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.
Showing posts with label Equipment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Equipment. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
Looking Forward Without Moving On
It's been a month and a half since I found out Petrie was dead. It feels like longer. Nevertheless, I have my apprenticeship to finish, so I've been keeping my eyes open for passage birds in the area.
I wasn't legal to trap until now (nor did I want to), because I'd trapped my 2 birds in 2015. But now it's 2016 and I can trap again.
Here are my options:
1) Misty. She roosts in my neighbors porch and is just the most beautiful female I have ever laid eyes on. The coloration on her chest isn't just brown on white, but black on brown on white which makes for a very beautiful muddled hot cocoa and marshmallows look. I think she's a haggard, but I find that I really like the gusto haggards have.
2) Luke. He lives in the local park and he is a butt. He is the reason I can't train my birds in the local park, or really anywhere near my house because he's claimed such a freaking huge territory. Really, I'm not too enthusiastic about him, but hunting with him would mean that I might finally be able to train in the park. Up until I let him go.
3) Fenoglio. The wild passage I have yet to meet. Really, I only have a few months left of the season to fly a bird, and a passage would mean less training time and more hunting time. This is probably the best choice for my situation, but Misty might have just captured my heart.
I don't really know what I'll do. What I do know is that I need to order some BioThane for making anklets. Luckily, this teenager finally found a suitable job.
And, while I've got your attention, I might as well tell you my plans for next season, because they're one of the few things that help me look forward to life after Petrie. The Cooper's hawk is not an option because my parents are not comfortable with an accipiter in the house. But, I will be moving up to a merlin. I'm planning on trapping a female Columbarius (the ones here are black as black comes) and hunting her on doves by waiting on. Maybe at some starling flocks too, depending on the season and what she takes to.
And I've finally got my telemetry, so things will go better now. No more losing birds.
I wasn't legal to trap until now (nor did I want to), because I'd trapped my 2 birds in 2015. But now it's 2016 and I can trap again.
Here are my options:
1) Misty. She roosts in my neighbors porch and is just the most beautiful female I have ever laid eyes on. The coloration on her chest isn't just brown on white, but black on brown on white which makes for a very beautiful muddled hot cocoa and marshmallows look. I think she's a haggard, but I find that I really like the gusto haggards have.
2) Luke. He lives in the local park and he is a butt. He is the reason I can't train my birds in the local park, or really anywhere near my house because he's claimed such a freaking huge territory. Really, I'm not too enthusiastic about him, but hunting with him would mean that I might finally be able to train in the park. Up until I let him go.
3) Fenoglio. The wild passage I have yet to meet. Really, I only have a few months left of the season to fly a bird, and a passage would mean less training time and more hunting time. This is probably the best choice for my situation, but Misty might have just captured my heart.
I don't really know what I'll do. What I do know is that I need to order some BioThane for making anklets. Luckily, this teenager finally found a suitable job.
And, while I've got your attention, I might as well tell you my plans for next season, because they're one of the few things that help me look forward to life after Petrie. The Cooper's hawk is not an option because my parents are not comfortable with an accipiter in the house. But, I will be moving up to a merlin. I'm planning on trapping a female Columbarius (the ones here are black as black comes) and hunting her on doves by waiting on. Maybe at some starling flocks too, depending on the season and what she takes to.
And I've finally got my telemetry, so things will go better now. No more losing birds.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Paracord Jesses and Anti-Biting
Petrie is taming down really well, but it seems that over the summer he learned to bite hard and not let go. So I've been working on that with him, as well as hopping to the fist.
