First of all, thank you all for your kind words. I am not good at mourning and have been in somewhat of a state of shock since it happened but support from family and friends is always appreciated.
As you might imagine, I've been thinking a lot about what happened on Saturday. What, if anything, could I have done to prevent it and, in a never ending effort to improve, what can I learn from this experience?
The slip was near a road but just about all the slips I've taken were near roads, it's just part of urban hawking. There were no cars coming when I took the slip, I made sure of that. Regardless, I expected her to land in a tree if she missed as she always does instead of heading out in to the road. She would have too, if the wild kestrel hadn't appeared.
Having said that, the area I was flying in was known to have wild kestrels in it. In fact, I've seen as many as three at the same time within a hundred yards, and I'd seen a male shortly before the accident. But everywhere I've flown I've seen kestrels. I can't think of a slip I've had where I haven't seen kestrels at one point or another. Dulci had dealt with wild kestrels before and usually managed to ignore them or evade them when they harassed her.
The bird that attacked her was a female, and a particularly aggressive female at that and there's a good chance that at this time of the year it was the mate of the male I'd seen earlier. That would explain the aggressiveness. I guess you could say that the wild bird effectively defended her territory...I may have to go back and find out where that pair is nesting. Perhaps they can supply me with one of their young as a replacement come September (trapping season in Colorado). Seems only fitting, right??
All that is to say that I don't know that I would have done things differently. Crap happens. Yeah, I could say I won't fly near roads again but that's just not practical given my current circumstances. I can't say I'll scout for wild birds before every single flight because, well, they're birds and they tend to show up where ever and whenever they want. The only truely safe bird is one at home on a perch but that's not what falconry is about. Every time our birds leave our fists we release them into that harsh world known as the wild where things happen beyond our control. I knew the risks when I signed up and have to take bad with the good.
Dulci provided lots of the good and rather than a long drawn out bad, it was over in an instant. She died while doing what she was born to do and that's all anyone can ask for.
A good friend of mine is still flying his kestrel so there will still be adventures to post but I'm already looking forward to the fall and having another bird of my own. Thanks again for all the kind words, stay tuned, next year will be even better.
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6 comments:
I think that's the way to look at things. Learn from the experience, be glad for the good memories, and start looking ahead to what's next.
I'm so sorry, Isaac. =(
Great post. If there were lessons to be learned, I'm sure you've learned them. Dulci's training log has been a wonderful source of information and inspiration to other prospective kestrel falconers.
Freak things happen to the animals we love and look after. The past several months, having lived in the wild, would have been fraught with far more risks...instead she had a great hunting partner, good care, lots of adventure and a fan base that will remember her for a long time.
I hope to fly a Kestrel someday, and expect that Dulci's history and your contributions to forums and this blog will improve that bird's life.
--Michelle aka Lupine
Thanks Kristine and Sandie.
Michelle, I am by no means an excellent kestrel hawker but I hope to get better. I can't wait to fly another one next season.
So, here's fodder for another thoughtful post from you. An admittedly "tree-hugging" Sierra Club type friend of mine wondered aloud to me recently about the "why" of falconry. "Aren't they supposed to be wild birds?" she said. "Do falconers intend to re-introduce their birds into the wild?" I got hot under the collar and probably damaged our friendship forever by sputtering about the history of the sport and the bonding between human and working animal etc. (as in, "what's the matter with you, you idiot?") But what could/should I have said and to what links or books should I refer her (and others like her) when they ask such questions? She has a pet herself but it's not a working animal but rather a domesticated feline that she hires people to babysit when she goes out of town. What I'm saying is, she doesn't get the "working/training" thing and seems not to understand what it means to work in the wild, WITH the wild. Thanks for your words.
Cant hardly be a falconer if one was to worry about all the zillions of ways our birds can meet their end. My hybrid died this year from hitting a duck like he had done a hundred times before. No fence,or car, or telephone wire collision. Just colliding with prey wrong ruptured his pancreas. Keep the pictures and memories and move on to the next bird, such is falconry.
-Ryan
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