New Resource

I found this link that might be of use for British Bee Keepers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/

Falconer on the edge

I’ve wanted to read this book for some time. Mainly because Rachel Dickinson came to my blog and left a comment about a picture of a meadow lark I had taken. I have also wanted to read it for another reason in that I thought I could give it to my wife to read and say … see that’s why I’m like the way I am ( it has nothing to do with being British and a red coat).

The book is fairly easy to read in the main part. I’m dyslexic and tend to read teenager novels. Usually fantasy, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson & the Olympians and anything by Paolini. I also speed read which has its advantages and disadvantages. So with that I found this book a little dry in someplace however I did learn a few new words that I had never come across before. I am making a hugh assumption here but felt it was written for a more mature group.

I also felt the book also had a split purpose on one hand it was autobiographical of Steve Chindgren and then it was also about Rachel’s journey to see what really pushed her husband. This got a little confusing in some places. From a falconer’s point of view there where whole chapters dedicated to falconry regulations and history that didn’t really interest me and I assume would interest other falconers. I think it would however appeal to non-falconers as to why things are the way they are and the regulations we have to abide by.

I do wish there had been some photographs of the landscape and the journey that Rachel took. Some of the descriptions are a bit too long (I’m biased I’m a photographer) but I think it would have helped illustrate the book and give a real perspective on the subject matter.

My only other fault with the book was I felt it concentrated overly on longwingers, I can see why in that Rachel’s husband is a long winger. There is a Chapter on the the Nafa Meet in Kansas and the entire time appeared to only be about Longwingers with fleeting mentions of the odd dirthawker they accidentally stumbled across.

What I did like was the incite into Steve Chindgren and why he is the way he is. There are two types of falconers those obsessed with head count and those that are into the hunt. I never quite worked out which category he fell into.

Over all it’s not a bad book but I just felt I wanted more and I was never sure what direction or if the goal set out was ever achieved. I think its worth a read if only to read about Steve Chindgren and sage grouse hunting.

New Queen

Well my new queens arrived today via UPS. I know i should have taken pictures but i was in a hurry because the weather for cast is not good. Both had about 6 attendance and where marked with a blue dot.

I had split the hive i want them to go into on Sunday so i carefully went though both hives to see if i could located the queen. On Sunday i found about 10 queen cells fully occupied and ready to go. If this hive had not been so mean i would have just put three frames in a nuc. however i just split it in two. We double checked and then checked again and i could not locate the queen.

So i have placard them both in each hive, i have not uncorked them going to leave them in there till next Sunday and see what happens then uncork them. This game is about getting acceptance. We have been called out a number of times to different swarms all over the neighbourhood. i got another swarm last week that appears to be doing well.

Cat Proof

We have a family cat. One that turned up at our door and who has had kittens. She hates me and believe me the feeling can be mutual at times. Recently she discovered the pigeon coop and has promptly killed half of my pigeons. after much debate it was decided to keep her but i would convert the coop to make it cat proof. I did some research on the net and came up with a couple of you tube videos that showed me a plan. Seems I'm not the only pigeon fancier that has problems with cats.

The idea is quite simple there is a trap door set to the weight of your pigeons the pigeons can land on it and move in and out.

The fun starts when something weighing more than a pigeons comes along the trap activates and closes the door. In our case a cat falls to the floor and our pigeons are safe. That is the plan anyway. So far so good as i have not found her in the pigeon coop again and i haven't lost anymore pigeons.

Here is the video where i got the idea from....

New Queens

I finally bit the bullet and have decided to re-Queen my problem hive. As an experiment i have ordered a Carniolan Queen that has been mated with an Italian drone. The idea is the build up will be big and less swarming tendencies. They should be good honey producers. I've ordered them from Koehnen & Sons . the shipping date is for May 10Th. I'll post pictures and a video of how it goes.

I am still getting a few calls for swarm catching which is always a good thing...