Normally, what I do to keep a bird from biting me is use some thing I've heard called the pencil trick. To do this, you need a pencil with an end that has been sharpened, but there is no lead poking out. What I did, was I took a sharpened pencil, broke the pointed lead off the tip, then sanded it a little so there were no jagged points. With this pencil, you rub the bird down. Rub the pencil tip against their feet, their keel, their crop, their wings, their back, and let them bite the pencil all they want. (Also, do this only with a freshly-trapped bird that hates you already. Doing this with a trained bird may jeopardize your relationship.) As they keep biting the pencil, their jaw will get sore and they will learn that biting things other than game sucks. After they've completely stopped biting the pencil even when you are still rubbing them with it, they are likely to be done biting for the day. (Another side note, they should have already eaten that day.) At this point, you can start touching them with your bare hand. Start at their feet, because they are least likely to be irritated by that, and slowly work your way up the tarsi to their keel, then their crop, then their back and wings. They may bite you a couple more times, so be prepared, but they will probably not. Rub them over with your fingers for a few minutes so they understand that you are not trying to hurt them. As you do this, they will see that there is no need to bite you.
Petrie, on the other hand, has seen this trick before and is not falling for it. He's done biting the pencil, but he knows the difference between the pencil and my hand. Getting him to stop biting me is proving a challenge. So far, I've been able to touch his feet when we are outside and he is distracted, but I have to lay my hand on the glove for a few minutes and allow him to "accept" it, then I can slowly inch my way towards his toes. It's a very painstakingly slow and tedious process.
The other biting problem is his jesses, which I think I've found a "cure" for. I was using leather jesses and he was tearing them apart, but tonight I made him some paracord jesses. I use a method similar to the one you see in this video by FalconersApprentice on Youtube. Instead of the plasti-dip he used on the knot of his jesses, however, I took a match to the whole knot for a few seconds, so the surface melted then hardened. In the end, there is a very hard knot with less specialized tools and products. I put these jesses on Petrie. I think that allowing him to bite the knot on the paracord jesses will have the same effect as the pencil trick and will teach him not to bite.
Wish me luck! If all else fails, I expect he will calm down once I get him really flying.
Normally, what I do to keep a bird from biting me is use some thing I've heard called the pencil trick. To do this, you need a pencil with an end that has been sharpened, but there is no lead poking out. What I did, was I took a sharpened pencil, broke the pointed lead off the tip, then sanded it a little so there were no jagged points. With this pencil, you rub the bird down. Rub the pencil tip against their feet, their keel, their crop, their wings, their back, and let them bite the pencil all they want. (Also, do this only with a freshly-trapped bird that hates you already. Doing this with a trained bird may jeopardize your relationship.) As they keep biting the pencil, their jaw will get sore and they will learn that biting things other than game sucks. After they've completely stopped biting the pencil even when you are still rubbing them with it, they are likely to be done biting for the day. (Another side note, they should have already eaten that day.) At this point, you can start touching them with your bare hand. Start at their feet, because they are least likely to be irritated by that, and slowly work your way up the tarsi to their keel, then their crop, then their back and wings. They may bite you a couple more times, so be prepared, but they will probably not. Rub them over with your fingers for a few minutes so they understand that you are not trying to hurt them. As you do this, they will see that there is no need to bite you.
Petrie, on the other hand, has seen this trick before and is not falling for it. He's done biting the pencil, but he knows the difference between the pencil and my hand. Getting him to stop biting me is proving a challenge. So far, I've been able to touch his feet when we are outside and he is distracted, but I have to lay my hand on the glove for a few minutes and allow him to "accept" it, then I can slowly inch my way towards his toes. It's a very painstakingly slow and tedious process.
The other biting problem is his jesses, which I think I've found a "cure" for. I was using leather jesses and he was tearing them apart, but tonight I made him some paracord jesses. I use a method similar to the one you see in this video by FalconersApprentice on Youtube. Instead of the plasti-dip he used on the knot of his jesses, however, I took a match to the whole knot for a few seconds, so the surface melted then hardened. In the end, there is a very hard knot with less specialized tools and products. I put these jesses on Petrie. I think that allowing him to bite the knot on the paracord jesses will have the same effect as the pencil trick and will teach him not to bite.
Wish me luck! If all else fails, I expect he will calm down once I get him really flying.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
New Old Bird
Petrie's back!
