The Herons of La Crosse - Where Did They Go???

Well . . . . pop my little bubble!!

I was having a pretty good time hunting down the 35 herons, most of the 25 I had found so far all on my own, without any help from any lists. I took pictures of each, their GPS coordinates, and published them here.

I got an e-mail yesterday . . . . .

Seems members of the board at The Pump House want to keep a tight control of the marketing of this project. They don't want any pictures out on the web, except the ones they have approved. The letter tossed around the word "copyright" a few times, as if implying taking pictures of something that is out on the street for all to see and observe is illegal. I would argue that point on principle, but only to that level because I don't know any attorneys, and have no interest in a fight. I was doing exactly what they want people to do . . . . get out and walk around and find them all. The only difference is that I was documenting that quest in pictures in an open forum.

I guess I could launch into a diatribe about the nature of art, and how sometimes that which is created can take on a life all its own when interpreted into different media or a different medium. I could also get on a soapbox and complain that because I was not selling any of the images, nor had any interest in doing so, and was giving full credit to those who had done the original work, I had the freedom of speech to document the search, and was violating no copyright. However, I am not a crusader. I'm just a student trying to get by right now, finding interesting things to write and take pictures of, in the absence of a bird in my life to blog about. I've had my share over the last couple years of being told I was so wrong about everything. I also found coming to live in the city a bit stifling, what with having to put a shock collar on my dog to keep him from barking and disturbing the neighbors, parking the right way in front of my home, and having to explain the large raptor in the backyard . . . which surely must be breaking a law somewhere! (CLARIFICATION - I am a LICENSED falconer, and allowed to have the hawk, and proved that to Animal Control when they came calling. My point here was the nosey neighbors who figured I must be doing something wrong and reported me, even though I had already talked to them when I moved in, and told them I was licensed to have the hawk). I felt quite a thrill when I heard about this project, and was having fun bagging cranes (since I can't bag bunnies anymore).

I'll probably see it out through the end. I still have ten more to find, many of which I know the location, but several are still not out. I still intend to make a geocache event of it. That should surely meet the goals of those who created the project. The only way to complete the geocache is to actually go and see each one. But it's not as fun as having pictures to prove!

My overall impression was that I was helping out the project. A Google search would find my page. All those people I had told about it responded in a favorable manner, and indicated they would have to go find some of them. I've had positive feedback on my blog, and my visitor tally has jumped. I invite anyone who has been coming here to please feel free to express your thoughts direct to the Pump House. A Google search will find them easily enough. Be nice though! I'm not going to include any e-mail addresses. Again, I'm not trying to pick a fight.

But I do disagree!

The Herons of La Crosse - The Gathering

Many of the herons are still at the Pump House, waiting to be delivered to their summer locations. I'll individually go find each one once it is placed.

Fun Fun!!

The Herons of La Crosse

This will begin a rather large project I have tasked myself with. This summer the Pump House, a regional arts center, is sponsoring a community project to enlist the residents and visitors of La Crosse to enjoy and appreciate art. Thirty-five larger than life herons have been painstakingly decorated by regional artists and local community centers and will grace various locations in our city for the summer. At the end of the summer they will be auctioned. I'm assuming the proceeds will benefit the ongoing artistic endeavors of the Pump House.

Be sure to click the pictures for a close up view. It's worth it!
I stopped by today and was able to witness some of the final touches being administered to this most beautiful heron. Her name is Rose of Heron, and her artist is Judy Thelen.
By next week all the herons should be delivered to their summer homes. Today, I tracked down six of them, took their pictures and the GPS coordinates. I have set myself a goal to track them all down in the very near future, and post their pictures here, and create a geocache tour . . . that is unless someone else beats me to it.

What a wonderful project!!

Thank you to all the artists who participated and shared their eyes for art, their humor, their soul.

Final Pictures

Final Fly Off
Our Last Picture Together

Many thanks to Lenore Schroeder, the DNR Trails and Team Leader for Wildcat Mountain State Park. She took some wonderful pictures, and mailed them to me. Thank you Lenore! I particularly enjoy the final one of Nina flying away. I'm glad you caught that, and shared!

I called her down one last time for a meal on the lure.

Clipping off her Federal Marker. She no longer needs that.

