Feathers are poking through, he's standing up more now, and he is tearing up his own food. He barely fits in his box nest. Soon he'll be out on hack...
Monday, June 1, 2009
speedy growth
I thought I would give an example of just how fast this little bird is growing.
This picture was taken May 26
And here is today's pic just 5 days later.
Feathers are poking through, he's standing up more now, and he is tearing up his own food. He barely fits in his box nest. Soon he'll be out on hack...
Feathers are poking through, he's standing up more now, and he is tearing up his own food. He barely fits in his box nest. Soon he'll be out on hack...
Monday, May 25, 2009
Here's How it Went Down
Day 1
Last week my buddy, Daniel, and I met up in Tulsa to scout some Cooper's Hawk nests. There were four nests that we quickly found with the help another falconer and all four nests had mother Coops sitting tightly on them suggesting that they were still on eggs. At this point I was still on the fence as to whether or not I was going to try a imprint Coops, and because all of these birds were on eggs I did not have a decision to make.
Day 2
I had just left my house and made a right onto the highway heading down to Tulsa for a work meeting, when directly in front of me I see a male Cooper's Hawk burning by with a sparrow in it's talons heading straight for a stand of trees behind an old line dancing bar and in front of a housing addition. This was only 2 blocks from my house! I watched exactly where the bird went in and thought to myself, "I'm gonna have to check that out tomorrow."
Day 3
I get a text from Daniel around noon that his boss was letting him off early and he was coming up to Bartlesville to hang and talk falconry. Work for me was relatively slow as well, so I finished up what needed to be done and I suggested to Daniel that we go look for a nest where I saw the Coop the day before, knowing full well that there was a slim chance of finding the nest since the trees are fully leaved out.
We began our search with me following a small creek and Daniel was about 30 yards away slightly deeper in the woods. We had been there about 10 mins and I heard Daniel call my name as I was inspecting a beaver tree. Just as I turn my head, I see the shadow of a larger bird pass over Daniel. I told him to look up where I saw the shadow come from and here is what he saw...
Complete with the female standing the nest. Not in a brooding posture! We marked the spot and quickly went back to the car to get our climbing gear and to invite Kent to come along for added safety.
Upon Kent's arrival we hiked back to the nest, climbed the tree, set the slings for the safety rope, and took the first picture over the edge of the nest.
We hastily counted 5 babies (hastily because we counted 6 babies in another picture from a different angle) and determined that this was the perfect nest to pull from. So I climbed the tree again, this time to retrieve an eyas. I picked up the two smallest birds, they are the least likely to survive with so many brothers and sisters, and chose the one with smaller feet in hopes that it will be a male. I will be happy with either sex but if I had to choose I would prefer a male. We got the bird safely down, picked up our ropes and equipment, put moth balls around the tree, and got out of there. Curiously, the parents got out of dodge while we were climbing. Parents at the Cooper's Hawk nests that I have even gotten near in the past showed extremely aggressive behaviors when they had babies. Maybe this was just a passive pair or maybe they are young, whatever the reason the climb was much easier without being attacked.
Kent and I discussing the new member of the team.
Six birds in the nest!
Here we are all settled in at home. I fed him from the end of a stick for the first evening and he took to eating chopped up quail from a carcass on his own the very next day. So far so good. I cannot wait to see where this goes.
Last week my buddy, Daniel, and I met up in Tulsa to scout some Cooper's Hawk nests. There were four nests that we quickly found with the help another falconer and all four nests had mother Coops sitting tightly on them suggesting that they were still on eggs. At this point I was still on the fence as to whether or not I was going to try a imprint Coops, and because all of these birds were on eggs I did not have a decision to make.
Day 2
I had just left my house and made a right onto the highway heading down to Tulsa for a work meeting, when directly in front of me I see a male Cooper's Hawk burning by with a sparrow in it's talons heading straight for a stand of trees behind an old line dancing bar and in front of a housing addition. This was only 2 blocks from my house! I watched exactly where the bird went in and thought to myself, "I'm gonna have to check that out tomorrow."
Day 3
I get a text from Daniel around noon that his boss was letting him off early and he was coming up to Bartlesville to hang and talk falconry. Work for me was relatively slow as well, so I finished up what needed to be done and I suggested to Daniel that we go look for a nest where I saw the Coop the day before, knowing full well that there was a slim chance of finding the nest since the trees are fully leaved out.
We began our search with me following a small creek and Daniel was about 30 yards away slightly deeper in the woods. We had been there about 10 mins and I heard Daniel call my name as I was inspecting a beaver tree. Just as I turn my head, I see the shadow of a larger bird pass over Daniel. I told him to look up where I saw the shadow come from and here is what he saw...
