Random photos, let's have them

[Venomlust]

I don't think there ever was water!!!! And, those hills are loaded with chukar you just have to work for it!!!!!! My husband says there are coachwhips out there. And, there should also be a lot of ferruginous hawks and golden eagles too.

Awesome, I'll hopefully have a bird that can chase 'em some day. Saw a few Ferruginous this past winter, but haven't been lucky enough to see an eagle for more than a year. I know they're around, but don't tolerate people the same way red-tails do.

Always glad to hear more about the place from people who appreciate it as much as I do.

[Amy]

You will have a chance if you spend enough time out there. There are places in that area where you can see golden eagles on every other pole and not tall poles short ones and you can get very close, within twenty yards or less. If you have made it to where the ravins nest in an old shack you will probably see the red foxes the fish and game introduced yrs ago. That was one of my husbands favorite places to herp hunt and trap prairies and ferrugies.

[skooky20]

Rocky my male harris having fun in the sun

[Rmoglich]

Some cute random pictures of the two youngest gos imprints we have this summer. Older male on the left, female on the right

[PeteJ]

I thought I recognized that first photo Ryan. ;-)

[broken feather]

I thought I recognized that first photo Ryan. ;-)

Pete, It looks like your younger days!! Which one are you??

[PeteJ]

The stoic one on the left Russell, you're the mouthy one on the right!

[Rmoglich]

I thought I recognized that first photo Ryan. ;-)

Very nice Pete haha especially funny when considering how much the male gosses can act like one of those velociraptors during the few days after hatching

[ScottAllen]

Lure training with a goshawk (None of these birds are mine, they are all birds owned by the High Desert Museum that we use for bird talks/shows etc.)

[IMG][/IMG]

Roxy the sleepy Harris Hawk



Silver the very happy Gyrfalcon.



William the Western Screech Owl

[FredFogg]

What's up with the HH and gyr's beaks?

[PeteJ]

Just as a partial follow up to some earlier pics of Jim Bryan's Merlin X Barbary tiercel, here's a hint of how the molt is coming along.

[ScottAllen]

HH's beak was just coped, Gyr's beak needs coping!

[Tanner]

I went out with Pete to tame hack Ms. Echo last night - nice looking bird both on the glove and in the air. Very nice wing shape and beat. And you can tell she's going to be a gamey little punk- all barbary in that aspect!

[California Native]

Good to see some moisture moving through. That looks like a rugged area in the background. Which direction is that from Pete's area ?

[Tanner]

Hi Dan ,

Yes, the monsoon has started- not very impressive yet but we'll take what we can get. Those are the Organ mountains, we are sitting atop a pile of rock about 200ft high in the foothills on the western side. These mountains are just a few miles east of Las Cruces.

Tanner

[JRedig]

Nice shots!!!

[PeteJ]

Good to see some moisture moving through. That looks like a rugged area in the background. Which direction is that from Pete's area ?

Its the same area where I usually tame hack Dan. Same as the pics I posted on the other thread. I usually will use this spot for at least a couple of weeks, then move north about 15 miles or so to a flat playa (low flat drainage that is prone to filling with water during heavy seasonal rains every few years). This second area sometimes has good flocks of doves that come in the morning and evening, plus a few very small ponds and the air in the morning is ideal for thermally a young bird. Pigeon pitching will begin in this other area.
This is an overall view of the entire training area, taken from the waiting-on training field (playa), looking southeast toward the Organ Mts. and the initial tame hack area where we are right now.
The value of this set up cannot be overstated as their initial tame hack area often becomes their natal area, and often when they are lost for various reasons they will return to their tame hack area where they can be easily retrieved. Having such an obvious landmark that is visible to them for a hundred miles if they are in the air up high (with their vision not ours) they have a sense of 'home' that is useful throughout their life when being flown in the immediate area.

[California Native]

Pete & Tanner,
Glad to see the area and thanks for posting. Also like knowing the direction from town. Almost like being there. The openness of that area looks really inviting for pigeon chases. Nice having a recognizable point in the distance for the falcons to imprint on. I have the same thing here using the ridge I used for tame hacking. I see the road is full of water in that photo. I hope you get some much needed rains during the Monsoon season. You need it.
Dan

[Tanner]

Do you have photos of your ridge Dan

[California Native]

Do you have photos of your ridge Dan

Tanner,

I will email you a few views. The ridge is 700' high and a mile long. It runs east-west and the winds in summer come out of the north. Those winds hit the steep side and cause the lift. The north is the steep side and the forested side. The fields below are farmed and harvested by the time a young falcon is ready to start flying there. In time the birds go way up there and fly the length of the ridge exploring things. It's a great place for young falcons to learn to fly. Chase pigeons and learn about all that.
Dan

[PeteJ]

