Good Birds! (Well Behaved Anyway)

I held back 4 late arrivals from this weekend's race.  Did very nicely!  My best score sheet EVER!  With a 3rd place diploma winner (my highest ever!), I was very happy.  This weekends race is a bit further so I am taking the remaining 22 young birds out today and Friday for a 42 mile conditioning drop.  The sun sure comes up late now.

The drop is exactly an hours drive for me.  I stopped about 30 minutes before the drop at the last (good) gas station and filled up and went inside to get coffee.  I came back and drove the remaining 30 minutes then opened the back hatch of the van to find that one of my baskets was not latched on one side and two birds were out!  I stared at them and they stared at me.  They seemed to be thinking, as I was, "This isn't right!"  Thank goodness they stayed on the blanket I put down!  I decided to just do what i always do - set the baskets down and let them settle a bit before the release while I eat my breakfast.  So I did.  The two loose birds just ambled back toward the opening and stayed there (still on the blanket) while I ate.  I decided it might be funny to film the release with my cell phone.  So I did (sorry it came out sideways).

They must've gotten out at the gas station - I would've heard them otherwise.  I know they rode the last 30 minutes just standing next to the other baskets.  I was thinking this morning how calm and gentle they've become.  Heck!  Maybe I don't need baskets!!  :-)  I really love working with these animals.  They're pretty amazing creatures!