March 2009

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post.
I lost Sinte to an encounter with an eagle a few days ago. She flew over a rise an out of my sight. I thought at first that she may have seen a rabbit or was just mad at me and pouting. So I waited for a bit, but by the time I got to her, it was too late. I take full responsibility in this situation and do not hold the eagle in question responsible at all. It is mating season here in the west, and at this time of year the raptors can become quite territorial and don't tend to take kindly to sharing their hunting areas. I will miss her, and I hope that she is somewhere out there soaring above the sage covered hills that she enjoyed so well... with the sun shining down upon her and the wind at her back...

Sinte Luta

Sinte Luta is doing quite well. I how ever have been neglecting this blog again.... sorry....On new years day My boys chose the name Sinte Luta... there is more info about this on my regular blog ~A "Focus" in the Wild.
Since then we have been working on Sinte's strength and stamina.. She is flying and responding very well. Recieved a slight injury to her wing about a week ago, so we have taken time off to heal.. Should be getting back on track this week, weather permitting.

Dozing

about one week left in the name the bird contest.. I have received a ton of great suggestions and can't wait to actually have a name for this beautiful bird. I took this picture the day she was sitting out in the sun, and caught her enjoying the warmth so much that she was dozing off.. a bird that is normally so alert....
She is working out quite well and flying with great response on the creance.. I am holding her back some because of the weather... it is staying consistently COLD.. and with the holidays I have been just too swamped to take her out hunting yet, but I have no doubt she will do great when we finally get the chance...
If you haven't entered the "Name the Bird" contest yet.. don't forget that it ends Dec 31 and a name will be chosen on New Years..
Thanks everyone...Stay warm and Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones...

NO NAME!!

Here is the first photograph of the new falconry bird. As of yet this poor dear still does not have a name. I have left the details of this tragedy on my regular wildlife blog and am asking for your much needed help. She is so ashamed of not having a name, that her feathers are all ruffled, and you know what it means when a birds feathers are ruffled....

Click here to enter the naming contest.

Playing catch up~

I seem to have fallen WAY behind on this blog again so I am taking a few minutes here to play catch up.

First lets get an update on Tim~

Looks like "Tim" was actually a Tim-ette..

Oops!

Timette is doing very well. The photo below is her with her big girl tail feathers from the flight barn last summer.

Tim has been placed with and educational organization in California where she will have the wonderful opportunity to teach humans about red tails, and raptors in general..

(Aren't those *red* tail feathers just fantastic?)

Now on to Scooter~

Scooter grew up into a beautiful bird,(photo below)

and was successfully released back into the wild about a month ago.

( I know, shame on me for not getting photos, or posting earlier~

I will try to do better next time*wink*)

~Update~

Great News~

Scooter was spotted about a week after the release happily feeding on a cotton tail rabbit.

As for the present~

I trapped a new *falconry* bird last week.

I have not taken any photos yet. I am still working on manning the bird down and don't want to cause any more trauma than necessary~

but will post ASAP.

~bird is just too camera shy at the moment.

I am drawing a complete blank on a name for this particular red tail. So I have decided to ask my creative and faithful blog readers to help me choose a name this time. What do you say gang? any suggestions?

Sparrow Hawk? but not a hawk at all.

These birds are used in falconry, they are the smallest little warriors in the falcon family. Due to the prey they chase, I chose not to fly a kestrel until my 6th year as a falconer. I quickly learned that the hunting style of these adorable little birds is quite intense, and though they may not be as large as the normal falconry birds, their energy and vigor for the hunt easily rivals that of the larger species.

Intensity

I have searched a long time to find just one word that can describe these birds when they are truly in hunting mode. I believe intensity covers it all, as it does for everything found in nature.