Pete & Tanner,
Glad to see the area and thanks for posting. Also like knowing the direction from town. Almost like being there. The openness of that area looks really inviting for pigeon chases. Nice having a recognizable point in the distance for the falcons to imprint on. I have the same thing here using the ridge I used for tame hacking. I see the road is full of water in that photo. I hope you get some much needed rains during the Monsoon season. You need it.
Dan

That isn't a recent shot with the water on the road like that Dan. It hasn't been that good out there for several years now. I keep hoping this will be the year that it breaks the drought, but so far it doesn't seem to be all that as far the monsoon goes. But, it can change with just one good night of storms. Our fingers are crossed every which was they can be and even some toes.
Your area sounds better to me. But we make do with what we have right? (I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)

[California Native]

That isn't a recent shot with the water on the road like that Dan. It hasn't been that good out there for several years now. I keep hoping this will be the year that it breaks the drought, but so far it doesn't seem to be all that as far the monsoon goes. But, it can change with just one good night of storms. Our fingers are crossed every which was they can be and even some toes.
Your area sounds better to me. But we make do with what we have right? (I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)

Pete, I don't have that vast openness like you have. But for where I live, my open area is large.
I just drove to Southern California and all of the route I saw needs water badly. I hope all of the Western US gets rain and a lot of it. Years of it.

Dan

[broken feather]

That isn't a recent shot with the water on the road like that Dan. It hasn't been that good out there for several years now. I keep hoping this will be the year that it breaks the drought, but so far it doesn't seem to be all that as far the monsoon goes. But, it can change with just one good night of storms. Our fingers are crossed every which was they can be and even some toes.
Your area sounds better to me. But we make do with what we have right? (I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)

Pete,You guys just don't like Me!!!! No rain no game right!!! I seen that water on the road, bad Pete bad Tanner !I knew they were old pics! I check the weather out there ever day!LOL

[corona]

This is Tauriel, she is coming along nicely so far as an imprint. Hoping to see her fly soon
John Strazicich

[rri32701]

(I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)[/QUOTE]
You got that right,I made the mistake of answering the phone this morning.He's convinced you guys live in longwing nirvana and just don't want the word out.Also Pete if Russ ever makes it out there you better hide that fancy glove.He can't stop talking about it.

[broken feather]

(I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)

You got that right,I made the mistake of answering the phone this morning.He's convinced you guys live in longwing nirvana and just don't want the word out.Also Pete if Russ ever makes it out there you better hide that fancy glove.He can't stop talking about it.[/QUOTE] Robert, if the pro's were that glove I'm getting one!!!!!!!It makes your bird 2x faster!!!!!!

[California Native]

This is Tauriel, she is coming along nicely so far as an imprint. Hoping to see her fly soon
John Strazicich

John,

It's hard to believe this is the same bird I just saw. Shes coming right along.

Dan

[corona]

Hi Dan, yeah what a week will do!! Amazing. ok Thorn is ready to go. I had him out there again just getting used to the field. They both love it there. Cannot wait for the game to begin.
John Strazicich

[Tanner]

Looking good John- whats your plan with Thorin?

Some shots of Dan's tame hack spot- Im jealous of that pond!

[PeteJ]

(I can hear Russell complaining right now down in Florida)

You got that right,I made the mistake of answering the phone this morning.He's convinced you guys live in longwing nirvana and just don't want the word out.Also Pete if Russ ever makes it out there you better hide that fancy glove.He can't stop talking about it.[/QUOTE]
Tanner secretly wants it too...and he's worn it a few times already now. I have to keep a close eye on it so he doesn't pocket it when I'm not looking.

[PeteJ]

I'm with Tanner on that place Dan. Very nice indeed...its actually GREEN!

[corona]

Hi Tanner, ok just small game for now up to a doves. After both these guys have some experience underneath their wings will see what they are capable of. I do want them to eventually chase my pigeons anything after that is overflow. Yeah Dan has THE set up. We are all jealous of his Oregon abode!!!

[PeteJ]

Here's some pics from tonight. The view we have to deal with, then a flight shot or two.

[California Native]

Pete,
From the setting sun, I guess we are looking west from your mountains. You take some nice scenic photos. Looks like prairie falcon country out there. Have any come in to check out your falcon ?

Dan

[PeteJ]

Pete,
From the setting sun, I guess we are looking west from your mountains. You take some nice scenic photos. Looks like prairie falcon country out there. Have any come in to check out your falcon ?

Dan

In the past Prairies have come in there once. But, I think that the Prairies have been forced out of there by the Peregrines now. Yes, its looking west, and the Organs you can see a bit to the left and right of the photo since its using that panoramic feature on the iphone camera, but not directly behind which is where the Organs are.
I'm actually happier that the Prairies aren't in there so much now as Prairies aren't nice. Peregrines have come in in the past and only once were they a problem and they were very young ones who I think were sort of playing really hard with my smaller bird. Anatums just seem like that care that much about anything smaller, but if its large or larger than them they can get pretty serious I imagine.