DEEP Snow!!

What a Beautiful Bird!! If I do say so myself!! Here I took a pic of Nina against a winter backdrop. Below, as I was waiting for her to calm down so I could hood her, she decided the snow shovel stuck in a pile of snow was a good place to perch. I decided the deep brick red tool shed behind her looked nice in contrast, so took her picture.

On Tuesday, February 27 I went and met up with my friend Ray, and we stalked around the Dells area to see if there might be any good places to fly the bird. Well, there may be some, but the snow is really an impedement right now. Finally, we ended up just flying her to get some exercise out back behind where he lives. The snow was so deep in places, it came up to our thighs. Wow . . . no finding anything in all that . . . other than exhaustion. So she just got the lure. And then we went and had Mexican food! It was actually pretty good too!

Spring Blizzard

OK, this might not be a very interesting entry . . . but it's what I did all this morning. We got dumped on!! I don't know how many inches . . . but probably at least 15 all together . . . probably more. With the blowing wind, it's kindof hard to measure. Some spots have some really incredible drifts. Others, are blown down to the ground. I've been keeping my front door step pretty clear. First thing I dug (by hand) a path to each mews . . . to check on the hawks. This is my front doorway.
This is by the back door, going to the weathering yard and the new mews that Mo is staying in. That's Sam using the path I dug out. There is an incredible mountain of snow to the right of the picture, which of course you can't see. For the first time I used a handy tool to pull snow off the roof. There was a lot of it up there. Now it's in a mountain on the ground.

Here is Nina sitting out in the weathering yard for a bit. Of course, after I shoveled it all out. Whew! Lot of snow in there!

And finally, the driveway. I got a lot of this done by hand, and down the driveway too, at which point my neighbor came over with his snow throwing machine. The boys are there . . . changing the color of things. It's snowing again tonight . . . but hopefully just an inch or two!

This and That!

It is a blizzard weekend! A huge spring storm dumped a ton of snow last night . . . and returns to dump some more tonight. I feel kindof stuck here at my home. Normally, I wouldn't be going anywhere anyways, but because I CAN'T go anywhere . . . feels so much more isolated . . . and lonely! I chat with several friends online. But not the same as having someone here. Sometimes, single life sucks.

So I'll load up some of the pics that Phil took this last week of Nina. And blog about a variety of things that pop into my head. Unimportant minutiae that make up my rather dull life right now.

So I did go hawking this last week with Phil. His area around him is not very good for bunnies, but instead pretty good for squirrels. However he and Belle have hit the squirrel woods so hard that those which remain are laying low. So Nina didn't have much of a chance at anything. When we moved, Belle got a chance at a bunny, and several squirrel flights, but no successes either. We people had much better success at the lasagna that Phil's wife, Laurie made. Thanks folks for your hospitality!

Everyone in my life seems to live so darn far away!

It got late as we were hunting Belle, so Nina didn't have another chance. I just took her home, and flew her early the next morning, again in a spot I've not hit this year outside of New Lisbon. Within about 10 minutes we had bunny #27 for the year. I cropped her up. And because the weather is just atrocious this weekend, I just fed her again today. Heck with it!

Lady Hawkers next weekend. Hopefully the weather will clear up for that. I want to go, and visit a couple folks while I'm at it.

Special note here now about right-handed gloves. I've managed to lose, hmmm, I think 2 this year so far. And I lost several last year. I don't know what it is about my right-handed glove, but I seem to always misplace them in the field. Wonder if I can write to the company that I buy my gloves from and purchase a set of right-handed gloves? And I also now have laying around several odd left-handed gloves. Of course I wear the gauntlet . . . so these gloves are pristine!

Now don't ya just love this picture above here? Too bad it wasn't centered. It captures Nina just before she landed on my fist. That's what's so cool about falconry . . . we have such close contact with these beautiful creatures!! And my Nina this year has just been fabulous!

Tonight I fried up some of the rabbit she caught last weekend. Uh, it tasted like chicken. But rather chewy chicken. Not tender. I've got some more in the crock pot. Someone suggested I make a pot pie out of it. I'll give that a try.

OK . . . anything else to ramble about?? It's snowing like heck outside! I'm lonely, and going to put myself to bed. What else is there to do?

Sigh!!!!

Speedy Bird!!

