They use the planes for endurance.

They do release live pigeons, trouble is they don't go very far, get caught within a few hundred yards.

There are also some wild pigeons in that area, and the falcons make very short work of them.

The planes they can keep flying as long as they wish, then release the lore when they have given the falcon a good run.

Thank you!

Do they have any Goshawks? If so European or American? Where I live Gos are not uncommon and can be a lot of fun to watch work. The tend to just fly down what ever they decide is on the menu and they are relentless.

Goshawks are not very popular here.

They prefer peregrines and saqers

Outstanding pics as usual. Did I count 6 (six) girls?! It appears that your suave personality and subtle treachery is slowly but surely paying off dividends! Some of the females appear to be veterans of past campaigns, but others first timers. I love the looks on the girls' faces in the four wheeler! Damn, they're having fun! Congratulations, Mr. Nice Guy! You'll soon be booked up for 2021 and taking reservations way into 2022! Keep it up and you won't have any free time to go to Tanzania! By the way, did the girls enjoy the camel rides?

There were actually 7 ladies.

I have known some for over 40 years, others a bit shorter time.

Some of the young ones are similar age to Hessa, and they have known each other since childhood, they are like family to us

We are taking a break this weekend, as there are Christmas lunches and dinners to go to.

Lots of fun, many new people to take the micky out of!

quote:

Lots of fun, many new people to take the micky out of!

I am sure that there will be many new desert adventures in the future, Mr. Nice Guy! With more and more ladies booking every week, you will need to use some of that 'off' time to make plans for some future surprises!

We'll put the addiction to this thread on hold for now.

Enjoy the holiday season, Saeed!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Goshawks are not very popular here.

They prefer peregrines and saqers

I am not much familiar with saker (sager?) falcons. What little I know of them is that they are hunt in the manner of a gyr/peregrine hybrid and look more like one. Perhaps those I saw in the pictures were sakers and not gyr/peregrine hybrids?

Late Wednesday afternoon, on the way back home from falcon training, found a Japanese family stuck in the sand.

How the managed o get stuck I have no idea, as the track they were on was relatively easy to navigate, even in a 2 wheel drive car.

And that is what they had.

In their attempt to get out, they did the usual, dig themselves in deeper

Their car was well and truly stuck, so there was no way to drag it out with mine.

Something would break.

So I gave him the shovel, got him to dig the tires, then I put my sand tracks behind his tires, and dragged him out.

They had two girls, may be 10-12.

They spent all their time giggling and talking in Japanese - got worse when I said something in Japanese, supposed to be hello!

Got them on their way, and told him he should have a 4 wheel car if he wishes to go dune bashing!

Got a strawberry KitKat flavor chocolate biscuit for my trouble.

Never seen one like this before!

quote:

Got a strawberry KitKat flavor chocolate biscuit for my trouble.

Never seen one like this before!

Even though you adamantly deny it, Mr. Nice Guy, I swear that you were a Boy Scout with all of the good turns that you're involved in!

Thanks Saeed! I just got my Christmas fix from you!

Yesterday evening, just before sun down, coming back with a friend from the desert.

Just before the last sand dune before the road, there is a sandy flat area.

In there there 5 4 wheel cars, of various makes.

Three were stuck - apparently in trying to extricate the first that got stuck.

My fiend asked if we should stop to help, I told him no, as they see to have two more to get them out.

I stopped ,and sad to the nearest one, "You lot deserve a medal!"

"A medal? Why?"

"Because I could never imagine anyone getting stuck here. And getting two more f you stuck calls for a celebration."

The others started laughing.

I said "Do you have shovels? Plastic tracks?"

"No. We thought we won't need them here"

"I am in a hurry, and cannot wait for you all to get out. I can give you both a shovel and my tracks. But I need them back his evening. Anyone willing to bring them back to my house?"

Several voices "Yes we will !"

I gave them my desert bags, tow rope, shovel, exhaust lift and two plastic tracks.

One of them brought my stuff back in the evening.

Apparently it took them quite a while to get themselves out.

Sad it was late and getting dark, otherwise we could have had some fun with these guys!

quote:

I said "Do you have shovels? Plastic tracks?"

"No. We thought we won't need them here"

Famous last words. Famous last words.

Saeed's new business: "'MR. NICE GUY'-A towing and dunes car removal service."

A typical stuckee: "Hey look, look! There's MR. NICE GUY! We're saved! He'll get us out!" God has answered our prayers!

MR. NICE GUY'S dunes removal service driver to his assistant: "There's another easy $50, and two more just beyond him! Fast pickings today!"

So, hire and train a couple of guys/girls, provide them with the basic removal tools and have them visit the dunes daily.
Set up payment for the stuckees through Venmo, Apple Pay or PayPal.
Those stuckees will have the ability to pay through one of the above, or with cash! No more Strawberry KitKat biscuits!
Your take: 50%.

It really is amazing what people do in the sand.

Years ago Hessa used to go to a school that had quite a bit of sand around it.

Lots of people here have four wheel drive cars, but know absolutely nothing about sand driving.

At one stage I was getting women out of the sand on a daily basis,

Their biggest problem is turning the front wheel while trying to get out.