I trapped him yesterday. It was amazing to watch. He's developed this serious stooping style of hunting. I watched him attack a magpie a couple of weeks ago and he repeatedly dive-bombed it with vertical stoops, then a sharp throw-up and a vertical climb, then he'd flip himself over and stoop again. He used this same tactic on the sparrow in the Bal-Chatri.
He was on a powerline a ways up a loooong driveway. I dropped the BC about 15 feet up the driveway and he was probably another 45 feet from that. I (on my bike) pulled out of the driveway and around some bushes. He noticed the trap quickly, but waited for a couple of minutes to go for it. He swept in with a smooth glide from his spot on the line, then angled downward and made his first stoop. He stooped at it a few times, making U shapes in the air. Then he hovered about a foot over it, before bailing and going back to the line. He landed closer to the trap than he was at first, and after a couple of minutes he did the whole routine again. Stoop, climb, stoop, climb, stoop, climb, hover, bail. He landed just a few feet away on a fence post. There he waited for several minutes. He made one more try, only to land on another post after a short hover. Then quickly, he turned around and hit the trap. I watched until I saw his angry wings flapping around, then sped my bike over to collect him. It was fantastic.
I got him to my house, where I weighed him and called my sponsor. He weighed 112.5 at trapping. The first time I trapped Petrie he weighed 100 on the dot. I have my doubts that this is Petrie, because anything could have happened since I released him last spring. But this bird looks about the right age, and I've never seen another kestrel in that field in all the time I've lived here. Still unsure, I refer to him as "Little King".
I keep him hooded an socked until my sponsor gets to my house. We start to jess him up, but realize that she's forgotten her grommet setters at her house, and I don't have any. So we take Little King back to her house, where she's got her imprint male kestrel, Anakin. He churrups for food as soon as he sees us and Little King squirms in my hand.
Anakin goes outside to weather and Monica and I get the anklets and jesses on this new bird. I unhood him there. He flaps and flails and bates, but tames down quickly and I soon realize that it is, in fact, Petrie. In the while that he's been a wild bird, he's learned to bite and not let go. He catches my finger and I have to pull his beak out, ripping my skin. Oh, well.
Two hours later, he is standing fairly calmly on the fist and just starting to regain the glove after a bate. Monica has somewhere to be, so I hood him, which is no simple affair (like it used to be). He's convinced he's dead now, and won't stand upright, so he rides home laying on his back in my lap.
We spend the rest of the day manning and hood training. He eats some sparrow from off the fist. I still refer to him as Little King, although I know that, yes, this is Petrie.
I don't know if I'll let him go again.
I trapped him yesterday. It was amazing to watch. He's developed this serious stooping style of hunting. I watched him attack a magpie a couple of weeks ago and he repeatedly dive-bombed it with vertical stoops, then a sharp throw-up and a vertical climb, then he'd flip himself over and stoop again. He used this same tactic on the sparrow in the Bal-Chatri.
He was on a powerline a ways up a loooong driveway. I dropped the BC about 15 feet up the driveway and he was probably another 45 feet from that. I (on my bike) pulled out of the driveway and around some bushes. He noticed the trap quickly, but waited for a couple of minutes to go for it. He swept in with a smooth glide from his spot on the line, then angled downward and made his first stoop. He stooped at it a few times, making U shapes in the air. Then he hovered about a foot over it, before bailing and going back to the line. He landed closer to the trap than he was at first, and after a couple of minutes he did the whole routine again. Stoop, climb, stoop, climb, stoop, climb, hover, bail. He landed just a few feet away on a fence post. There he waited for several minutes. He made one more try, only to land on another post after a short hover. Then quickly, he turned around and hit the trap. I watched until I saw his angry wings flapping around, then sped my bike over to collect him. It was fantastic.
I got him to my house, where I weighed him and called my sponsor. He weighed 112.5 at trapping. The first time I trapped Petrie he weighed 100 on the dot. I have my doubts that this is Petrie, because anything could have happened since I released him last spring. But this bird looks about the right age, and I've never seen another kestrel in that field in all the time I've lived here. Still unsure, I refer to him as "Little King".