Today was just about the fastest successful hawking outing I have had! I was actually surprised this morning when I stepped Nina onto the scale to see she was at weight. I'd not planned to fly her today . . . but the scale said I should. I already had plans for a friend to come over and have dinner and to watch a movie. So I told my friend Jay that if he came over a little earlier he could go out hawking with me. So he did!

I chose a place outside of New Lisbon that I have not hit yet this year. Jay tells me he looked at his watch as we got out of the car and I geared up. It was 3:32. We flushed a rabbit almost immediately, but after making an attempt at it Nina decided she was going to fly across the road. OK . . .follow her. Within about 7 minutes of starting, she was down on bunny #1 for the day, and # 25 for the year. Because it happened soooo quick, I decided to just give her a little reward on the lure, and put her back up. So, up she went.

I moved off and began to work a patch that I thought a rabbit had run into. Apparently it did, or there was some other rabbit in there . . . for again, within about another 5 minutes or so, my bird came crashing down on bunny #2 for the day, # 26 for the year. Jay looked at his watch after catch #2 and told me it was 3:48. Quick Quick hunt!!

My Goodness Gracious!! If I had wanted, I could have gone for triples!! But taking 2 home was quite enough for me. In fact, I even cleaned one up really good, cut it up, and tomorrow plan to fry it like chicken. I'm told it is good that way. I'll find out!

Speedy Bird!! She is just HOT this year!!

Hawkin in Baraboo

Today I decided to take myself and my bird to Baraboo and see if there are any bunnies there. But first . . . since I was in the area . . . a quick breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Yum!!

After today I would consider Baraboo to be marginal as far as bunny sites. They are there!! I saw lots of sign of them. But it is lacking in open and free access places. Also, where we hunted might be a better area in the fall before the snow comes. It was pretty cold with a good wind chill today. Any bunnies around are hiding. Which is where the one we found was.

I selected a place just outside the town, in an industrial park. There were some frozen holding ponds with cattails, but they were sooooo thick that anything in there would not be pushed out unless I had like 5 other people working it, or a dog! (Must think about getting a dog!) Also, along these holding ponds were some trailers, and I saw several brush piles inside the yards, to include one really massive one, with lots of tracks heading to in. So, no working those without tresspassing.

We walked a bit, well . . . I walked a bit . . . and didn't flush much. Finally I made my way to a really large brush pile out in the open. Nina took a perch (not much of one) on a branch sticking out of this mess. And as pretty as you please, then got herself up, caught the wind, did a wing over, and crashed right in. At first I didn't think she had anything, but she was behaving like she did. And I had to root my way into her. But sure enough . . . bunny #24 was caught. After some struggle, I was able to grab hold of the back legs, then distangle her and bring her and her prize out of the web of tree branches. Nina traded off to her lure. And bunny was put into the game bag.


I picked her up to try just a little more, for she really hadn't gotten enough exercise. She did take a perch, although not a really good one. I did manage to flush one more bunny in some thick grass nearby . . . but it ran right into the huge pile. Nina landed again on the pile, but there was just no working it out. That first catch was just a lucky one. So, move off . . . and wade through all the wonderful burdock. Have I expressed how much I LOVE burdock???? NOT!! I wrote a post about it . . . oh I think last year. I still hate this noxious plant!!

By this time, I was getting tired, and I figured out that I had let Nina eat a little too much off the lure. Her response was starting to get poor. So I called it a day as far as hunting, and pulled the lure for her.

As we got to the car and were packing up we attracted the attention of a couple guys in a car. Also, a manager at the Slumberland, the parking lot I was in, also came out. He said I had been seen walking around in the brush. They were just wondering what I was up to. Thankfully, everyone was just curious and interested. I gave a quick Falconry 101, and Dave, the manager (according to his jacket) was kind enough to take our picture. I invited him to come see the blog. So . . . I hope you made it!! Hello Again!

I drove around Baraboo a little more, looking for other hawking sites. There may be a few, but nothing that stood out as outstanding. Oh well! I'm home now . . . and a warm shower is calling to me!!

Here are some more pictures from Laurie's camera! Wow . . . these are Way Cool!! Above is Phil's bird this year, Belle. You can see the stripes on her tail. This is unique to first-year red-tails. This summer when she molts, those will be replaced with the red ones of adulthood. Below is an action shot of a bunny on the run. You just don't catch these with the camera very often, for the action happens so very fast! Great Work Laurie!!

