It's been a few months since I started the blog, and we are at the end of one season and the beginning of the next. Chico the Harris hawk has dropped a couple of body feathers a few weeks ago, and then we hit that lovely super hot weather and weight control with the bird became difficult. I'm still learning myself and with a young bird who is very small for his breed and out of season warm weather I found the weight management very hard. He spent a lot of time too high on weight and I just don't think I was hard enough on the diet to get the best out of him, we live we learn. My mentor has been a huge help, however with the feathers dropping and disastrous flying I've called it a day for this season and put him up for his moult. During this period that can take months he will shed his juvenile plumage and flight feathers and his adult feathers will come through, he will also partially or fully revert and will require re-manning at the end. His feathers will be harder and more weather resistant giving him greater speed and manoeuvrability and also make him hardier to inclement weather. Hopefully the bond won't completely go as he is a joy and I'm besotted with him. I'll update the blog as we go.
However, this break with the bird allows me to do more fishing. The spring season is on overdrive and the tench are on the move, I've had no luck yet but I'm persisting. The fishing will feature more in the blog over the spring summer and autumn. Tight lines to all.
I've added some photos from over that last few months. Speak soon.