De Mortel - Netherlands

[carly]

Tough decision to make but after all the territorial fights we've seen during mating/breeding season, I think it's the right one. 

And you never know what can happen.  This site is pretty hot property, look how many females came through the past two years that S2 chased out.  The new female may not even be able to hold the territory, only time will tell.

[jeanne]

At least she wasn't euthanized. This is bittersweet.

[AlisonL]

My translation of the latest update on S2:

S2 will not be released in the near future

Gemert, Thursday, December 8, 2011

Contrary to earlier reports, the peregrine S2 will not be released soon into the wild. The plan now is that S2 will not be released before, but after, the breeding season.

The Vogelwerkgroep Gemert has made this decision after consultation with some experts.

Until recently, everything was designed to release S2 as soon as possible, based on the idea, the sooner the better. We also wanted to make every effort to release S2 well before the breeding season in order to avoid a repetition of what happened in 2007. Now the veterinarian Caroline Hommers has indicated that the final phase of rehabilitation - the conditioning of the falcon by a falconer - could almost begin; we hope that this could still take place.

From the consultation with the falconer, it became clear that for the training (in order to create and gain confidence), another three months should be taken into account. That means that if this were to begin now, S2 could be released at the end of February. This is not only just before the breeding season, but also in the middle of the mating period. During this time of year, hormone levels for peregrines are at their highest, and territorial battles are at their most intense. And that has been demonstrated by S2 herself in 2007. It is estimated by the falconer that no matter how well S2 may have been rehabilitated, she will be no match for her opponent, and possibly even on the same day she (literally) will get the worst of it.

His advice is therefore to release S2 after the breeding season. In July and August territorial behavior is much less intense, and peregrine falcons tolerate each other much better. Also, territorial battles may take place at any time, but the likelihood that the falcon who loses may be able to leave the battlefield without physical injury is much greater.

Peter Geneijgen of the Netherlands Peregrine Group supports this view, and BirdLife Netherlands concurs with this approach.

The Vogelwerkgroep Gemert has therefore decided not to release S2 in February, in the heat of battle, to more or less throw her to the lions, but to give her a better chance by releasing her after the breeding season. This gives us the opportunity to ensure that she is even better prepared physically. S2 and all her followers will therefore have to be patient.

With the many donations from the Netherlands and around the world which have been made to VWG Gemert's bank, we will be able to provide compensation to the veterinarians and caretakers of the peregrine S2.

Donations

We would like to thank all donors from the Netherlands and abroad for their contribution to the care, treatment and recovery of the peregrine S2.

Special thanks to:

Slechtvalken Forum Nederland in cooperation with the BCAW forum for their global fundraising.

Donations are always welcome for the care, treatment and recovery of the peregrine S2 and for the protection of peregrine falcons in general.

Donations may be transferred to:

From abroad:

Bic: RABONL2U
Iban: NL61RABO0155098950

From the Netherlands:

Rabobank 1550.98.950 Tnv Vogelwerkgroep Gemert, Trade, Specifying: Peregrine S2

There is a video at the link below:

http://www.vwggemertslechtvalk.nl/nieuws/67-s2-niet-op-korte-termijn-vrij.html

[MAK]

  Thanks Alison! 

[Donna]

Posted on BCAW on the 15th

A note about S2, from 'Slechtvalkenliefde' Forum.
Person's name removed for privacy.

Dear Madam,

Falconry is an ancient method of hunting with birds of prey.
Man is by nature a hunter. At first they did, with bow and arrow or other primitive methods, but later they made use of other tools, such as rifles, but also including birds of prey.
Especially the peregrine, which are very suitable. It's a very cold blooded, but above all, confident bird.
The peregrine is also very easy to tame, but at the same time, the peregrine is also very quickly become feral.
The tame is reached, by offering food on hand for the peregrine.
This gives the peregrine quickly confidence in man, and is thus ideally suited as a hunting tool.
A trained and tamed peregrine may very well survive independently in nature because it is in very good condition and the hunting instinct (survival instinct) remains.
It is therefore very important that this peregrine S2, due to a falconer, made tame, so she can build a good condition in order to survive in the wild. The tame is a very gradual process and the welfare of the bird comes first. A stressed bird has no interest.
Currently she is healthy, but it lacks a good condition and we therefore can not skip this step to give her a good chance.

The peregrine S2 will not fly on a leash but she will be chasing a lure, if tame.
She is actually fooled, by the lure, an artificial prey, she can hunt, which at the last moment is pulled away through the line. She then wil again get height to start a new attack.
After a few times, she may "strike the prey", after which she will be rewarded with fresh food.
[A lure is a mechanism used in falconry. It has a pair of bird wings attached to an object which is swung round and round in a cord, for the falcon to chase.]

