Killed a hawk today riding - bugger I like them

**janno** · 3rd July 2007, 20:46

Originally Posted by NighthawkNZ

Bummer...

I love Hawks and birds of prey as well... Many years ago (errr 30ish) me and my dad hand reared an NZ Brown HAWK... ok mainly my dad, (he had a broken wing, don't no what happened)... went to set him free about 3 months later, we didn't think he would make it and he didn't go past the tree out back... he stayed there for 15 odd years, we never feed him, but we had no pest problem

... he would come and land on your arm on demand (frigging thick sack too, was heavy for a young 8 year old)

I remember when he first landed on me I couldn't hold him up, and his wings flappin in my face, and i fell over, with the hawk steering down at me, then flew off and we tried again... hurt like a hawk in the face... oh it was...

It was about 2 years later before I could barely hold the weight.

Cool story!!

Green bling to you - you're Dad sounds like he was a great pa to have.

**danchop** · 3rd July 2007, 20:48

i hit a pheasant too last year,stopped and turned around,picked it up and put it in my top box,took it home and ate it a few days later,it least it wasnt wasted,btw when i was a kid we used to shoot hawks and take thier feet to the council(i think it was the council) and they gave you money for them

**Panther** · 3rd July 2007, 20:51

Hmmm, the words killed and hawk just merged in my mind.

**Babelfish** · 3rd July 2007, 20:54

Originally Posted by MD

I'm an animal lover from way back. Feel sick about it.
Coming into a very tight left hander in Piecock Rd, blind corner and close to the rock face and this beautiful hawk launches from the grass at the edge of the seal. Bounces off my screen then my helmet.
I had to go a few corners on before I could safely do a U-turn and go back to check on the poor fella. Narrow road, little room for a u-turn but not for an F800, they turn on a dime. Well not in NZ, we don't have dimes, but you get my drift.
He was lying spread out on his back in the middle of the lane. I felt sorry for him so moved him off the road. Too majestic an animal to get squashed by traffic.
This was a good sized bird. Atleast it's not spring so no chicks waiting back in a nest for a never to return parent.
RIP birdie and sorry about that. I don't even feel mad that he scratched my screen, a permanent reminder now.
Why couldn't it have been a pesty possum.

Man, thats a pisser...you must be quite upset, I know I would be and experienced a similar situation on my VTR on a road with few places for a u-turn, however, fear not, there are plenty that allow many safe u-turns with good visual to the front and rear, and excellent cambers with little gravel on the verge. So cheer up mate, next time I'm on one I'll take a pic.

Bummer to hear about the hawk too, I like them.

**limbimtimwim** · 3rd July 2007, 20:59

You should have take him away, they is good eatin'!! Like chicken crossed with 'roo!

Hmmm... Weather is cold, natures refrigerator, I think I'll go retrieve that birdie..

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 3rd July 2007, 21:05

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

bugger. thats my worst nightmare.... i love hawks, and always take a sighting off one as meaning a good day ahead.

me too... I get a sense they are watching over me... I usually can spot one every 10 or 11 km...(probably are... mmmm fresh meat

)

**bert_is_evil** · 4th July 2007, 10:22

oh sad! RIP Hawk
I remember my granddad telling me he used to drive around with a shovel and move the roadkill off to the grass verge to stop them getting hit

**ozrobo** · 4th July 2007, 10:38

i hit a gallah in oz on a dr 250 got me clean in the cheast knocked the wind out of me made a mess poor bird i reakon also lucky it wasnt a possum there bigger and make more damage

**roogazza** · 4th July 2007, 10:59

I got one on the Piecock last winter MD, pissed me off too. Got him dead square under the headlight, he was huge bugger. Watch for them as you swing round onto the last straight near Par-ta-nui , lots of big trees , I reckon they nest nearby ? I wouldn't want one to get me in the helmet that could be serious ? Gaz.
ps MD , I'm in plaster so won't be out for 6 wks, Ripped a tendon or bicep muscle lifting heavy shit two weeks ago !!

**scumdog** · 4th July 2007, 11:03

Originally Posted by Korumba

Lucky something like this did not happen as well.

Also lucky we don't got owls as big as that in EnZed....

**scumdog** · 4th July 2007, 11:07

Originally Posted by NighthawkNZ

Bummer...

I love Hawks and birds of prey as well... Many years ago (errr 30ish) me and my dad hand reared an NZ Brown HAWK... ok mainly my dad, (he had a broken wing, don't no what happened)... went to set him free about 3 months later, we didn't think he would make it and he didn't go past the tree out back... he stayed there for 15 odd years, we never feed him, but we had no pest problem

... he would come and land on your arm on demand (frigging thick sack too, was heavy for a young 8 year old)

I remember when he first landed on me I couldn't hold him up, and his wings flappin in my face, and i fell over, with the hawk steering down at me, then flew off and we tried again... hurt like a hawk in the face... oh it was...

It was about 2 years later before I could barely hold the weight.

Snap!
Had a tame harrier once about 20+ years ago - never could get it to land on my hand, it would land on the ground and I would have to bend down for it to hop onto my hand.

One day it hopped onto the wrong (ungloved) hand , oww, man those claws hurt.

Let it go when I went to the US as nobody else wanted to feed it.

**SARGE** · 4th July 2007, 11:14

i was riding in Ohio years ago with a few friends ..looked up and there was a rabbit in the middle of my lane .. nothing i could do .. i hit him square ..

got the bike stopped to check the damage.. my friends pillion got off and ran over to the rabbit and started screaming

" HE'S DEAD.. YOU KILLED HIM .. blah blah blah"

so we sat there for a few minutes trying to compose her and deciding how to cook the little bastard when this dude in this old Plymouth car stopped to check if we were ok..

" yea .. just ran over a rabbit .. noting major, but Janet is having convulsions over it "

" i may be able to help" he said, walking back to his car..

cool... roadkill cleaner or game warden ..least we will be able to get back on the road ..

he comes back with a small bag and kneels over the body of the rabbit .. he pulls out a small vial, pours it on the rabbit and starts massaging it all over it ..

"WTF???"

now .. 30 seconds ago .. this was an Ex- Rabbit... bereft of life and moved onto bunny heaven..

but it moved .. his little foot twitched and his his ears wiggled

and our Mystery Man massaged harder untl the rabbit sat up on his own accord ..

he pulls out a small spray bottle and gives the poor animal a few spritzes and the rabbit shoots off across the field ..

about 10 meters away.. he stops and shakes his little bunny head to clear it .. turns to look at us .. sits up on his haunches and gives us a little wave of his little front paw..runs about 10 more meters and does the same again ...all the way until he vanished into the woods ...

now .. we were stunned by this ... i had to ask.. WTF WAS IN THOSE BOTTLES???

the guy smiled a wry little grin and said .....

Hare Restorer with a Permanent Wave ...