Michigan Hawking Club Winter Newsletter 2017 by Chris Martello

Winter Newsletter 2017

Table of Contents 2016 - 2017 Michigan Hawking Club Officers and Committee Heads

Letter from the President

Michigan Hawking Club On Social Media!

2016 Business Meeting Minutes

2016 Treasury Report

Outdoorama 2017

Vendor Advertisements

Ozz Warback Award – Dave Hogan

Troop 284 and Kestrel Box Construction

Not What I Expected

Sparrow Hawking in Morocco

Picture Gallery

Educational Event Coordinator – New Position

Falconry Humor / Cartoons

North American Falconry Association – N.A.F.A

2016 Raptor Count

MHC Application / Renewal

Editors Final Throes

*Photo Credit: The cover photo features ‘Sabre’, the first wild-trapped Peregrine falcon taken via permit in Michigan. Photo by Christopher Martello

http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017

2016 - 2017 Michigan Hawking Club Officers and Committee Heads President:

Jeff Alkire 7370 Durand Rd. New Lothrop, MI 48460 (810) 638-7779

Secretary: Treasurer:

Christopher Martello 1100 Miller Road Lake Orion, MI 48362 (248) 845-8167

Legislative Coordinator: Public Relations Coordinator: Newsletter Editor:

http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Gregg Agoston 22449 Moorgate St Novi, MI 48374 (248) 449-4842 Dave Hogan 4830 Bluebush Monroe, MI 48163 (734) 241-8458 Michael Azzopardi 10419 Baraga St. Taylor, MI 48180 Christopher Martello 1100 Miller Road Lake Orion, MI 48362

Winter Newsletter 2017

Letter from the President By Jeff Alkire

Hello MHC members and friends, As 2017 starts, I am reminded of the old saying “time waits for no man.” Those of you who know me understand that I am a person who appreciates stability and putting down solid roots. That is a place where I’m personally most comfortable. Unfortunately, I have learned that time and life seldom take our preferences into account as they unfold our futures. As cliché as it may seem, the only thing we can count on is that there will be change. With that in mind I have compiled an overview of both the past and upcoming years. 2016 is now behind us… • At the closing of the year there were 122 licensed falconers in the State and 128 members in the Club. • A new falconry examination was written and approved for use in Michigan this past year. The new exam will replace the previous version which has been used since the 1970’s. Along with addressing items such as outdated health practices, the new exam was written to focus more directly on falconry as practiced in Michigan. The volume of content developed for the new exam will also provide for multiple test versions so individuals re-taking the exam will not see the questions again. • There have been some staff changes in the DNR over the past year which are worth noting. For many years the falconry point person in the MDNR has been All Bird Biologist Karen Cleveland. Karen has become a familiar name to many of us for what she has accomplished in looking out for both the welfare of birds of prey, and our ability to practice falconry over the years. Karen was given a new assignment opportunity making it necessary for someone else in the department to handle falconry-related issues. The individual chosen to take over this position is another familiar name to falconers in Michigan. Permit Specialist Casey Reitz will now be handling all falconry-related items. I look forward to a continuation of the good working relationship we have enjoyed with the MDNR as Karen moves on and Casey settles into her new responsibilities. • In the fall, Club Secretary Christopher Martello was the first falconer to successfully fill a wild peregrine take permit in Michigan. • New relationships have been formed to help with the rehabilitation and handling of Peregrines on the west side of the State. http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017

• Many new falconers have successfully found sponsors this year. This is not always an easy thing to make happen so I say congratulations to our new apprentices, and thank you to the sponsors who have chosen to invest in others as someone once invested in you. • •

•

Looking ahead into 2017… Along with the many annual events the Club will continue to attend, we will have an educational booth at a new event in Birch Run this February. Believe it or not, it is regulation time again! Under the three-year cycle written into the State regulations it is time to start reviewing our falconry regulations. Following the path used last time, we will start in the Spring in order to have presentations ready for the NRC in January of 2018. Please put some thought into this and come to the April business meeting ready to discuss any ideas. The annual business meeting in April is important in deciding the focus and direction of the Club for the following year. This is where the membership can voice and vote their opinions. Election of officers, allocation of funds, and legal/regulatory issues are all addressed at this meeting. I strongly encourage all members to make arrangements to attend. A new position of Educational Event Coordinator has been discussed for the Club. A description can be found elsewhere in this newsletter and will also be discussed and voted on at the annual business meeting. We are working with the Metro Airport Authority and the MDNR on an agreement that would put certain raptors slated for euthanasia into the hands of falconers to fly. More information will be provided as details are established. The Club is looking forward to hosting another successful Apprentice Workshop around June.

