Up before dawn, out just after first light. I'd spent the previous night tying tiny monofilament nooses. My fingers are now tuned to feel the tiny ticks and slips of thin strands. Two hours, and I'd hardly gotten fifteen nooses on the trap. Which is probably enough, but I feel the need to add more. This new line I got is fantastic and I'm convinced that it will snag any kestrel toes that touch it.
I am wrong.
The wind is blowing too hard and the weather progressively gets worse until leaving the car means getting a face full of stinging hail. The kestrels are all hiding from the wind, close to the ground. We find five males and two females that we can set up on, but none of them are prepared to leave their spots. The ones that do quickly lose interest in the trap and take off.
The nooses I've tied are too large. They blow in the wind and deter the kestrels. The only thing we catch after two hours is a snag on a rock. The wind is bad and the Bal-Chatri needs work. The mice are freezing and huddle together instead of running around. All-in-all, it's time to go home.
Fenoglio will live free for a few more days. I will clean the perches again and finish finals week.
Then we will meet.
Happy Hawking.
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