Post by jkosprey on Apr 23, 2012 16:46:12 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I've been mostly lurking for about a year here. I am a former falconer(2004-2006). During that time I flew a new Red-tail each season. I let my license lapse in 06 when I left for college the first time-I couldn't afford to pay the fee for something I was unable to practice, and never upgraded to general class as a result.
Life wound up getting away from me. I was planning on getting back into the sport after Iraq but my living situation up until recently prohibited it. The landlord recently OK'd a raptor on the premises, and it looks like I'll be able to fly again.
My test is taken care of, as is most of the equipment. I do not have a sponsor yet, but I am working on that. My living situation will only allow a small raptor, so in my case I would have a kestrel. I feel confident, given my prior experience with RT's and some work I have been doing with rehab raptors for education purposes. I feel that they are more appropriate at the moment due to game availability-I see far more easy slips on starlings and house sparrows than I do on rabbits and squirrels. Another nearby apprentice was flying his first year RT on birds this season.
I'm looking for plans for an indoor kestrel mews, preferably portable, that I could put up in my apartment. I saw the sticky at the top of this fourm category, but the photos have been removed, so it was, unfortunately, not that helpful. Money is not a major obstacle, but it would be nice if I could keep building costs under $1K. At the moment, my thoughts are along the lines of 4x4x4 interior lined with coroplast, with the frame and exterior out of plywood, but I have nothing solid.
I know that it's best to have a sponsor first, and don't plan on starting construction until then, however since asking to begin with a kestrel-even with experience-could be a contested situation, I'd like to have my ducks in a row before I approach anyone with the idea. Any thoughts?
I've been mostly lurking for about a year here. I am a former falconer(2004-2006). During that time I flew a new Red-tail each season. I let my license lapse in 06 when I left for college the first time-I couldn't afford to pay the fee for something I was unable to practice, and never upgraded to general class as a result.
Life wound up getting away from me. I was planning on getting back into the sport after Iraq but my living situation up until recently prohibited it. The landlord recently OK'd a raptor on the premises, and it looks like I'll be able to fly again.
My test is taken care of, as is most of the equipment. I do not have a sponsor yet, but I am working on that. My living situation will only allow a small raptor, so in my case I would have a kestrel. I feel confident, given my prior experience with RT's and some work I have been doing with rehab raptors for education purposes. I feel that they are more appropriate at the moment due to game availability-I see far more easy slips on starlings and house sparrows than I do on rabbits and squirrels. Another nearby apprentice was flying his first year RT on birds this season.
I'm looking for plans for an indoor kestrel mews, preferably portable, that I could put up in my apartment. I saw the sticky at the top of this fourm category, but the photos have been removed, so it was, unfortunately, not that helpful. Money is not a major obstacle, but it would be nice if I could keep building costs under $1K. At the moment, my thoughts are along the lines of 4x4x4 interior lined with coroplast, with the frame and exterior out of plywood, but I have nothing solid.
I know that it's best to have a sponsor first, and don't plan on starting construction until then, however since asking to begin with a kestrel-even with experience-could be a contested situation, I'd like to have my ducks in a row before I approach anyone with the idea. Any thoughts?