When flying my kestrel on the creance about 100 yards back and forth, a male Cooper's Hawk came down and tagged he when she was on the ground when she tried to fly away from him. I know, its time to loose the creance. We were trying to work on lure flying.....Anyhow, I scared the Coops off almost instantaneously, picked my bird up and she squeezed me real hard. Fed her a bit on the fist (to make sure she was immediatley okay) and then boxed her. I took her home and flew her about 30 ft to the fist inside, to make sure she was flying well, she was. I had her eat a tiring on my fist while I opened her wings and checked her....her right wing had some secondaries that looked like they'd be roughed up at the very back (trailing edge). No blood, not holding wings weird, flew fine. Now she is on a bow perch fluffed up, chillin. I can't get a hold of my sponsor and I want to know if she needs to go to the vet or not.
Does she need to go to the vet or not?
I am going to keep a keen eye on her, and if anything changes, I will rush her to the vet.
Thanks for any help
In the end, we only protect what we care about, we only care about what we know, and we only know what we're taught
Post by okiereddirthawker on Nov 19, 2008 20:32:19 GMT -5
I would look her over for any puncture wounds, blood, scrapes or breaks in the skin. Look at her eyes and make sure there is no blood in them. try dropping a cotton ball in front of each eye off to the side and make sure she tracks with the ball. Watch her for any signs of labored breathing. Make sure if you don't take her to a vet that you keep a close eye on her for the next couple of days!!!
Health....... is the slowest possible rate at which you can die! That's Dr. Okiereddirthawker!
Like you said.. Definitely time to cut the creance.
However now that shes scarred from that coop it may be a real issue.
Does she need to go to the vet?
What do you think? Do you want to hear us tell you its better to be safe then sorry?
Personally I think she'd be showing signs of slowing down immediately. Must not be hurt at all just a little roughed up. But then again I cant see your kes.
I always doubt myself. I know she is fine, I think I was more traumatized than she was. She is acting completely normal. But now I am afraid to take her off the creance because she had that experience. I gotta get over it. There are so many Accipiters and red shouldered hawks in my area this time of year though
In the end, we only protect what we care about, we only care about what we know, and we only know what we're taught
I always doubt myself. I know she is fine, I think I was more traumatized than she was. She is acting completely normal. But now I am afraid to take her off the creance because she had that experience. I gotta get over it. There are so many Accipiters and red shouldered hawks in my area this time of year though
You may be overthinking things. My first kestrel was pounced on out of nowhere by a cat when he was on the creance. He wasn't hurt, but I know he was scared. When I took him off the creance, he was attacked by a coopers hawk. I know he was scared then, too. He never flew differently after either event. Kestrels are pretty forgiving...I think yours will be fine.
"We promised the world we'd tame it, what were we hoping for?" -Bloc Party
I was flying my kessie in my back yard, and i saw a coop flying away from us. I kept a sharp eye out for it for the next hour or so.
when i was out flying yesterday, when ever my bird tilted his head to look to the sky, i started panning the sky also to make sure there was nothing visible to me. dont forget, they can see thing way before we can.
killjoy- I t's funny you say that they can see things we can't. I am always looking over my shoulder when I am walking away from her (thats how I saw the coops come in). But that damn keen accipiter ambush got me.
This morning I picked her up out of her mew, checked for a casting (which was present) and put her on a bow perch in my bed room. This is the normal procedure. I weighed her, and she had normal weight loss. BUT, now she is in my room with her head tucked under her back like she's sleeping. This is the first time she had done this when captive. I figure three things:
One: She is finally comfortable enough to do this around me Two: I kept her up late last night (about 9:00pm) to monitor her. Maybe she is still tired and wants some extra shut eye. (Woke her up about 7:30am) Three: She is injured in a place I cannot see and is trying to recover
I talked to my falconer and he said "well, I think she is okay. and if you wake up tomorrow morning and she is still alive, then she is okay".... here it is the morning. The smoke has cleared and the kestrel still stands.
In the end, we only protect what we care about, we only care about what we know, and we only know what we're taught