Yucky Weather

Between the rain, sleet, snow and wind over the last week we did not get out to do any hunting until yesterday. I was very sad, there is nothing worse than getting the day off of work and not being able to use it to hunt!
Afterwork yesterday Scarlet was a perfect 98 grams. We loaded up into the truck and headed out. I made my usual rounds and ended up in the WalMart parking lot again. In the grass was a nice collection of grackles and starlings. She seemed very interested and as I neared she went out the window. She gave a small chase then pulled off to land on a tall light fixure at the edge of the lot. I got out, pulled out a tidbit and began to call her to the lure. It was then that I noticed why she selected that particular light fixture. She was sitting right next to a male Kestrel and the two were chattering away. I watched them play leap frog over each other and dance around the top of the pole. He would take off to fly around a little then come right back to her as if to invite her to follow. Fortunately, she did not follow, but she did not come to me either. 30 minutes later the male left and she started paying attention to me again. When I called her she would begin to come to me, then hover over me before taking off again. She even tried the classic snatch and grab but I held the meat tight so she was not successful. I finally got her back though and with a sigh of relief I put her back in the car for another day. Tuesdays I have class so I will do some work with her inside this evening and fly again on Wednesday. I think I will also take another half gram off her to see if that helps.