I keep him hooded an socked until my sponsor gets to my house. We start to jess him up, but realize that she's forgotten her grommet setters at her house, and I don't have any. So we take Little King back to her house, where she's got her imprint male kestrel, Anakin. He churrups for food as soon as he sees us and Little King squirms in my hand.
Anakin goes outside to weather and Monica and I get the anklets and jesses on this new bird. I unhood him there. He flaps and flails and bates, but tames down quickly and I soon realize that it is, in fact, Petrie. In the while that he's been a wild bird, he's learned to bite and not let go. He catches my finger and I have to pull his beak out, ripping my skin. Oh, well.
Two hours later, he is standing fairly calmly on the fist and just starting to regain the glove after a bate. Monica has somewhere to be, so I hood him, which is no simple affair (like it used to be). He's convinced he's dead now, and won't stand upright, so he rides home laying on his back in my lap.
We spend the rest of the day manning and hood training. He eats some sparrow from off the fist. I still refer to him as Little King, although I know that, yes, this is Petrie.
I don't know if I'll let him go again.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Lost (continued)
I go out looking for Bellatrix again this morning. There Isn't much area to look in. I've already heavily checked the most likely places and found resident kestrels everywhere else. Still, I bike around for a few hours with my trap, mouse, lure, and hawking bag. Tomorrow, I vow, I will bring extra jesses. She's probably lost her's by now. But she's no where to be seen, so I don't need them today.
Finally, I don't know where else to look. I sit on the side of the street for ten minutes trying to decide where to go looking for her. I've checked everywhere, some places multiple times. I can't station myself somewhere and whistle for her; she's not that responsive. If I get her back, it will be because I happened to end up within 50 feet of her and she happened to be hungry. But I have four square miles - which she's not even guaranteed to be in. If I do happen to find her, she's probably wild enough now to ignore me completely.
I suppose that's why I have the trap, though. Hopefully she won't mind watching me set it out.
It all suddenly seems hopeless.
So I bike in the opposite direction from where she's likely to be. Petrie's there in his field, hunting. I watch him, try to call him down to the lure - he was rather fantastic at chasing it. But he's been wild for months now so he pays no attention.
Seagulls chase him off, but he comes back out a minute later. He hovers over the field, stoops, rises again. I watch him antagonize a magpie, trying to decide if he wants it dead or gone. He swings over to the power line in the property owner's long driveway and I speed my way to him. I try to lay out the Bal-Chatri below him, but he pays no attention. I go to move it closer to him, but he's having none of it and my next peak at his spot shows an empty wire.
I put my trap back in the basket on my bike, then take a moment with the horse that lives in Petrie's field. He's a gorgeous black Clydesdale that's taken a liking to me. I've heard his name is Jack, but I've never spoken to his owners, so I'm not completely sure.
I bike out of the driveway and back to the side of the road. Petrie is still hunting. I watch his stoops and almost walk out into the field to set my trap, but there is construction going on to the side of the field and they'd call the police on my trespassing.
Petrie catches a mouse. He flies up to my stretch of power line to eat it. I set out my bal-chatri, but I know it's useless. Petrie spooks and flies off to an island of trees standing out in the flat acreage to finish his meal in peace.
I sit with Jack for a while longer, but eventually I realize that it's 11:45 and I promised myself I'd be back home by noon to do my schoolwork. So I leave.
Finally, I don't know where else to look. I sit on the side of the street for ten minutes trying to decide where to go looking for her. I've checked everywhere, some places multiple times. I can't station myself somewhere and whistle for her; she's not that responsive. If I get her back, it will be because I happened to end up within 50 feet of her and she happened to be hungry. But I have four square miles - which she's not even guaranteed to be in. If I do happen to find her, she's probably wild enough now to ignore me completely.
I suppose that's why I have the trap, though. Hopefully she won't mind watching me set it out.
It all suddenly seems hopeless.
So I bike in the opposite direction from where she's likely to be. Petrie's there in his field, hunting. I watch him, try to call him down to the lure - he was rather fantastic at chasing it. But he's been wild for months now so he pays no attention.