That only helps in getting them deeper.

I was not very popular with them, as I kept telling them the only things these moms were good at is driving their husbands up the wall!

I have found some tourists stuck so deep, it defies comprehension how thy managed to get that far!

Some occasions I have actually told them not to drive that route, but take another one.

Not listening.

We watch in amazement, looking at them with the drone, to see how far they go.

One time a family did just that.

I lowered the drone down, and did a bit of a wiggle trying to make fun of them.

The man was trying to dig himself out, and his wife started dancing, looking at the drone, and beckoning it closer!

We went and got them out.

I said to the man afterwards "you should remember that old saying 'WHEN TEH BRAIN IS DEAD, THE BODY SUFFERS'"

His wife laughed so hard, saying "You should have listened to him darling!"

Sometimes I just dive out there, get on top of one of the sand dunes, and fly my drone to look around.

Pure entertainment!

quote:

Sometimes I just dive out there, get on top of one of the sand dunes, and fly my drone to look around.

Pure entertainment!

Comfortably watching all of those people suffering; screaming at their spouses, children and passengers; crying; praying for help; and literally promising God all kinds of things if they can just get out; and, then suddenly you show up!

It's Mr. Nice Guy to the rescue!

God's answer to their heartfelt pleas, petitions and prayers!

Must be quite a shock to their system!

Your stories are indeed pure entertainment!

quote:

Your stories are indeed pure entertainment!

You are only getting part of it.

Too many idiots in the desert!

Yesterday I was out with the kids on their dune buggies.

Two Ramchargers whizzed by us bashing the dunes.

Got the drone back to change battery, and then flew around looking for entertainment.

Sure enough, one of these was on top of a sand dune, and the other was stuck up the side of a big dune, and they were busy trying to extricate themselves.

Only way to get a car out is to pull it down.

Those guys are trying to drag it up!

They will end up with both stuck!

quote:

Too many idiots in the desert!

Yesterday I was out with the kids on their dune buggies.

Two Ramchargers whizzed by us bashing the dunes.

Got the drone back to change battery, and then flew around looking for entertainment.

Sure enough, one of these was on top of a sand dune, and the other was stuck up the side of a big dune, and they were busy trying to extricate themselves.

I get it now. Not everyone is deserving of Mr. Nice Guy's beneficent assistance, especially when they're acting like a--holes. That's when a nice lounge chair, some drinks and food, while watching the entertainment, would be in order! Or, perhaps if you did decide to assist them, then CASH would be required. At least it would go towards paying for some of your drinks, food and other items, and make their pain, recklessness, and stupidity worth watching!

Picture of the Dubai sky line was taken from where we train falcons, and so were all the camels and gazelles.

Very nice! Love that first pic of the big male gazelle and of course, the first pic of the Dubai skyline! There's also some great pics of some very beautiful and well taken care of birds!

The one being fed is a saqer.

These boys look after their birds like their own families.

They are very proud of them.

What is the building in the background of 2374? It looks to be in the process of being reclaimed by the desert.

I like that the bird has some bling!

quote:

Originally posted by miles58:
What is the building in the background of 2374? It looks to be in the process of being reclaimed by the desert.

You mean 2372?

These ae abandoned villas their developer must have gone bust.

I probably did mean 2372 and fumble fingered. That might be interesting sometime in the far distant future when the desert disgorges what it has swallowed. Makes me wonder about what is under the sand already and what people who find it make of it.

I wanted to ask also, the bird with the bling...Is there a reason for that? Those birds appear to be very well managed by people who know what they are doing, and I seems unlikely to me that they would just on a whim dress one up.

Dave

quote:

I wanted to ask also, the bird with the bling...Is there a reason for that?

If you mean the gold or the red leg band, I would suppose that is the bird's registration number or identifying number, either with the government, some sort of organization, or the owner.

I have only ever seen regular bird bands on the birds here. I just assumed because the birds are so frequently lost and revert to wild behavior so quickly. I used to band, and maybe familiarity got the better of me and I never looked any close at the bands. I just assumed that the above reason was sound and that since it takes such a short time for them to revert to wild that it was the best way since there is a central registry for every band.

My bad! I just blew up the pictures of the "bling" It's a numbered band and what looks like separations in a gold bracelet is actually several number 1s on a brass leg band. All the bands I have ever seen have been aluminum or stainless steel, but there is no reason why the couldn't be brass that I can see, it would be as corrosion resistant as aluminum and probably more durable.

Had a great New Year evening with friends here at our house.

Watched the fireworks by Burj Al Arab, took some very nice video of the display.

Will post photos later on.

I left them about 2 to go to bed.

Apparently some of the younger ones stayed up till 5!!??

After 6 I went to the desert for entertainment, and I was not disappointed!

Stuck cars galore!

Hot air balloons full of tourists flying around and landing for refreshments.

quote:

After 6 I went to the desert for entertainment, and I was not disappointed!

Stuck cars galore!

Oh boy! Here we go again! Mr. Nice Guy's addiction! Bring on the pictures of misery!

One Ford Explorer was stuck slightly down hill.

No tow hook in the front???