Complete with the female standing the nest. Not in a brooding posture! We marked the spot and quickly went back to the car to get our climbing gear and to invite Kent to come along for added safety.
Upon Kent's arrival we hiked back to the nest, climbed the tree, set the slings for the safety rope, and took the first picture over the edge of the nest.
We hastily counted 5 babies (hastily because we counted 6 babies in another picture from a different angle) and determined that this was the perfect nest to pull from. So I climbed the tree again, this time to retrieve an eyas. I picked up the two smallest birds, they are the least likely to survive with so many brothers and sisters, and chose the one with smaller feet in hopes that it will be a male. I will be happy with either sex but if I had to choose I would prefer a male. We got the bird safely down, picked up our ropes and equipment, put moth balls around the tree, and got out of there. Curiously, the parents got out of dodge while we were climbing. Parents at the Cooper's Hawk nests that I have even gotten near in the past showed extremely aggressive behaviors when they had babies. Maybe this was just a passive pair or maybe they are young, whatever the reason the climb was much easier without being attacked.
Here we are all settled in at home. I fed him from the end of a stick for the first evening and he took to eating chopped up quail from a carcass on his own the very next day. So far so good. I cannot wait to see where this goes.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Whats Next!?
I have a new apprentice who will be flying a kestrel this fall and I decided that I wanted a bird to go car hawking with, as well as, something that could possibly take a quail or two over my year old pointer. So here is it......
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More to come.....
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Governor Henry signed the falconry bill into law yesterday afternoon. This bill includes the elimination of the non-resident falconry license and the elimination of the import/export permit for non-residents. This is good news for non-resisdent falconers who want to hunt in Oklahoma and good for Okie falconers in that it is much easier for us to have the NAFA meet in our state.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Roundin' out the Season
I have had my birds put up for the molt for around a month now, but I've still been getting out in the field every now and again with others still flying their Harris' Hawk and Redtails. I don't have the bug these days to fly my own broadwings but it is still fun to get out and see what others have done. I put together some footage of Kent Carbaugh's and Jonathan Coleman's hawks doing what they do best.
Friday, March 27, 2009
more new reg info
The falconry bill passed the senate this morning(3-25-09). It is now off to the governor's desk for signing. Once signed it will be law in 10 days.
There are also a couple of bills moving along that deal with trespassing. SB 1735 authored by Sen. Sparks of Norman. Rep. Sears has an identical bill that has passed the house. The wording is identical in the 2 bills. The penalties for trespassing increase greatly. In fact, a second offense for trespassing on land used primarily for farming, ranching, or forrestry would require imprisonment for a minimum of 30 days. These bills also have wording that allows one to retrieve their livestock or any other animal from anothers land without seeking permission. The animal, bird dog or raptor in our case, must have inadvertantly strayed onto anothers land. If a landowner has previously informed you that you are not allowed on his/her land you may not retrieve your animal. You would still be liable for any damages you cause while retrieving your animal. The OFA board had discussed attempting to do something with regard to our trespassing laws. This bill should give hunters the ability to retrieve their animals without fear of arrest. Rep Sears feels this bill will pass in this session. Feel free to call or write your legislator to voice your opinion.
There are also a couple of bills moving along that deal with trespassing. SB 1735 authored by Sen. Sparks of Norman. Rep. Sears has an identical bill that has passed the house. The wording is identical in the 2 bills. The penalties for trespassing increase greatly. In fact, a second offense for trespassing on land used primarily for farming, ranching, or forrestry would require imprisonment for a minimum of 30 days. These bills also have wording that allows one to retrieve their livestock or any other animal from anothers land without seeking permission. The animal, bird dog or raptor in our case, must have inadvertantly strayed onto anothers land. If a landowner has previously informed you that you are not allowed on his/her land you may not retrieve your animal. You would still be liable for any damages you cause while retrieving your animal. The OFA board had discussed attempting to do something with regard to our trespassing laws. This bill should give hunters the ability to retrieve their animals without fear of arrest. Rep Sears feels this bill will pass in this session. Feel free to call or write your legislator to voice your opinion.
Monday, March 23, 2009
This just in....
The flyway council members recently met and developed a peregrine take plan. This was an unexpected and rapid development. Thirty-six birds may be trapped east of the 100th meridian(east of the Oklahoma panhandle). Each state requesting a take was granted one. Twelve birds were granted to the Central Flyway, 6 to the Mississippi, and 18 to the Atlantic. Two states in the Central requested a take, 2 in the Mississippi, and 5 or 6 in the Atlantic. Ten birds were granted to Texas and 2 birds to Oklahoma. The number of birds granted to each flyway, and then to each state within the flyway, was determined by the prevalence of birds within the flyway or state. ODWC will now determine how the 2 birds may be taken.
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