Seagulls chase him off, but he comes back out a minute later. He hovers over the field, stoops, rises again. I watch him antagonize a magpie, trying to decide if he wants it dead or gone. He swings over to the power line in the property owner's long driveway and I speed my way to him. I try to lay out the Bal-Chatri below him, but he pays no attention. I go to move it closer to him, but he's having none of it and my next peak at his spot shows an empty wire.
I put my trap back in the basket on my bike, then take a moment with the horse that lives in Petrie's field. He's a gorgeous black Clydesdale that's taken a liking to me. I've heard his name is Jack, but I've never spoken to his owners, so I'm not completely sure.
I bike out of the driveway and back to the side of the road. Petrie is still hunting. I watch his stoops and almost walk out into the field to set my trap, but there is construction going on to the side of the field and they'd call the police on my trespassing.
Petrie catches a mouse. He flies up to my stretch of power line to eat it. I set out my bal-chatri, but I know it's useless. Petrie spooks and flies off to an island of trees standing out in the flat acreage to finish his meal in peace.
I sit with Jack for a while longer, but eventually I realize that it's 11:45 and I promised myself I'd be back home by noon to do my schoolwork. So I leave.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Free Flying Videos
Today we had our first free flying mishap. I put bells on Bellatrix today and she's getting used to them. I unhooked her from the creance intending to do a couple of flights to the fist and a lure flight. I took her first jess out of her anklet then tried to get the second jess and she flew off. She landed in a nearby tree and started watching. I decided to cut right to the lure flight. She was quite hesitant, probably for a number of reasons including the bells, being on a different perch, maybe being reminded that she is a wild bird, or having to come down to the lure. She waited for a while, then came to the lure from probably 50 or 60 feet away. She bound to the lure and started mantling, then made her killy-killy call, which made me really happy. She let me make-in with no problems and she ate her reward from the lure on the fist while I tidbitted her intermittently.
Tomorrow I plan to do two lure flights and really wed her to the lure. Then I may be able to free fly her on the last coturnix quail I have. But I won't be able to hunt her until I've bagged her on a couple of sparrows or starlings and practice making-in when she's on a smaller, more portable kill.
Tomorrow I plan to do two lure flights and really wed her to the lure. Then I may be able to free fly her on the last coturnix quail I have. But I won't be able to hunt her until I've bagged her on a couple of sparrows or starlings and practice making-in when she's on a smaller, more portable kill.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Hello Again
Sorry about the gap between posts. I was gone for a week to McCall.
I got my leashes right before I left, literally. I got my leashes and an hour later I was on the road.
P.S. "premium hawkers chocolate" tastes nasty.
Monica came over to check my equipment today.
DONE:
TO DO:
I got my leashes right before I left, literally. I got my leashes and an hour later I was on the road.
P.S. "premium hawkers chocolate" tastes nasty.
Monica came over to check my equipment today.
DONE:
- stabilize the screen perch with some string connecting the top to the feet
- attatch a loop of rope to the center of the screen perch for tying the leash
- make some minor modifications to the giant hood
TO DO:
- extend the sides of my platform perch
- figure out how to secure the astroturf to the platform perch in a way that is secure (especially around the edges) and removable
- get some breeder mice
Friday, June 20, 2014
Leashes
I finally spoke with someone of authority at Western Sporting. They found my order through the website database but there was an energy glitch so the website database didn't send the order to the product database. Since I ordered the leashes FIVE FREAKIN' WEEKS AGO they said that they would only charge me for one leash (I ordered two) and rush the order and send me some of their "Premium Hawkers' Chocolate" with the order for free. I'm not sure what that is, but I'm pretty sure it's chocolate so I'm happy.
Unfortunately, I'll be camping next week so I won't get the package until the next week unless rushed shipping means overnight. That would be fantastic.
Unfortunately, I'll be camping next week so I won't get the package until the next week unless rushed shipping means overnight. That would be fantastic.