In some ways 2017 is still an open canvas. If there is an event or opportunity we are missing please let us know. I would like to speak to a subject that was recently discussed amongst some Michigan falconers. The fall take season can be a frustrating time for new apprentices trying to obtain their first bird. Some apprentices are able to fill their take permit on opening day, while others can find themselves deep into December without one. A fundamentally important part of the apprenticeship process is the trapping and training of a wild bird. Specific language concerning this is part of the sponsor-apprentice agreement signed by all Michigan falconry sponsors and apprentices where it says… http://michiganhawkingclub.org

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“I must acquire a freshly trapped regulatory approved raptor from the wild.” The apprenticeship model is a time proven and tested method to help insure falconers acquire the knowledge and skills required in both the proper handling and care of raptors, and the safe and proper practice of falconry itself. If sponsors allow apprentices to ignore these rules and skip steps, down the road new falconers may find themselves in situations they are not equipped for. For the sake of falconry and all falconers, I ask please don’t short circuit the established process. As always, this Club can only do as much or as little as the membership supports. The other Officers and I welcome new ideas, suggestions, and even criticisms from members on how the MHC can be improved. May 2017 be a great year to practice falconry in Michigan. Respectfully submitted, Jeffrey K. Alkire President, Michigan Hawking Club

Michigan Hawking Club On Social Media!

Be sure to follow us on twitter @MichHawkingClub and use the hashtag #Falconry Be sure to ‘Like’ us on Facebook at Michigan Hawking Club under “Groups”

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Winter Newsletter 2017

2016 Business Meeting Minutes

Business Meeting Minutes for April 10th, 2016 10:00AM

Pre-Meeting: Breakfast Donuts Sign-in Sheet Introductions

1. 2. 3.

Call to Order Reading of minutes of last meeting by the Secretary, Christopher Martello. Acceptance of the Meeting Minutes. a. There was a motion to accept the minutes by Michael Yachick. b. JT Warner seconded the motion. c. The motion was approved. Officers Reports a. Treasurer’s Report i. Gregg Agoston was not present for today’s meeting, but provided financial updates through Jeff Alkire and Christopher Martello. ii. Financial report will be posted to the website after the Meeting iii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the treasurer’s report by Christopher Martello. 2. JT Warner seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved.

Secretary’s Report i. Christopher Martello provided a secretary report of club membership and standing with MUCC. Current membership is at 101 members. Our membership status with MUCC remains current and renews in July. ii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the Secretary’s report by Sue Ryan. 2. Jeff Alkire seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. c. President’s Report i. Jeff gave a report about club status with DNR and educational events. Jeff discussed that the Falconry test for the State of Michigan will be changing during this year. Format of the test to be similar to the existing test. ii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the Presidents report by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. Committee Reports a. Legislative and Regulative Report i. Dave Hogan gave an overview of the current legislative landscape with regards to falconry. Not much going on legislatively at this time. Potential to adjust the duck season dates and times for falconry. First year of three for new regulations. Will revisit the rules and regulations in three years. There was some additional discussion about the trapping, regulations, and goshawks. ii. Ed Taylor indicated he was interested in joining the discussion for duck hunting regulations. iii. The number of birds that the club is regulated to is based on our current take with the existing permits that we have.

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Winter Newsletter 2017

iv. There were some additional discussions on peregrine falcon trapping in the State of Michigan. v. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the report by Christopher Martello 2. JT Warner seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. b. Public Relations i. Michael Azzopardi provided an update about public relations information and fielded phone calls. ii. Hawk Talks are sometimes needed for good falconry and public relations, as well as Cub Scouts and other organizations. Michigan Wood Carvers association and some others. iii. Sue Ryan mentioned that it would be a good idea of how to give a presentation or hawk talk. Sue Volunteered to put together some information. iv. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the public relations report by Christopher Martello. 2. JT Warner seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. c. Legislative Committee i. As previously provided by Dave Hogan. ii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the Legislative Committee report by Christopher Martello. 2. JT Warner seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. d. Ad-Hoc Merchandise Committee i. Christopher Martello gave an update with the state of the club merchandise. ii. There was some discussion around non-dated merchandise. iii. Options for distributing left-over hats and t-shirts. iv. Moving forward will not date the shirts and hats. v. Patrick Durham volunteered to help Chris with Merchandise. vi. Chris will put together duties and responsibilities for Merchandise. vii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the Merchandise Report by JT Warner. 2. Jeff Alkire seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. e. Ad-Hoc Research Grant Committee i. Jeff Alkire discussed the previous year donations to folks. ii. Distributing funds to raptor research centers for food locally on a Michigan Level. iii. Some discussion about raptor rehabilitation, needs, and how one would go about becoming a raptor rehabilitator. iv. Round of applause for Mark Tomich for his recent rehabilitation work. v. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the report by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. Old Business a. Club Newsletter i. Christopher Martello gave a report on the newsletter publication and the costs associated with the annual newsletter. ii. There was some discussion around the format, digital, newsletter format, etc.. iii. Chris to coordinate with Mike Azzopardi to ensure that the list of vendors is correct for the publication. iv. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the report by JT Warner.

http://michiganhawkingclub.org

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Danielle Durham seconded the motion. The motion was approved.

