I'm a Birdbrain

[Elspode]

And I have this picture to prove it. This colorful little guy is a kestrel named Falco. He is currently the ward of a terrific group of falconers who have become regular participants in various of our Pagan festivals over the past couple of years. It has been a rare and very groovy opportunity to become intimate (no, not that way, you filthy-minded dregs) with various raptors, including hawks of several species and, this weekend for the first time, their Gyr Falcon-Kestrel hybrid named Lisa.

While not Pagan, these falconers are extremely Pagan-friendly (in fact, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if they eventually became Pagan, so comfortable are they around all of us and our naked, partying, drumming, witchy ways.

They do great work rescuing and rehabilitating birds in need, and even, as in the cases of Lisa and Falco, adopting them and making a committment to care for them for the rest of their lives due to various maladies and/or Federal regulations (Lisa should live about another 38 years in captivity...that's a long committment!).

Anyway, all this just to say that I attended another great Fest this weekend, participating in Scottish Highland games in 105 degree weather. I sucked, but I felt pretty manly for a guy who is only two years post-bypass surgery. Made some new friends, caught up with some old ones, and generally acted like a Pagan. Doesn't get much better than this for me...