Friday, June 13, 2014
A Little Update on Everything
I finally got word that my leashes shipped. Appearently, the one with this information is a new worker and forgot to send me my email (which I still don't have). I'm expecting the package to come within the next two business days. Otherwise, my mom wants to call and yell at them. She doesn't seem to know that once it's shipped, yelling at them doesn't do anything. They can't make it ship faster, they've already handed it over to the USPS.
I got a $15 pair of leather gloves to be my falconry glove. I just need to put an eylet or two in the cuff and it will be perfect.
I caught two more house sparrows. I put them in the aviary instead of the freezer. Last night one of them wriggled they way throught the top, then got caught in the net and choked to death trying to get back in. Now I have 3 birds in the freezer and one in the aviary. Hopefully I will catch more.
I remodeled my room to make it more falcon-friendly. Now there's a lot more space by the window and in the corner to the right of the window. That way, I can move the kestrel near and away from the window.
You have been updated.
I got a $15 pair of leather gloves to be my falconry glove. I just need to put an eylet or two in the cuff and it will be perfect.
I caught two more house sparrows. I put them in the aviary instead of the freezer. Last night one of them wriggled they way throught the top, then got caught in the net and choked to death trying to get back in. Now I have 3 birds in the freezer and one in the aviary. Hopefully I will catch more.
I remodeled my room to make it more falcon-friendly. Now there's a lot more space by the window and in the corner to the right of the window. That way, I can move the kestrel near and away from the window.
You have been updated.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
My Review of Western Sporting Goods
I am very upset with Western sporting right now.
I ordered two books from them a while ago which came throught fine, but my last TWO ORDERS have not processed.
I have been waiting for my leashes for five weeks now. They were supposed to be here 8 days from ordering. I have called once a week for the last three weeks and they have yet to do anything about it but take my email and put me one the urgent list (which does nothing).
I was thinking about this a bit. Suppose I was not an apprentice collecting my beginner's equipment but a falconer whose leashes were starting to wear out. Suppose I had called plenty in advance to be sure that I would have them before my worn leashes were useless. It is not plenty in advance anymore and I would probably have lost my bird!
If they can fix it today, I will take the order and leave their customer pool. If they can't fix it today, I will cancel the order and leave their customer pool.
Your time is ticking Western Sporting. You have about three hours to take my 27 dollars before I leave.
I ordered two books from them a while ago which came throught fine, but my last TWO ORDERS have not processed.
I have been waiting for my leashes for five weeks now. They were supposed to be here 8 days from ordering. I have called once a week for the last three weeks and they have yet to do anything about it but take my email and put me one the urgent list (which does nothing).
I was thinking about this a bit. Suppose I was not an apprentice collecting my beginner's equipment but a falconer whose leashes were starting to wear out. Suppose I had called plenty in advance to be sure that I would have them before my worn leashes were useless. It is not plenty in advance anymore and I would probably have lost my bird!
If they can fix it today, I will take the order and leave their customer pool. If they can't fix it today, I will cancel the order and leave their customer pool.
Your time is ticking Western Sporting. You have about three hours to take my 27 dollars before I leave.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Sparrow Trapping
I finally made a sparrow trap that works. It's called a funnel trap in case you're interested. It caught sparrows the day after I set it up.
Then the neighbors' dogs found it and ripped and crushed the cage until the birds were out.
Oh, and my leashes still aren't here.
Then the neighbors' dogs found it and ripped and crushed the cage until the birds were out.
Oh, and my leashes still aren't here.
 |
| The trap before it was ruined. |
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Frustration and Screen Perches
I ordered my leashes around Friday two weeks ago, meaning the 16th. They are supposed to arrive within 2-8 business days. So excluding memorial day and weekends, it has been 8 days and I still don't have them. It's just Wyoming to Idaho! Jumping two stinkin' state borders! If they're not here tomorrow, I'm going to call Western Sporting.
On another note... I finished my screen perch.
On another note... I finished my screen perch.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Waiting
Just waiting for my leashes to come in the mail.
