charid
In the Brooder
- May 22, 2016
- 155
- 11
- 33
Let me clarify that was a 2 minute excerpt of a 3.5 hr experience here is every single detail...
I only used the truck lights to pin point them. They cover 40 acres easily. I heard them last by owls tree 1/4 mile away. Very big area to search. I went there and searched from 830-12 with a thumb sized led flashlight because my magnet is dead. I heard them right under feet. I found them. The weeds are 6', some arch like a willow and make 10000000s of little nests. Others are dense thorn patches. My thumb size light died.
My truck at this point was very far away. I ran to it and used my lights to make a sweep, re-find them and confirm it was actually them. I didn't actually or literally count heads but visually it looked about right,if not exactly all of them.
After realizing how far out I was I knew I needed a cage. I did not know it had been 3.5 hours felt like 45 minutes. Anyway I physically marked the spot to stop at. I went home to put jeans on cause after that long my legs were no doubt destroyed by thorns even though I couldn't feel it yet. I was wet and could see my breath and heard myself coughing but wasn't actually col but was after all in basketball shorts and wife beater.
I then drove to the next town to my aunt's house and got a flashlight, mine died, grabbed potato bags and a spare cage. It took 30 minutes. I stopped at the big spruce, about 20-25' back from the marker that I didn't need at this point. I killed the lights and went in on foot. I cut in behind them so if they scattered it would be into the road and not the woods.
I didn't even use the flashlight cause it takes 2 hands to catch a bird. I live alone and I needed all the hands I could get. Parents are on vacation. Just me doing this. Clearly with only 2 hands a light wasn't even an option while retrieving them.
No. They scattered in the dark cause once you catch a few the others run. They run also because they are wild and scared. They think you are hunting them. I was lucky after 6 hrs because I didn't give up. They were separated in the dark into smaller groups.
I used the flashlight off and on to re-find them, here and there. I did not have help and that makes a Huge difference. With one person, they will scatter in light or dark. If you can't pin them in on one side, they run out the back side...
They remained close-ish to each other but not together like they were. I made several trips. Every time I went back they had refound each other. No doubt by following the small purring sounds they were making. The cold helped. Were it warm enough to be in the wet grass on their own, I think they would have stayed scattered in small groups. Moon was also clear at this point.
Anyway after searching a very large area for 3.5 hrs, it took from 1am to 130 to catch what I could. Although I think the trucks clock is off by an hr still. whatever. Took them to house. Laid down but couldn't let it go. Went back at 3. 430. 6 for an hour each time. Found all but 1 here and there. Last try to find last one at 6. Heard him rattling. He flew from tree to tree. Drove home, riled the birds up. They heard each other and flew home. No. They scattered an hour after any lights were ever shone on them. That first comment was a very brief synopsis at midnight I believe. It took 3.5 hrs to find them. 3 more off and on to capture what I could. There abouts. Times are estimation. All my clicks are wrong except on tablet. Anyway... This recount is the best of my recollection. Good night.
I only used the truck lights to pin point them. They cover 40 acres easily. I heard them last by owls tree 1/4 mile away. Very big area to search. I went there and searched from 830-12 with a thumb sized led flashlight because my magnet is dead. I heard them right under feet. I found them. The weeds are 6', some arch like a willow and make 10000000s of little nests. Others are dense thorn patches. My thumb size light died.
My truck at this point was very far away. I ran to it and used my lights to make a sweep, re-find them and confirm it was actually them. I didn't actually or literally count heads but visually it looked about right,if not exactly all of them.
After realizing how far out I was I knew I needed a cage. I did not know it had been 3.5 hours felt like 45 minutes. Anyway I physically marked the spot to stop at. I went home to put jeans on cause after that long my legs were no doubt destroyed by thorns even though I couldn't feel it yet. I was wet and could see my breath and heard myself coughing but wasn't actually col but was after all in basketball shorts and wife beater.
I then drove to the next town to my aunt's house and got a flashlight, mine died, grabbed potato bags and a spare cage. It took 30 minutes. I stopped at the big spruce, about 20-25' back from the marker that I didn't need at this point. I killed the lights and went in on foot. I cut in behind them so if they scattered it would be into the road and not the woods.
I didn't even use the flashlight cause it takes 2 hands to catch a bird. I live alone and I needed all the hands I could get. Parents are on vacation. Just me doing this. Clearly with only 2 hands a light wasn't even an option while retrieving them.
No. They scattered in the dark cause once you catch a few the others run. They run also because they are wild and scared. They think you are hunting them. I was lucky after 6 hrs because I didn't give up. They were separated in the dark into smaller groups.
I used the flashlight off and on to re-find them, here and there. I did not have help and that makes a Huge difference. With one person, they will scatter in light or dark. If you can't pin them in on one side, they run out the back side...
They remained close-ish to each other but not together like they were. I made several trips. Every time I went back they had refound each other. No doubt by following the small purring sounds they were making. The cold helped. Were it warm enough to be in the wet grass on their own, I think they would have stayed scattered in small groups. Moon was also clear at this point.
Anyway after searching a very large area for 3.5 hrs, it took from 1am to 130 to catch what I could. Although I think the trucks clock is off by an hr still. whatever. Took them to house. Laid down but couldn't let it go. Went back at 3. 430. 6 for an hour each time. Found all but 1 here and there. Last try to find last one at 6. Heard him rattling. He flew from tree to tree. Drove home, riled the birds up. They heard each other and flew home. No. They scattered an hour after any lights were ever shone on them. That first comment was a very brief synopsis at midnight I believe. It took 3.5 hrs to find them. 3 more off and on to capture what I could. There abouts. Times are estimation. All my clicks are wrong except on tablet. Anyway... This recount is the best of my recollection. Good night.
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I noticed something while watching them - lavender babies almost disappears into the surroundings and the pearls stick out much more. It seems counter-intuitive but for some reason, even with my adults, the lavenders seem to hold out against predators the best. 
