New Bird

A couple of weeks ago I received an email that the local rehab center needed someone to help out with one of their birds. I was more than happy to volunteer. Around this time, I start getting the falconry itch.

I want to get out and go hunting - so I figured that I could work with another raptor and that would help me through the worst of my withdrawal.

I was out in Charlotte last week and I stopped by the Carolina Raptor Center. April was there and she gabe our group a great tour of the facility. What a great set up they have. I'll be posting some pictures of some of the 200 birds that they house there.

At the end of the tour, April took me back to the "Hospital" and we jessed up a little Red Shouldered hawk. She looks like a small red tail, and she has an attitude to match. The one thing that surprised me about this little bird is that she is a biter.

She nailed me.

In February, she had been hit by a car and suffered some broken bones and eye damage. the bird is healed now, but the raptor center needed someone to work with the bird and asses whether it is able to see well enough to hunt or not.

So that is the plan. I'm training this little girl like a miniature Red Tail. Get her on the creance, see how she flies to the fist, then we go out and hunt.

I plan on planting mice and "critters" in the leaf litter for her to find. We'll see how she does. I've had her since Monday and she finally ate off the fist on Thursday. Training will begin now in earnest. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with the bird - I'll keep you posted.