BirdManMike
Well-known member
Feeling emo. Might delete later.
Two seasons ago, my falcon migrated. Our anatum peregrines spend their winter in Mexico and Central America. Sometimes, falconry birds, especially in their first season, get this urge and there is no stopping them. This season was particularly bad -- I know of 6 birds that left, mine included, with only 1 being recovered. She left near Harlowtown in the morning. I was able to miraculously pick up a signal on my telemetry near Big Timber later that evening, then after miles of trekking thru whoknowswhere had her buzz me and the live pigeon on a string I was swinging round. She wasnt having it, tho, and carried on, other things on her mind. The next morning, I could not get a signal anywhere and having no way to know where to look wished her well. I hope she made it to Mexico, then back that spring.
Last season, my tiercel had a really nice season. He turned into a dynamic, high flying bird, that would remount multiple times, even the 20-30mph winds that seemed to be neverending last winter. Then, late in the season, he died. He ate a bone without first breaking it up. It created a small perforation in his esophagus causing his crop to sour. He was dead within 24 hours, dying as I rushed to the vet in Billings that morning. He was the best peregrine I had flown in the past 5 seasons. The future felt so bright, then heartbreak.
One of the oldtimers - an ancient, even - said he has spent some time thinking about how to explain falconry. One of the ideas he came up with is heartbreaking. The highs are so awesome there has to be a price to pay for the balance. At times this price makes a person feel they don't want to make that deal again.
Ive felt it, never in the 10 years Ive been doing this more than the past 2 seasons, last year especially.
Hope dies last. This is how I would explain falconry. What happened today doesnt matter, tomorrow is a new day.
Two seasons ago, my falcon migrated. Our anatum peregrines spend their winter in Mexico and Central America. Sometimes, falconry birds, especially in their first season, get this urge and there is no stopping them. This season was particularly bad -- I know of 6 birds that left, mine included, with only 1 being recovered. She left near Harlowtown in the morning. I was able to miraculously pick up a signal on my telemetry near Big Timber later that evening, then after miles of trekking thru whoknowswhere had her buzz me and the live pigeon on a string I was swinging round. She wasnt having it, tho, and carried on, other things on her mind. The next morning, I could not get a signal anywhere and having no way to know where to look wished her well. I hope she made it to Mexico, then back that spring.
Last season, my tiercel had a really nice season. He turned into a dynamic, high flying bird, that would remount multiple times, even the 20-30mph winds that seemed to be neverending last winter. Then, late in the season, he died. He ate a bone without first breaking it up. It created a small perforation in his esophagus causing his crop to sour. He was dead within 24 hours, dying as I rushed to the vet in Billings that morning. He was the best peregrine I had flown in the past 5 seasons. The future felt so bright, then heartbreak.
One of the oldtimers - an ancient, even - said he has spent some time thinking about how to explain falconry. One of the ideas he came up with is heartbreaking. The highs are so awesome there has to be a price to pay for the balance. At times this price makes a person feel they don't want to make that deal again.
Ive felt it, never in the 10 years Ive been doing this more than the past 2 seasons, last year especially.
Hope dies last. This is how I would explain falconry. What happened today doesnt matter, tomorrow is a new day.
