Bird Strike Force

Sunday April 12^th 2015.  Got to bed early Saturday and woke up early.  Walked the dog(s).  Then set the hawks out for the day.  Walkabouts started a bit later, due to few birds (and guests dining outside).  So, I walked around the beach and took a break by holding my one hawk at the bench area on the north boardwalk.  It was refreshing to do.  The hawk (red-tail) was there,  he see seemed to really enjoy the morning sun and breezes.  Molting season is upon us and feathers are everywhere, in the boxes, flying off the hawks in the wind and a feathery downy carpet is in their enclosures.  Monday will be enclosure cleaning day.  For the truck repair put a hold on cleaning until it was out of the shop.   It was breezy, the hawks are getting in great shape and I flew 2 again for lunch dining.  They did fantastic.  Staying with me, and above the guests dining outside.   They were great and I’m proud that they deal with all of the human distractions in the area.  In the afternoon around 2:00 they seem to get bored and start heading back to the staging area.  I was talking to a guest and they flew back around the lanai area toward the main entrance.  I could not easily locate them.  The youngest, which is a poor flyer got blown into a window, but just grazed it.  No head on collision.  She landed on the pool rules sign.  Staff who saw the window collision said she did not hit it hard.  I educate my birds about such hazards in the best way I know how.  I hold them next to the hazard (window, fencing, etc.)  Then on the fist, bump them several times against it.  I am only hoping that they learn that the windows are not fly-thru and that fences are not brambles or vines that will give way.  They seem to learn.  I’ve been lucky.  I have several falconry friends’ hawks that have been killed or crippled by such hazards.  I wrapped the day up right around 4:00 and relaxed until it was cool enough to put the hawks back in my truck.  Got some mementos of my stay here as well.     I used the golf cart to take the hawks back and again the black Honda STILL parks at the narrowest part of the lower parking, right across from the yellow curb.  And parks at least 3 feet from the guard-rail.   Why they still park there is beyond me.  Especially when I see several open parking spaces in the lot.  People have limited visibility driving around the curb.  Employees are often rushed to get parked to catch the shuttle and I think that particular car will eventually get damaged.  Not to mention if a large box ruck needs to get around the corner as well.    Monday morning will be cleaning day.  I will wear my shorts and t shirts for cleaning, then change into the day’s work clothes.