2007 1st edition in English. Privately published. Huelva, Spain. Large 4to. Pp240. Colour photographs & b/w line illustrations, bibliography. Pictorial boards. Edition limited to 1000 copies. Fine in dust-wrapper.
Notes: Interesting and unique account of Spanish falconry with goshawks, by a noted Andalucian falconer and author. Much anecdote and incident from the author's own experiences. The author discusses the goshawk's life-cycle and quarry species in some depth and presents a great deal of practical information on falconry as practised in Spain. The author also deals with the history of falconry, seen from a Spanish perspective, and gives an account of Spanish traditions of hawking which are - as with much else in Spain - largely Arabic in origin. A large and attractive new edition, in English, of Diego's scarce and highly sought-after work on Spanish falconry and natural history which was originally published in 1983. The author is an artist, musician and poet as well as a falconer, and this is apparent in his lyrical descriptions of the chase and of the Andalucian countryside. The English translation is less transparent when it comes to the more prosaic factual text on the history, ecology and care and breeding of goshawks. However it is worth the effort of reading as there is much information here which is not to be found elsewhere. This edition is limited to 1000 numbered copies.
