GUEST BLOGGER

While the cat is away the mouse will play - or in this case the "nurse" will blog.  As many of you already know, Captain Canyon and I were at the Greenbrier in West Virgina early in the week.  In the words of Adele, "Rumor has it" that no golf clubs were packed.  While the rumor was correct.  We were there one whole day (two nights) and decided to do the Falconry instead of the golf.  It was an incredible choice.  It only lasted around an hour.  The naturalist gave us a background on falconry and we learned that falcons, hawks, eagles and owls are considered birds of prey.  Most of the time harris hawks are used in demonstrations for the falconry program.  We then proceeded out of the barn and into the driveway where we were treated to a show.  At one point we lined up in a gauntlet formation and the hawk would fly between us.  The space increasingly closed in until I could feel the wing brush by my arm.  We then moved out into a small meadow type area and the naturalist asked if anyone would like to put on the glove.  While I have to tell you that my hand was up immediately and first.  I put the glove on (to protect the arm against the talons) and the food was placed in my hand.  The hawk then flew in from a tree branch, landed, ate and then flew back to a tree.  CC was next and the sequence was repeated.  I am going to post pictures of CC and one of just the hawk.  I am also going to post a picture of Belmont's osprey.  If you click on the picture it will enlarge and if you look closely you will see a fish in the talons.

Thanks for letting me post.

The Nurse