Tag Archives: Cedar

Falconry Season for 2013 Comes to an End

The End of The Fourth Falconry Season

The end of the falconry season is always a bittersweet realization with Red-Tail Hawks. I’ve learned to enjoy the Winter Hunting in the cool days with a light coat of snow. Watching the flight of the Red-Tail through the dusky-brown branches brings out the enjoyment each time I’m a witness. Surely, there is no joy hunting in the freezing cold with the wind blowing a 5 degree wind-chill. Even *I* don’t hunt that well in the cold. The winter season provides a beautiful backdrop to some of the most challenging trials of life and it is with great appreciation that I am thankful to share this experience with my Red-Tail Hawk, Cedar, in the wintry landscape that the winter provides. So it is with a bittersweet feeling that we conclude another hunting season in the land called “Michigan.”

There are some wonderful things to look forward to: the warming weather, the wonder of the moult, and the new life that spring brings with it each turn of the year. I enjoy those cool, spring morning walks through the forest with the opportunity to watch the forest for the trees. The green carpet of life comes to surface of the forest floor and blooms with the warmth that spring provides. I enjoy these walks without the focus on the Hawk and hunting for falconry to take the time to appreciate the wonder of the change of seasons. Watching the emergence of life during the warming days of spring is a wonder to behold, but only in the Pure Michigan manner that our climate can provide. Michigan is privelidged to have a defined season for spring where the plants and the animals awaken once again from the cold blanket that winter provided.

As with most things in life, there is something to be said for moderation, and now with the conclusion of this hunting season, it is time to turn my attention to the yard, house maintenance, and other fun family activities. Even more so, I am extremely curious about how Cedar will moult her feathers and turn herself into a wondrous, beautiful Adult Red-Tailed Hawk that I know she will be. Good Hunting, enjoy the moult, have fun in the summer, and appreciate each season for what it is. By the end of the summer, we’ll all be anxious to get back out into the field for the falconry experience with our Red-Tails once again.

-Cheers!

 

Training Complete

Training Complete

It took Cedar 15 days of manning and training to achieve first free flight and catch her first rabbit.  To say I’m excited about this would be an understatement. This is a wonderful start to what looks like it could be a great falconry season with a fantastic Red-Tailed Hawk.  It’s hard to say just where training ends and hunting begins for these raptors, but I’m quite pleased with today’s progress in the field.  The weather today was ideal  for Cedar’s first free flight;  light winds, cool temperatures, and a moderately cloudy /overcast sky.  Not only was she great at following along through the trees, she was very attentive to the hunting area,  and she was a successful hunter today.  Very exciting!  I’ll be sure not to get my hopes up too high, as each bird and each season can be different.  Each season, hawk, and adventures bringing their own set of challenges. I’m sure glad to be back enjoying the fall weather with a feathered friend in the hunting grounds. Stay tuned for more hunting updates, it’s going to be a heck of a ride!

Cedar’s Training Progress

Cedar’s Training

It’s been almost two weeks with Cedar and so far she is showing great promise during her training. She started out fairly high wieght, as nearly all newly trapped birds do, and has been manned down to training weight (around 850g) and continues to progress through the steps. The manning process took about two hours each day for the past week and we continue to spend time together to get used to one another.

Vitals:
Trap Weight: 1100g
Color: Dark Back, Medium-to-light Belly-Band, Light Colored Head Feathers
Feet: Large, dirty feet, a few mild scratches, talons sharp
Keel: Medium sharp
Crop: Full
Feathers: Good Shape, none missing
Attitude: Very Mild mannered, getting used to new falconer

So far, the most impressive feature about Cedar is her light colored feathers on her head and neck. She has a full white breast, with the distinctive immature belly band. Her breast feathers are very thick and it gives her the appearance of being larger than she actually is. The other thing that is amazing about this animal is her temperment. She is manning down very easily and allows all the handling and attention that new birds get without any issues. She sits on the glove very comfortably for long periods of time. She accepts a hood without any bating or issues. The other day, I was sizing hoods for her and she sat on the glove while I tried on 5 different hoods to get the proper size. She did not bate once. I’m truly excited about her personality and am excited for her training to progress into the hunting excercises.