Double Trouble

I took both Farrah and Cisco out this morning. The change in routine was not too bad until Farrah got her Anglo Indian hood off while sitting on the car seat perch before we left. She had it in her foot and I figured she'd tear it to shreds while I looked for her Dutch hood. She didn't, but I  found the other hood needed minor repair as she had pulled the brace off on one side during one of her earlier hood attacks.  She can get most hoods off whether A-I or Dutch unless you tie the braces behind her head. I don't hood her that much. This morning's hood repair delayed me by about 15 or 20 minutes. I went to Whataburger for a quick breakfast. As I was sitting in the car I heard Cisco trying to cast in the hawk box. I am always concerned about a hooded hawk casting, and yanked his  hood off. He had been struggling, but was OK and we headed to Katy. No hood is completely safe for casting,  though Anglo Indian should be better than a modified Dutch hood.

The situation in the open fields has not changed since I last flew Farrah in November. Pretty low on game. No rabbits but Farrah chased a couple of  sparrows and the hour was up. I  drove to the woods and discovered my  Luksander Razor transmitter was still out in Katy,  having fallen off. I really don't like the wire clip on that transmitter. I decided I would fly Cisco and then retrieve the transmitter after.

After a chase or two, Cisco scraped a squirrel off a tree and it dropped into the 6" deep water below. Watching a free-falling squirrel with a diving redtail a few feet behind is a thrilling sight. Often the squirrel can escape once it hits the forest floor.  This one had no chance with the water impeding the escape, and an experienced redtail barreling on. A quick dispatch and we headed home. Actually not home, out to Katy  to track down the transmitter. That took about 15 or 20 minutes and THEN we headed home.

Cisco is definitely back into the squirrel mode and we can expect to catch one every time we go out,  at least at this place. Cisco is not over the hill at 11 years old.

No pictures today, sorry.