Pups grow…

The first one is of Lashyn when she squirmed into a too small crate with them and almost squashed them. The neurotic old girl had NEVER gone voluntarily into a crate. We got them out by unscrewing one side but she stayed in long enough to snap a photo The rest are self explanatory– at …

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Vaguely Biological Links

An “extinct” bird is rediscovered– and eaten. Apparently black north American wolves owe their color to interbreeding with dogs that crossed the Bering bridge HT Laura Niven and Reid. SmartDogs sent a link to a new method of detecting rabies. It sounded good, but Patrick found reason to dispute their claims. Also at Terrierman: a …

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New Pups!

I have hinted here and there but today our new pups arrived and are looking good.(At about 4 AM– we had to carry the doghouse inside and move the first pup to the whelping box, with all the other dogs leaping up to get a look and Lashyn growling through the door, because she wanted …

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“Pigeons” 2: New Gorbatov

At Al’s Eagle Hunter site is among other delights the biggest gallery of Vadim Gorbatov prints available on line. He has just added two new ones: Kublai Khan’s Hunting Trip and Frederic II’s Hunting Trip: I have a huge artist’s proof of the Kublai, but you can get a smaller version for pretty cheap, and …

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Pigeons Plus

Or, from pigeons to eagles to art. The whole thread started when artist Graeme Boyd of my pigeon discussion group emailed us this video of Chinese pigeons being flown with whistles. Everyone knows that this is an interest of mine. I even have a collection, sent to me by a German scholar who taught in …

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The last of Cat’s Mongolia

The two-day eagle festival outside Sagsai was a thrilling event, with 82 hunters on horseback with their birds, flying to the fist and to the lure. There were other events, including a camel race, a horse race, goat tug, and other fun events, but the eagles were what had brought us all to that valley. …

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Cat’s Mongolia, Part II

On my first morning out in the Mongolian countryside, I awoke when the top of the ger was pulled back by Kazna, the lady of the house, letting in the morning light. I could hear someone moving livestock, a man’s voice, singing to his animals as he rode horseback. In celebration of our presence, and …

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Cat’s Mongolia, Part 1

Since this is my first official post, let me provide a short introduction: I’m a sheep rancher, writer/photographer from western Wyoming who is fascinated by animals of all sorts, and by the humans who interact with them. I’ll leave out the details of my journey to get to Mongolia, but delve right into some of …

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Cat in Mongolia

Cat Urbigkit has just returned from Mongolia. I hope she will be writing here in detail soon, but meanwhile here are a few teasers. Here is the parade at the Eagle festival: in front, my old friend and drinking companion Aralbai, a major character in Eagle Dreams: His son Armanbek, who was about twelve when …

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