Spring & Fall Tidbits st i. Spring by June 1 Troy Peters st ii. Fall by Michael Yachick by December 1 . Apprentice Workshop – (June 11th; Troy Nature Center; Lloyd Stage Nature Center) i. Sue Ryan spoke about the previous year was a great venue and facility. ii. Danielle Durham is coordinating this year’s event with the presenters and logistics. iii. $10 dollar per person for attendees for the facility use. ($30 for registrations) iv. Presenters should contact Sue / Danielle for presentation opportunities. v. The apprentice workshop is well received by the members who have attended in the past. vi. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved.

Summer Picnic – (July 30, 2016) [ Location TBD] i. There was a whisper of crickets for a few minutes. ii. Jeff Alkire finally spoke about last years picnic. iii. Debbie Gaskins spoke about the Hawk Island Park venue and why it was so difficult to book the shelters. iv. There was some additional discussion about venues, parks, and picnic needs, as well as birds. v. Debbie Gaskins volunteered to help research the location, and would welcome help from JT Warner, Larry, and others. vi. Derrick Watkins pre-viewed a location for the 2017 picnic. vii. Acceptance of the report 1. There was a motion to accept the picnic discussion by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. [There was a break for lunch at 12:00 noon and the meeting resumed at 12:55 pm] Field Meets rd i. West-Side Field Meet (December 3 , 2016) 1. Chris Wysocki continues to volunteer to setup this winter field meet. 2. Chris M & Chris W need to edit the field meet verbiage for the calendar event. th ii. Annual Winter Field Meet (February 4 , 2017) 1. There was a question of why the date to the field meet changed from the first Saturday in February. There were some logistical issues with reservations on the day. 2. Big Thanks to the folks that continue to assist with the kitchen and food help. 3. JT Warner requested additional assistance with kitchen and food help. 4. The field meet did very well this year, the auction was very successful. 5. Suggestion for some field meet etiquette. a. There was a suggestion to create a poster of field meet etiquette. 6. Great Big Thanks to JT Warner for the coordination of the event for this year. 7. Debbie Gaskins provided some insightful reflections on the field meet and recited some great stories and feedback from our Winter Field Meet. The response to the meets is very positive from people who came to the meet. She requested more help on this day. iii. Field Meet Auction Items 1. JT Warner seconds the idea of sending out field meet gear to our vendors. 2. The thought for a door prize or a raffle ticket item. a. There are some legal issues when raffle items and 50/50 raffles are involved.

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Winter Newsletter 2017

There was some additional lively discussion on the purpose of the field meet; hunting vs. education vs. conservation. 4. JT Warner to confirm the date of the field meet with the DeWitt Community center. iv. Acceptance of the Field Meet report 1. There was a motion by Christopher Martello to accept the field meet report. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved.

g. h. i.

Website and Social Media i. Chris provided a simple overview of the facebook and twitter feeds. ii. Chris to look into the Like page and notifications MUCC Club Affiliation i. As previously discussed in the Secretary’s report. 2015 Take Report i. As previously discussed by Dave Hogan. Club Educational Events i. HawkFest – (Sept 17-18, 2016) 1. Dave Hogan coordinator ii. Cranefest –(Oct 8-9, 2016) 1. Dave Hogan is the coordinator, JT to help with club member attendance. 2. JT to assist coordinate with the Cranefest and the Michigan Audubon Club. iii. Hunting Time Expo –(Jan 27-28-29, 2017) 1. Chris Wysocki to continue to coordinate. iv. MUCC Outdoorama – (Feb 23-26, 2017) 1. Dave Hogan to continue to coordinate, Mark Tomich also. v. New event opportunities 1. Huron Valley Metro Park Inquiry Hawk Talk 2. Jackson Farm Days has also inquiry for Hawk Talk rd 3. DNR Talk for Sleepy Hallow July 23 . 4. Pt. Mouluee hunters association. (same day as HawkFest, typically) Communication Protocol; Educational Events and Coordinators i. Christopher Martello published a document for review by the general membership. ii. Chris will change the verbiage to include generals / masters for apprentices. iii. Jeff to make a phone call to the DNR to clarify some of the language regarding apprentices. iv. Acceptance of the proposal 1. There was a motion to adopt this proposal by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. Donations i. The general fund is at $6,863.82 . 12% of the current balance for peregrine funds and other donations. ii. NAFA Membership and/or donation 1. There was a motion to maintain $100 membership dues by JT Warner. 2. Patrick Durham seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved. iii. Peregrine Fund 1. There was a motion to Donate $300 by Dave Hogan 2. The motion was seconded by JT Warner 3. The motion was approved. iv. Research Grants and other Donations

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Peregrine Flight School a. There was a motion to donate 200 quail by Mark Tomich from Lance Christensen to Dave Hogan for his efforts with the peregrine flight school. b. There was some discussion, a little laughter, and a hearty round of applause for Dave. c. JT Warner seconded the motion. d. The motion was approved.

