Diary of a Mad Natural Historian

Up bright and early this morning to exercise the two young dogs somewhere where there’d be many swimming opportunities. Our route to a favorite cover/swimming hole takes us past a State Game Mgt. Area that hosts a lot of field tests – quite a few trucks in the lot at 7 AM, so I thought I’d stop in, say hi and kibitz a bit. Turns out it was a Pudelpointer fall test – judges included Rich Dobey, Dave Trahan and Blaine Carter. I watched one dog run…

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…then spent an hour running around our swimmin’ hole cover…

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…then back to the testing grounds in time to see the last two dogs run the bird field. The last pup up was a nice Small Munsterlander.

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And, in case you hadn’t seen enough of the main event – Pudelpointer face time.

On the way back from an open house the NH Falconers Assoc. put on for National Hunting and Fishing Day, I stopped by to see Lotte. The litter is 16 days old – eyes and ears are open and they are starting to explore a bit. Mom is feeling a bit needy – fine by me – I don’t mind giving her some pats.

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Her call name will (obviously) be Lotte; short for Lotte Feist or Löttë Ümlaüt – as the fancy strikes me.  A side note, revealing either what a dog person I am or how clueless I am (or both): a year or so ago I heard a song on the radio I liked quite a bit (My Moon My Man). When I found out the name of the band/artist (still clueless) – Feist – I thought it was interesting but a little dissonant – the music didn’t match the big attitude I associate with feists. Oops.

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A shot from the open house – a gyr taking advantage of an alternative perch, with a sakeret and a line of peregrines behind her.