I hate ditch hawking! #18

When I went in to get the birds to take out to the weathering area this morning, Jessie's right wing was bloody and her first primary was bent out at a nasty angle. It was causing her quite a bit of pain. I got a pair of good dykes and took her in the house to get Karen to help me. Karen was in the shower, so we waited for her to get out. Jessie got distracted by the bird in the mirror and I clipped the feather off. She yelped and flew, throwing blood all over the mirror and wall. Not sure how she did it, but with it off she at least had a chance to fly.

When we were last over at the ranch, I promised Tammy that I would hunt there at their house the next time that Jessie was down to weight. That was today, and we made our way over there around 2PM. I could see at least one duck on the ditch, so after every one was ready, I turned Jess loose on the other side of the house away from the ducks. She picked up some altitude and positioned over the ditch to make her circles.

Grace and Reuben had walked with me to make the flush, Jess had a good pitch but unfortunately a duck flushed early and she started her stoop before I was ready, unfortunately he was still over the creek and although she hit him, she only knocked him into the water. She went back up again amid ducks flying every where but mostly over the water so they could duck back into the ditch if she got too close. A bunch flushed and flew down the ditch drawing her with them, and she stayed down the ditch with them leaving me and the kids to slog through a couple of fences and a lot of muck. By the time that we neared her position she had been flying and trying for the ducks for about 15 minutes or more. She landed in the sage to rest and we took the opportunity to get in position on either side of a whole lot of ducks that were on the ditch. After a short rest she took to the air again and when she had some height we made a run in bracketing the ducks. I am ashamed to say that I lost her in the flocks dispersal in all directions.  I had an impression of a duck going down in the brush on the other side of the ditch.

The kids hadn't seen anything either, so I looked for a spot to wade across the ditch. I found a spot thanks to gauging the depth by watching Curly wade across. Neither Betsy or I could find her anywhere. I looked all over and even swung the lure. She of course did not come to the lure, so I was sure that she was down with a duck in her feet.

Karen had stayed at the ranch house with Tammy, and unfortunately she had not brought her portable radio, so I had no way to talk to her. I asked Grace to go back to the house to tell Karen that I needed the telemetry. In the meantime, I continued to look for her, and of course asked Betsy to find her. Well neither one of us had any luck. I had looked for at least 30 minutes with no success, and Grace hadn't returned, so I crossed the creek again and started the 1/4 mile walk back to the house to get the telemetry. By this time I was getting concerned with the amount of Duck that the little girl had probably consumed. I did not want her to get full because I would not be able to get her back, probably for a couple of days. There is no assurance that she would even stay in the area. Not a good situation.

I met Karen within 100 yards of the house and started my trek back to the area where she had to be. I followed the signal to where she was and even walked within a foot of her without seeing her, even with the telemetry. She had caught a Drake Mallard and had eaten most of the flesh off the back. I was happy that she hadn't turned him over where there was more flesh and fat to eat. I was flustered enough that I didn't even take a picture even though this time I had carried my camera.  I picked her up and we made our way back. I picked a likely spot to cross the ditch and promptly went in up to my knees, which was a substantial amount over my boots.

On the way back, Curly flushed a Mallard that could just barely fly, obviously the one that she had hit earlier.

A few observations about Jessie would be timely here. I have had quite a few falcons and hawks, and I do believe I have mentioned before that I have never seen one quite like her. Most of it is due to her subspecies, I believe. She does not sit on poles, rarely on fence posts. She does not wander, even if disappointed in a busted flush. She does not quit. She will fly as long as she can, lands on the ground when she can no longer fly, and will get back up to continue the hunt as soon as she has rested a bit. I have never had to look for her in the sky, she has always been there. Yeah she is opinionated, a bit cranky at times, but she is the best falcon that I personally have ever seen.

I did lose her once when we moved here. She was gone for two days and nights. I wrecked my airplane looking for her. She showed up the next day at the house, calling to me. She came down to a quail and was too full of something to even eat any of it.

The temps are better today, but it is still cold. She was bloody and muddy. I drew a bucket of water and as soon as she could see me, she began flapping in excitement. I poured her bath and started the heat in the shop. She was on the ground walking up to the bath before I even got out of the weathering area. She jumped in the bath and when I came back 10 minutes later was as wet as it is possible to get. I put her on her perch and gave her a fan to blow enough air on her that she has a chance to dry out. She deserves nothing less.