FIVE HAWKS
THE YEAR AFTER OUR CROWS, STEVIE FOUND A NEST OF SPARROW HAWKS IN A HOLE OF A DEAD TREE TRUNK. HE CAME HOME TO GET US, ME, MARSTON, MAYBE ELTON. WE ALL HEADED FOR THE DEAD TREE, WHICH WAS A FIELD BEHIND SQUATTER/FARMER JOE MARCOTTES HOUSE, I THINK THE HOUSE WAS ALREADY FLATTENED.
BACK TO THE BIRDS, SOMEBODY WAS ABLE TO REACH INTO THE HOLE WHILE STANDING ON ANOTHER'S SHOULDERS. THE NESTLINGS WERE A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN THE BATCH OF CROWS FROM LAST YEARS PETS, BUT HAD EXTREME ATTITUDE PROBLEMS, ANY EXPOSED FINGERS OR SKIN WAS IMMEDIATELY SHREDDED.
THEIR HOOKED BEAKS & TALONS WERE RAZOR SHARP THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT QUICKLY. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH HOUSING BY USING THE RABBIT/CROW CAGE AT NORTH'S.THE CAGE WAS HOSED OUT & THE 5 NEW TENANTS INSTALLED. MIXED RAW EGGS & MINCE MEAT WAS EAGERLY ACCEPTED,THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO WENT ALONG SORT OF UNEVENTFULLY EXCEPT WHILE FEEDING ONE HAWK ANOTHER WOULD TURN AROUND AS IF TO DO A MOON AND SQUIRT.
A BIGGER CAGE WAS OBTAINED
AS OUR HAWKS NEEDED FLAPPING ROOM. TRANFER WAS WHERE WE LEARNED OUR PETS WERE THE CLOSEST THINGS TO TASMAINIAN DEVILS. IF YOU GOT CLOSER THAN 8 FEET (2.5 METERS) A BARRAGE OF SQUIRTINGS WAS AIMED IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION.
FEEDING NOW HAD TO BE DONE THROUGH A SMALL HOLE IN THE CAGE, FROM BEHIND A BARRIER. NOBODY DARED TO PUT A HAND INSIDE, EVEN GLOVED. WE DECIDED ON FLIGHT TRAINING, WHILE WEARING HOCKEY GAUNTLETS, FOR OUR PROTECTION, A BIRD WAS PLACED ON THE GLOVE. THE PRIZED PET IMMEDIATELY FLEW TO THE NEAREST TREE, ALL THE OTHERS ALSO DID THE SAME THING, TO THE TREES.
THE CROWS WOULD COME BACK TO EAT. THESE THINGS WOULDN'T RETURN, THEY FLEW OFF, THEY UNHAPPY CAMPERS. OUR VISIONS OF FALCONRY FADING AS THEY DISAPPEARED.
RICHARD.............
These stories are true folks, he is not making these up..
Thanks for the great memories Richard
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