My birdfriend's back and they're gonna be in trouble (Hey la, hey la, my birdfriend's back)

[BirdManMike]

Mark let me know yesterday that he put the falcon in with Roach yesterday morning, then checked on them later in the day. She hadnt killed him - which sometimes happens - and Roach was already 'chupping' at her, basically saying 'hey, babe, check ME out'.

So thats good. The little shit is likely to get lucky and Mark may get some new birds from the pair as soon as this year.

 

[bowhuntmontana]

Mark let me know yesterday that he put the falcon in with Roach yesterday morning, then checked on them later in the day. She hadnt killed him - which sometimes happens - and Roach was already 'chupping' at her, basically saying 'hey, babe, check ME out'.

So thats good. The little shit is likely to get lucky and Mark may get some new birds from the pair as soon as this year.

Reminds me of some bar scenes I've witnessed.

 

[Oak]

Mark let me know yesterday that he put the falcon in with Roach yesterday morning, then checked on them later in the day. She hadnt killed him - which sometimes happens - and Roach was already 'chupping' at her, basically saying 'hey, babe, check ME out'.

So thats good. The little shit is likely to get lucky and Mark may get some new birds from the pair as soon as this year.

Did anything come of this? Guess you don’t have a bird this season?

 

[BirdManMike]

Did anything come of this? Guess you don’t have a bird this season?

No. They made a scrape and courted quite heavily but didn’t copulate. They will produce this summer.

I was offered a female from Marks other pair. Was offered a free bird from another breeder, too. Turned them down. Captive falcons breed a month earlier than those in the wild so the first year with a fresh birds means the season starts in early July with the training necessities. I don’t enjoy losing a large part of my summer with the time commitment and inability to travel.

I did a bit of trapping in late August. Had I found a young peregrine or young prairie falcon I’d have flown a wild bird. But I didn’t really put much effort in and ultimately decided on skipping a season. I’ve thought about falconry almost every day, especially when out running Greta on birds which I did a few times/ week before the fields had too much snow, but it’s been a positive break overall after going hard the past 11 seasons.

I’ll be offered birds again this summer. Both Roach’s offspring and others, I’m sure. There isn’t much of a market for captive falcons any more as the old timers age out of the sport. I’ll turn them all down.

My plan is to trap a prairie falcon in late Sept/early October.

 

[BirdManMike]

Also, my wirehair griff, the beauty queen Ms Olive, that I’ve mentioned in these bird topics passed away in January. She would have been 13 in March. I miss her a lot - she was my best girl and was my falconry dog until a couple seasons ago when the arthritis really started and she couldn’t do it every day any more.