Some days are easy, others are normal.

I ordered a new Samsung video Camera hoping that I would be able to use it with the plane. Today was nice, even though it was cool and overcast, so I dressed up in my winter flying suit, and rolled Dart out of the hanger. I kept the Drift on the nose in its usual spot and I mounted the new camera on the windscreen. The results were totally crap. I had bought a new class 10 video card, and the Samsung would not write to it. I landed and changed cards with the Drift, and each seemed to work. The results were still crap. It wasn't a total loss, however, I got in some fun flying and managed to confirm that there were Ducks in the little pond over at the ranch, as well as discovering a Bald Eagle  sitting in the trees at the Lake. Don't want to go there!

I gave Karen a short tutorial on the Camera, and we went over to the ranch for Jessie's hunt. Karen was supposed to see if she could get some video of her hunting. Well that didn't work out. Jess took her pitch and I flushed the Ducks. Jessie smashed one down in a puddle that was no bigger than 3x3 feet. There were three Ducks trying to hide behind each other in the little puddle. The two healthy ones made their getaway, while the one she hit flew over a fence into a bunch of reeds. I went over the fence to try to find it. Jessie decided to sit down nearby, reducing our chance of success to zero. I finally did find it, but it made its getaway. Karen got none of it on video. Oh well, it ain't easy.

We went back to the house and traded Jessie for two Harris Hawks. I wanted to try another of my spots that were good last year, and I intended to try to get some video. The camera is small and really not that "ergonomic", especially if you use it in your left hand while holding a Tee Perch in the right hand.

I shot a short video clip each time they flew after rabbits and thus had a whole pile of short clips to merge. I got enough ? semi decent video ? to make a plausible movie. The spot that we were hunting was almost empty of Jack Rabbits. There were some Bunny's, but very few Jacks. The ones that were there, did not want to go home with us at all. We ended the day with a hapless Bunny that chose the wrong hole to take refuge in. Yogi saw him go in and could see him in there. So nothing would do but to pull him out for her. I would have never gotten her away from there if I had not.

http://vimeo.com/53724474   password is owyheeflyer

We hunted for at least two hours, before dark and exhaustion finally forced us to stop. The one Bunny was all we had to show for it, unless you count all the fun we had doing it. Home and the hot tub awaited.