Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 13, 2007 21:08:55 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well getting ready for our big annual fund raiser so all the Raptor Center folks are getting in tons of hours preparing birds for their duties as birdie ambassadors. I spent his afternoon training some birds and working with a new volunteer handler. Great fun but looking at these pics, damn I'm old and fat now *L*. At least the birds are pretty! Anyway, a few pics: Me and our new handler trainee. I've got "Jack" the male Peregrine Falcon ( called a tercel) and Nala has "Lucky", a little young male Red Shouldered Hawk that she rescued from a friggin street person who stole him from a nest and was selling him in a city park, probably for drug money. Jeez, some people! Closer shot of Nala and Lucky: Me and Jack. He's turning out to be a real sweet bird and actually came to my hand this afternoon. He is a little chatty though. Loves to hear himself talk! OK, here's one you don't see much. This is "Noweena", a female Tundra Peregrine Falcon ( the largest subspecies we see) and I don't know if you can tell it but she is a monster, close to 1200 grams which is large female Red-Tailed Hawk sized and she is one mean bee--atch. We may try to rehab her and release her into the wild if she'll kill on her own, cause she don't like human folks much at all.
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WyckedWyre
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2007
Posts: 1,391
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Post by WyckedWyre on Sept 13, 2007 21:31:40 GMT -5
Mel, what's the spray bottle for?
::)S
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Sept 13, 2007 22:15:56 GMT -5
How cool is that? Thanks for showing us these birds. feel free to post more pictures, I like looking at them alot.
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Post by Lady B on Sept 13, 2007 22:25:04 GMT -5
These pix are breath-taking. I have always admired Raptor Rescue workers...the birds are so magestic. I love the talons on Noweena! What a beauty she is! The Jack and Lucky are neat, too.
Have to agree with Earthdog--post more pix anytime!
Thanks for sharing these.
Lady B
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 13, 2007 22:25:41 GMT -5
Susan: Just giving Noweena a bath. They all love water, even the owls. Plus as the weather is hot now, is keeps them cool while they're being trained....Mel
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181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
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Post by 181lizard on Sept 13, 2007 22:36:52 GMT -5
That's really cool Mel!
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Post by joe on Sept 13, 2007 23:21:29 GMT -5
Awesome shots Mel. A guy was selling a bird in the park!!! Good grief...
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Sept 14, 2007 3:25:39 GMT -5
I have to agree, with the posts above. How amazing! I want to know more, if that's OK? I have red-TAILED hawks here, and we do enjoy watching them. During corn harvest, you can count many of them, along with other hawk subspecies, soaring above the combines.
A Tundra Peregrine Falcon, that's pretty unusual/amazing, correct? It's not even in my book.
We have IDed the Peregrine, here in SW NE, briefly. That was so fun! And so unusual; it has not been back, to my knowlege. We did have several different people ID it, since it was so odd. Thanks so much for all the info and pictures!
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firewalker45
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 929
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Post by firewalker45 on Sept 14, 2007 8:25:26 GMT -5
Beautiful pics and Majestic birds! A special thanks to people like you and Nala! Daniel
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Sept 14, 2007 8:38:16 GMT -5
Very neat! There is a fantasy/sci fi author, Mercedes Lackey, who uses hawks or falcons in her books, and she is careful to say that it takes a lot of training to handle one, that they are not casual house pets.
It must be amazing to work with them. But be careful!
