May 26, 2010

Our first real test, the 14 were basketed and taken to nearby Clear Creek Elementary School.

Released them in the front parking lot at 2:20.
Drove home, which is a lot further than the .6 miles the birds will need to cover, and no birds!

Fed and got out the whistle. After a few minutes a single bird showed up, and quickly trapped.
2 more showed up within 10 minutes of release, and sat on the shed nearby.

2 more at 15 minutes out, who trapped immediately, then another 2 at 20 minutes out.
So half of them in 20 minutes.

At 25 minutes out, the first 7 have trapped. And oooh, large hawk just flew over... I guess the others are waiting til he disappears.

Now it's 2:53, 33 minutes since release, bird #8 just showed up, and is sitting in the pine tree.

Right at 3pm, 4 more birds showed up. 2 trapped immediately, 2 landed on the garage roof, then flew to the loft roof and trapped. Not as much sitting around this time, they all seem in a lot more of a hurry to trap than on past flights.

A single bird showed up at 3:10, and then the hawk made another pass by.
This bird is MUCH larger than the Cooper's hawk who got one of my birds earlier.
I'll try to take a picture, but do not think I have the zoom necessary to identify it.

Still waiting on one bird to show up unless one snuck by me. I'll check the loft and count feet and divide by 2 shortly.

EDIT: Last bird showed up about an hour late.

We definitely need more practice at this distance! But tomorrow is loft flying.