Run . . . . . . Bunny!! RUN!!!!!!

Goshawk in Flight

This very stunning photo was taken by Laurie Yurtis, Phil's wife, at the WFA meet this last weekend. They have a new, really nice and expensive digital camera, with a long lense. And Laurie is good at catching the action. There may be some other pretty neat pictures posted here soon that she took.

Thanks Laurie!!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers!

Go Hug Someone that you Love!

And Love the Ones that Hug You!

Wisconsin Falconers Meet 2007

On Saturday, February 10 I attended the annual Wisconsin Falconers Meet down in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. I got up early, after having stayed up too late the night before, and got myself onto the road with hawk in tow to arrive about 8:30. When I got there I met up with Phil Yurtis and his crew (his wife Laurie and the two kids) and Dave Noble. Some of the folks who normally join us (Dave Z. and Mike Barlow) did not attend the hawking portion. Dave Z. was battling a cold. Mike doesn't have a bird this year. Bill Oakes was also hoping to come for a bit, but family obligations kept him busy elsewhere. Dave Noble decided to not fly his bird for this year, as she just doesn't like crowds. So he came along and flushed for those of us who did bring birds.

We gathered at the hotel and went downstairs and registered for the meet, and paid our membership dues for 2007. At the registration they had a treat for us all. New club gear! I happily purchased a T-Shirt. But then longingly started looking at the other stuff being offered. Passing up the hats was no problem. Nor was the $90 jackets, of which Dave did purchase. But they had some very nice, soft and warm sweat shirts. All it took was for me to try one on. I was hooked!! I decided I'm getting a pretty good return from taxes this year, I could afford to buy one for myself. So I've posted a picture of my new club sweatshirt. Now I can advertise the group when I go anywhere with it on . . . specifically other falconry related events. Lady Hawkers is coming up . . . and I plan to attend!

Anyway . . . back to the day . . .

So our little reduced in numbers group went hawking in one of the fields we normally hit every year when down at the meet. I volunteered to go first, for Nina was ready and eager. I put her up and we began to work the field. She didn't see the first bunny flush, and it went into a big pit in this field and down under all the junk that is there. She dove for the 2nd bunny flush but missed - and then picked herself back up and chased it for some distance, but lost it. This took us to the back of the field, and down into the railroad bed. We worked that area for a little bit, with her following us just fantastic. As we moved down the rail road, others were still up in the field, which attracted her back there. As I was climbing out of the railroad bed I was just in time to see her fly across the brushy field, do a wing over, and crash into the brush. After a little bit of a search we found her at the end of the field with bunny #22. A quick transfer, and then she was up on the fist, and I took her back to the car so that Phil could fly his bird.

Phil has quite the team going!! He's working with his second red-tail, Belle, as this is the second year of his apprenticeship. His wife is willing to come along with him, and was our photographer, using a very nice camera they have purchased. His two kids come along, with his son Tanner most certainly going to be one of our up and coming falconers, as soon as he's old enough. And this year he has a new member to the team . . . Tucker, a jack-russell terrier. It was just fun to watch the dog work the field, bouncing most of the way. We had lots and lots of flushes, but Belle is just not a morning bird, instead preferring to hunt in the afternoon. She got lots of exercise, and many slips, but just didn't connect with any of them. Finally, it was time to break and go catch some lunch.

Lunch accomplished, we quickly went by the new vet clinic staffed by Dave Zilker's wife, who is a veterinarian. If I was being a really good reporter, I would have taken a picture outside the clinic, but failed to do so. We got a tour of the facilities, and it is really nice! It is called the Token Creek Vet Clinic, as it is located in Token Creek. Dave's wife is very skilled at stained glass, and there are several examples of her work gracing the facilities - as well as artwork another relative (I believe his sister-in-law) has done. Dave Z. is very proud (as well he should be) for the nice, modern, artistically beautiful clinic he and his wife have built. So if you live in the area and read my ramblings . . . take your pets to the Token Creek Vet Clinic!

After our tour we had to hurry for the flight demo. This year there were more birds than usual flying, several goshawks and peregrines. And, as in years past, it was very very cold standing around watching the longwings and accipiters fly. I wandered around some, taking pictures of some of the unusual birds that were here this day, talking to folks, or spent time in Phil and Laurie's truck, sitting on the heated seats. I've been to several of these things, you'd think I'd have learned by now. I was dressed pretty warm, but next year I need to remember to bring more socks to change out into. After the demo, it was time for more hawking!

