Parahawking - Paragliding with Hawks

[@The72challenger]

It's like seeing an F-22 Raptor veering off a fuel tanker after refueling...just amazing.

[@geu6270]

I got my 1sthawk flying with me today off of an upper launch point in Boulder. (I used to rehab hawks so they would not have to spend the rest of their lives in a nature center bird exhibit). I lost altitude following him but then we both caught a thermal and he was 10 feet to the right of me. About that time i REALLY needed a cam. :(

[@Skyfire1983]

This is Pure love between you and the bird you are both enjoying it as much as each other wonderful

[@hawkinsfalconry]

It’s unbelievable to be flying next to them at 500ft watching the way they adjust their flight with tiny movements. Especially being a hunting partner for the past ten years. Sure is epic…! Thanks Alex

[@Ran-vm7fu]

Awesome! The first time I saw a video of para-hawking I immediately put the concept on my bucket list. I truly hope to make it a dream come true! Gotta love the look on your hawks face when it is sitting on the glove for a few moments, looking up at the wing. Priceless!

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Thanks, yes it sure is one to be ticked off the bucket list! It will blow your mind when you do it...!

[@lohikarhu734]

Free "waiting on " for Frederick!

[@paramotormanni2835]

Wow, this is awesome! In my wildest imagination I would not have been able to come up with that idea :-) I fly with a drone but not with a living hunter ;-)

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes it sure is a jaw dropping experience! Thanks very much.

[@redshoulder18]

What a good boy! This looks like so much fun :D

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Jaw dropping experience…! Thanks

[@gregoryh4601]

Hello Sir. This Just May the Best way to Love a Bird of Prey. My hat goes off too You. Thanks.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Hello and thank you sir...!

[@saker147]

Harris hawks are just insane birds if you put the effort in, so versatile, what an experience!

[@hawkinsfalconry]

They sure are unbelievable birds. Yes it’s mind blowing when he’s flying next to me at 500ft.

[@freebirdofreason1994]

Amazing, interesting to see how he sits on your fist whilst your moving through the air. Brilliant to Great things in one.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Thanks

[@alanhillier1033]

Superb,what a buzz that must be 👍🏼

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes it sure is unbelievable...! Cheers

[@PARAHAWKINGBRASIL]

Perfect. 👏👏👏👏🙌

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes it sure is awesome thanks…!

[@nrthlincspyro8622]

I wish I could do that with mine looks amazing

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes it sure is thanks...!

[@hobby684]

Got to see it to believe it really, Literally. That must be some experience. 🤝🦅🤝. Cheers 👍

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes it sure is epic thanks...!

[@leggy6234]

amazing video, amazing bird.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Thanks

[@Hanzofalconry94]

Wowww😍

[@randhochan]

I am waiting for the next eagle training video

[@hawkinsfalconry]

👍

[@lhough84]

Just awesome 🤘🏻

[@georgehawking9126]

Nice he will get a nice stoop from that height 👍

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Yes he loves soaring in the hills.

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

What kind of game do you hunt up there, weather balloons? Dang Nigel, what are you going to try next, Sky-Diving Hawking? 😵👍📹

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Ha ha drone hunting 😀

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

@@hawkinsfalconry Yeah, I already seen a couple of those videos.

[@turalmecidov6552]

Wow

[@olivierghislain3214]

😮 zut alors j'ai eu une buse de Harris sur ma main gauche avec un fauconnier mais la vpus etre super fort rn altitudes en vol. Bravo mes félicitons et merci pour cette vidéo il faut le faire sa donne de reve. Un bonjours de la belgique

[@oftheglovefalconry..huntin3223]

Your literally my hero lol 😂 seen this before on hub every time Its mesmerising

[@minhduck9981]

Amazing video 👍

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Thanks 👍

[@JeremyThePlayer88]

That must totally be a lot of fun, you were laughing almost the whole time! Was that your first time paragliding with Frederick? Is sure seems like it was?

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Hi, Yes it sure is amazing…! I’ve been flying with him for a few years now. I first flew on my paraglider with my Peregrine Falcon ten years ago. There’s some shorter videos on my channel from back then. Yes I’m super excited in this video because one: it’s awesome every time I fly with him, and two: it was the first time I used my Insta 360 camera. Thanks Nigel

[@JeremyThePlayer88]

Well, its a totally different experience to be flying with a hawk rather than flying a hawk! Frederick maneuvers in the air so swiftly that its almost magical, right!

[@hawkinsfalconry]

@@JeremyThePlayer88 Yes it’s a very spiritual experience…. Epic!

[@cassanova9322]

How is this even being recorded?!

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Insta 360 camera one R

[@theworldofanimalsdogsandbi2475]

👍👍👍👍

[@ncs2000]

Tandem parahawking, i am interested

[@spinny2010]

What do/would you do if he decides to hunt and lands half way up the hill? I'd really like to know.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Simple…. Just land next to him, easier than running up the hill.

