Hunting with the Bonelli's Eagle - Seasons 3 & 4 with The Colonel 

Thanks for your comment much appreciated

Thanks Andy much appreciated. Unbelievable amount of time, dedication and sacrifice has gone into this bird. Those that have flown this species will realise the time & commitment involved.

Thank you very much

Excellent many thanks, see you on a hunting day very soon...!

Much appreciated many thanks

Thanks.... It's all about the birds.

Thank you….!

Many thanks for your comment, very much appreciated.

Many thanks. Harris' Hawks are awesome...!

Always good to get your feedback on experience days. Glad you enjoyed your day, it was great to have you along. Many thanks. Regards Nigel

Thanks very much

Yes Dex sure is loving life in the field hunting alongside The Colonel. Superb team. Many thanks

Thanks for watching and following our antics in the field much appreciated. I only put a few logs on Instagram & social media. If I put them all on from everyday then people would get a real insight into time, dedication, commitment and hard work that goes into getting an Eagle to fly as if wild, working as a team and a successful hunter. Thanks

Thank you

Many thanks

Many thanks, I’ve had a season off from filming this year. Decided to enjoy the time in the field with the birds alone without any distractions. I’ll be out with the camera next season so hopefully get some good footage. Cheers Nigel

Thank you

Thanks for the reply. Yes my opinion was the same after spending 8 years with Goshawk’s. The Bonelli’s Eagle is an unbelievably versatile species. They follow-on like Harris’ Hawks so when this style of flight is used in the correct field circumstances then you will experience Goshawk style flights as they can transfer height from following into speed. They are also quick off the glove at ferreted rabbits. But the ace card in their flight vast stealth tactics is definitely waiting-on style in the hills like a Peregrine. Absolutely unbelievable to watch. To sum it all up the Bonelli’s can follow like a Harris’, chase squirrels like a RedTail, explosive off the glove, Goshawk style flights in woodland and Peregrine style flights in the hills soaring. All of this with the added bonus of being super relaxed in the aviary, even at fat weight moulting. Don’t be fooled though, all of this comes at a massive price?! This has taken five years to achieve and we are still training everyday. I’m out most days hunting, he’s had thousands upon thousands of hours put into him. Think of them as Goshawks on a bad day and you’re slightly close regards training. It’s been my life for 20 plus years, I live and breathe it. And for that sacrifice, dedication, perseverance and commitment, I’ve been given the privilege to watch a raptor flourish and live a life as close to his wild cousins as possible. Thanks Nigel

@@hawkinsfalconry Amazing work my friend! It is obvious there is a great dedication and intelligence behind your videos. When I see that the bird is flying similar to the wild bird, regarding fitness and flying style, I know there is a serious falconry work behind it, and it is obvious that you love to push the boundaries! Most traditional falconers think that the falconry bird can only hunt in one way, but as we can see, your eagle is using almost every hunting strategy/style there is, and implementing it successfully by the way. My logic was always to look at how the wild birds hunt and then try to mimic that with my birds the best I can. If a wild peregrine is for example using the stoop, pursuit, ringing up flight etc. to catch the prey, why wouldn't falconry bird be able to do the same?! This year I worked with an immature peregrine male, and I was able to make him wait on and killing cock pheasants, as well as hunting of the fist and going high up after the pigeons! The damn thing even tried to hunt the hares of the fist, just because I let him chase them :D ru-vid.comF7SRkEWfegw?feature=share ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vyerKjyzn60.html Keep breaking stereotypes my frined, cheers!!!

@@Semendrija123 Great videos by the way, nice to see a super fit bird doing what it chooses…. Excellent work! Yes it’s frustrating listening to most other falconer’s excuses that fail to see the wood from the trees. There’s a simple formula: time, dedication, education. All too often I hear excuses; it’s impossible, can’t be done, you’ll lose obedience blah blah blah If these folk were to open their minds, put more time and effort in and educate themselves to what used to be done before Westerners had the majority of their time taken away due to work commitments because of the industrial revolution then they would realise that it’s all possible and quite easy if the training has been done correctly and is consistently upheld. The question other falconers should ask themselves is…. What would you want to do if you were the raptor…?

@@hawkinsfalconry Exactlly!!! That is what I'm saying for years, but I think that the hardest thing for many falconers (and people altogether) is to open their mind and to start thinking unconventionally! Also, you need to be competitive and to love the challenge. I always strive to achieve something that is almost unachievable, and for that reason I have to use my creative thinking and imagination to develop the new, better ways to train my birds. This year I have developed the new type of fitness training, and because of that the young peregrine male was able to outclimb the flock of wild pigeons that had a big height advantage on him, and he was able to outfly them, brake the flock and select one pigeon in similar manner the wild peregrine would do it. And all that has happened in just a few weeks of flying free! You have to be opportunistic to make your bird opportunistic, and like you said, you have to think like a raptor to take the most out of the raptor!

@@Semendrija123 Yes when I say what would you do if you were the raptor I also mean. Do you want to spend a life being carried on the glove, imprisoned to short flights then recalled to glove on failure with a maximum flight time of a few minutes in a whole day hunting, or would you want to spend your life on the wing following on in woodland or at 2000ft for hours on end enjoying total freedom with no restraint on hunting style. In my opinion the former restrictive glove only short flights is a form of cruelty.

Muchas gracias! Yes woodcock in woodland whilst following-on. He is super keen when he sees them, if he has a height advantage he is very fast. My aim is to show the versatility, flying styles, stealth attacks and team work of the species. Only achieved if you dedicate serious time and have experience of hunting multiple species to call upon. Far too much negative history written on Bonelli’s by falconers that have flown them in the past. Muy apreciada gracias!

81/2 now thanks... Fit as a fiddle. Still running as if he's 4

Thanks