Our group then hooked up with one of Dave Z.'s apprentices, Aaron Allred. Aaron has a bird this year too, but I didn't get to see her. She's got an injury to a toe from a squirrel bite. So he has been treating her for that. But he and a friend came along for the afternoon hawking. They took us back to the industrial park we hunted last year, only a different portion of the field. Phil's bird went first . . . and very quickly caught her bunny. I then got Nina ready and flew her for a second time. We worked just a little harder for her, but within about 15 minutes or so, she was on bunny #2 for the day. That makes #23 for the year. She transferred off this bunny pretty easy, and I picked it up and checked it over. I didn't see any obvious wounds, and got witnesses that I had the bunny in hand to prove the catch . . . but wanted to do a release. However, after the release I realized that it was apparently far more injured from the impact of the catch. So we quickly re-caught it and put it into the game bag. Well, I tried to do catch and release!!

Phil then got his bird up again, and she was flown until it was dark, but no further catches were to be had! A picture of the group was taken, but my camera didn't seem to work right. So I'll see if Phil and Laurie will share a copy with me. I'll add it later if I can acquire it. Laurie also took several other pictures this day that were just outstanding!

We put away our gear and headed to dinner . . . quick oriental buffet . . . before heading back to the meet hotel for the guest speaker. I'm going to have to get with Phil, for he recorded the guest speaker's presentation. By this time, I was just so tired I was nodding off all night. He spoke about training merlins for falconry. This would be like using a souped up kestrel. Someday maybe! I'd like to try a kestrel again first. After the guest speaker we had the raffle. I won a set of Noble bells (yeah . . . can always use them) and a book on Harris Hawks.

After the meeting everyone broke and met in the bar. I played a tape I had brought, and some other tapes also were brought out. It was a nice end to a really great day. I just wish I could have stayed at the hotel, but decided against the expense. So I was surprised when I got to my car to discover it was 1:00. Wow!! It was a long drive home, but I made it fine . . . and slept very well, although maybe not enough.

The next day I attended my small bird club meeting in Rudolph, Wisconsin. I brought Nina and flew her, but the area just really wasn't good for flying, and she was getting a great distance from me. So I called her down.

A good hawking weekend!! I do so enjoy this activity . . . and the wonderful people I have met while pursuing it!

Now check out one of the most unusual birds I have ever seen come to a falconry meet.

No, you are not seeing wrong!

That is a female Snowy Owl!!


Her name is Isis, and her falconer is Bob Smead. I only hung around long enough to take a few pictures, so did not gather a whole lot of information about her. Later in the day I heard someone say they were going out owl hawking, in the dark. So, maybe they were referring to her. I should have followed up with some questions to understand just how that would be accomplished. I know the bird would be able to see just fine . . . but the falconer might have some difficulties! I have a hard enough time moving around in the field in the daytime!!


Another rare and beautiful bird that was seen was this gorgeous Siberian Goshawk. Her falconer told me her name, but it was just soooooo cold I didn't write it down, and now I can't remember. Well . . . a lack of name doesn't take away from the fact that she is just so awesome to look at!

Dianne Moller flew her tiercel peregrine 'Harley' at the flight demo. She showed all them other guys how the Lady Hawkers do it, by successfully catching her quarry. Below she talks with one of the other prominent women falconers in Wisconsin, Meg Robinson, as her bird finishes its meal.

Here is the president of the Wisconsin Falconers Association, Tom Doolittle, with his goshawk, Jackie.

Yard Hawking . . . or Arctic Squirrel

Wisconsin currently is in the grip of an arctic blast! Let's see . . . checking my online weather site, it is currently . . . -8, with a windchill of -30. Well . . . it has warmed up a little! Was -11 this morning!

I had pretty much decided I was NOT going to hunt today. I would just give Nina the food I would have placed on the lure and let her eat. However, situations came into play that made me change my mind.

I have bird feeders outside. And right now, I try to keep them full, for the terrible cold and ice and snow on the ground, the birds need the food. Inevitably, I also attract squirrels. And I don't mind them too getting a little food, for my feeders are such that they can't destroy them in the process. However, today, I decided they would be facing a bit of danger for their audacity!

