The weather has been rainy and overcast here for several weeks, and we're not complaining as it is providing us with some much needed ground water. We are in a severe drought condition. As a result Tara and I have been unable to go hunting, but we have done a lot of following on. Here Tara is coming in for a landing on my glove. She is free flying - just her flying jesses on. You can see where some of her tail feathers are broken.

This free flying is done on the Clear Creek Relief channel which runs right beside our house. I don't have to go very far for some of the best, free, training ground in the country. The banks are kept mowed, but the channel itself is allowed to go wild. This attracts lots of ducks, egrets, great blue herons, curlews, grebes, and other wild birds. The channel alternates between marsh bottom and ponds - very nice.