Falconry Regulations in Michigan i. No Changes to falconry regulations. No discussion.

New Business a. The New Falconry Test i. There was some discussion about the construction of the new falconry test as being discussed. ii. Four Club Members with members of the DNR will meet to work through creation of the next test. iii. Guidelines for the timing of the test (one hour, two hours, or what writing on the test). b. Kestrel Boxes / Kestrel Fund i. Jeff Alkire discussed how Kestrel Boxes have previously been used. The DNR has used the stockpile of boxes. 1. There was a motion to have the club fund the construction of 25 kestrel boxes and donate the boxes to the DNR for their research by Dave Hogan. 2. There was some additional discussion by Jeff Alkire. 3. JT Warner seconded the motion. 4. The motion was approved. ii. Christopher Martello volunteers to make Kestrel Boxes with his Boy Scout troop. 1. The club will fund the construction of 25 boxes. c. Field Meet Auction Items â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Michael Azzopardi i. Follow-ups on the field meet items donations to our donators. ii. Thank you notes were sent. iii. Options were provided to our vendors for advertising in our newsletters. d. Some discussions on Trapping Permit. i. JT Warner asked a question about helping falconers with their trapping permits. ii. There was some discussion about sharing information. Election of Officers a. Public Relations position, appointment / volunteer i. Michael Azzopardi will continue to fill the position of with public relations. 1. There was a motion to accept the public relations nomination by JT Warner. 2. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. 3. The motion was approved.

President i. Jeff Alkire continues to volunteer as President. ii. There was a motion by Dave Hogan to nominate Jeff Alkire as President. 1. Michael Yachick seconded the Motion. 2. All in favor none opposed. 3. The motion was carried. Jeff Alkire is president for 2016. Treasurer i. Gregg Agoston continues to volunteer as Club Treasurer. ii. There was a motion to nominate Gregg Agoston by as Treasurer.

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Sue Ryan / Michael Azzopardi seconded the Motion. All in favor none opposed. The motion was carried. Gregg Agoston is Treasurer for 2016.

iii. Secretary i. Christopher Martello will continue to volunteer as Secretary. ii. There was a motion to nominate Christopher Martello as Secretary by Sue Ryan. 1. Michael Yachick seconded the motion. 2. All in favor none opposed. 3. The motion was carried. Christopher Martello is Secretary for 2016. Dismissal and Closure a. There was a motion to dismiss the meeting by Christopher Martello. b. Sue Ryan seconded the motion. c. All in favor none opposed. d. The motion is carried. The meeting is closed and dismissed at 3:02 pm. d.

2016 Treasury Report

Treasurer's Report as of 12/31/2016 Treasurer's comments: This is a summary report from January 1, 2015 thru December 31, 2016. Please see full report on line at Michiganhawkingclub.com. 2015 General Fund Summary Beginning Balance Total Revenue Total Expenses Ending Balance

2015 Legislative Fund Summary Beginning Balance Total Revenue Total Expenses Ending Balance Total Assets

$6,968.98 $6,646.00 ($6,751.16) $6,863.82

$5,356.27 $$$5,356.27 $12,220.09

2016 General Fund Summary Beginning Balance Total Revenue Total Expenses Ending Balance

2016 Legislative Fund Summary Beginning Balance Total Revenue Total Expenses Ending Balance

$6,863.82 $7,855.43 ($9,249.23) $5,470.02

*$695 paid for Room Rental 2017 field meet

$5,356.27 $20.00 $$5,376.27 $10,846.29

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Outdoorama 2017

Thursday February 23rd through Sunday February 26th 2016 Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi Michigan

The Michigan Hawking Club will host a booth to educate the public about raptors and falconry at the Outdoorama event in Novi at the Suburban Collection Showplace and Expo Center. The Club always welcomes volunteers to take shifts at the booth. Mark Tomich is the event coordinator and you may contact him (or sign up at the field meet) to volunteer. You do not need to have a bird to bring, just a willingness to put some time into help. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a good opportunity for apprentices and aspiring falconers to gain some insights and participate in the tradition of club sponsored public service.