Why was that designed as a four wheel car without one??

Another one of those American made four wheel large pickups was so badly stuck, they actually lost one of the tires off the wheel, as they let out all the air out!

Luckily it was not too far in, and a tow truck towed it out to the main dirt road and had to be put on transporter.

Too many nuts to try to get out, so I lent some of them my equipment, and watched.

Two friends drove by and stopped to enjoy the new desert scenery - multi colored, multi make, multi country, crop of highly advanced 4 wheel cars and trucks jotting out of the sand dunes minus their wheels!

A multitude of men and women - especially Indian ladies in their beautifully colored saris helping to dig cars out with their bare hands.

Friends who went to the other side of town to the desert - a place I normally avoid, too many people go there.

He said the roadside was covered in parked cars for miles and miles, and the sand dunes looked like an Indian outdoor market!

I spent half my life travelling the world laughing at bloody foreigners - from Texas to Inia - now they come all the way here to provide us with entertainment.

Foreigners are the best providers of pure entertainment.

Anywhere one goes, there are always foreigners.

It is either them and us.

Or us and them.

Makes no difference!

quote:

now they come all the way here to provide us with entertainment.

Foreigners are the best providers of pure entertainment.

Anywhere one goes, there are always foreigners.

You ought to live in Las Vegas and see what comes to visit us!
You haven't got anything on foreigners and foreign entertainment!

Anywhere I go in the world, even in the more remote parts of this planet, I'm always asked: Where do you live? Or, where are you from?

I tell them that I live in Las Vegas.

They ALWAYS say: Oh, we have heard of Las Vegas!!!

Hey, Mr. Nice Guy, Just where are the pics evidencing your most recent adventure?!

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:

quote:

now they come all the way here to provide us with entertainment.

Foreigners are the best providers of pure entertainment.

Anywhere one goes, there are always foreigners.

You ought to live in Las Vegas and see what comes to visit us!
You haven't got anything on foreigners and foreign entertainment!

Anywhere I go in the world, even in the more remote parts of this planet, I'm always asked: Where do you live? Or, where are you from?

I tell them that I live in Las Vegas.

They ALWAYS say: Oh, we have heard of Las Vegas!!!

Hey, Mr. Nice Guy, Just where are the pics evidencing your most recent adventure?!

You really are a nasty man!
The poor sods are suffering, and I am helping them!

If it was you would be taking pictures instead!

No wonder you are lawyer!

quote:

You really are a nasty man!
The poor sods are suffering, and I am helping them!

If it was you would be taking pictures instead!

No wonder you are lawyer!

Funny you mentioned Vegas.

I went there for a shoot.

Did not like it one bit at all.

Las Vegas and New York, two places in America I have no wish to visit again!

I liked everywhere else I went.

People were very friendly, very welcoming.

Those in the South, the ones with their heads full of Texas Bullshit, and the Coon Asses, are my favorite!

Nasty lot, and I felt right at home there!

Went falcon training yesterday afternoon.

Found another bunch of foreigners stuck.

Some where Dutch and some were Russians.

They were actually lost!!??

As they thought they were in an area 20 kilometers away from where they thought they were!

See what I mean about bloody foreigners!

Great, as our borders are open, despite the Chink Virus.

The more they come, the more fun we are going to enjoy!

quote:

Found another bunch of foreigners stuck.

Some where Dutch and some were Russians.

They were actually lost!!??

As they thought they were in an area 20 kilometers away from where they thought they were!

See what I mean about bloody foreigners!

Great, as our borders are open, despite the Chink Virus.

The more they come, the more fun we are going to enjoy!

Just exactly who is the nasty man now, Mr. Nice Guy!

Bury your pride, come to Vegas and shoot at our World Class Shooting Range-built through the efforts of none other than our former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. A story that is a true oxymoron!

Pictures please!

My daughter got her driving license, and a new car.

A Jeep Gladiator.

She does a lot of sports, and normally goes with one of her friends who has a pickup to load their bikes or surf boards in.

Now she has her own.

Went out for a drive with her in the desert, did about 180 kilometers round trip.

And as it never fails, we met 3 girls on bikes, stopped as one of them had her bike chain come off.

We laughed as we saw them, stopped and gave them a hand.

Missed our Friday morning desert trip, as it is very windy, and not much fun being in the desert as the wind blows.

We decided to walk down the beach, to a friend's house, and have some coffee with them.

Unannounced, but they always make us welcome!

I have lots of video clips to get photos out of from the falcons, and will do as time permits

The wind was still blowing yesterday.

A friend came by, and we went out to look.

No one was training falcons, too windy.

Then we went off looking for camels and Arabian Oryx by the cycle tracks.

We found one camel caravan coming back home, and saw lots of Arabian Oryx, and a few gazelles.

Were flagged down by a cyclist, who asked for some water.

We gave him water, fresh juice and a couple of small cans of soft drinks.

Tried flying the drone, did for a few minutes, but had to bring it back because of excessive wind.

Those are huge balloons!

The balloons are very popular here.

They take off from one area, travel across the desert, land in another and buses take the tourists to visit tourist attractions, then they fly back.