Touching a Hawk! All people, but children especially can come to appreciate that which they can touch and see up close. Appreciating leads to loving. Loving leads to conserving them, and the wild places they need to live.

Music

The Eagle and the Hawk

A friend sent this song to me today, and a quick search of YouTube found a video. Sorry I can't seem to actually post the vidoe here, so you'll just have to follow the link.

Thank you Quiet Bird! It's a nice song, as I mourn a little letting my bird go. But she is free now!


The Eagle and the Hawk by John Denver

I am the eagle, I live in high country
in rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky.
I am the hawk, and there's blood on my feathers.
But time is still turning, they soon will be dry.
And all those who see me, and all who believe in me
share in the freedom I feel when I fly.

Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops.
Sail o'er the canyons and up to the stars.
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future
and all that we can be, and not what we are.

And So It Is Done . . .

Today, April 5, 2008, I released, returned my third hawk back to the wild.

I had planned to do this alone, but instead met a couple people to include the Ranger at the office of Wildcat Mountain State Park. There is an open field on top of the mountain by the office which was really the perfect setting I wanted to release Nina into. I took her out of the box, unhooded her and clipped off her Federal band. She promptly demonstrated what a casting looks like by bringing one up for observation. Oh yum! We walked into the field, and she did fly up to a tree. However, very shortly she came down for the final meal I offered her. That done, she hopped up to my fist one final time, then took off again, spread her wings, sailed around in a complete circle and flew into the coniferous tree line behind us, out of view. I walked back to the office with my little audience, then indicated I wanted to walk in the woods for a bit. A few minutes into that I heard all the resident crows putting up a fuss. Sure enough, I found Nina high in a tree getting harassed. But after a bit they flew off. I went back to the car to get my camera, but could not find her when I returned. So . . . she is gone. I took a picture of the overlooking valley. It was early, 9:30 or so. She has many hours until sunset to adapt to her first day of freedom since she was trapped in 2005.

All my hopes and best wishes go with her!

FLY FREE NINA!!

May you have a good life! Thank you for all the wonderful hunts, and for letting me be a part of your wild life!

Bling

Nina and I took a little road trip today. A quick one. We drove down to Prairie du Chien, crossed into Iowa, and met up with a man named Jon Stravers. Our meeting was to acquire some jewelry, some "bling" for Nina to wear the rest of her lifetime. I met Jon last year at an Audubon meeting. He conducts research on migratory birds, more specifically on red-shouldered hawks. At that time I got his contact information and asked if he would be willing to band Nina when it was time for me to release her. That is what we did today.

As you can see, the band is rather large, so it would not have been possible for her to wear it and her anklets and jesses. I took those off that leg to receive the band. I then took off the rest of her equipment for this picture. All that remains is her Federal marker, which will come off when I let her go.

I have this weekend off. It is to get into the 60s tomorrow. 50s on Sunday, with a possibility of rain. It is time! I've fed her up on almost all of the remaining meat I have left. Just a couple frozen bunny legs are left, and I'm sure I can find someone to give those to. She weighed in at 52 oz today. Thats 5 oz over hunt weight. Her keel is nice and fleshy. She'll get one last good feeding tomorrow as I'm letting her go. She's in her mews now cropping up on a leg.

The time comes for one more 'Goodbye'! I think I will go to Wildcat Mountain State Park. There are lots of woods there, with squirrels, and it is some distance from houses. I want her first couple nights out on her own to be away from people. That's as good a place as any. The warm day tomorrow should create thermals. It will be a good place and time to send her on her way.

She's been with me since the Fall of 2005. I've had to let go of a terrible number of things and people since that time. Sometimes, I still carry and mourn the wounds received over these last few years. At least this parting is mixed with some happiness. She's a good and strong hawk. She has hunted well. She has been telling me she wants to go. I am happy to give her this freedom. It is too late in the year to hope she could find a mate for this season. But spreading her wings and flying to some place new and setting up a territory is certainly something she can do. I hope to follow her in a year, when my own training is complete, to find some new 'territory' I can exclusively call my own, and to start a new life.

The hope is that the band will tell me her fate if she is ever trapped again, or later, upon her death. She is now permanently marked as Band #1207-85575. I hope if word ever does come, it is many years from now, and maybe many miles away. My best wishes will go with her!