This falcon carving from an old American chestnut beam is one of my first carvings. As you can see, I used to carve the bird standing on a base.  It began my tradition of making the carving one piece and leaving part of the original wood to show its heritage. My more recent carvings remain one piece, but I now leave the bottom and one side and bring a branch out of that side for the bird to stand on.  This gives the bird a more natural pose.  I also insert glass eyes which give the bird a more lifelike look.  11” x 6” x 6”