This event is one of the most widely attended outdoor vendor events and it also helps the club meet its commitment to provide raptor education as part of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charter. It is also a fun time and a good way to get to know other club members, explore Outdoorama, and share your expertise with others. It is not the purpose of the booth to recruit for new club members, but to educate folks about raptors and the sport of falconry. To plan space, accommodate birds, equipment, arrange for badges, and assure full coverage, please sign up in advance with Mark Tomich. Contact Mark Tomich @ (734) 671-0628 mwtomich@yahoo.com

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Vendor Advertisements These vendors have supported the Michigan Hawking Club by contributing goods and/or services for our auctions. They only ask in return that we consider them when ordering new products recommending sources to others. If you don’t see their ad in this issue, it’s because advertising materials were not available. Please do not overlook their generosity, so please, do purchase from these vendors whenever possible. Many thanks to them!

Western Sporting Goods

Marshall Radio Telemetry

www.westernsporting.com (800) FLY-HAWK

https://marshallradio.com/ (801-936-9000)

www.northwoodsfalconry.com (800) 446-5080

Jeff Alkire (810) 869-2320

Northwoods Ltd.

Mike’s Falconry Supplies

Hawk House Art Pineo Falconry

www.mikesfalconry.com (888) 663-5601

http://www.pineofalconry.com/ (509-624-3427)

Craig Leash

Communications Specialists

http://www.craigleash.com/

http://www.com-spec.com/ (800-854-0547)

Merlin Systems Inc.

http://www.merlin-systems.com/ (866-742-8475)

Bullet Jess Systems

http://www.bulletjesses.com/ (858-592-9471)

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Rob Palmer Photography http://www.falconphotos.com/ (303-888-5264)

Winter Newsletter 2017

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Winter Newsletter 2017

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Ozz Warback Award â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dave Hogan

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division recently chose to honor Club member Dave Hogan with the 2016 Ozz Warback Award for Outstanding Partnership. This award recognizes individuals or organizations outside the Wildlife Division that have been exceptional partners to the State. Steve Chadwick, Assistant Chief of Wildlife Division, said the following when presenting the awardâ&#x20AC;Ś "Dave Hogan has been an invaluable part of the peregrine restoration program in Michigan almost from the first day. Early reports by Judy Yerkey of birds hacked in Detroit and returning to nest in the Detroit area reference Dave and his willingness to attend to falcons who unexpectedly found themselves on the ground. So much so that he grew into our go-to resource to care for birds that came out of the nest before they were ready to fledge. Untold dozens of birds (probably actually measured in the hundreds) have spent a week at "Uncle Dave's Summer Flying Camp" in the past two decades before being reunited with their parents and going on to successfully learn how to hunt and survive. Dave does this on his own time and on his own dime for the love of the birds; without his efforts, the success of southeast Michigan's peregrines would be much lower. Beyond this, Dave has served as the legislative liaison for the Michigan Hawking Club and been pivotal in the passage of legislation that has both supported falconry recreation in Michigan and broadened the authority of the DNR. He's a Master Falconer who has patiently answered countless questions about falconry to aid in the crafting of regulations and policy both at the state and federal level. He's also a rehabber who is willing to go out of his way to help out a raptor even when it's not a life or death circumstance."

As mentioned in the presentation speech, Dave has done an extraordinary amount to benefit the population of wild peregrines and other raptor species in Michigan and beyond. He has been an exemplary representative for falconry and has been a tireless advocate for its practice. He is worthy of this recognition and the MHC is grateful for all he does. http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017

Troop 284 and Kestrel Box Construction By Christopher Martello Each year, the Michigan Hawking Club donates materials for the construction of Kestrel Boxes that are provided to the Michigan DNR in cooperation with The Kestrel Fund. The nest boxes are constructed of cedar planks for long life in the weather. This past fall, a group of Boy Scouts from the Lake Orion Troop 284 constructed 25 Kestrel Nest Boxes together on a Sunday afternoon. The Boy Scout Troop benefits by earning Conservation Service Hours towards achievements and ranks. After construction, the nest boxed were received by the Michigan DNR at the Holly office and distributed to parks and landowners that were willing to put them up for the Kestrels. As an additional â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank Youâ&#x20AC;? to the Boy Scout Troop 284, the Michigan Hawking Club provided a Hawk Talk for the troop with a Wild-Trapped Kestrel. The scouts were thrilled to learn more about the raptors which they had created nest boxes for.

Kestrel Box Construction: Michigan Hawking Club Members Christopher Martello and Kelly Haughn with Boy Scout Troop 284

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Not What I Expected By C. Benjamin Vrielink It was a chilly Thursday afternoon with temps in the mid 30s and overcast. Other than the warmer temperature, it was a typical December day for hawking this time of year. The wind was blowing about 11mph as I drove out to one of my favorite fields. I needed to get some game going for my Red-Tail, Storm. She hadn't caught anything but mice since a red squirrel she got earlier in November, just before deer hunting season. She had had thirty-four good flights at game since then, but missed on all of them. After turning on her telemetry, I sent Storm up in a tree overlooking the gully in which I was about to beat brush. Instead, she circled and soared overhead for a minute or two. I went ahead of her, giving the bushes a good thrashing, working my way up the gully to the left. Soon she settled down in a tree about 20 yards ahead, and started hunting in earnest. About three minutes later, I heard bells and looked up to see her flying away across a snow-covered soy field towards the thick woods, about 100 yards off. Just before she landed, a large bird jumped off of the limb and flew deeper into the woods till it disappeared. It had a brown tail so I assumed that it was an immature red tail. I wasn't concerned at the time because the resident appeared to have flown off. I called for Storm and continued pounding the cover for game. Storm stayed where she was for a minute and a half, and then flew deeper into the woods and took a high perch. I had seen plenty of squirrels in those woods before, so I decided to try to get them going for her, since she was already there.

