Trapping season opened here in CO on the 4th but today was the first day I was able to get out. It was a rough day (trapping wise) to be honest. We left at the break of dawn and while we were aiming for kestrels we figured we'd trap any juvie RT's we saw just for the fun of it.

We got into birds almost immediately, we found the kestrel jackpot! They were like sparrows crossing the road all over in front of us at one point. And I'm not exaggerating, we would see one on a telephone line, and then one would cross in front of us and then another would be on the fence post all within like 100 yards. I was amazed. We tried to get a set but they were pretty jumpy birds and when we did get the trap out nothing was hungry. We did get to watch one kestrel chase a sparrow pretty good, made me excited to get mine! We gradually drifted out of kestrel mecca without any success but I'll definitely be going back there!

We took a break for breakfast and then headed out again. In no time we spotted a juvie RT, out went the trap and down came the bird...And I thought RT's were supposed to be more difficult than kestrels!



We released her after the pics and she just flew to the next pole! Alas, this was the only bird we got all day. We threw the trap out for TONS of birds but it just wasn't our day. We did see tons of fun stuff though, antelope, deer, coyote, golden eagles, feruginous, praire falcons, swainsons, kestrels, RT's etc. Put about 300 miles on the car. Fun stuff.

Can't wait to get out and do it again soon! I'll post pics as I get them. Probably won't keep a bird until the middle of the month.