Here We Go

Falcon #1 is inside so I guess falconry has offically started for 2009-2010, eventhough he is not anywhere close to being fully molted. He is only about 70 grams over last years flying weight so it will not be long before he is in the air.

Oklahoma Reg Update

Things continue to progress. Earlier this week Rod Smith submitted the new Oklahoma laws and regs, a new falconer data base, and a new falconry exam to George Allen of USFWS. Following George's review, the director of ODWC will submit a formal letter to USFWS requesting adoption of the new falconry regs. This should all be completed by September 1st, 2009. That will keep us on track to have new regs in place for January 1st, 2010!

USFWS has still not published the final rule regarding migrant peregrine take in Oklahoma. There a couple other states that are on board for a take in 2010. Hopefully, by then the take will be relaxed to a 5% limit.

No News & Moving On

After all the tests, still nothing was conclusive as to why the Cooper's Hawk died. I guess it wasn't meant to be this year. I did go back to the nest and saw that the other 5 birds did fledge, so I highly doubt it was genetic. Mistakes happen and you learn from them, but in this case I don't know of any mistakes made and therefore no good came from it, which makes it all the more disappointing. So we move on.

Both falcons are moulting slowly this summer, but I'll probably pull the Hybrid the last week of July and bring him inside, out of the heat, and get him flying by mid August. I usually wait till mid September to start, but I only flew this bird for a few weeks at the end of last year so an early start should be beneficial to us both. I'll probably hold off on the Gyrkin until he is fully molted.

Nothing too exciting, except that my apprentice has gotten his permits and we are counting down to the opening of the trapping season.