Great Horned Owl, subdued.

Ben holding his Red-Tailed hawk, Storm and the Great Horned Owl.

A Great Horned Owl flapped out of a group of two evergreen trees in the middle of the field as I passed and sailed off to disappear in the woods to my right. A pair of them live at this field, and I almost always frighten one or both out of these trees as I walk by. I was distracted by the owl and took my eyes away off Storm. When I looked back, I couldn't see her. As soon as I stepped into the woods though, I heard her bells. Now I could see her floating down towards the snow, wings and tail spread. She had something! She was about 100 http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017 yards off, and directly ahead in the woods, so I ran. As I came around a massive oak tree, I found her on top of, and holding on to a Great Horned Owl. As soon as the owl saw me it attempted to leave the scene, but Storm held on. I grabbed the owl and Storm promptly let go and hopped a few feet away where she stood still, looking back at it. I wanted to check the owl for injuries before I released it in case it needed medical attention. I also needed to control Storm, who now wanted to get at the owl again. I put the owl on its back between my legs, and while I gently held it there. I got a hold of Storms jesses and attached them to her leash. With the owl in one hand and my hawk on the other, I left my stick in the woods and walked out to my car. The landowner came out and helped open my car to get Storm into her giant hood. Then I quickly checked the owl. It had no visible injuries other than having lost a few feathers, but was apparently blind in its right eye. It was obvious that the problem wasn't new, or a result of being caught by my bird. The Owl was heavy and healthy by all appearances, and had nested there year after year with its mate, I released it after a few photos. Thankfully, Storm didn't sustain any major injuries either. She caught something, but definitely not what I expected.

****ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE**** Michigan Hawking Club Members collaborate at the annual business meeting for promotion of club activities, review policies, plan events, develop budgets, elect officers, adopt strategies for legal issues, discuss new ventures, and tend to the business of managing the club for its members. If you have not previously attended a business meeting (The Second Sunday in April, Annually), please consider doing so! Your contribution to the dynamic team of club members for the management of the club is critical to our success! You must be a member of the Michigan Hawking Club in good standing with current dues paid to attend the annual business meeting. 2017 Business Meeting to be held on Sunday, April 9th 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Michigan United Conservation Clubs Headquarters, 2101 Wood Street, P.O. Box 30235, Lansing, MI 48909

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Sparrow Hawking in Morocco Written by Carole & Jesse Gabbard

Sparrow hawking in a plateau of the Atlas mountain, Morocco - ÂŠ Jesse Gabbard

The European Sparrow hawk (accipiter nisus) is a species that you can meet in the wild throughout Morocco, whether it is in the pine forest along the Atlantic coast or in the olive trees plantation in the valleys of the Atlas Mountain. This species normally weighs between 100 to 200g for the male and between 200 to 300g for the female. We already imprinted a young male few years ago and we enjoyed taking care of this crazy bird. Named Pokey; as a juvenile he acted like a house cat; he enjoyed taking a nap on the sofa, lying out with his wings spread; he also loved to play with a small rubber bouncy ball and to sleep in your lap to be pet. His behavior changed dramatically after his first hunt. Pokey went from a baby bird to a killer in the matter of an afternoon, even the look in his eyes changed forever. We were happy to have accomplished imprinting such a great bird and had so much fun with him. We hunted him at 115 grams and he was amazing to watch as he flew the dry river beds like a fighter jet ambushing birds. On his first actual hunting expedition, he took 4 birds in a couple hours, such an aerial and acrobatic little hawk, truly a pleasure to hunt!

