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Flamstead hawk finds forever home with falconer Flamstead hawk finds forever home with falconer
(about 1 hour later)
Wayne Housden said even if he had not been able to keep the bird himself, he would have wanted to stay in contactWayne Housden said even if he had not been able to keep the bird himself, he would have wanted to stay in contact
A Harris's hawk which terrorised a village for at least a month has found a forever home with a local falconer. A Harris's hawk that terrorised a village for at least a month has found a forever home with a local falconer.
Nicknamed Bomber Harris, the hawk was captured in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, in April, and falconer Wayne Housden has been training him. The bird of prey was blamed for dive-bombing attacks on about 50 people in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, including in one case where a man was taken to hospital.
The bird of prey was blamed for attacks on about 50 people including one incident where a man was taken to hospital. Nicknamed "Bomber Harris", the hawk was eventually captured last month and has since been trained by falconer Wayne Housden.
Mr Housden said the story had reached "a happy ending". He said the story had reached a happy ending, with the wayward bird having "calmed right down".
After working with birds for about 30 years, he said his first priority was to stabilise his new feathered friend. LISTEN: A new life for the hawk that attacked people
"He has calmed right down," said Mr Housden, who said he had spent about £1,000 building him an aviary. The hawk's behaviour was likely hormonal or territorial and he was "not nasty at all", Mr Housden added.
The falconer said he would take Bomber Harris to the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival in August and aimed to let him loose in the autumn. The spate of attacks began in March, with people in the village, south of Luton, claiming the belligerent bird had a penchant for diving on "tall men".
The hawk's "unusual" behaviour was likely hormonal or territorial and he was "not nasty at all", Wayne said. In one case a runner was left "bloodied and bruised", while an innovative 91-year-old tied his new hat to his head with a shoelace after two were clawed off him.
Glyn Parry, 91, made a chinstrap out of a shoelace to avoid losing another hat
Royal Mail admitted the havoc caused by the hawk had disrupted its postal deliveries.
The attacks became more serious when an elderly man had to be treated in hospital after the bird drew blood when swooping on him.
The bombing was even caught on camera - but the Harris's hawk was eventually captured a month later, fittingly by a Mr Harris.
Hawk attacks man walking down road
At one stage there were discussions about the rogue bird having to be euthanised.
He was eventually handed to Mr Housden, who has worked with birds of prey for about 30 years.
The falconer revealed how his first priority was to stabilise his new feathered friend - and promptly spent about £1,000 building an aviary.
Mr Housden told the BBC he would take Bomber Harris to the popular Flamstead Scarecrow Festival in August.
He plans to keep the hawk full-time and hopes to be able to let him fly loose in the autumn - when he will hopefully come back again.
Wayne Housden said he had spent about £1,000 building the Harris's hawk an aviaryWayne Housden said he had spent about £1,000 building the Harris's hawk an aviary
"I am keeping him full-time... that wasn't the plan and that isn't why I tried to catch him," he explained. Mr Housden said the hawk - a non-native South American species - was likely a captive-bred bird that had lost its falconer.
Mr Housden said Bomber Harris - a non-native South American species - was likely a captive-bred bird that had lost its falconer. He said the dried-out leather tags on its feet suggested it had been loose for more than a year. He said the dried-out leather tags on its feet suggested it had been loose for more than a year.
He had not been contacted by anyone claiming to be its owner, Mr Housden said.He had not been contacted by anyone claiming to be its owner, Mr Housden said.
"If I was to let someone else have him, I would have wanted to stay in contact with him," he added."If I was to let someone else have him, I would have wanted to stay in contact with him," he added.
"He's been failed once and he is not going to be failed again and the only way that I can make sure of that is by me keeping him myself." "He's been failed once and he is not going to be failed again."
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