The Falconer S Apprentice

"That bird should be destroyed!" Andreas stared at Ethelbert in shock. Blood from an angry-looking gash on the young lord's cheek dripped onto his embroidered tunic. Andreas clutched the handles of the basket containing the young peregrine. Perhaps this was a dream- Andreas, an apprentice falconer at Castle Kragenberg, cannot bear the thought of killing the young female falcon and smuggles her out of the castle. Soon he realizes that his own time there has come to an end, and he stows away, with the bird, in the cart of an itinerant trader, Richard of Brugge. So begins a series of adventures that lead him from an obscure castle in northern Germany to the farthest reaches of Frederick von Hohenstaufen's Holy Roman Empire, following a path dictated by the wily trader's mysterious mission. Andreas continues improve his falconry skills, but he also learns to pay attention to what is happening around him as he travels through areas fraught with political unrest. Eventually, Richard confides in Andreas, and they conspire to free Enzio, the eldest of the emperor's illegitimate sons, from imprisonment in Bologna.

A Falconry Manual is a comprehensive, extensively updated version of his out of print book- Hawks, Falcons and Falconry (Hancock House 1976) and The Compleat Falconer (Hancock House 1992). Drawing on over 50 years of field experience and research, Beebe presents an exhaustive summary of the behavior, capture, and training of the-birds-of-prey. It was Beebe's field studies and practical experience that led to his pioneering successes in breeding captive falcons in the early 1960s. His artistic talents not only contribute to the concise illustrations on how to capture and train birds but how to easily make all falconry hardware. One of the all-time best books for new Apprentices to learn about training a new hawk or falcon and one of the best selling falconry books ever produced.

"This falconry book is specifically designed to help falconers become better caretakers, trainers, and hunters; to help breeders increase production; and to make captive bred raptors better falconry birds and hunting hawks. The Coulsons teach about husbandry, rearing, training, socialization, scouting, hunting, selective breeding, and captive propagation techniques." --Publisher's description.

"This extensive work represents a nuts-and-bolts approach to training and flying kestrels...A must-have for all apprentices and others who wish to know more about the intricacies of maintaining and flying a small raptor such as the American Kestrel." --Publisher's description.