Phantom's Half Birthday!

It just so happens that Phantom's half birthday, or more accurately, half hatch day is today. He was hatched on 5-5-10, almost 2 whole weeks after his sibling and fellow castmate Baz.If you haven't had the opportunity to meet the brothers, aka "the boys," aka "the cast," you are in for a real treat! These falcons are captive bred and a cross between the gyrfalcon, the largest falcon in the world, and the barbary falcon, a desert falcon from Africa. The gyrfalcon half of their heritage gives them their gourgeous white coloring or plumage, and their barbary half gives them a better tolerance to hotter environments as well as flight tendencies that create a great chase for lure flying for our educational programs. This has become especially so in the case of Phantom who enjoys flying relentlessly at the lure and commonly makes 20 passes without so much as a blink. Lately, Phantom seems to be refining his style and often will go farther and farther out so as to gain enough space to make passes at the lure faster and faster! Today, Phantom even got a surprise present for his half birth/hatch day, a visit from a wild female cooper's hawk! From time to time it is inevitable that the resident raptors will show up to check out the birds while they are working a show as the residents often perceive these working birds as "invaders." Phantom, however, held his own even as he has never faced this situation before. There was no physical scuffle, but Phantom greeted the wild cooper by showing her his talons as if to say, "back off lady." The cooper flew off and Phantom was safely brought back to the lure. A fine present, but good to know that Phantom is paying attention to his surroundings. We will all look forward to his spectacular flights, no one more than I!