I totally agree!
Your work here is getting better and better!
Kurt
Wow, thanks guys. couldn’t ask for better feedback. 
im learning new techniques every time, but its really the discipline’s i need to aim for.
Nice work, I love it! 
It looks like everything is fitting together perfectly.
thanks jim, Well it seems to be going ok regarding making this thing but have hit a few problems.
First:I wont be able to export it to the client in Texas due to the feathers having an exporting law against them.
This can be over come by not sending it, and just have it remain here for UK researchers to field test.
Second: i feel their might be a few contact problems regarding the head cast and the body. the design is not fool prof and it would require knowing that when in certain positions, other servos should be moved as this contact will happen.
This can be overcome by using the same code i wrote for the hawk. but im going RC with this one.
Third: Some of the areas around the Neck will have far more exposure than expected due to the neck area 'chest to spine, being so wide. This might be able to be sorted using a complete over skin made using a durable rubber foam cast taken from the sculpture (destroyed when de moulding). i can cast a plaster body, from the original mould, then brush on the foam rubber to make a skin.
ill get there in the end.
Buy some feathers from Texas, install them onto the bird, then return the feathers to their natural habitat with a mechanical bird attached. 
makes sense but. … Emm BUT, the feathers required would also come form a protected species (great horned owl) and cannot be imported into the UK. we could use pheasant again but iv been donated the feathers of an Eagle owl for this, and id like to get the best look for it. The paperwork is being processed.
The client suggested a UK Trial. he will put me in contact with his UK partners.
Ok well this is as exciting as watching 5 servos moving as it gets. 
My System is working.
Next ill work on my puppeteering skills. 
One question…
Eyes lids or Beak?
I have a spare channel on my transmitter (a switch) that when used, it will snap a servo into a position and back again when switched back. (i.e Landing Gear)
I thinking it would be a good idea to use this spare channel.
The only things i can think of using this fast moving servo switch for 'would be for either Eyelids or Beak.
I vote for beak.
So was it the crystal on the receiver then? Glad you got it fixed.
I agree with you. Watching the video really was as exciting as watching 5 servos moving gets. Nice music too.
Thanks for your input.
yes the crystal was the correct one but not for my transmitter. i was buying Fataba ones. 
Thanks for the comment on the music. i wrote that in 2005 when my wife went away abroad. Unfortunately i never got the lyrics written to it.
Slap Slap… now man up Jonny!
I vote for eyelids… Eyes give character. And when I see owls, I see more blinking than beak movement.
Hey, Jonny, I love the way that all moves! It is so smooth and fluid. Am I right in guessing you are using IK to guide it?
From your earlier discussion on feathers, I gathered you have client for the owl. Would it be totally out of place to let him settle “beak or eyelids?”
When you make another copy, you could lengthen the “end effector” into a light saber and have an incredibly graceful Mech Warrior. The switch question could then be “lights or sound?” 
It’s another beautiful job, and we haven’t even seen it fleshed-out yet.
The eyes have it! Hard to wiggle one’s beak, anyway.
Alan KM6VV
Yes this is very true.
no i was controlling it using an RC transmitter - on the fly. Smooth is not what i want, i need to practice quick, sharp movements.
He has left it up to me.
Thanks RoboTed, Ah sound is another very good option.!
Hi Jonny, Nice work!
I should go for eyelids as well. You can give is so much more character with eye(lid)s. If you can make them “static” near the beak and let it rotate to change the angle. The bird would be able to show moods.
Xan
Eyelids it is then. i like the idea of adding a bit of characteristics but more to the point i suppose it will add more realism.
i have just built the eyelid rig and once i have it added to the “skull” ill post a picture… maybe a video if ya good. lol
For some reason I was thinking this was a hawk not an owl… I change my vote to eyes too. lol
Lol.
Another feature i was thinking about was to add a bladder to the chest of the Owl to simulate breathing. I was thinking of using the vacuum gripper pump idea to inflate and deflate the bladder.
Not having any channels left on my remote i was thinking about mixing some of the servo pulses using a Y cable to free up a channel.
The body tilt servo runs from an auxilary pot on the top of the transmitter. Might change that one.
Ok well first id like to thank Lynxmotion for a very speedy delivery of the Vacuum gripper kit i won in the last contest.
Built in under 10mins
Thanks guys.
I can confirm that the syringe chamber doesn’t hold enough air to make a small 100x200mm diaphragm inflate/deflate. im looking into finding a larger diameter chamber syringe, and extending the servo arm for move leverage.
