I had heard a lot of really good stories about a place in Scotland where the Blue Hare run thick and fast and rabbits out number the population fifty to one.  As a regular visitor to Scotland, I decided to ring Brian Paterson who was the main man and go to see for myself this place called Lochindorb.  Loading up my team of three Harris Hawks,  Tasha my 5 year old female, Ty my 3 year old male, the newest member of the team a young female called Amber and last but not least, Pepsi my springer.  On following the instructions given to me by Brian I found myself in Devon, so I decided to head North and sure enough near the top end of the A9 I entered the realms of the true Falconer and Austringer, the Highlands of Scotland.
Scotland's Grantown on Spey is a small town with great pubs and delicious food. Through the town and about five miles north is some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain.  Turning off the A9 at Carrbridge I followed the signs for Lochindorb. After a short time, which seemed like forever, down twisting little roads, I came upon a sign for Lochindorb Lodge.   The view of the Lodge across the loch, with the moors all around and the chattering of the grouse echoing across the loch, is like an artists picture come to life. On approach, the lodge is just visible in a small clump of trees on the side of the Loch.   As you drive through the gate into the Lodge grounds you pass the keepers and caretakers cottages, very important people when you need a nice roaring fire and food on the table after a hard days hunting on the moor.  Once there, I was welcomed by the previous weeks falconers and heard all about the ones that got away and shown where everything was situated, but for now it was time to check the birds and put them out on the lawn overlooking the loch. The Hawks were able to stretch their wings after their long journey in their boxes and the dog had a run before I settled down in front of the roaring log fire.  After a relaxing evening with a drink and preparations made for the week with fellow falconers, the thoughts of tomorrows hunting followed me to bed.
The next day we got up to a large breakfast porridge, Scot's of course, as well as egg, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes, fried bread, toast and Jam or marmalade.  It looked like I wouldn't be

able to get up on the moor, but full and ready for anything. We then split into groups Harris's, Redtails, Falcons, Gos's etc.   I decided to go on the hill to
see what my birds would think of the Blue Hare   After a short drive we arrived at the bottom of what looked like just an ordinary hillside,  because I was flying three birds together,  I split from the others and went up the hill from a different side. I usually carry two and the old female follows on.  As we got out of sight of the others falconers, I cast them all off.  As I fly them together at home, it didn't take long for them to get into the swing of things, and up they went.  At this stage the only control I had over them is being able to control my dog, they know that she'll be where the quarry is and follow her.   If I bring the dog back to heel the birds will land on the ground, but as long as I keep the dog working,  the birds stay airborne.   Ty usually flies about 100ft,  Tasha about 150ft directly above Ty and the young bird Amber, about 300ft directly above Tasha,   The longest I've managed to keep them on the wing is fifty five minutes.  Today, it wasn't  long before they spotted their first hare, comming out of the sky like the Red Arrows.  First the hare ran down the hill with

Ty close behind, the old female Tasha holding back and waiting while Ty turned the hare up hill.  The hare jinxed and Ty hit the heather, Tasha caught the hare on the back end and she kicked off,  the hare setting off up the hill kicking his heels skyward.  The young female Amber had been too high to join in but was descending fast, although never having seen a blue hare before she took it confidently at the head. Ty was back on the wing by now but the young female didn't need any help although the hare and bird were tumbling into the heather.     It didn't take long before Pepsi put up another,  Amber this time didn't even get a chance.  Ty took it clean on his own, Tasha turning off and sat sulking, twenty or so feet away. Amber came down to make sure that Ty wasn't going to loose it,  but by now it was in the bag and it looked like we were going to have a good day. We saw a lot of hare getting up and going over the top of the hill but the birds stuck with Pepsi, watching her from above,  using the wind to wait on directly above the her.  By now we where half way up the hill and it was starting to tell, this is when you're grateful of a hearty breakfast.  The birds were now start ing to get more height and to stop them from drifting over the hill I called Pepsi to heel. I sent her left of the smaller hill which brought the birds back into the wind and above  Pepsi and myself.  As we moved around the hill the birds lost the wind and decided to go higher and right to find it, of course, that's when Pepsi flushed a pure white hare which ran along and around the hill to the left.  Ty as usual was first in turning it straight up the hill straight into Tasha as they've done a hundred times before.  Tasha taking the hare broadside and rolling down the hill and crashing into the heather.   I was running after them, trying to get in and help.  From nowhere came Amber,  bouncing into the ball of fur and feather that was struggling in the undergrowth.  As I arrived the hare must have

decided that he didn't want play anymore and kicked Tasha off with Amber hanging onto her.   They just sat there probably wondering what had happened and the hare was off like the wind over the hill and gone.
I thought for their first day, the hawks had done enough and returned to the lower part of hill where there was less chance of a hare and more chance of them just soaring and learning perfect control.  Allowing them to use the wind to its best advantage being an important lesson  that has to be learnt. Arriving back to the lodge, I fed the birds up and put them in one of the sheds next to lodge with Pepsi.   Entering the lodge to a roaring fire and the smell of cooking stirred the appetite. However, first it was time for a nice relaxing bath with Radox, timed to perfection,
the dinner gong rang.  A fantastic three course meal, glass of wine and of course the stories of the one's that got away……end

 

 

 

 

 

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