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Saturday Evening February 17
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We always enjoy this interesting program.
I was looking forward to this one because the speaker was Jason Caldwell.
He is an experienced falconer with many interesting stories and lots of information. I think this is the third or fourth time I have listened to one of his presentations.
This year he had a nice variety of hawks and owls on display. Eagles and falcons are also considered part of the falconry group.
Barn owls can locate a rodent by its heartbeat or movement from 60 feet away.
This guy – a Screech Owl – is so tiny. I almost missed it until it began flapping its wings.
If you arrived early, there was time to visit vendors and play a few games. I spent most of my time with the birds. 🙂
There were tasty snacks for the early arrivers – Pheasant Casserole, Rabbit Stew and Venison bologna.
The meal consisted of beef barbecue sandwiches, macaroni salad, baked beans, potato chips and cupcakes. They set up for 400 people and there were very few empty seats. I marvel at how this always seems to work out because you do not have to preregister.
Jason Caldwell – speaker and owner of the hawks and owls.
He showed a slide of their three generations of falconry. His father, his son and Jason. His son was also at there and stayed with their display of birds.
Jason said when he was little, his dad didn’t read sweet bedtime stories, but hunting stories – sometimes hair-raising hunting stories. 🙂
He explained and showed interesting slides and videos of falconry (hunting with birds). his last story was about the Harpy Eagle.
Harpy Eagles are considered to be one of the most powerful and largest raptors in the world. The length of the rear talons is about 4-5 inches, just about the same as a grizzly bear’s claws.
Jason is a Baptist minister and following the falconry information he shared a gospel message titled, You are no match for life.
- The flight of life is predictably unpredictable because you are not in charge – God is.
- The flight of life is a one-time flight.
- The flight of life is brief at best.
- The flight of life has a final destination.
Amazing photos Mom
Thanks. It was fun being so close to them.
I enjoy shows like this, although I haven’t been able to attend many. Many years ago (maybe 60?) my grandmother, a short – 4’11”, rather rotund woman killed a great horned owl with a stick. He was in her hen house and the frightened hens were piling up in a corner to try to get away from him, and consequently they were being suffocated. It made grandma so angry she just picked up the biggest stick she could handle and went after that owl! My uncle took the poor, deceased owl to a local taxidermist to have it preserved.
Interesting. 🙂