[mou] Re: FW:Falconer at 180th Street today

Tasha dirthawker@comcast.net
Sat, 27 Jan 2007 08:55:34 -0600


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Hello,
Normally I'm a lurker, so an intro is probably in order.  My name is =
Natasha, I'm a falconer and a birder here in Minneapolis.  I've been a =
falconer for 6 years and a birder for about 9 years, though fairly =
casually until the last couple years.  I got a nice camera a couple =
years ago and since then I've been much more active in birding.  They =
make great photography subjects-there's nothing more peaceful than being =
out in the middle of nowhere waiting for a bird to relax and pose for =
you:)

While I don't fly falcons I do know that you don't trap a falcon with a =
kite-a wild falcon would have no clue there was food up there, for one =
thing.  It takes training for birds to learn there's a chunk of food =
hanging from the kite.   Also, trapping season ended December 29 and no =
legal falconer would trap out of season, let alone a non-passage bird.  =
Kites are used, as Mark stated, to train a falcon to gain height.  If =
the guy didn't put that bird, or another bird up while flying the kite, =
I expect it was because it wasn't windy enough for the kite to get as =
high as he wanted, or he was having some other problems.  I don't know =
of any longwing falconers that fly kites just for pleasure-it's too much =
of a headache.=20

If you have any other questions about falconry, just ask and I'll do my =
best to answer.

Natasha

"Jerry Pruett, Chuck Krulas, John Hockema, and I went looking for the =
=3D
good birds that have been appearing in the Hastings region today. Among =
=3D
the birds we searched for was the Gyrfalcon that has been seen around =
=3D
180th Street. When we stopped at around 2PM we noticed an SUV parked in =
=3D
the field to the south of 180th. I then noticed a raptor flying away =3D
from the vehicle. We all got out and watched a falcon soar around the =
=3D
field for a while and then land at the feet of the person at the SUV. It =
=3D
then hopped onto his hand so we assumed that he was a falconer and it =
=3D
was his bird. We then observed him put the bird away and begin flying a =
=3D
kite for a while. We assumed that he must have been trying to attract =
=3D
the wild Gyrfalcon that has regularly been reported as being seen there. =
=3D
Maybe there was some other reason for fly this small falcon sized kite =
=3D
but we couldn' t think of one. So it raises the question as to whether a =
=3D
falconer is legally allowed to trap a wild Gyrfalcon? Maybe this person =
=3D
was also a bander and was trying to lure in the bird to band it? Anyway =
=3D
I guess I would prefer the Gyrfalcon that many have enjoyed watching be =
=3D
left alone. If there is anyone out there that knows the regulations =3D
perhaps they would publish an email on the listserve about this subject. =
=3D
I did get the persons license plate if they were breaking any game laws =
=3D
but I don't know anything about the falconer regulations."


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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Hello,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Normally I'm a lurker, so an intro is probably =
in=20
order.&nbsp; My name is Natasha, I'm a falconer and a birder here in=20
Minneapolis.&nbsp; I've been a falconer for 6 years and a birder for=20
about&nbsp;9 years, though fairly casually until the last couple =
years.&nbsp; I=20
got a nice camera a couple years ago and since then I've been much more =
active=20
in birding.&nbsp; They make great photography subjects-there's nothing =
more=20
peaceful than being out in the middle of nowhere waiting for a bird to =
relax and=20
pose for you:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>While I don't fly falcons I do know that you =
don't trap a=20
falcon with a kite-a wild falcon would have no clue there was food up =
there, for=20
one thing.&nbsp; It takes training for birds to learn there's a =
chunk&nbsp;of=20
food hanging from the kite. &nbsp; Also, trapping season ended December =
29 and=20
no legal falconer would trap out of season, let alone a non-passage =
bird.&nbsp;=20
Kites are used, as Mark stated, to train a&nbsp;falcon to gain =
height.&nbsp; If=20
the guy didn't put that bird, or another bird up while flying the kite, =
I expect=20
it was because it wasn't windy enough for the kite to get as high as he =
wanted,=20
or he was having some other problems.&nbsp; I don't know of any longwing =

falconers that fly kites just for pleasure-it's too much of a=20
headache.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>If you have any other questions about falconry, =
just ask=20
and I'll do my best to answer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Natasha</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>"Jerry Pruett, Chuck Krulas, John Hockema, and I =
went=20
looking for the =3D<BR>good birds that have been appearing in the =
Hastings region=20
today. Among =3D<BR>the birds we searched for was the Gyrfalcon that has =
been seen=20
around =3D<BR>180th Street. When we stopped at around 2PM we noticed an =
SUV parked=20
in =3D<BR>the field to the south of 180th. I then noticed a raptor =
flying away=20
=3D<BR>from the vehicle. We all got out and watched a falcon soar around =
the=20
=3D<BR>field for a while and then land at the feet of the person at the =
SUV. It=20
=3D<BR>then hopped onto his hand so we assumed that he was a falconer =
and it=20
=3D<BR>was his bird. We then observed him put the bird away and begin =
flying a=20
=3D<BR>kite for a while. We assumed that he must have been trying to =
attract=20
=3D<BR>the wild Gyrfalcon that has regularly been reported as being seen =
there.=20
=3D<BR>Maybe there was some other reason for fly this small falcon sized =
kite=20
=3D<BR>but we couldn' t think of one. So it raises the question as to =
whether a=20
=3D<BR>falconer is legally allowed to trap a wild Gyrfalcon? Maybe this =
person=20
=3D<BR>was also a bander and was trying to lure in the bird to band it? =
Anyway=20
=3D<BR>I guess I would prefer the Gyrfalcon that many have enjoyed =
watching be=20
=3D<BR>left alone. If there is anyone out there that knows the =
regulations=20
=3D<BR>perhaps they would publish an email on the listserve about this =
subject.=20
=3D<BR>I did get the persons license plate if they were breaking any =
game laws=20
=3D<BR>but I don't know anything about the falconer=20
regulations."<BR><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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