[ANSTHRLD] Stooping Precedence

[Brent.Ryder at compucom.com]

I fopund the following Precedence from Baldwin of Erebor on 'Stooping':

A bird stooping is by default seen from the side.  [BoE, 10 Mar 85, p.1]

The characteristics of a kestrel stooping are as follows:  Wings raised, swept back; tail closed, between and in same direction as wings; body vertical (head down); feet back until just before strike, then stretched toward prey;  talons spread or half-spread; head pointing down, or at prey when close to strike (which is always from above).  [BoE, cvr ltr, 12 Jul 86, p.2]

I have decided to retain the term ["striking"] whenever feasible, in existing blazons, and to substitute it (when appropriate) for birds that have been blazoned incorrectly as stooping.  My general policy has been to apply the term only when it is exactly appropriate, and to use "rising" in all other cases (such as when the wing position has been changed).  [BoE, cvr ltr, 25 Aug 86, p.3]

He defines striking as:

Striking, like stooping, appears to be unique to SCA armory.  Our birds striking are, in fact, indistinguishable heraldically from birds rising, wings elevated and addorsed, and there's a strong argument for abandoning our expression in favor of the mundane one.  [BoE, cvr ltr, 12 Jul 86, p.3]

When I described the position common to most of the birds "striking" I found in the files, Lady N. said this sounded reasonable, so I have decided to adopt this as the standard definition:  rising, wings elevated and addorsed, talons extended.  For purposes of difference, striking is indistinguishable from rising.  [BoE, cvr ltr, 25 Aug 86, p.3]

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This would probably explain the reblazoning and the time frame.

I believe the intent of the submitter was more for 'striking' than for 'rising' as she stated it was coming in for the kill. The question now is whether or not the talons were extended to kill or not. That can only be determined by viewing the original submission.

Borek