Tuesday, December 31, 2013, New Years Eve.   Woke up with a setback in my post cold bronchitis.   Heavy coughing and nasal reaction, eye tearing in reaction something in the air.  Started my antibiotic routine again.  Took my time to get paperwork done.  Then went to get the birds loaded  It started raining.  I decided to watch my health and postponed setting the birds out until things got drier.   As the rains subsided later in the afternoon (after 2) I decided to just take the falcons out to educate the guests, per requests of staff and guests who have heard about the program. I was glad I got everything clean and organized yesterday.  I did walking patrols with the falcon(s) then walked the key by the residences at dusk.  Sure enough again, grackles were at the harbor across the water.  I stayed until misting weather started and I went back in.  Fireworks were set off at midnight, so I got up and to make sure the hawks and falcons were comfortable.  They were fine, the building blocked the majority of the noise of the fireworks.  Then back to sleep for all of us.  

Monday, December 30th, 2013:

Cloudy most of the day.  Which I like, my eyes are sun-sensitive to I appreciate it.  This was clean and organize day.  I got the hawks and falcons out to weather, then cleaned enclosures and organized equipment.   Hawks were flown primarily around the pool and beach area.  All four were flown for a while, but just two at a time.  Winds were low, so I let the hawks spend a lot of time out, just preening and hanging out in the trees.  After sundown, I walked around the key to the residential area.   Surely enough, across the harbor, the grackles have returned to the trees.  I stayed and watched their movements.  A group of about 50 or so circled the residences, but went back across the harbor.  The next night, I will defiantly concentrate on the residence area at dusk.  

December, 29, 2013,  Sunday

Intermittent clouds and rain.  Took time to concentrate on the pool and beach area with the hawks.  The areas were busy with guests and I wanted to make sure the hawks were there to keep the pest grackles away from the food.  I was able to get all 4 hawks flown that day and they did well.  The residential area has very few grackles.  But, I am waiting to see when this rainy spell passes to see what patterns occur.  The grackles and blackbirds seem to have moved onshore, but I have heard that they are at hanging and roosting around a gas station on the mainland.  Scouts still fly around at dusk, so we make sure that the hawks are present and in the air until after sunset.  

December 28, 2013:

Windy, cloudy, chance of rain all day.  I walked the entire area and key this morning to see if there were signs of birds roosting overnight.  Only a few were seen.  The winds were quite high, so I had to wait until the winds slowed before I set the hawks and falcons out to weather. I was asked to show and educate the guests about the birds at the beach area and took one of the falcons there.  Then was able to use the falcon to keep grackles moving in and taking guest food and bathing in the pool. I could not fly around the pool, there were guest that were uncomfortable with birds.   Flights started later in the day, around 4:30.   We went to the residential area and a few scout birds were circling around the area.  We stayed until dark, and could not fly the hawks, it was very windy.  Then some rains started as we returned back and put the hawks and falcons away for the night.  Hopefully this weather is passing.  The wind is now from the west and I can start daytime flights soon.

Friday, December 27, 2013.

It was breezy and mixed rain and clouds all day.  I took time between showers to set the hawks and falcons out at the beach to enjoy being outside.  I cleaned their enclosures and straightened up the gear. When it started raining around 1:00, I put them in their enclosures and had lunch.  Then the rains persisted off and on all afternoon.   The hawks were then loaded up to be flown at the roosting area near the residences.   We walked over and saw only a small group of  scout grackles flying about.  The grackles were not across the harbor.  I am speculating they have found a place to roost out of the rains which have persisted for days.  Such as a parking garage or other open air cover.   We flew 2 Harris hawks to make sure that their presence was still known to the grackles.  The residents appreciated us flying them.  We kept them out until dusk and placed them back in their enclosures.  On the way back it started raining.  One resident stopped us and thanked us for scaring away the grackles.  She said she can now continue her evening walks without worrying about bird droppings hitting her.  I am glad to hear that.  Rains started again and  equipment got damp from loading up.  So, it was taken up to my room to dry out overnight.  I am watching to see how the grackle roosting patterns change while this rain front moves through the next few days.  Hawks will be flown to keep the predatory presence active.

Thursday, December 26, 2013:

Rainy all day.  Between showers, we went to the beach and set up the weathering area for the hawks with fresh water and cleaned/rain water rinsed perches.  But, rain returned and the Harris' hawks which are a desert species that get wet very easily were kept in their boxes.  We did internet supply orders (batteries, cough syrup not found in stores) and kept an eye on the weather all day.  At sunset,  we went out with the falcons on the fist to the residences to make sure that rooting grackles do not return.  We stayed until  after sunset.  To make sure they do not come over to the residences to roost.  There was very little grackle activity today due to the rain.  My husband has departed for our home in North Florida

December 25, 2013, Christmas Day.

It was windy all Christmas Eve and day My husband and I could hear the furniture and tables being blown around the porch in our room.  So, we weighted things down to keep them from blowing over the edge.  The high winds made it too unsafe for the hawks and falcons to be set out on the beach, even in their enclosures in the cabana.  So the decision was made to keep them safe in the truck and fly directly out of their hawk boxes in the evening.  We walked the key to determine the roosting areas of the grackles, and found droppings in the plants and trees where they have roosted earlier.  The vast majority of them are now across the harbor.  It was a pleasant day for us.  And were waiting for the evening flights to begin.  Beach staff told us that some grackles were coming in during meal times.   It is realized that even sitting on the beach on their perches serves as a deterrent for the grackles coming in to take food and bathe at the pool.  The grackles now recognize us, our clothing, and even our equipment and stay away.   We set out around 4:00 to start evening flight patrols.  Winds were still high but we brought our two most reliable hawks when it comes to staying close to the falconers.  We let one out at a time and kept her close.  For her safety, we did not want her to be blown across the harbor, or worse yet, in the water.  There were quite a few residents out with their families who saw us and were very interested in our work.  We explained the concept and they were thankful that we have greatly reduced the mess the grackles have made over the months.  Small flocks of grackles that we refer to as 'scouts' flew around the buildings, but flew back over the harbor when they saw that we were not moving.  We stayed after dark to make sure the grackles stayed away that evening.

 Today, (the 26th of December)  it is raining and we will have to wait for the rains to stop before we can set the hawks and falcons out.