Joan Marie
11-14-2011, 04:51 PM
...old to a lot of other things. I raised 4 sons and a daughter, worked a few ranches back home in Colorado, was in law enforcement for awhile there. I started as dispatch/detention but was later made victim advocate coordinator of the first response unit. Later I was appointed to go to the academy where I graduated valedictorian *golf clap*. Truth is there was only 4 of us, 3 of us were over 65 and the guy that taught me to shoot was pistol partner to the current national champ and taught this ol housewife from the bottom up. It was a reserve academy. (:
How did I become interested in falconry? Parrots I guess. Daughter tossed me a nanday conure that got noisy because she worked. I remember he intimidated me what-with his black head and that vise grip on his face. But there was magic in those intelligent eyes. The first night as I undressed in front of him I got the hebejebees at his intense stare and decided to flap my floor length turquoise gown vigorously at him and announce that I was the biggest prettiest bird in the jungle. He made me a nest next spring.
I made him work. His intelligence amazed me. He learned so quickly. I tricked him out. Something about the way he responded.... I started reading. I picked up an Amazon. Someone gave me a lorikeet...I kept reading. I kept understanding and the birds and I did the dance, you know, that thing I'm convinced we share.
I'd been watching a pair of hawks for 3 years. I live in the city by tracks. Someone gave away an amazing piece of artwork on craigslist: a two foot high carved bating hawk on a log. I watched it for 2 years. It sits in the center of the house.
Someone threw me a rock dove fledgling this spring. I raised it. A hawk, a female red tail juvie I'm convinced now, banged the cage in August. I was 4 ft away. I read Falcon Fever. I did my homework on dogs and my area. One poster on a British site made the comment that he had hawked for decades only recently with dogs and he has since questioned his sanity for not dogging before. Ya. I'm 55. I get it. Picked up a Feist pup. Put a falcon bell around the pet duck's neck (watching that!) hoping to create that good bridge in good time...
So here I am making contact with you amazing people. I'm studying. I'll be networking this winter. I'm excited and intimidated all at once. I want to do my part to ensure that these birds are cared for yes, but more and more I see the immediacy of having discretion when speaking about falconry to anyone. This is a noble thing.
To all sponsors, answer me this:
What has been your pet peeve with apprentices?
Meanwhile I lurk, I lurk!
Stay safe!
How did I become interested in falconry? Parrots I guess. Daughter tossed me a nanday conure that got noisy because she worked. I remember he intimidated me what-with his black head and that vise grip on his face. But there was magic in those intelligent eyes. The first night as I undressed in front of him I got the hebejebees at his intense stare and decided to flap my floor length turquoise gown vigorously at him and announce that I was the biggest prettiest bird in the jungle. He made me a nest next spring.
I made him work. His intelligence amazed me. He learned so quickly. I tricked him out. Something about the way he responded.... I started reading. I picked up an Amazon. Someone gave me a lorikeet...I kept reading. I kept understanding and the birds and I did the dance, you know, that thing I'm convinced we share.
I'd been watching a pair of hawks for 3 years. I live in the city by tracks. Someone gave away an amazing piece of artwork on craigslist: a two foot high carved bating hawk on a log. I watched it for 2 years. It sits in the center of the house.
Someone threw me a rock dove fledgling this spring. I raised it. A hawk, a female red tail juvie I'm convinced now, banged the cage in August. I was 4 ft away. I read Falcon Fever. I did my homework on dogs and my area. One poster on a British site made the comment that he had hawked for decades only recently with dogs and he has since questioned his sanity for not dogging before. Ya. I'm 55. I get it. Picked up a Feist pup. Put a falcon bell around the pet duck's neck (watching that!) hoping to create that good bridge in good time...
So here I am making contact with you amazing people. I'm studying. I'll be networking this winter. I'm excited and intimidated all at once. I want to do my part to ensure that these birds are cared for yes, but more and more I see the immediacy of having discretion when speaking about falconry to anyone. This is a noble thing.
To all sponsors, answer me this:
What has been your pet peeve with apprentices?
Meanwhile I lurk, I lurk!
Stay safe!