First FRT Esmé

[bellerophon]

And the journey begins...

After an unsuccessful Friday afternoon trapping experience in southern Maryland (~4 hours and no sign of a hawk) I decided to head out on my own once again and try my luck further north near Thurmont. Things certainly looked better as I was quickly counting up the hawks on the way there. Most were safely nestled well out of range within the confines of private property but their were still plenty to try for. The most impressive sized hawk bumped before I could even close 150 yards on foot; alighted in a bare tree almost out of sight and got comfy. Un-discouraged I drove on another few miles. Without even looking a RT buzzed across my windshield and dove down into the median strip. I quickly spun the car around and doubled back on a parallel access road. Gently dropped the trap in the general area I saw the RT cross the road and pulled just over the hill to turn around. As I looked back I saw "her" hitting the trap. I gave her a few minutes to introduce herself to Mittens (the kids named the mouse) and pulled up as soon as I saw her trying to drag the trap. Caught on five nooses, one around each tarsus and three on the toes. She was all piss and vinegar and conveyed her general dislike of the experience with a bite on the thumb. Fair enough.

Welcome Esmé...bear with me...

40.25 oz

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4980721536_f022f85e7b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980721536/)
Esme's trapping location (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980721536/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4980115323_15ece2ed30.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980115323/)
Esmé on trap (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980115323/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4980785500_d24ae91eeb.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980785500/)
Esmé in hand (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980785500/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr



http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4980115847_dbf4466e3b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980115847/)
Esmé Red-tailed Hawk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980115847/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4980723022_2b7b097729.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980723022/)
Esmé Red-tailed Hawk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980723022/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4980116455_174f5f0eb1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980116455/)
Esmé Red-tailed Hawk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980116455/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4980116709_d8065d5da4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980116709/)
Esmé Red-tailed Hawk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4980116709/) by leeinhisroom (http://www.flickr.com/people/leeinhisroom/), on Flickr

[Saluqi]

Congratulations! You'll do well.

[EricADugan]

Nice bird! She is a monster compared to the RT I flew. Best of luck. What do you plan on flying her on?
Eric

[redhawksis]

Lee......Congrats on your first RT !

[Lowachi]

congratsthumbsupp

[GONEHAWKN]

You'll do well.

he better....;) good grasshoppa.......

[steveo_uk]

congratulations the fun starts now

[Meagan]

Congrats on your first bird! Keep the log up,she is beautiful!

[Chris L.]

HI Lee

Congrats man!!! She looks great. Keep the pics and the updates coming!

[IndianFalconer]

Nice RT Lee * ALL THE BEST * & have a great season !!!!

[Ken S.]

Nicely done! And only the 2nd day of trapping... I think you have some good luck. Now the real fun starts...

[ikcus]

Nothing like your first FRT. Keep us updated, and have fun!

[bellerophon]

Thanks all! I'm super excited to learn what she has to teach me.
Now that the initial "holy crap a bird" has worn off I realized the trap weight didn't account for the Abba. So the recalculated weight is 38.1 oz. Not the monster I was looking for but I dont want to discount her just yet.

[michaelberan]

I always notice the shiny new gloves in the "First Redtail Pics", I love new gloves, I even tried once to keep a "show" glove but it didn't last 6 months before looking like a falconry glove! Congrats on the new bird, your going to love her!

[FredFogg]

Thanks all! I'm super excited to learn what she has to teach me.
Now that the initial "holy crap a bird" has worn off I realized the trap weight didn't account for the Abba. So the recalculated weight is 38.1 oz. Not the monster I was looking for but I dont want to discount her just yet.

Congrats Lee! Nothing like that first bird! You might want to rethink calling it her and she, it might be a he at that weight. :eek: I trapped a bird a couple years ago, bulky, bulldog looking bird at 38.5 oz, hunted at 32.5-33 oz. He (Wordell) was one of the best red-tails I ever had! :D

[bellerophon]

Thanks, if he is a he, he will have to get used to being a she for the next year. lol

[FredFogg]

Thanks, if he is a he, he will have to get used to being a she for the next year. lol

Oops!

[FredFogg]

Thanks, if he is a he, he will have to get used to being a she for the next year. lol

Hmm, maybe you need to call it Ru Paul! :eek: :D

[bellerophon]

Not a whole lot to report, she's settling down but still not ready to eat off the fist. She has a lot to take in with two cats and two very curious boys literally running around her. I've gotten a few rouses and later in the night she alternated standing on one foot.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4984905895_5400b169ce.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4984905895/)http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4985506168_b9c25c75eb.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4985506168/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4984905519_6f1cb0246f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4984905519/)http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4984906449_51f8dd6279.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeinhisroom/4984906449/)

[Chesapeakehawk]

Congrats!!
I really like her equipment by the way.

[Red-tail71]

Congratulations again Lee! She looks even better in these pictures vs. the Blackberry. As has been the standard through this process you are again one step ahead lol! So that makes you Bill's grasshoppa! And my Guinea pig lol! Have fun man and I will talk to you soon.

[bellerophon]

Well Dave, get your butt moving lol She just ate off the fist tonight. Pretty much ripped the bottom half of a rabbit rear leg right out of my fingers and gulped it down. The plan was to keep her tearing for a while but its not like I could pull it off of her. She's earned it.

