Widow 8/28/08

August 28 2008

Widow

Temp 52’

Wind 1-2mph

My theory of why Widow has been reluctant or unwilling to fly is holding true. Her new feathers are almost all the way out and, not surprising, she is back flying once again. The last two days out she has started to look like the old Widow, hunting for thermals, finding them, and going up to ridiculous heights before coming over. Today I stooped her to the lure 3 times and then planned on serving her a pheasant. She was way up in a thermal with 5 ravens and an adult male golden eagle that made a pass at her thinking, I am sure, that she was carrying something (her jesses). The ravens stooped at her and were generally making a nuisance of themselves but Widow paid them little notice. I waited until she was in position to serve her but she was still way too high in the sky and by the time she got down the pheasant was already being retrieved back to the truck by Thistle. Two things: the domestic pheasants do not fly long enough and Widow is too high. I know how to get birds to go higher but getting one to go lower. I’ll have to think about that one.

Â