I normally don't let her break in, but needed to this time...b/c of this, the pictures are slightly more graphic than usual, but hey...it IS a falconry training log. Friday, she did alright.....she weighed in at 649 grams to start out the session, and due to some nonsense, I had to work her in the garage. Had great response out of the bird the whole time, so I tossed a quail for her. She nailed it with pretty much zero hesitation, and we had a perfect trade off to the lure. Hopped her to the fist for half a breast and the wing, and we ended the session on that note. Saturday was a GOOD day! Kent and Emmerich came down to Tulsa, and after dealing with the plumber in the morning (the pipes to the hot water heater burst!), I met them and Jonathan out at the expanse. We kicked around for a little bit, but the RT was still too high, so we decided to head down to bum central. Headed over to the open section in the front without getting a single slip, but one was quickly kicked from the front rose bush. The bird didn't see it though, so we continued on. A few seconds later, Jonathan kicks up two beetween the first and second clumps of trees, and I'm pretty sure she made an attempt at one of them. Tried for a reflush, but didn't manage to get one. Headed back toward the creek, and I think they got another slip in that section (I had taken the hill side, and since I had the thick beanie on, just couldn't really hear anyone). Crossed over the rise, and we got another slip as we where walking toward the strip of woods running along the high way. Jonathan and I took the deep section, while Kent and Emmerich took the edges. Apparently we where kicking up a rabbit the whole time, and it was just running along ahead of us. The bird went for it once, but sorta messed around after that. It was pretty thick in there, and he seems to start lowering his perch as the woods get thicker (still a baby bird....caught a JACK though, which I forgot to mention...congrats Kent!!!!).
We decided to hit more open sections to encourge him to take a higher perch, so we cut back toward the road. After checking out a pond I had never explored before, we hit the backside of the big open area with the briars running along the east. Jonathan got a slip in short order in the middle of the briars, and the bird did a fly over, but just didn't commit. We made it all the way down the field, and started following the briars out into the center. Kent and I both hit in a section with out flushing the rabbit, but as soon as we passed, it broke for the tree line. The harris came down fast and hit the rabbit. It got away, and the bird remounted and snagged it after only a couple hops. the rabbit started bouncing around, and managed to buck him off after a few seconds. It escaped into a rat nest, and I went in for the reflush. When I jabbed the nests, a rat comes shooting up the tree, and he starts chasing that around the branchs. I hear a rustle shooting out the side toward the briars running along the road, so I assume that was the rabbit. Finally got the bird out of "rat" mode, and we beat the rest of the way up the briar patch. No flushes where had, so Kent took the high road on the ridge, and we started following the brair patch along the road. A rabbit is kicked up, and the bird makes a pretty good attempt at it, but comes up empty footed. Continue on, and we kick up two rabbits, but the bird doesn't see them. Decide to put the harris up, and we pulled Jonathan's RT out again. We headed off into the thicker sections, and we get a slip as we start to enter the first open section. She misses, and flies up in to tree, and we get another couple of slips in the open section boardering the fence. Continue on toward the "Big" rose bush, adn we only manage one slip. The rabbit was literally stairing at me from a few feet away.
Jonathan and I pretty much poked it before it busted! Continued on back, and after only getting one more or so, we make it to the honey suckles running beneath the power lines. They start heading along those, and a rabbit is kicked out from the side. The RT makes a great chase at it, but it ends up bailing into a stick pile. I mark the spot, and head back and into the woods. I come upon where I think the rabbit is, and the bird is on a branch about ten feet above it lookin straight down. I go in there, and poke my stick around, and the rabbit shoots out the back! The bird comes off hot, and slams the rabbit on the ground! I start running, and get all tangle up in some vines, but eventually get there to find the rabbit securely in her grasp. Jonathan has a nice tade off to the lure, and we head back to the cars. Since we had a nice warm rabbit and all, we thought it was a good time to see what my bird thought of them. Jonathan was kind enough to let me use it (thanks buddy!), and so we headed to the "Wilson" fields to fly my bird. This was the first time she has been outside, so I was def rushing things, but I thought I may as well, so I pulled her out. She was higher than I wanted at 657 grams, but over all, she did alright. I hopped her to the fist a few times, and she only tried to fly off once. Did a couple more calls, and then I produced the rabbit. She didn't have any clue what she was supposed to do with it, and it took some coaxing to get her to jump to it. She tried to fly off a few times, but eventually caught on, and started footing on the rabbit..
I opened it up, and let her eat on it for a bit. Produced the lure for the trade off, and she acted like she had never seen it before. I guess the open rabbit was more appealing, but after shaking it in front of her, she decided to hop off the rabbit for it. After she finished the lure, I hopped her to the fist for a front leg, and we ended the session. DEF is going to need to be lower for rabbits that she will be for birds, but that is sorta to be expected. Now she knows what they are at least, and she will have some sort of idea what's going on, once we do actually start chasing them. Am going to have a creance session outside this afternoon, and hopefully, she will do great! On a side note, Lindz FINALLY named the bird! She picked "Sayda", which means "super lucky"
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