I didn't think it would take this long for a package to get from Wyoming to Idaho.
They're not that far apart.
I didn't think it would take this long for a package to get from Wyoming to Idaho.
They're not that far apart.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
MAJOR update
So....
How's the last year treated ya?
Sorry about the massive gap between posts there. My computer randomly became incompatible with blogspot.
Long Before April 7:
My dad said that I couldn't get a falcon...
I fell into depression...
April 7:
I'm not sure that I've told you about the falconer that lives on Marteeson. I have seen them out manning their Harris', but I couldn't ever talk to them about falconry because their front yard was fenced off and their front door was removed. But I know there's a falconer that lives there.
I met them today. I was biking to the library and passed their house just as they pulled in. She started walking to the back gate and I stepped in the driveway and called, "excuse me?"
Her reaction to "I'm Anna and I'm interested in falconry," surprised me. I expected an interrogation to figure out whether I was really up for falconry. Instead she invited me in. Her name is Kelly. She has a harris' hawk named Delta and a Finnish goshawk named Aussie. Then she gave me a list of contacts, and a list of books to collect, and a list of things to learn over the summer.
Then she let me hold her harris hawk.
And a hallelujah chorus started singing in the back of my head.
It was great.
I proceeded to bike home and Facebook message every single person on the contact list. I got one reply out of six. Monica (the replier) and I met up that same week where she offered to sponsor me with the help of two or three other people. So fortunately for me, I have the unique option to have three sponsors. I accepted.
During the rest of the afternoon with Monica, we got things figured out. I'm going to have a kestrel. I'll keep it in my room so my dad and the HOA don't complain about the mews in the backyard. I'll trap in the fall.
That gave me roughly six months to get everything ready... and pass my test.
Since then:
How's the last year treated ya?
Sorry about the massive gap between posts there. My computer randomly became incompatible with blogspot.
Long Before April 7:
My dad said that I couldn't get a falcon...
I fell into depression...
April 7:
I'm not sure that I've told you about the falconer that lives on Marteeson. I have seen them out manning their Harris', but I couldn't ever talk to them about falconry because their front yard was fenced off and their front door was removed. But I know there's a falconer that lives there.
I met them today. I was biking to the library and passed their house just as they pulled in. She started walking to the back gate and I stepped in the driveway and called, "excuse me?"
Her reaction to "I'm Anna and I'm interested in falconry," surprised me. I expected an interrogation to figure out whether I was really up for falconry. Instead she invited me in. Her name is Kelly. She has a harris' hawk named Delta and a Finnish goshawk named Aussie. Then she gave me a list of contacts, and a list of books to collect, and a list of things to learn over the summer.
Then she let me hold her harris hawk.
And a hallelujah chorus started singing in the back of my head.
It was great.
I proceeded to bike home and Facebook message every single person on the contact list. I got one reply out of six. Monica (the replier) and I met up that same week where she offered to sponsor me with the help of two or three other people. So fortunately for me, I have the unique option to have three sponsors. I accepted.
During the rest of the afternoon with Monica, we got things figured out. I'm going to have a kestrel. I'll keep it in my room so my dad and the HOA don't complain about the mews in the backyard. I'll trap in the fall.
That gave me roughly six months to get everything ready... and pass my test.
Since then:
 |
| Unfinished Mews |
- I've built my mews
- I've bought the two falconry books my sponsor recommended (Falconry Equpments by Kimsey and Hodge, American Kestrels in Modern Falconry by Matthew Mullenix)
- I've built two sparrow traps
- I've started working on my giant hood
- I've ordered my leashes from Western Sporting
- I've gotten my hunting licence
- I've decided that this summer is going to be the longest summer of my life
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| Unfinished Giant Hood |
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| The Books my Sponsor Recommended |
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| Hunting Licence and Hat |
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The Worst Thing for a Falconry Struck Girl to Hear from Her Dad
"The mews is too big for the backyard."
Well where else am I gonna put it?
Well where else am I gonna put it?
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