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Winter Newsletter 2017 This new bird was an entirely different story. This sparrow hawk was a female that had been imprinted by a gentleman who did not have time, and after bouncing from one person to another, she ended up with us along with her bad manners and screaming... Our first goal with her was to teach her to hunt and if she was still not behaving well, we were not too worry to release her in the wild seeing how she had been imprinted with 3 other sparrow hawk chicks. After some quick handling exercises, we came to the conclusion that she just needed to hunt. The problem with our location is the lack of consistent quarry. That is why we did not originally take another sparrow hawk after Pokey, but now we had a new mission: Banshee, a name well earned! That mission was to teach this crazy bird how to hunt and make a Imprinted chick of European Sparrow hawk (accipiter nisus) - ÂŠ Jesse Gabbard falconry bird out of her. There is limited hunting ground in the village near our house, most of this area is covered with thick olive tree plantations, way too easy to lose a new bird, so we took most every opportunity to drive to a nearby plateau in the mountains; nearby as in an hour drive. This large steppe in the middle of the Atlas Mountain is a fantastic place to do some desert hawking and start out a newbie hawk! With a large population of wheatears, this type of bird is an easy quarry because after a nice flight, they hide inside rock piles or rodent holes and after scratching the ground they take off again for a second flight. So, a perfect quarry to start practicing, and the large open steppe allows you to keep an eye on your bird and retrieve it back easily. The only big issue to be careful of are other birds of prey such as the abundant Lanner falcons and Barbary falcons which will take a sparrow hawk in a second given the chance. Banshee was a bit weak in the beginning and her hunting drive seemed lacking, she would chase the quarry a short distance then land a few meters short of the wheatear which would take cover in a nearby rodent hole. The major issues to overcome with her was for her to get the concept of the second flight of the quarry. Once she realized this second opportunity her confidence grew along with her strength. European Sparrow hawk (accipiter nisus) - ÂŠ Jesse Gabbard http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017 We started out taking her up on the fist for the second flight however she learned to take advantage of the highest point around; which turned out to be our heads.

We kept trying. During the week before work we had less time to drive to the mountains for hunting so we stuck close in the countryside around our house; however the frustration of the open areas near us were the wide assortment of thorny bushes! These bushes provide cover for many sparrows but they also on multiple occasions turned into a trap for a unexperienced sparrow hawk, and the bane of a falconer trying to remove a small upset hawk from the mass of thorns! We ruined a few shirts in the process and were late to work on more than one occasion due to this. Another issue with our area was the abundance of olive trees, Banshee decided quite often that she was perfectly fine with an empty stomach Banshee on the highest point around - ÂŠ Jesse Gabbard perched on an olive tree to take a sunbath. Sparrow hawking, as with any type of falconry, is a huge commitment and having hunting ground with abundant game is a necessity. As everyone with a bird knows, with every day out in the field you gain experience and your bird improves, that was the case for Banshee. We often asked ourselves what we were doing wrong and right with this bird, trying to improve our falconry skills as along the way. After few weeks she finally caught her first bird with a nice flight. We let her eat the entire bird. We repeat the process several days in a row with the same success, Banshee finally caught on!! So the next step was to teach her to catch more than one quarry in day and this is when the bad manners from the imprinting popped up brutally. When offered a trade for the bird that she just killed, for some meat on the glove. She started to grab bare hands and faces as soon as the recently killed quarry was hidden, this moved to carrying the quarry while attacking the face; not even flying away, just straight up attacking.

Banshee in action - ÂŠ Jesse Gabbard http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017

We tried many tricks such as trading to the lure, increasing her weight, all with little improvement so we concluded over many weeks of her explosive temperament to just allow her to finish eating then call her to the fist. We could not blame her, but we needed to build her muscle and hunting technics, a slow process if you’re killing only once a day. After a few months we had a strong hawk with many successful kills on her resume. By this time spring was approaching here in morocco and we had no intention of mewing this bird for the summer, so after a great hunt one morning we fed her well and released her in the olive grove near our house and with the reproduction season on its way there would be many young and inexperienced quarry for her, we knew Banshee had a good chance of a successful life in the wild.

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Picture Gallery

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Winter Newsletter 2017

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Educational Event Coordinator – New Position

Position Title: Educational Event Coordinator

Description:

The Michigan Hawking Club is looking for a volunteer to fill the role of liaison, communicator, and coordinator for educational and exposition events that the Michigan Hawking Club attends for the purpose of educating the general public about the Club activities and Falconry in general. The Coordinator will be someone who provides outstanding volunteer service, is an enthusiastic professional who is comfortable speaking in public, with event staff, and club membership. The event coordinator will field calls and inquiries into the club for presentations (also known as “Hawk Talks”) and identify local individuals who would be able to present falconry in a positive light. The coordinator will arrange for the pick-up, setup, and return of Club booth presentation and educational materials for the larger events that require additional materials. Duties and Responsibilities: • Coordinate with club volunteers for Educational Events. • Maintain a list of volunteers and ensure coverage during educational events. • Coordinate setup, teardown, and booth management for events. • Prepare name tags, registrations, and coordinate club participation with the event staff. • Coordinate appointments and scheduling of events on the calendar. • Act as the point of contact as smaller events as needed. • Help to document activities prior to and during the events for internal and external communications. • Mitigate events where conflicts of interest may exist by consulting with Club Leadership. Major Educational Events for the MHC: • Outdoorama - Novi, MI • Huntin’ Time Expo - Grand Rapids, MI • Cranefest - Bellevue, MI • HawkFest - Brownstone Township, MI • Hunting and Fishing Expo - Birch Run, MI • Ad-hoc requests by schools, Boy-Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Nature Centers as necessary

