Falconer in NC

[Takasho]

I can't figure out how to get just the video but you can see it and read what the blog author thinks about it here: http://operationdeltaduck.com/blog/2009/02/can-i-stroke-your-buzzard/

Thoughts?

[Ken S.]

Honestly, I think she over-reacted to Fred's comment and it shows a little bit of insight into her personality. It's probably enough that it would keep me from buying any of her books. I had actually been thinking the same thing he posted. As much as I don't like seeing those types of videos, (and I probably don't see a need for the judge to bring his Red-tail to court...) I'm not calling him out in a blog and trying to make an example of him for his manning (or over-manning as it were). She has pictures holding her falcon up to her dogs face... hmmmmm... I wonder if that upsets the falcon (or the dog)? ;)

She asks,
"Why do so many falconers feel the need to pet their hawks?". I'm not in the habit of petting my hawk, but I don't like getting footed and I do make an effort to de-sensitize passage Red-tails to having their feet and legs touched.

She says,
"I simply don’t mess with a bird unless I have something positive to offer. I don’t watch television with a bird on my glove to get her “used” to me. I only work with her when she is interested in the food that I have or in coming with me to get out of the rain, etc."
Occasionally I bring my imprint inside to watch tv ... not because I think it likes to watch the UFC with me... I do it to increase the time we spend together that isn't food related which I think keeps her quiet and well adjusted to my dogs in close proximity. Maybe that's just an imprint accipiter thing... but it seems to be a technique used by many successful Falconers.

I guess her point is that we can all learn to pay more attention to our bird's body language, not a bad concept and one I can agree with.... too bad the point is over-shadowed a bit with the rest of her post.

I will consider adding my comments to her blog but they probably won't be well received.

[sevristh]

I added my thoughts, and I'm sure she won't like 'em. But then, I'm just hating on her because she's a female falconer...confuseddcrazyy

[Chris L.]

She has opened a can of worms ...




Chu Chu.. I see a train wreck coming!!!:eek:

[Saluqi]

A passage redtail is one thing, try that petting business with a passage accip, or falcon and see what joy that brings the bird.

[sevristh]

I don't think it brings a passage red-tail any joy. And I don't like the term 'petting' to describe what is, in effect, desensitizing the bird to human touch so that when a problem DOES arise, you can take care of it without your bird completely freaking out when you try to touch it.

That being said, I have exactly zero experience with accip's and falcons, so I can't speak as to how that would go.

[Ken S.]

I decided not to post any reply to her... just not worth giving her the attention, afterall, that's the point of her blog, to promote her writing and books. I could give a crap about her opinions and I'm sure she feels the same way about ALL of ours.

[Takasho]

Well crap. That didn't go the way I thought it would! :eek:

I thought it was a good post about paying attention to the body language of our birds. Agree with it or not, I thought it would bring forth some good discussion. Alas, falconers will be falconers. God help her blog now! :(

[sevristh]

Isaac, as I said, if she wanted to discuss, she should have done that with generalities. Not called out someone she doesn't know that actually made a very good PR video on falconry (IMO). After reading some of her other blogs, it's very apparent that she doesn't give a (*&^ about anyone's opinions and likes dogging anything that's not done the same way as she does it.

Ken, you're right. And after clicking on it, as Chris pointed out on some other thread, we've raised her ranking as far as search engine searches. People like her get off on irritating others...

[Chris L.]

Alas, falconers will be falconers. God help her blog now! :(

LOL,

Isaac that made me laugh!

[moffett]

i agree, or she is misled or doesnt have the same relationship with her birds i had, ive khown a lot of guys that treated their dogs the same ,in pens but some of the best have been part of family, ive said this b4 but ive had passage peregrines lost over nite come in to the whistle at first light with a full crop and not even take a tidbit, and jump in the car, this was b4 telem , i lived with those birds on pole perches + fist, watched tv , partyed , ate dinner whatever, never really "petted" them but they seamed to like to be touched under the beak with the tip of a feather(i know i would!) cause they would puff up and close their eyes,(my first wife did the same thing) i guess my piont is i dont think u would get that kind of response from a pure hunting machine, coops and gos not the same but,i may be old school but seen it hapen too many times to dismiss, i know the trainer and hunter thing works too ,but it was never what i wanted, i can say i loved my birds and wanted to be around them . one last thing why is she playin the "woman" card soooo hard ,who cares, dan

[bgibson]

de-sensitizing the bird to your touch will go along way in "positive" handling.....especially stuff that doesn't resort to casting the bird. i can change cuffs on all my birds, even a gos, while standing on the fist or block. what's more "uncomfortable", a little feather stroking of getting forced onto its back and restrained. she's probably been "tagged" before and we're not getting the whole story.

[Takasho]

LOL,

Isaac that made me laugh!

:D Being "served to falconers" is worse than being fed to the wolves!

[Ken S.]

:D Being "served to falconers" is worse than being fed to the wolves!

Wolves probably wouldn't eat a red head anyway... :)

[Todd Brown]

No........but I would!!!!

______________
Todd

[everetkhorton]

Isaac:
Thanks for posting the video. Just fun to watch. If we all did things the same way it would be, well who knows.

[Todd Brown]

on a serious note....I do think there is merit to try to read a hawks body language.Call it intuition if you want. It might lead a falconer to the vet with his hawk just to see if everything is okie dokie....at least 3 times this year, while making in, my hawk tried to foot me.he missed,I believe, because I anticipated and pulled my hand back ASAP.Maybe, I just got lucky but for some reason I saw it coming...I'm not that quick.

______________
Todd

[frootdog]

Here's what I wrote.......

So the falcon in the picture is not the least bit stressed by the dog? Then why does it feel the need to scream at the dog? In that pic you are doing the very thing you are railing on the judge for. You are ignoring the birds comfort so you can get a picture to post on your blog. I agree with the others, shame on you for ripping apart an otherwise excellent falconry PR spot for the benefit of your speaking engagement whilst you do the exact same thing in pictures on your blog. Woman or not you ARE a hypocrite.