May 3, 2010

So, I get home today, feeling better than I have in a week. The weather is gorgeous, skies are blue, no winds.

Figure, what the hey, I've been waiting for a day like this for my first loft release.

So I get my courage up, and open the front aviary door. The birds crowd the front of the aviary, but no one is brave enough to take the first step.

Finally, one pair of birds fly from the aviary to the ladder, and back to the top of the aviary. I'm wondering if others will follow, when the two take off!

And this is no short little wing stretch! The two fly around the house a few times, flying low over my roof, where I sit on the porch with daughter and husband watching.

Then they split, one heads west, one north towards a huge oak tree.

North bird flies at full speed straight for the tree, not slowing at all, then trying out those air brakes a bit too late. He flies THRU the tree branches, coming out the other side, and then around for another go. This happens several times, until he finally grabs a branch hard enough to make a stop.

West bird, circles, then disappears. I blow the whistle, nothing!

At this point, I'm getting worried! I head over to close the aviary and get the others behind the trap, but a second pair makes a break.

These do the same as the first pair, circling wide, then disappearing in separate directions. I'm getting frustrated!

I close the door, lock down the bob, and then put down food, whistling repeatedly to let all know dinner is served. One the others are thru the bob, I open the aviary door, and wait.

Several hours later, I'm still waiting. I do find one hawk enjoying a fine white meat dinner (see pic) and then find that one bird has somehow snuck back into the loft.

I whistle, whistle, whistle, one bird shows up out of nowhere, and takes turns sitting on the roof of hubby's shed, the roof of MY house, and the roof of the loft.

He occasionally tries to get to the landing board, but ends up on various parts of the aviary, confused.

We're still waiting for him to figure his way to the landing board, where I have food sprinkled.

One is still missing in action tonight. Will go do a final loft count in a bit.

So, what did I do wrong?

I know I should have had them a bit hungrier to fly, but the weather was so unexpectedly great, I felt I had better take advantage of it.

Anything else?

What type of hawk is my neighbor today?