Fierce Predator - and Beautiful!

Be sure to click on each of these pictures for a close-up.

I love this bird! Even though she drives me crazy sometimes! I'll miss her once I let her go, here in just a couple months. Here are some nice pictures to remember her by.

On Wednesday I had enough time between my morning classes and my evening classes to get Nina out for some exercise. This is about all we've been doing of late. Just tromping along in the snow (me) and flying from tree to tree (her). Game has been very hard to find. I called and invited Rich to join me for the outting, hoping maybe his luck would help us get to bunny #12, or squirrel #4. On short notice he was able to meet up with me, and we went driving out West Salem way. I did find a nice little patch that had rabbit sign. We got out and flew the area. We did bump a single bunny, but Nina was not placed well to take advantage of the situation, so missed. We followed where it went, but it had found someplace good to tuck in. After combing the area there was no more activity, so we packed up and moved on. We then just drove some of the back roads, not finding much. I decided, with time starting to get short, to stop at the Veteran's park yet again and try my luck. Here we did stir up a single squirrel who ran headlong mad-dash out into the thin branches and leap out of his tree, down to the ground (with hawk very close behind) and up another tree and into a hole. Dem tree rats can be very fast! The rest of the time was just tromping around and tapping trees. So Rich's lucky streak is broken, but at least we did have a couple slips for the bird to exercise by. He took a few nice pictures which I've posted here.

This weekend is the Wisconsin Falconry Meet in Sun Prairie. They got a lot of snow this last week. It is forcast to be blowing cold, as usual. I think of the last 5 years only once did we have a really nice day for the meet. Bring lots of layers!!!! I hope to get some pictures, and see my friends. Liz also had some tickets for a gardening expo there in Madison for the weekend. I think on Sunday, when it is to be only like 5 degrees, I'll go visit that . . . . and see some green!

Is Spring coming soon?