This image was taken in the summer of 1970 and reminds me of making Ivan to the hood.
He had been introduced to the hood by his previous owner, unfortunately that experience had made him acutely “hood-shy”. This was demonstrated to me one day whilst we both sat in his living room and Ivan was happily perched at the bottom on the garden at his previous home.
His old hood was of an anglo-indian type and made of red leather, for the demonstration this was held up at the window for Ivan to see. Once he caught sight of it he immediately started bating away.

All hawks are easy enough to make to a hood, if started early enough and at the right stage. If this optimum time is missed and a hood is introduced later then this can turn a simple process into a task.

If, like Ivan a hawk is given reason to dislike a hood then it become an almost impossible task to reverse this dislike. With a bird as large as an eagle it also can be an arduous and physical demanding task.

I first tried by making a new anglo-indian hood from less gaudy coloured leather. The results at first were encouraging and I could approach and even pick up Ivan whilst I still held the hood. Once the hood had been on and off his head a few times he started to avoid its approach.
This told me the hood pattern was not a comfortable fit and I approached Philip Glasier to make me one of his dutch type eagle hoods which you see Ivan wearing in this picture.