Thus building up a good condition, so that later she will successfully survive.
We can also then determine whether her fractions recovered well, so she can strike prey independently.
Given the age-old proven method, and experience of the falconers, we are confident that peregrine S2, safe and sound can be released.

Sincerely,

Martin Vink
VWG Gemert


Sorry for any spelling and grammatical mistakes, but I did my best.
I'm not as familiar with the English (and Dutch) terms from falconry.

[AlisonL]

My translation of the most recent update on S2: she has been moved once again. I understand the reasons behind this, but I think it is very stressful for her to have been moved so many times.

S2 is temporarily at an annex of the Someren bird refuge

Gemert, Monday, January 16, 2012

After the end of 2011, Vogelwerkgroep Gemert had decided to release S2 back to the wild after the 2012 breeding season. The question then arose of how and where she could best be housed until that time. S2 will not be placed with a falconer for fitness training until May/June of 2012, so there is a need to find a good home for her until then.

S2 has been in the large flight at the new Someren Bird Refuge. But that flight is intended for birds undergoing rehabilitation who are close to being released, and could not be occupied for such a long time by S2. S2 was also having occasional problems, damaging her tail feathers by flying into the net in the aviary. After careful consultation between the Someren Bird Refuge and the Vogelwerkgroep Gemert, a search began for alternative accommodation. This was found very quickly, and soon thereafter S2 was transferred to this temporary annex of the bird refuge.

She is behaving very quietly in her new home, in which she cannot do any harm to herself. The wing on which surgery was performed is in the correct position against her body and apparently she is having no problems recovering from the fractures. We are still hopeful that S2 can look forward to being free once again after the breeding season.

During the coming week we will publish new pictures of the peregrine S2 on this site.

VWG Gemert

[Kris G.]

Poor S2-she's been through way too much because of some jerk.  Thanks for the update, Alison.

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Cb7ugd3hk# Ahhh, poor girl. She looks great though.

[Kris G.]

She looks great in that video!  Thanks, Donna!

[MAK]

Nice!   

[AlisonL]

Here is the new update which goes with the video:

The new residence of the peregrine S2

Gemert, Sunday, January 22, 2012

Things are going well with the peregrine S2.

At the moment she resides at an annex of the Someren bird refuge, which is a quiet place in the countryside.

The interior of the accommodation is constructed with bars made of bamboo canes which cannot do her any harm, and the outside of the aviary is screened by vegetation to prevent any disturbance from taking place. Feeding takes place through a small hatch through which the peregrine S2 cannot see any humans, so that she may have peace and quiet to continue her recovery. As shown in the video, she is free of stress and she is supplied with good prey. There is no longer any sign of her injured wing being held in an abnormal position. We therefore feel that she has made a good recovery, but whether this is the case will ultimately be determined when she really takes flight once again.

The expectation is that in June she will go to the falconer, and that in August she will regain her freedom.

In the Netherlands, most raptors may be kept if it can be demonstrated that they have been obtained through captive breeding and that they have a permanent, closed leg ring which has been put in place when they are only a few days old. Using a DNA profile, the origins of a bird can now be easily checked. This prevents birds which have been captured in the wild from being used for hunting or for falconry shows.

Raptors may be kept by falconers who hunt with them, but also by individuals who keep birds of prey for commercial purposes (falconry shows, fairs, etc.) and by private individuals. VWG Gemert distances itself from commercial activities, raptor shows and individuals who keep birds of prey for “fun�.

True falconers, who preserve and maintain an ancient cultural heritage, however, play an important role in protecting birds of prey in general and in their rehabilitation if they are found injured in the wild. They have the necessary expertise for this purpose.

As things stand now, it seems that the peregrine S2, through the utmost care of veterinarians, rehabilitation center staff, and your financial support, will regain her health and freedom.

VWG Gemert

[Carol P.]

This is such wonderful news for S2 chances of gaining her freedom.  Thanks for posting Alison.   

[Kris G.]

Wonderful news!  Thanks! 

[Donna]

Any news on S2? Can't even find info on BCAW!!

[Kris G.]

Any news on S2? Can't even find info on BCAW!!

I look from time to time but I don't think there has been any sightings since the video showing her looking at the eggs when New Girl came into the box and S2 flew off. Pa still seems attached to the eggs and does incubate them at times so that's why people there haven't removed them. Sad.