Amy
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Post by akansan on Sept 14, 2007 9:14:43 GMT -5
Karen - I used to love watching for the Red-Tailed hawks on the fence posts and phone poles driving through Kansas. Such beautiful birds!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 14, 2007 9:30:34 GMT -5
Karen: Tundras may come through here on migration ( not usual for here though, we get mainly the smaller kind) but this one was abandoned by a falconer. It may not be in your book because it's probably a race more than a subspecies and therefore would not be split out in all books. If you want to know more about who we are and what we do, check out our website at www.ojairaptorcenter.org. Lots of cool links to raptor cameras etc too. Amy: That author is correct. Most birds of prey are not social and do not bond with their handlers. It is a very time consuming process to make them tolerate handling. In addition, we do not hood our birds so the training is especially difficult. Falconers of course, do keep theirs hooded when on the hand so they are much less prone to misbehavior and handling unhooded birds is much more dangerous for the handler. Not an occupation for the faint of heart but so very rewarding it's all worth while....Mel
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Post by Tonyterner on Sept 14, 2007 11:12:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics of the beautiful birds Mel. We have a place not to far from our home called Hawk Mountain. Its not a mountain but more of an outcropping in the Appilachain chain. Its one mountain wide here so the birds get really concentrated. Each spring and especially the fall they get 1000's of raptors migrating through. Broad Wing and other common hawks usually number around 6,000 to 8,000 over the migration period. They also get a large variety of raptors for our area, over 20 species. I've seen most of them but am still waiting to see a Golden Eagle. Here's a link if anyone is interested. [ftp]http://www.hawkmountain.org/index.php?pr=Internships[/ftp]
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 14, 2007 11:38:30 GMT -5
you guys get a the the nice colorful rocks - now the nice birds - here in Canada we get ugly turkey vultures (fly right by my 12th floor work window - had them mating above our heads last year - but they sure are butt-ugly)
Nice shots
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Post by krazydiamond on Sept 14, 2007 15:05:15 GMT -5
i love raptors, my vote is in for MORE PICS!
(geez, Mel has some of the best rocks AND some of the best birds........some guys have all the luck!)
KD
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stonesnbones
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2007
Posts: 255
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Post by stonesnbones on Sept 14, 2007 15:52:01 GMT -5
Mel,indeed wonderful birds.I like the kind that go "here kitty kitty"!I am a bird person,no cat no dog,just birds.Are you aware that a cap full of Listerine in your spray bottle is benificial to the bird?
Brad
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 14, 2007 16:04:18 GMT -5
Brad: What is the purpose of the Listerine? If it improves breath that would be great because falcons have bad breath that could knock over an elephant at fifty yards. *L*.....Mel
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stonesnbones
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2007
Posts: 255
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Post by stonesnbones on Sept 14, 2007 16:35:00 GMT -5
Mel,it has to be listerine not a mouthwash.
Listerine is good for 3 reasons.First it acts as a antibacterial agent.second,I will put the bottle on a stream spray,and spray it in thier mouth to break any bird I am training not to bite.Last it helps release the dander from the feathers makes thier feathers gleam
You will want to set the bottle to mist and naturally avoid getting it in the eyes.I have used this on my birds for 25 years.My crazy Cockatoo likes the taste and will try to get me to spray it in her mouth.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 14, 2007 18:06:54 GMT -5
That's very interesting Brad. I'd be hesitant to use that on birds of prey though as, since they are not social, building a bond of trust is very difficult and very important and we always try to avoid associating any stimulus with a trainer that might be seen as a negative from the birds viewpoint. If they found it the least bit unpleasant it could destroy trust creating a wary bird and set back training a long time. It's a given that those that bite or foot will do so and gaining the birds confidence that being handled will not be unpleasant for them is more important than whatever unpleasantness may occur when the bird tries to hurt the handler *S* After all, unlike a parrot that hurts you because it's being vindictive, to a raptor its a fight type fear response and is just them trying to protect themselves against human contact they neither want nor desire. We're parrot folks too though we're down to a single cockatoo now, and there is a difference. Hookbills try to bite just because they're consciously being little a-holes!....Mel
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stonesnbones
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2007
Posts: 255
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Post by stonesnbones on Sept 14, 2007 19:37:37 GMT -5
Mel,I can understand what your saying about the bond with a raptor being precarious.You had me rolling with laughter at your statement:
Hookbills try to bite just because they're consciously being little a-holes!
Lordy they do.I have an umbrella cockatoo,Carnival Macaw,ringneck parakeet and a Nanday.Soon to have an African Grey,I am traching a local lady how to breed and raise a clutch in exchange for one.
Brad
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