[Flight]

Diggin' the studded anklets man

[borderhawk]

Congratulations!! I would say it doesn't really matter if it's a he or a she as it sounds like a seriously gamey beast either way. Looking forward to seeing your head count in a few months! :D

[Dirthawking]

Awesome looking bird. Very nice anklets, but it looks like you need to turn the jesses around and put them through the grommets the other way.

[Red-tail71]

CONGRATULATIONS! Now it will click! You are no longer the enemy. As far as trapping my first bird, I know, I know lol! It's not for lack of effort. Logged over 900 miles the last four days. I have seen 14 birds total and tossed the trap 4 times. No luck yet, but I have a grand plan for this weekend. If nothing else I am headed west young man!! Have a great day and I will talk to you soon. Take care!

[bellerophon]

Awesome looking bird. Very nice anklets, but it looks like you need to turn the jesses around and put them through the grommets the other way.

Thanks, the anklets are a tad big so I think I'll make up a tighter set. It looks like the fed bad could slip down into the anklet if I'm not paying attention later on.


CONGRATULATIONS! Now it will click! You are no longer the enemy. As far as trapping my first bird, I know, I know lol! It's not for lack of effort. Logged over 900 miles the last four days. I have seen 14 birds total and tossed the trap 4 times. No luck yet, but I have a grand plan for this weekend. If nothing else I am headed west young man!! Have a great day and I will talk to you soon. Take care!

Keep at it dude. If you need help this weekend let me know and I'll come up there with you for a day. I'm kinda bummed my trapping is over already for the year.

[Saluqi]

Awesome looking bird. Very nice anklets, but it looks like you need to turn the jesses around and put them through the grommets the other way.

Hey Mario,
I prefer the button of the jess to be on the inside like Lee has it. I don't think there is a wrong way to thread jesses as long as you're consistent.

[FredFogg]

Thanks, if he is a he, he will have to get used to being a she for the next year. lol

Lee, get Jack on here to look at your bird, he can tell what sex a red-tail is sitting on a telephone pole so I am sure he can tell you what sex your bird is by the picture. He said he is correct 100% of the time!

[Chad L.]

I think you should change the anklets out and change the way you threaded the jess'. Not because i think there is anything wrong with them i just think it will be a great way for you to meet the buisness end of your new hunting partner. Be sure to have someone with a camera near by to catch the action. And just to let you know all REAL falconers do this minus wearing gloves.toungeout

All kidding aside it looks like your knee deep in it now so have fun.

[forestfalcon]

I think you should change the anklets out and change the way you threaded the jess'. Not because i think there is anything wrong with them i just think it will be a great way for you to meet the buisness end of your new hunting partner. Be sure to have someone with a camera near by to catch the action. And just to let you know all REAL falconers do this minus wearing gloves.toungeout

All kidding aside it looks like your knee deep in it now so have fun.

What are you talking about? My RT is nothing but sweetness when I do anything BARE HANDED at his feet. Just because your last RT had an ongoing contest with herself to see how many of her talons she could actually get COMPLETELY through your hand...doesn't mean they all are. toungeout



Gorgeous looking RT by the way. I really like the name. Twilight is a guilty pleasure of mine. (not sure if that's what you named her after, but I like it nonetheless.)

Good luck this season!

[hawkstir]

Never let them know how much it hurts when they grab you. LOL Spend lots of time playing with their feet in they'll leave your hands alone. And I'm with Fred, we need Jack to sex the bird, cheaper then a blood test.

[bellerophon]

I think you should change the anklets out and change the way you threaded the jess'. Not because i think there is anything wrong with them i just think it will be a great way for you to meet the buisness end of your new hunting partner. Be sure to have someone with a camera near by to catch the action. And just to let you know all REAL falconers do this minus wearing gloves.toungeout

All kidding aside it looks like your knee deep in it now so have fun.


Never let them know how much it hurts when they grab you. LOL Spend lots of time playing with their feet in they'll leave your hands alone. And I'm with Fred, we need Jack to sex the bird, cheaper then a blood test.

I swapped them around as I do like them hanging down toward the center more. I'm constantly moving her toes around with my free hand to untangle her and she's been a real doll about me messing around down there.

[lupine]

Congratulations!!! She's a beautiful bird. Isn't that "Holy SH*T! I HAVE A HAWK ON MY ARM!!!" feeling great? You may be "over it", but you'll never forget it!

Best wishes for a brilliant first season!

[bellerophon]

Well, its been a trial with this little girl but she's finally starting to show some progress. She fits a Tait 22 hood very well and is excepting it better than I would have thought. Usually it takes one or two tries but she settles down. There are still times when she's rather excited and doesn't want to take it but I cant really blame her for that.

Today she hopped the full length of the leash for the first time. Before now she would only eat off the fist sporadically. I've had to take her from 38oz trap weight to 32.75oz to get a really positive and consistent response. After about 5 eager hops I hooded her up and pulled out the creance. By this point she had already wolfed down just under an ounce of squirrel and really didn't see the need to pay attention to me with all the new freedom the creance was giving her. I'll take her down a tiny bit more and see how she does tomorrow.

What a feeling to have her full attention even just for a few minutes photoo

[ladyfalconer]

Lee, Nice lookin' bird. It was really nice meeting you at the VFA bash. You and Bill B. should come to one of our field meets this season.
Leahrtsqrl

[GONEHAWKN]

i plan on it;) if my work schedule allows it......Lee is doing a great job with his first bird. i cant wait to see him free flying her and chasing/catching game!

[bellerophon]

Thanks Leah, i had a great time. :D