Novel way of casting a raptor

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

Here is a novel way of casting Raptors.....comments please :)

Pop bottles and what look like "Pringle" tubes....no need for a hood as the ends are blacked out (pop bottles).....seems to be less stress?

These images were from a raptor wildlife survey site:

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/casting/casting.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/casting/casting2.JPG

[ColdZero]

what makes that less stressful than a soft towel? just hands free by the looks of it.

[Wightwings]

i like to cast under the arm were practical for day to day stuff ( checking feet etc )but use a soft towel ( and a hood ) for fitting furniture and coping etc.

would never dream of putting my birds in a tube like that prob more stress getting em in and out than anything. Imagine the possible feather damage

[IAmTheWeasel]

Actually there is less chance of feather damage this way that putting it in a towel.Think about this, the bird has no pressure on it from being held, nothing but smooth plastic is touching it's feathers, Holes can be punched all along the bottle for proper ventilation. It can be made dark so no hood is needed. I know several falconers that have transported birds this way on planes as carry on luggage. One of them is a vet and he said as long as you do it right, it is safer for the bird.

[OutFlying]

I like the casting method shown on Nick Fox's video, the cloth type arrangements with velcro straps. Though I've never used it myself, just used a towel with no feather damage ever.

[WireHairedPointer]

but i heared that a lot of birds died because of over-heating, when stuffed into bottle or wrapped into a towel for a longer period

[Wightwings]

how do you remove the bird? backwards out out the tube i presume?
surely youre putting backwards pressure on the feathers? if forward out of the top what do you do push its legs through and pull the head?

I know several falconers that have transported birds this way on planes as carry on luggage. One of them is a vet and he said as long as you do it right, it is safer for the bird.

dont get me wrong i dont profess to be anything like a vet and would'nt diss any one elses methods, i do now of peeps over here that use the bottle method, but to transport a bird like that to me just seems downright out of order. I have concerns transporting my birds any distant in a suitable box,( but i am a sad git i know) let alone being cast for hours on end.....cant do it any good if you ask me. Sorry

[CastleFalconry]

Hmm, I'm with you on that WW, Makes it no different to those who smuggle canaries and finches in loo roll tubes!

[IAmTheWeasel]

Well, Like I said, As long as it is done correctly....He is a vet after all. As for getting the birds out of the tube....It's a smooth tube....simply pull them out...You may be thinking that the tube is tight around the bird, but it is just barely touching them on all sides. As long as they can't open their wings, then they are OK. This is a popular method for bird banders, not for falconers though. Oh, and I wouldn't ever dream of transporting a bird this way either...He did it to move a wild bird.
Cheers,
Weasel

[Falconry Equipment International]

I personally think, cast as l;ittle as possibler and use equipment that can be fitted/ removed without any casting!

[Fenman46]

I was shown this way years ago with the welsh lads for when you are fitting out the birds on your own {they used a welly with the toe cut so there was plenty of air } a lot less stress as they have no hard side pressure as you would if you havent towelled properly.....

[Wightwings]

nice one.......not old wellies tho i hope..mine would send the bird to sleep pmsl....... :vom: :lol:

[Falconry Equipment International]

I was shown this way years ago with the welsh lads for when you are fitting out the birds on your own {they used a welly with the toe cut so there was plenty of air } a lot less stress as they have no hard side pressure as you would if you havent towelled properly.....
trouble is the water gets in when you were em afterwards!!! :lol: :rolleyes: :yawinkle:

[Wightwings]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Peregrynne]

There is a way over here that is used for a quick casting of wild caught raptors. Now I must stress that this is used while trapping and not used in normal circumstances.

Take an old nylon stocking and cut the toe out of it. Then you roll or scrunch up the nylon to make it easy to hold and pull down the length of the bird. Put the bird's head through the hole in the toe and slide the rest down the length of the bird to just above the tarsus/feet. This also allows for the use of a hood. Also by using the nylon stocking you have a very restricting yet forgiving casting that allows the bird to move, but does not allow it to spread its wings or use its talons.

As for removing the nylon, you just cut a small notch in the opening around the neck and continue to slide the bird through the nylon in the same direction. This way you don't create any backward tension/friction on the feathers and virtually eliminate the chance of feather damage.

Once again this is a method that is used while trapping wild caught birds and mainly applies to red tails.

