing for me as I don't fly Imprints, it finally fetched not far off £140 on Ebay :whistle:

[Garypco 2]

smart looking birds tony a [bANNED TEXT] of mine might be looking at a bird for imprinting do you let let em go for imprinting ?

[Berkutchi 0]

heres my proven pair of Merlins and my new pair of Aplamados falcons

[jasper65 6]

Looks like a first year jack to me there Bukutchi or it could be the picture....

[MAACCY 105]

Looks like a first year jack to me there Bukutchi or it could be the picture....

hi the aplamado falcons are they a breeding pair i dident know they were breeding them in this country i know of one person flying them over here and thats bob dalton they are lovely little birds what sort of quarry will the take over here

[Berkutchi 0]

yes thats my o6 pair of Merlins,my other photo wont come up for some reason?,well heres a jack i bred last year that was creche reared with a kestrel,i bred 4 merlins and a kessy so i reared them together.

 

yes they are a true pair of mexican Aplamados and i imported them from Toledo in Spain.The male and female were domestically bred over there so fingers crossed.

 

and heres a pair of Red footed falcons i imported in with the Aplamados.

[jasper65 6]

hi the aplamado falcons are they a breeding pair i dident know they were breeding them in this country

 

There's a guy called "Rocky" out Cromer way with a couple of pairs which should go this year........

[jasper65 6]

smart looking birds tony of mine might be looking at a bird for imprinting do you let let em go for imprinting ?

 

I have packed up doing Merlins now in Favour of Mainly Accipiters and a few other Falcons! also if everything goes to plan this year I have done a deal with a Guy in south Africa through Bob Haddon to bring in some black spars, the birds won't belong to me but I will be doing all the AI work and taking my percentage for myself. if you're Interested in the Merlins I'll PM you Rob's number! I know the other year he wasn't keen on selling Imprints, he put some out to Hack in 2005 but I don't think he is taking that route again....

[MAACCY 105]

them black spars look stunning i saw a clip of them hunting guinea fowl stunning jasper

[jasper65 6]

I have some nice pic's maaccy of the lad climbing trees in south africa taking the youngsters under lisence but can't get them on, when everything is all arranged the plan is to have 4 imprints flown over here, My percentage won't be for sale but will be kept back for my own breeding project, the guy told me he has seen some of the wild BS's chase his racing pigeons high into the clouds and was relentless until the caught them, it would be interesting to see how they fair in this country as to be Honest I havn't heard much good press about them as a flying bird.....

[Berkutchi 0]

hi the aplamado falcons are they a breeding pair i dident know they were breeding them in this country i know of one person flying them over here and thats bob dalton they are lovely little birds what sort of quarry will the take over here

 

This is the mother of one of my pair (the male) and is a direct import from Mexico and this is her on her first pheasant,this pic was taken on the plains of Toledo just south of Madrid by the breeder of my pair.

He also now has Bi Coloured hawks and ive my order in for these.