the right people to work with the birds. Falcons can be particular about who they work with, and if they don’t connect with the falconer, they won’t return to themin the field. Each year, Strek loses 10-15 percent of his birds in this way. “We have to remember that the
falcons are flying free, and if they choose, they can leave anytime. If they go, they can fly up to 700kmper day,” says Strek. Falconry is not a common skill or
interest in North America, so Strek brings in falconers fromas far afield as India, Afghanistan, the Phillipines, theMiddle East,Mexico and Europe. Training with the birds starts amonth before berry season to ensure that the falcons arematched with the right handler, and in good flying condition. “It’s a dynamicmix of people,
cultures and languages, and then you add the birds on top of it,” Strek says with a laugh and a smile. It is a short and intense season, but his pleasure working with the birds and handlers shines through as he speaks. This is not just a business, it’s a passion. Strek got his first falcon when he
was a teenager in Poland. Likemany falconers, he describes his attraction
to the birds as a “calling.” He pursued a career as a filmmaker
and flew falcons as a hobby until he made a filmin the late 1990s called ‘Falconry’ that traced the history and practice of falconry around the world. “I needed some extra shots of
falcons flying, but before we could get the shots, we had to train the birds,” he recounts. “We took themto a blueberry field and started flying them; then the farmer came and said we should do it formoney because there were no starlings. I said, ‘No, I’m
a filmmaker.’” It didn’t take long before he was
contacted by the provincialministries of environment and agriculture. “Mark Sweeney was really positive
about it, so he ran a few tests and we did a pilot project and got biologists involved. They realized the incredible potential in this,” says Strek. “It’s a hassle-free way of protecting against birds.” Today, Falcon Pest Control has
more than 2,500 acres and 16 clients under its wings.
Pollination Services 7,000 Colonies Available
Blueberry, Cranberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, Currants, Kiwi, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Squash
Contact: John Gibeau President, Honeybee Centre Cellular (604) 317-2088
Email:
Gibeau@HoneybeeCentre.com
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www.tlhort.com 6 British Columbia Berry Grower • Fall 2013 BC Berry Grower Ad Fall
2013.indd 1 6/24/2013 8:27:24 AM
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