I went out and got Nina, and brought her in, and got her all ready. I too got ready. Then waited. In going out to get her I had scared the tree rats off. But, just give them time. They come back. After a bit of a wait, while I read a book, in full hunt gear, one did venture back to the feeder. Let's go!!

I donned my hat and gloves, got the bird, went out the door, removed her hood, then cooed at her like I do sometimes. Then quick, down the stairs . . . . flush squirrel . . . and off it goes . . . and off she goes!! It is really amazing that squirrels on the ground are as fast as they are . . . but they are quick! It rounded the corner of the house and she was in pursuit. I saw her arc up for the dive, but as I came around the corner saw her on the ground, and the squirrel making quick progress to the tree. OK . . . we know this game too! Nina would not come to the fist, but instead picked herself up and went for the tree. She perched rather low . . . but as I walked around the tree and moved the squirrel, she re-oriented that it was there. She then began to move up. And I moved around the tree . . . keeping that tree rat in her line of sight and focus. It wasn't long, maybe 2 to 3 minutes, maybe more . . . and Nina moved up real high in the tree . . . then made her dive down. Successfully!! However, she was caught in the crook of limbs in the tree. As she pecked at her prize, and rearranged her feet, after a bit she tumbled down. She didn't even use her wings to brace, but like in a cartoon, bounced and banged on several branches as she came to the ground. I moved in and grabbed her squirrel. But she already had a pretty good grip on it.

Now is where it all changes due to my location. I'm right at my house, right outside her mews. She isn't going anywhere with her squirrel . . . so I just picked her and it up, and put them into her weathering yard. I then went into the house . . . got a camera . . . and the game shears. A quick pic, and then make sure squirrel is dead . . . and halve it up for her. She had done well . . . and again, I wanted to not only reward her efforts, but also because it is just so COLD, let her have good moisture. I let her have the top half of the squirrel. Lots of very fresh moist meat. Lots of casting material. And a squirrel skull to work on, which is good for keeping her beak in condition. Here again, because I was at home, and didn't have to wait for her to finish eating, I just picked her up again, with her food, and put her into the new mews that was built on my property so I could hawk sit a friend's bird. Put her in there . . . and she can take all the time she wants to eat. I went inside . . . and got a shower!

That's one squirrel that will not be helping itself to any seed from my feeders anymore!

Hawking in New Lisbon

On Thursday, February 1 I got to do something that is now rather unfortunately possible for me to do on a regular basis . . . that is . . . hawk in the morning. I don't mind the hawking early . . . just that I have free time to be able to do so, due to my unemployed status. But the morning was beautiful. COLD . . . but beautiful! It's nice to have time to be leisurely with my bird, and not rushing because the sun is setting.

I flew her in one of the several locations I have hunted in New Lisbon. I've been pretty much staying away from that town. But, there are still a couple places to hunt rabbits that I had not hit yet this year. This morning was a good opportunity. Bright blue sky. And I warmed up as I got walking.

Nina was very much on her game this morning! I had several flushes that she checked off of because the field is full of many downed trees, and there was no chance she would catch the rabbit as it ducked under cover. But after about an hour in the field, I worked a particularly thick area, and popped a bunny that she caught in very thick cover. That's #21 for the year. She is just at the top of her form. And she's starting to show it!! She did not molt out her 3 main primaries on the wings, and they are starting to look really tattered. And now she is beginning to tip her tail feathers. But otherwise, she seems to be doing just great.

I traded her off the bunny to the lure, and then checked it over. I'm going to now start seeing if I can do some "catch and release". Nina pretty much will give up what she is holding if I give her the garnished lure. But sometimes she's already damaged the bunny to the point I think it would just be cruel to let them go. I made that judgement with this one, as she slammed it pretty hard. So I made it a part of our game bag. And then, simply because it was such a hard catch, and we are going into a weekend that will be bitterly cold, I did something I don't normally do. I opened up bunny in the field, and let her have the fresh contents of the chest. These were full of moisture that she needs, as I never see her drink water. At least not in the winter I don't.

It was a pretty morning! And what we caught now really wasn't fit for pictures! So, I just took a closeup of my bird, after her morning feast. The scale later revealed she had over 7 ounces of food, which is a lot for a 3 lb bird. That's about 1/6th her weight. She's doing well!

And despite so many other things . . . . so am I.