Jim has been a member of NRC from the start, a keen attendee of both meetings and field meets, with his female Harris Keo.

Jim took up falconry around ten years ago, learning from Mike Hewlett, mostly in Mike's back garden! He gained enough knowledge to take on a falcon, and his first bird was a female Lanner. He had her from a youngster, flying her at 1lb 9ozs.

"She wasn't a hunting bird, but I did enjoy flying her" says Jim. "One day, she caught a thermal, and I never saw her again."

Jim got himself another female Lanner, Pheonix, whom he flew for a couple of years.

"She's in a breeding aviary with a male right now" says Jim."She has hatched and reared one youngster each of the last two years, so the plan is to give the pair a break."

Phoenix and her partner will be separated for perhaps a season, then reunited to breed again.

Jim's Harris, Keo, is six years old now. He has had her since she was a youngster, from Martin and Kevin, two of the breeders among the NRC membership.

"I would say I enjoy time with her most, as there is more involvement for me, calling her to the fist and having her follow on whilst we're hunting."

When asked to recall a favourite experience, Jim remembered Keo's first kill.

"I had gone up to Scotland with Mike, some time ago now, and Keo flew and brought down a blue hare on her own, that has to be the best time I remember."

Jim is keeping himself busy while Keo is moulting out, he helps Mike out at Icarus Falconry up at Holdenby House.

"It's a great opportunity to fly several different Owls, falcons and hawks" says Jim.

For the future? "More of the same!" says Jim

Interviewed by J.Tyas

28th June, 2007