Bird Strike Force

Tuesday, April 2nd 2013:  Set birds out, cleaned enclosures and straightened up the area after yesterdays rain.   I started flight patrols at lunch time around the pool area.  I flew 2 different hawks.  When I put up a second bird, Immediately I heard screeching by the pool.  I rushed over, realizing the hawk had grabbed a grackle, not what I wanted.  The grackle got away and the rest of the grackles were screeching at the hawk.  Not what I wanted to have in the daytime, especially in front of guests.  The hawk was called down and I switched to the other one.    I asked pool staff if I could walk straight through the pool dining area with the birds to deter the grackles.  I felt it depended on the response of the guests.  Some like it some are uncomfortable, I will let their opinion determine what I do.  Evening patrols started at 6:30 after documenting with photos some of the abatement activities.  I wanted to have some good photos of the birds in action, and my newly modified cage for carrying them.  There are still some grackles concentrated in areas, so I flew there, but concentrated on the walkway by the parking garage.  The grackles can see the hawks in the trees from all problem areas, and it is highly discrete.  Yesterday, when down near the park by the second circle.  The hawks just draw a lot of attention, especially from kids. I am more comfortable being less conspicuous with fewer grackles in the area.  Especially if the hawk connects with a grackle.