[@spinny2010]

@@hawkinsfalconry I wasn't aware you could gently and consistently touch down just anywhere. I imagined, as you always need to be facing the wind to land gently and predictably, there may be times when a hawk would land and you can't get down safely. Due to wind direction and/or terrain. Very cool though. I plan to get soaring on PGs very soon.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Practice practice practice, been paragliding for 14 years, speed flying for 10 years, skydiving and BASE jumping experience with different canopies. I try to paraglide every week when the weather allows so it’s all about being current and knowing when or most importantly when not to take off in poor weather conditions. Regards landings it’s just constant practise and being current. You can land cross wind and down wind in some circumstances but obviously into wind is most preferable. Paragliding is awesome enjoy…! I can be at 4000ft or 500ft and pick which field I want to land in quite easy.

[@spinny2010]

@@hawkinsfalconry Fantastic. You're obviously a busy man doing all that and teaching falconry. I thought it might be trickier though, if you're hawking and it decides to hunt something in a difficult landing situation. I suppose you just land as close as possible and reach the bird on foot if you have to. I guess, also, that paragliders are much more versatile when it comes to landing than hang gliders which I know a little more about. Ps. Your falconry and bush-craft courses look great.

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Thanks. Here’s some of my flying antics if you’re interested: kzbin.info/door/X32sR6ViTFIc_HdNrj5I1w

[@baderchaudhary8902]

Bader Chaudhary hi

[@orphydianwildlife473]

Why is nobody training for hunt and hunts with the hawk most common and equally beautiful Buteo Buteo (Common Buzzard )? They say it's not aggressive enough, it's claws are smaller than those of its American cousin the red tail hawk, it's better for flying demos at falconry shows etc. Still I can't see why a passionate falconer wouldn't try to do that? Do you happen to know somebody or have some vids?

[@hawkinsfalconry]

In the right hands maybe you could get one good at soaring and taking rabbits. I've heard they are quite idle as their metabolism is very slow. Most of them follow the plough eating worms in the wild.

[@orphydianmusic9529]

@@hawkinsfalconry I ve heard this a lot but in my native country Romania and here in Sardinia where Im currently I dont think Ive seen this behaviour of eating worms or insects on the ground or following the plough. And they are everywhere and easy to spot and Im always trying to spot them. They are either soaring or on perch waiting for a bigger prey.

[@billf595]

how i sthis your job,i mean does the state pay you are you self employed? I would like to know how falcony works as a job and what are the opportunities ,or is it just a hobby that requires money

[@hawkinsfalconry]

Hi Bill, No it’s not my job, I’ve been a full time fireman for 23 years. Falconry is a huge passion/obsession that costs a lot of money to do properly. I run a small falconry business that subsidises my chosen lifestyle, where everything I earn gets put back into falconry. I work shifts in the fire service (2x2x4) so I get ample time to dedicate and fly my two birds and give them a life as close to their wild cousins as possible. Thanks Nigel

[@billf595]

@@hawkinsfalconry Thanks for the reply,I really appreciate it. I work in the air force and our schedule is really messed up sometimes ,like I have to leave for a day a day and a half from home and I take a day off in return and for the rest days 7 to 15:00 pm ,do you think I will be able to make it with a schedule like this? I would also like to ask you, as you have put so many years and effort/dedication into this lifestyle do you think you would be able to make it your main job ,what does your experience in this field say to you? With respect, Bill

[@hawkinsfalconry]

@@billf595 Birds of prey, especially hunting birds thrive on routine, if you were flying hard (around 5 to 7 hours per day) then a day on day off system kind of replicates wild and gives them time to rejuvenate after a long day flying with good rewards on the kill. To get the best out of them you need to be spending enormous amounts of quality time in the field on a regular basis, this cannot be done by owning multiple birds. So to answer your question about doing it as a main job... I wouldn't consider it myself as it takes away the real reason we do falconry (to spend quality time in the field as a team... dog, hawk, ferrets, human). There are other routes like pest control, breeding and bird of prey centres. It's just a question of how much you value a bird, how much time you want to spend with it, how much liberty you give it and do you really want to change your life to live & breath falconry and seriously immerse yourself in raptor world to escape the human world. Falconry is a way of getting away from the materialistic world and plugging back into the natural world. What are your ethical beliefs regarding owning multiple birds that cannot be given the adequate amount of daily flying?

[@billf595]

@@hawkinsfalconry wow, thanks for all the information,everything you say is so true and sound so right as to what is the best way to treat these majestic birds. To be honest i do want to get out of this materialistic world but unfortunately money is overpowering in todays society.I would also hope to create a bond with only one bird and hunt with it but it will take a lot time because here in Greece we are waiting for the law to change and be able to pass the necessary exams and start this journey and i hope i get to hunt with a bonellis eagle myself as there is a good population of them here and their versatility as a bird won me. Anyway these are just my thoughts for the near future and thank you again for taking your time and answering my questions.Hope everything continues to go excellent with you and your birds. With respect, Bill

[@hawkinsfalconry]

@@billf595 Sounds good but I would definitely think again regarding a Bonelli's Eagle. There is no way in a million years I would have one as a first bird. I'm not one for recommending certain birds to beginners as I always ask what quarry base you have, free time and dedication before choosing a species. I would only fly a Bonelli's if you've done at least a few years with a Goshawk. Thanks Nigel