Distraction-R-Us...popping in between work chores... 

I didn't realize peregrines were still scarce in the western provinces since the northern populations are fairly robust. 

I was figuring something along the lines of an extra egg hatched that wasn't spoken for.  There's probably a list of-call us if you have a spare bird and we'll give it a good home.  I think it just seems odd here in the States to see an un-injured eyas going directly to education. 

Falconer's birds are imprinted but it's a different relationship entirely.  They are trained to hunt for sport and they are conditioned using 'food' as a rewards.  They are kept 'hungry' so that they'll return to their owner when they're allowed to fly - its a precise science to keep them at an acceptable weight so they hunt well, develop strong muscles and return home.  

With educational birds, they are trained to be used to people and they are treated more like family, there is no keeping the bird 'hungry' to get him to do things.

Very true-educational birds are trained entirely differently.  Just speculating that might have been the intent when the eyases were bred & hatched but they were then designated educational.

Maybe a stupid question, but why make a perfectly healthy Peregrine educational?  Was there something wrong with her that they made her an educational bird?  ???

She (and Nova, I would guess) were probably hatched to be "falconer's birds" and were imprinted on humans right away, so they wouldn't be suitable for release.  Birds that are hatched in captivity with the intention of release into the wild are kept from seeing the humans feeding them. 

I guess I always figured educational birds were injured in some way.  If they were hatched to be Falconer birds then why isn't she one? Falconry birds are imprinted aren't they-seeing as they're closely associated with their handler?

Could be they had more eggs successfully hatch than they had legal buyers for.  Probably other reasons I'm not coming up with right now...

Maybe a stupid question, but why make a perfectly healthy Peregrine educational?  Was there something wrong with her that they made her an educational bird?  ???

She (and Nova, I would guess) were probably hatched to be "falconer's birds" and were imprinted on humans right away, so they wouldn't be suitable for release.  Birds that are hatched in captivity with the intention of release into the wild are kept from seeing the humans feeding them. 

Good thing I hit preview Ei, I had all the same pics and almost the same captions!    Posted the same on FB...lol

 

First time I've seen him live in a LONG time!

Whaddaya think, peeps?  Should I listen to him?



He sure is trying hard...



Oh, alright...Hi Honey!



Figures...I say hello & he leaves...

I have been hearing this sound out back for 2 days now but don't see it so can't get a pic. Anyone know this sound? Thanks

I'm thinking house wren or something similar, though I'm pretty sure they're louder than this.

Here's Cornell's sounds page for house wrens...

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/sounds

Thanks for sticking with me on this one, D-G. Without knowing a thing about it, it does seem to be a useful (and harmless?) way of expanding the population. 'Twould be interesting to read others' comments.

Well, were it not for the captive-bred hack release programs started in, among other places, Rochester, NY and Toronto, Ontario, there would be no peregrines at all on the east coast.

One last video-Tori enjoying her day old chick lunch!

Tori has lunch

Athena enjoys a shower!

Athena has a shower

Thanks for these videos Ei.  Had to miss going with you gals because of work.  Heard you all had a great time.   

And we missed having you there too! 

Next up, Athena the Bald Eagle greeting Terry at the door of her enclosure.

Athena the Bald Eagle

I've been having a frustrating time getting my pictures together.  First I had a power blip while captioning my album and I lost all the captions.  I just haven't had time since then to do them over.  Soon, I promise.

Then I couldn't find any of the videos I took. I searched the entire computer for all *.mov files and they just weren't there.  I searched by date and only the stills were there.  I honestly thought I had erased them accidentally.  Then today, while I was browsing to upload the clip of Beauty on FCT, there they were.  I opened the folder from that weekend and there they all are right on the top of the list.  I cannot figure it out.

So, the opening act is Korbin the Crow playing with his whiffle ball at Wild Wings.

Korbin play with his ball

Beauty preening on FCT

Beauty preening on FCT.  She snuck off while I was saving another clip.

So was there anything wrong with Cheyenne? She was just chosen to be an educational falcon?

That piece I don't recall...and you can't search CPF like you can here.  Guess we'll just have to wait for Big Frank or carly to get here...