Hawking New Mexico ~ BUST!!!!
The main purpose, or focus, of my trip to New Mexico was that I wanted to show my hawk jackrabbits before I let her go. I realized that the likelihood of my success on them was slim, but I wanted to try. Sharon was the perfect hawking host, taking us to the best fields, and on our final day setting up the most perfect possibilities for success. However, Nina was hesitant to engage.
We hawked all three of the days that I was in Albuquerque. On Tuesday Sharon had to work, but had a two hour lunch, so came home and we went out with her newest bird, a Harris Hawk that she has named Oscar. I've not had much exposure to these parabuteos, but I think this will be the next hawk I aim to get once my life has settled down, and if I settle someplace where it is warmer. This little guy is recent acquisition, and she's not sure yet if she'll keep him. He is missing his two middle talons due to frostbite, an injury acquired with his former owner. Because of this capturing prey can be difficult for him. She has yet to catch anything with him, but he also came to her only recently, and the season is pretty much over in New Mexico. He makes lots of weird growly noises. His flights are pretty, and a delight to see as we moved through the desert brush.
Nina suffered from environmental disassociation. She just did not understand what happened to the snow, and all the trees. It wasn't until the third day that she really got serious about trying for game. On the first day of our arrival, she just took a perch on nearby houses, and looked around. On the second day, right out of the box, she did dive at the bushes where we spooked a couple of jacks, but then landed on the ground and did not chase. I was able to convince her to take a perch on a powerpole, and from here she did make an attempt at most likely a cottontail, but she raked away at the last moment. I think she did not know what to think about the dry crunchy prickly vegetation. I tried flying her off the fist, but have never done this kind of hawking. She would take off, fly a short distance, then just land on the ground, looking around. On the second day she tried to land on a building, instead going for an awning, and then sliding down the edge. She then hung there like a giant moth. Silly bird! I did a pretty good job of freaking her out.
By day three Sharon presented her with the best possible chance for jacks. She was a heck of a lot more focused, and seems to have adapted to the area. She took a good perch on top of a building, and followed us from rooftop to rooftop as we worked the area. Several cottontails were flushed, and she tried for them. One in particular went through a fence into a parking lot, and actually I'm glad she didn't catch that one, for there was no way into the parking lot except around front, and that would have made for a very long walk around. When calling her back from that slip she flew THROUGH the fence, hitting her wings on the bars. I don't know what she was thinking! But I'm glad she did not hurt herself.
There was one lonely tree in this final field. Eventually Nina took that perch. Sharon and I then worked our way down the end of the field, and slowly herded the jacks in the field her direction. It was a perfect setup. About five jacks meandered under her tree. She did try and bounce off one of them . . . . but I think she decided these turbo bunnies were just too large to tackle. After that opportunity, we worked down the other end of the field, and in the end, did manage to herd to final jacks, who ran (slowly) right under where she was perching. She did not go for them. So, I was given the opportunity to fly jacks. I was not successful!! I had already dropped her weight, but perhaps she could have been dropped a little lower. Or, maybe she could use more confidence to try for this game prospect. Either way . . . . I got the opportunity!
On Wednesday Sharon had the day off. After flying her bird in the AM, we drove up into the mountains that overlook Albuquerque. Darla has never seen or been up mountains this large. The view was beautiful!
It was a great few days away, visiting with friends, hawking, and generally being away from my routine. I didn't want to come home!
Myself, Sharon to my left, and Darla to her left. The dog is one of the four on the property.
We hawked all three of the days that I was in Albuquerque. On Tuesday Sharon had to work, but had a two hour lunch, so came home and we went out with her newest bird, a Harris Hawk that she has named Oscar. I've not had much exposure to these parabuteos, but I think this will be the next hawk I aim to get once my life has settled down, and if I settle someplace where it is warmer. This little guy is recent acquisition, and she's not sure yet if she'll keep him. He is missing his two middle talons due to frostbite, an injury acquired with his former owner. Because of this capturing prey can be difficult for him. She has yet to catch anything with him, but he also came to her only recently, and the season is pretty much over in New Mexico. He makes lots of weird growly noises. His flights are pretty, and a delight to see as we moved through the desert brush.
Nina suffered from environmental disassociation. She just did not understand what happened to the snow, and all the trees. It wasn't until the third day that she really got serious about trying for game. On the first day of our arrival, she just took a perch on nearby houses, and looked around. On the second day, right out of the box, she did dive at the bushes where we spooked a couple of jacks, but then landed on the ground and did not chase. I was able to convince her to take a perch on a powerpole, and from here she did make an attempt at most likely a cottontail, but she raked away at the last moment. I think she did not know what to think about the dry crunchy prickly vegetation. I tried flying her off the fist, but have never done this kind of hawking. She would take off, fly a short distance, then just land on the ground, looking around. On the second day she tried to land on a building, instead going for an awning, and then sliding down the edge. She then hung there like a giant moth. Silly bird! I did a pretty good job of freaking her out.
By day three Sharon presented her with the best possible chance for jacks. She was a heck of a lot more focused, and seems to have adapted to the area. She took a good perch on top of a building, and followed us from rooftop to rooftop as we worked the area. Several cottontails were flushed, and she tried for them. One in particular went through a fence into a parking lot, and actually I'm glad she didn't catch that one, for there was no way into the parking lot except around front, and that would have made for a very long walk around. When calling her back from that slip she flew THROUGH the fence, hitting her wings on the bars. I don't know what she was thinking! But I'm glad she did not hurt herself.
There was one lonely tree in this final field. Eventually Nina took that perch. Sharon and I then worked our way down the end of the field, and slowly herded the jacks in the field her direction. It was a perfect setup. About five jacks meandered under her tree. She did try and bounce off one of them . . . . but I think she decided these turbo bunnies were just too large to tackle. After that opportunity, we worked down the other end of the field, and in the end, did manage to herd to final jacks, who ran (slowly) right under where she was perching. She did not go for them. So, I was given the opportunity to fly jacks. I was not successful!! I had already dropped her weight, but perhaps she could have been dropped a little lower. Or, maybe she could use more confidence to try for this game prospect. Either way . . . . I got the opportunity!
On Wednesday Sharon had the day off. After flying her bird in the AM, we drove up into the mountains that overlook Albuquerque. Darla has never seen or been up mountains this large. The view was beautiful!
It was a great few days away, visiting with friends, hawking, and generally being away from my routine. I didn't want to come home!
Myself, Sharon to my left, and Darla to her left. The dog is one of the four on the property.My Friends!
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