This new position will be discussed and voted upon at the upcoming business meeting in April 2017. Please be prepared to discuss roles & responsibilities, as well as benefits to the club membership. Please consult with the club leadership for additional details and/or interest levels. http://michiganhawkingclub.org

Winter Newsletter 2017

Falconry Humor / Cartoons

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Winter Newsletter 2017

North American Falconry Association â&#x20AC;&#x201C; N.A.F.A The Michigan Hawking Club is an affiliate of the North American Falconry Association, which comprises of falconers from across the country and international borders. A membership to NAFA provides you with the latest information on the status of falconry in our country as well as three national publications over the course of the year. The articles and perspectives are invaluable insight into our sport and the Michigan Hawking Club encourages your participation. A current NAFA application can be found on their website at the following address:

http://www.n-a-f-a.com/

2016 Raptor Count 2016 Falconry Trapping Permits

General Raptor Capture Red-Tailed Hawk Coopers Hawk Sharpshinned Hawk American Kestrel Roughlegged Hawk

Limited Capture Northern Goshawk Great Horned Owl

Peregrine Snowy Owl

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Total Total Total Total

Issued 66 Issued 6 4 2 Issued 1 Issued 1

TOTAL

Filled 23 19 4 Filled 0 0 0 Filled 1 Filled 0

1 non resident issued

1 non residents applied

Winter Newsletter 2017

MHC Application / Renewal

Your MHC membership renewal is due by January 1st of each year. Renewals on or after February 14th will pay an additional $10.00 late fee. If you are not renewed by the day of the Business Meeting, you will be dropped from the membership. It is best to keep your membership current via the club website. Please be sure to renew in a timely fashion to ensure continued benefits of membership. We value your membership and hope that you will renew promptly. Please check one box below:

❑ New Member - $30.00 ❑ 1 year renewal- $20.00 * ❑ 2 year- $40.00 ❑ 3 year- $60.00 Please make checks payable to “Michigan Hawking Club”, mail this form and renewal dues to:

Christopher Martello Secretary, Michigan Hawking Club 1100 Miller Road Lake Orion, MI 48362 248-845-8167 Date:_____/____/________ Renewing for year:_________ thru _________ Name: __________________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________________ State:________________________ Zip Code:______________________________ Home Phone:______________________ Work Phone:____________________________ Cell Phone:________________________ Fax:___________________________________ Primary E-mail:___________________________________________________________

❑ Check this box to be signed up for MHC e-mail updates

❑ None ❑ Apprentice ❑ General ❑ Master Michigan Falconry Permit: NAFA Member: ❑ Yes ❑ No If you would like a NAFA application, check here: ❑ Are you interested in talking to groups in your area about Falconry? Are you interested in helping at MHC educational Events?

❑Yes ❑ No ❑Yes ❑ No ❑Yes ❑ No

Are you interested in helping at the annual MHC Field Meet? * Registration is also available on the Michigan Hawking Club Website at http://michiganhawkingclub.org

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Winter Newsletter 2017

Editors Final Throes By Christopher Martello

Another year of falconry provides each of us with new opportunities for change and growth. New birds, new apprentices, new hunting lands yet to be explored. Each outing is another opportunity for learning and for those of us who are lifelong learners, the learning experiences never end. While I have been hunting for 20+ years, and practicing falconry for 7 or more, I always find more to learn. This year, hunting with falcons has provided an entire new dimension to my falconry education. Falcons teach you more than just falconry, they teach patience and humility. In addition, having an apprentice for the first time also has enhanced my knowledge of falconry and provided me more perspective on animal training and life lessons that I never thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have the opportunity for. This past year certainly has been educational for me, to say the least, and I continue to be a student of falconry. The other side to learning is teaching. Teaching is a challenging role for many folks. It is more challenging to do it properly, so that the lessons are retained by the student. Crafting lessons and learning experiences for a student to enjoy, learn from, remember, and use them for future growth is the art of teaching that takes a personal touch from the teacher. The egocentric teacher will only stand on their soapbox and tell you what you are doing wrong. He will not help you or offer suggestions even if you ask him for it. The best teachers are the guide at the side, not the sage on the stage. I have known a few elitist blowhards who have lots of hot air and harsh words, but little educational value to their message, let alone lessons that one can learn from. Instead, the best teachers provide feedback designed for the intended receiver, customized for the learning style so that positive learning experiences are fun and educational for both the teacher and the student. Respectfully yours in Falconry,

Christopher Martello Newsletter Editor and Secretary Michigan Hawking Club http://michiganhawkingclub.org