Intensity, as defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary

1: the quality or state of being intense; especially : extreme degree of strength, force, energy, or feeling

2: the magnitude of a quantity (as force or energy) per unit (as of area, charge, mass, or time)

Connections

Connections between human beings and the winged ones are nothing new.. For thousands of years native peoples of the Americas have told stories about the common ground between us. Both humans and winged beings walk upright on two legs, the winged ones it is said carry our prayers to the creator on powerful wings, and in many cultures the raptors are thought to be messengers of the Great Spirit. Feathers of birds have been worn in a place of honor amongst many tribes for untold generations and some of these feathers are still worn in ceremonies by the descendents of these ancient warriors after hundreds of years. Through my lifetime I have been fortunate to learn from my elders the old ways of the people and to honor all the creatures who we share this great earth with. When my wife Stacey began her falconry apprenticeship several years ago I was more than happy to help her in her endeavors, from the countless days spent roaming the countryside, as she trapped her first wild bird, to the weeks of training and conditioning both the bird and herself for the hunt . I was honored to be included the first time she hunted the bird from her fist. Many years have passed since that first moment of her bonding with the winged warriors of the sky and I have witnessed the growth of her spiritual awareness and skills as a falconer. But one thing has remained unchanged throughout her journey, and that is her connection to the birds. In this photo I took of her and Abby, you can see the love and respect she has for these majestic hunters. I apologize for the picture I am not a photographer and have little talent in that department. But I am gifted with the ability to notice when someone is walking through life with a good heart and a true spirit… And I am proud to say she is all of that and more… Hawk

Strength

Each bird that I have worked with has its own personality and strengths. These personalities can be so unique that sometimes it is difficult not to humanize them. My first falconry bird was Kiva, a mellow tempered male red-tailed hawk who at times, seemed to have a sense of humor. It was obvious that he enjoyed the hunt, but would often come back to hover just off my shoulder as I walked along the sandstone ridges in search of rabbits. I enjoyed hunting with Kiva and came to expect his antics when out in the field. I can recall many specific incidents while we hunted. Maybe that’s how it is with your first bird, but Kiva never ceased to entertain me and each moment spent with him helped to fuel the fire and the passion for working with these birds.

Therefore, when I started hunting with Absaroka, a fantastic dark morph female, I was not prepared for her no nonsense style of hunting, or the roll of flusher (dog) that I quickly was demoted too. This photograph captures the essence of “Abby’s” personality (if you can call it that) .She lived for the hunt, and only the hunt, and would become obviously annoyed with me if I wasn’t working fast enough to flush something for her. She would even go as far as chasing eagles and owls away from our usual hunting area. When Abby would pull this stunt, I worried for her, but thankfully, she always returned a few moments later to land on my fist ready to continue hunting. It did not take me long to I learned to appreciate "her" style of hunting, and I realize that they too have their strengths and will not hesitate to draw on them to survive in this ever-changing world.

Hawk Bells

The unmistakable tone of the falconer’s hawk bells is a sound that gets into your soul, and even after years with out hearing it, no matter where you are, that unique tone can invoke a flood of memories that take you back in time.
The smell of sage and the feel of the wind on your skin, the sound of wings slicing through air, the excitement of the chase and the quickening of the blood.

The joy in a moment!

"Kiva" Hunting

Humbling

Before I take on any of these birds, I make an unspoken commitment to work with them each day that the Mother Nature will allow.

By our second year together, Absaroka (Abby girl)

had the routine figured out,

and came to expect more of me than I could sometimes provide.

Abby took my family on many unforgettable adventures;

her prowess as a hunter was unmatched,

often toying with her prey to extend the hunt a bit longer before making the kill. Witnessing nature in its rawest form is something that should humble and keep you grounded.

Working with these fantastic birds is an experience that I will never take for granted and if it were all to end tomorrow,

I will be thankful for the time that these magnificent animals have allowed me to spend with them.

a/ho

Dinner Time..

This Redtail hawk was mantling over her dinner

as a golden eagle flew by overhead.

I guess you can never overcome true animal instincts,

nor would I want to.

I know that this is not the optimum pose for a falconry bird,

but it sure did make a beautiful photograph.

"Skeeter" the bug

My beautiful little "Skeeter".

I named him for the way that he would buz around my head

while out hunting.

Skeeter's favorite food was grasshoppers,

he became an expert hunter of many small things in the summer that we spent together.

Late that fall I released Skeeter.

He hung around for a couple weeks before he ventured off on his own..

about two weeks later he came back for one night

(to say goodbye??)

... Each time I come across a kestrel,

I often wonder if it could be my little friend stopping by to say hello..

Red Tailed Hawk ~ "Abby Girl"

Abby was a magnificent bird. I flew with her for 2+ years and before we moved, I made the decision to release her in the area that we used to hunt.

The next Fall we spotted her again, healthy as ever. She was no dummy, she knew where food could be found!

My first falconry bird. A red tailed hawk, "Kiva".