A Tale of Two Celebrations

Saturday
Sept. 23, 2017
In Pictures:

Harold and Nancy Birch and Family

Holding a raptor in your hands is exhilarating. Especially if you are a hawk watcher.  We see them in the skies, and usually from very far away.  I will never forget how impressed I was by the small size of a Broad-wing in hand.  And taking pictures of them, gives me new perspectives on the features we use to ID them.  Individual birds are unique, in that their colors vary slightly, belly bands are at different levels on the a Red-tail's belly, some are darker, some lighter, and sizes vary as well...just for instance.  This is why I love to promote and have lots of visitors at the watch for our raptor release days. Even hawk watchers glean from the close-ups.

Dark full Belly Band on Victoria Fay

Our fellow hawk-watcher, Harold Birch, has been by our side many times when it was just Jimmy and I.  When Alix Parks of Happinest Rehab texted to say she had a Red-tailed hawk ready to release, if Harold wanted to release it, I realized he had a desire to do so, and they had discussed it. I couldn't think of anything nicer than to honor him and his hours on the watch with us, by giving him this opportunity.  So I texted to see when his family could return, and we found a time appropriate to celebrate these two lives.  Harold's and this bird's. A bird which had fought for life itself, Victoria Fay.  This is the story in pictures of this wonderful day. 

First year Red-tailed hawk, Victoria Fay, has survived West Nile Virus.

One of the few times I ever remember having the entire hawk watch team together for at least part of the day, and I didn't get a chance to get us together for a picture! ugh.  But they can be seen, often with binocs in the air, scattered among the pictures: Bill Haley, Harold Birch, Jim Rowell, Roi and Debbie Shannon, Bill Holt, Tami King, and Jimmy and I were all there.  Other, veteran birders were also there, as were family and friends. Birders and non-birders alike, able to love and appreciate the majesty of a raptor who may fly far over borders of countries eventually, free to live again, & also celebrate the one who is the lover of such birds, Mr. Harold Birch .  Enough said.

Roi, Debbie, Jim R. Bill and Alix look closely at this female Red-tail.

With appreciation, to Alix Parks, who rehabs raptors, as part of the Happinest Rehab Team, for giving the lovely Victoria Fay a second chance, and us the chance to see her free once again, on our celebration day, I am proud to post these pics.

 

 

Victoria Fay decided she didn't like the road noise below, or the 70 foot cliff, and like many of our release birds, she stopped short of flying out into the wild blue.  Most of our release birds when released very close to the cliff, fly only a short distance out, and then bank back to the nearby trees.  As Alix said, most have never flown over a space so high up, and they are frightened of that much wide open sky and so much nothingness below. But they will learn.  She stayed around on the ground for a bit, and then hopped into the short pines just below the bluff, and found a safe place to look out contented to just get used to her surroundings.  She provided some wonderful Photo ops for those who brought cameras or had phones.

Sometimes as we wonder how our release birds are doing we can't help but wonder if we will see them again next year, when we

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!