| From: shan lung <shanlung9@y...> Date: Mon Apr 21, 2003 11:54 am Subject: Tinkerbell Free Flight Report 1 of 3 I am sorry that I did not get back here sooner. I had hoped to come back on Saturday morning after the free flight but events took a different turn. I am making this report the way it is for the benefit of all others who may want to free fly their charges. This is a most serious undertaking and the risks must clearly be known to all. In the spirit of those who lost their charges and yet write that up in detail so that another facet can be added to our collective knowledge, I will now continue on. This is a long report so please resist any replying difficult as it may until the full report is done. But first, why do I take such a risk. I love my Tinkerbell. I have seen how much healthier she is when she can fly around the house as against other greys that I seen kept only in cages. I felt that flying out in the open with that much more space will yet make her that much better as against only flying at home. I really felt I need to make such a step out of love for her You have seen the care and the steps that I have taken on her route to free flight. My plans for the weekend would be to take Tink for free flight in the morning followed by afternoon in a beautiful landscaped swimmingpool/ water complex in Chiayi and then Sunday will see me at a major temple festival in Peikang, a small town near Chiayi. The morning saw us at the padi fields at a spot chosen earlier by me. The day was cloudy with a bit of haze that I can barely make out buildings 2 km away. It was not raining with winds at a light breeze. Reading the last email from Janet from freeflight, I did not take my camera focusing myself on Tink and only Joy will take the shots that you can see later. The road was a cul de sac leading to a solitary grave and chosen so that no vehicles will pass by us. I parked the motorbike, switched off the ignition and set up the basket, toys and carrier cage. This was the moment of truth to me with nothing between her and the sky. I felt 'safe' as we were at least 1.5 km from nearest major groupings of building. At the last semi freeflight, Tink got visibly winded after 5-6 repitions of 30m flight even with rests in between. Though the day was hazy, visibility was good enough to see a high rise apartment 2 km away. I opened the door with some trepidations. Notwithstanding all that is said earlier, I have nothing now between Tink and the sky or the horizon but the bond that I felt we have and the earlier experience that she always fly back to me. She shyly looked out of the cage. A few seconds later she clawed the door and step out on top of the cage. That she did not fly away immediately was a big relief and I continued on. I tested her with a treat that she took and throw away. I tried her again and she take it this time. A test of 'touch target' was made with positive respond which brought me some relief that she seemed ok and I can continue on. With my hand a couple feet from her, I recalled her for he to hop and flap over to me. That got her reward of seed and head rubs. She moved on up to my shoulder and I thought I walk her around a bit with her softly chatting away in my ear. I head rubbed her and spoke quietly partly to calm her down and mainly to calm the thumping beats of my own heart. She respond to 'touch target' well and after a few minutes, I took her back to base to place her on basket. Me and Joy just sat around there and talked for a few minutes, again more to let our familar voices calm her. I then moved back 10 feet and did a recall. Tink responded immediately to lots of seeds and head rubs. I intended on one final recall so before that, I thought I just walked about with Tink to a lotus pond nearby. She remained on my shoulder and we chatted to each other. As I was walking back to base, she just took off. I had no worries then but I thought 'wow, what a flight' as she just climbed and climbed and climbed to well over 100 feet above me to wheel around me in the center of 50 meters. I thought I better recall her as she must be getting tired. At that moment, a few pigeons flew overhead and Tink wheeled away from my recall to fly even higher to join them. I still was not worried as earlier reports were that they do not go far. I thought it will be interesting enough for me to write here later that all earlier conclusions that our charges fly low must be reconsidered. I felt that our charges fly low also from my own earlier experiences. Tink joined up with them and then abruptly broke away from that flock. She wheeled and flew yet further away and fright now got to me. While I can see the buildings far away in the haze, Tink was much harder to spot. My verbal recalls were being ignored and I cannot hope that she fly back to me. I shouted at my wife to keep watch and I rushed to my bike cursing the moments it took for me to take it down from the stand and restart. The bike will be kept running in future for immediate respond if ever there is a next time. I rushed after the bird with heart in my throat seeing the various clumps of trees and knowing that Tink was flying now towards a highway with a series of houses beyond and even more padi fields and hamlets further beyond. I kept wondering how can my Tink fly so far and so high with no sign of tiring. My ealier assertions that Tink can be kept in sight was true only if the day is clear. On a hazy day, she disappeared and only the general direction is known. I told my wife to stay put in case Tink returned while I bike up and down calling for her. I noticed the wind was stirring the padi field leaves leaving creating moving ripples. On other days, that can be a beautiful sight but that moment, I was thinking if that spooked Tink. I really do not know but I knew I had to get her back. After 40 minutes, I returned to my wife. I had to channel the despair from my heart towards positive steps in getting her back but I do not know where Tink is. I took Joy back to get out the namecard flyers in Chinese that I must leave behind. After she got that out, I took 60. While Joy continued to do the posters that I want to blanket that area, I went off to systemmatically cover all those housing areas. (to be continued) http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/689829/ ===== With warmest regards Shanlung Joy - wife, Tinkerbell - CAG & surrogate daughter |
|
|
|
www.flickr.com
This is a Flickr badge showing photos in a set called Tinkerbell FreeFlight 1. Make your own badge here.
|
|
