Landfill = Rubbish

As usual, I'm sleepy. I must be getting used to it now though, because at least I'm trying to write. I want to tell you about Emily, and since I've already told my story to my mamma, I thought I could be cheap and copy/paste the chunk about her.

It was another crappy day at the landfill (which is where some of my research at work is done - or was done. I never have to do it again!!). I went for a wander to calm myself down after nearly telling the guy in charge that he was a fucking dickhead (which i informed him of at a later date).

On my wander around the landfill i saw a garden in the distance. Intrigued - I approached this wee oasis and noticed there was a small one room building looking over it and a low garden fence. As i rounded the corner to see the garden in full view i nearly took myself out on the gravel. There was a two foot tall owl with yellow eyes the size of shot glasses, there were three falcons and two eagles, all harnessed with leather straps around their feet on giant perches. Took me a while to realise that they use the birds to catch and scare pests in the sky and on the ground around the landfill.

They were just sitting quietly out there in the open, 3 feet from where i was standing. Cheesy (I know), but the first thing i saw was the owls eyes, only a couple of feet away. I literally got lost in them, he terrified me. He stared straight at me and hooted a wee bit, before his eyes started to droop one by one. Poor nocturnal birdy, could barely stay awake at midday. The other birds just watched and skipped around, occasionally acted as though they were gonna rip their straps and gouge my eyes out. Just as i turned to leave, their caretaker pulled up in her ute. unable to resist, i accosted her and asked about her babies.

Turned out Mr two-foot owl was just two and a half months old. He was a shitty bastard too, refused to bond with her as he hadnt been hand reared, but reared by an irreplaceable (probably equally as shitty) mother. Birdlady aka Sam illustrated this by leaning forward to stroke him, chuckling as he did his best to sink his beak into her fist. He was beautiful though and i am terribly curious to see if he will bond with Sam - Im sure he will, as the others seem to have a very affectionate relationship with her. The falcons were particularly affectionate, and Sam invited me in to meet Emily, the biggest there, but her favourite baby. Emily climbed gingerly onto Sams bare arm to get close for a cuddle, which was no mean feat with inch long claws. She was so incredibly careful to not hurt Sam that she forced me to rethink my disinterest (often distaste) for birds. Emily stroked and combed Sams hair with her beak (babies groom the elders in their natural hunting teams) and bowed low everytime Sam turned to pay attention to her (a sign of deep respect in the wild).

Sam told me that I could touch her and pick her up if i want to, that i should just knell alongside so that Emily could see that Sam and I were friends. So i knelt, and made Sam promise that Emily wouldnt bite. She shrugged. Usually i wouldnt go near things that bite, but its not often you are sitting so close to a giant falcon who is eyeing you curiously (thats her in the picture). So I reached out my hand slowly. Emily leaned forward and climbed onto my wrist (which couldnt hold her weight, so i had to rest it on the perch), she jammed her beak under Nans ring (the one i wear on my thumb) and tried to edge it off. Giving up on that she had a very gentle nibble on my hand before giving my hair a bit of a comb. Her feathers were really soft and lovely, she let me stoke her and reacted with almost catlike beak snuggles. I spent nearly an hour and a half with Sam and the birds. Sadly they didnt get to fly because the weather was so crap. But still, it was an awesome AWESOME experience.

Sucked I had to go back to the rubbish. But still, i could blame my absence on a furthered education.

Seriously dude. Falcons are the bommmbbbb. I've been welcomed back with whomever might like the bird to check on the 'bonding'. I cant wait to meet them again!

Nom Nom