THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2010
25
Nancy Cowan holds Fire, a Harris Hawk.
roger Amsden Photo
morsels of meat. Cowan per month, which range in use the school not only as
notes that the birds retain price from about $175 for a resource to teach about
all their wild characteris- a two-hour class, to about handling and the history of
tics and need to be han- $400 for an advanced five- falconry but to stress the
dled with caution, “They hour class. important environmental
tolerate us, but they’re She and her husband role birds of prey play in
Falcon hoods from all parts of the world are part of Jim and
not pets. They’re still wild are also certified bird of the ecosystem.
creatures,” she says. prey rehabilitators, help- For more information
Nancy Cowan’s collection.
roger Amsden Photo
Cowan says the school’s ing return injured birds contact the New Hamp-
success has exceeded her rescued by the New Hamp- shire School of Falconry
fAlconry from 24 uses Stormy, a German expectations. She does shire Fish and Game, back (603) 464-6213. www.
The first part of each class short-haired pointer, in about 10 classes or events into the wild. The Cowans nhschooloffalconry.com.
covers the birds’ instincts many of her demonstra-
and how the sport has tions at the school.
evolved. “It’s wonderful to see
Cowan starts off by giv- them work together. The
ing students a history les- Harris Hawks will move
son on falconry at her from tree to tree and watch
dining room table, which every move the dog makes
is surrounded by falconry until the prey is flushed
paintings, statues, and out while the falcon will
old artifacts such as old circle in the sky above.”
falcon hoods and gloves Participants in the school
she and her husband have get to see the birds up
collected. Falconry, she close as they feed on small
notes, was a popular sport
and status symbol among
Dumont Cabinet Refacing
the nobles of medieval Eu-
rope and feudal Japan and
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She notes that several
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world, are in themselves
works of art and that some
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Cowan has a painting
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EE

dogs being used to help
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Hinges with
Door O
rder
flush prey for the birds
and she noted that she
Meredith, NH • 603-279-6555
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