[Coedhirion]

s'pose they looked as if they knew what they were doing and obviously do it often, from the number of birds lined up.
Me, my birds so use to being handled all over for oiling leather, checking equipment and feathers etc. He was equiped, coped, treated for mite without casting, except for the tail mount which was all ready to pop on while he was briefly held with a towel, feet pushed down onto soft blanket, nothing over his head.
I do wonder what happens to the birds feet while in pop bottles or cans, if the talons are sharp they could easily injure themselves if they clench their feet up tight in fear.

[Wightwings]

this is also a good method of imobilising your bird in the field should the worst happen and you suffer a broken or damaged wing. Keeps them secure without flapping until you can get to the vet. either that or your sleeve.

nice post Peregrynne

[Bubo]

good point there wightwings i have never casted a bird but i dont think i would go for the way the first picture shows. i'm like coedhirion, i change kadabra's anklets, oil leather etc whilst he just sits there. I hope my future cb will be the same.

bubo

[IAmTheWeasel]

Here is a picture of how I cast a bird when trapped. I tape the legs with the tape backwards so feathers are not damaged. The feet have balls of tape pre made in their grasp so they don't injure themselves and then the legs are taped together to prevent them punching me during transport. The bird is also hooded to prevent stress. The bird stays this way until I get home and put the gear on and during transport, I make sure that the AC vent is directed on the bird to prevent overheating. Once home, I slip the stocking, off remove the tape, unhood the bird and hold on tight for the wild ride! Here is a picture of a socked up RT

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/Iamtheweasel/Trapping/100-0006_IMG.jpg

[Lee Slikkers]

Hey Weasel,

Is that a pair of Flat Flies I see on her thighs??? :lol: :lol:

I'm always crawlin' with em and swatting at nothing by the time I get home...creepy crawlies indeed~

Lee

[IAmTheWeasel]

Not sure....I lost count of how many of those nasty things have run up my arms and into my shirt....I look like I'm having a fit trying to get them out...<shudder> ....ick! I can't stand those things. I always spray any trapped bird down with lice spray even if I plan on releasing it right there and this causes them all to abandon ship. Only problem is that I am their lifeboat
I do the same thing as you, I am swatting my arms and shaking my shirt as I swear that something is crawling on me for hours afterwards

[Bubo]

i dont think i would ever like the human species if one did that to me. just a question though (cos i really dont know not that i think i know it all!!) but should you not always keep the bird on her tum instead of putting her on her back? it is only cos i was always told this
bubo

[IAmTheWeasel]

Yes, you are correct. I should post the picture of her on her breast as this is the correct way. The reason she is on her back is for the weighing process as they would roll off if put on her breast.
Cheers, and good question to ask.
Weasel

[Wightwings]

good spot that girl.........

[Bubo]

thanks guys

[IAmTheWeasel]

Not bad for an owler..... :roll: :lol:

[Bubo]

dont push it :wink: :lol:

[Falconry Equipment International]

this is also a good method of imobilising your bird in the field should the worst happen and you suffer a broken or damaged wing. Keeps them secure without flapping until you can get to the vet. either that or your sleeve.

nice post Peregrynne
must be doin something wrong . this has never happened to any of my birds in 40 yrs flying????????

[Wightwings]

crickey you sound like one of the old boys have i to deal with on site every day SJ........"never happens to me".....didnt say it had every been my misfortune to have a bird damage a wing i havent thankfully......but it does happen to some peeps.....dont mean they are a bad falconer.

just something i was shown once and thought i would pass on...ps you been flying since you were six :shock: ........fair play

[Bubo]

you just said those ill fated words sj ... never say never no matter how good you are!!

bubo

[741HCR]

Pop bottles and what look like "Pringle" tubes

I think you will find they are the tins/plastic bottles that new tennis balls come in.

[Falconry Equipment International]

crickey you sound like one of the old boys have i to deal with on site every day SJ........"never happens to me".....didnt say it had every been my misfortune to have a bird damage a wing i havent thankfully......but it does happen to some peeps.....dont mean they are a bad falconer.

just something i was shown once and thought i would pass on...ps you been flying since you were six :shock: ........fair play
YUp Meant talso qulify that with my 1st kes ( 1964) was a roadside victime , yes with a broken wing whom with my fathers help we 'splinted' the wing & I got him flying (unfortunately never hovered againd but stooped to the lure). also meant to say, hope this is not tempting fate :roll:

[Bubo]

i didnt mean it as a dig just that it is always sods law, you say never and boom it happens