|
|
Raptor Chronicles
By Colorado's Oldest Raptor Sanctuary
|
|
|
I admire this lady's strong eagle arm, and in a dress, to boot! The lower corner of a Flemish tapestry from the mid-1500s.
|
The top of a large tureen, part of the collection of silver plate belonging to the Portuguese royal family from the 1700s. I love the thin leash and the bell that the falcon is wearing.
|
|
HAPPY EASTER, and welcome to another FULL edition of Raptor Chronicles!
Here in Brighton, we are working day and night to keep up with Mother Nature, and the hypnotizing effects she's having on many of our birds this spring. Less poetically-stated, our raptors are going nuts this year! As you'll see below, proper enrichment and accommodations for the annual, fierce drive to reproduce are taking center stage right now.
I must confess that I too, am falling in love all over again with the irresistible delights that spring has to offer. I just found my first grasshopper this week, a tiny green creature smaller than a dime, crawling through some new sprouting grass outside our owl enclosure. Despite the 30 inches of snow that fell at my house on Pi day (the mountains got more!), the tulips and Forget-Me-Nots are still doggedly growing in my front planter.
To me, there are no better heralds of spring than birds. From the strange squeak that our red-shouldered hawk now makes, to the sight of a white pelican over Barr Lake across Interstate 76, to the first Swainson's hawk of the year...birds signal the start of this vital season of reproduction and rebirth.
Those of you who follow us on Facebook may remember that I had a wonderful visit to Spain and Portugal recently. The heady fragrance of orange blossoms, and trees laden with fruit in Seville instantly brought me back to many Easters spent around orange orchards in Ventura County, California. I also managed to spot European white storks, standing on carefully-constructed nests in Coimbra, Portugal. But what probably thrilled me the most, were my discoveries in the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, just a short walk from our hotel.
I found my people! Falconry is an ancient sport traceable back to 3000BCE, and these two pieces beautifully illustrate the significance of raptors in the late Renaissance period of Europe.
We're expecting a great turnout for our Open House on May 4th. Please visit our birds and enjoy some good weather, and good times with "raptor people"!~Anne Price, President
|
|
Open House is Free...PLEASE register and visit us!
|
|
This short video was produced from more than an hour of filming on February 22nd at the Commerce City, Colorado nest site we have been featuring for years. This behavior happened after the pair copulated, which is shown in another video on our YouTube channel. With only the camera microphone and the gusting wind noise, it's a bit difficult to hear the constant chattering of both eagles.
Note what the female (on the left) does with her foot to the male's left foot as she moves in to give him an affectionate (?) nibble...it almost seems as if she's insisting he pay more attention to her! Vocalizing near the nest helps to reinforce the pair bond and proclaim to any intruders that this territory is occupied and well-defended. The couple is very comfortable which each other and have been together a long time. She's now incubating, and we look forward to the months ahead, and hopefully, a nest of eaglets. After an early false start, this eagle nursery seems to be about two weeks behind the Star K Ranch nursery featured below.
|
|
Imagine our surprise on the morning March 25th when we were making the morning rounds, checking on birds, planning our day, and discovered an EGG in the enclosure of our nine year-old female bald eagle! Our "little" girl is all grown up, though she did not seem very interested in this major milestone. Her first egg weighed 4.25 ounces and it is infertile, as she is isolated from our male (see below!).
Perhaps it's not coincidental that our previous female golden eagle also laid her first egg at nine years of age. Both bald and golden eagles breed in the wild at about four years of age, but in an educational setting, timelines can be all over the place. We've had several female birds lay eggs over the years, and some are occasionally very protective over them...at least for a day or two.
|
|
Meanwhile, next door to our female, the two boys are in some kind of nest-building competition! Our 24 year-old male golden and 34 year-old male bald are shredding pine boughs as quickly as Berkelhammer Tree Experts can supply us! Debra and Fred Berklehammer are the sister and brother-in-law of docent Karen Ogle, who helps out at least twice (often three!) days per week. Each year we provide our male eagles pine boughs (perfectly-timed for recycling Christmas trees). The drive to provide nesting material to females is so strong in both male eagles, that they will tear off fencing and strip the Astroturf covering off of perches unless we provide a suitable alternative.
This year, mostly under the direction and guidance of our male bald, a very elaborate nest has been constructed at the northwest side of the enclosure. For now, we can only stand back, admire, and refrain from raking!
|
|
Our female Eurasian kestrel doesn’t seem very happy at the prospect of receiving an injection, but part of the annual health management for all of our raptors requires vaccination against the perpetual threat of West Nile virus. The mosquito season is fast approaching, and the only vaccinations available for birds, 25 years after the virus’ first appearance in the US, are those meant for horses. Ongoing studies and trials confirm that vaccinating does confer some immunity to raptors, however, the level of protection varies widely among species and ages of birds.
The cost of our vaccinations this year is $600. We would be very grateful for contributions towards this expense. Select one of the buttons below or call our office at 303-680-8500 with your credit card if you wish. Checks may be sent to: REF, PO Box 200400, Denver, Colorado 80220. On your check, please indicate the funds are for 2024 vaccinations.
Thanks to Dr. Alison Hazel, once again, for donating her veterinary services to make sure all of our birds are properly immunized. And thanks to everyone for helping to keep our birds healthy and happy!
|
|
The internet is fabulously cluttered with a variety of junk, but diamonds are to be found, if you have time. I ran across this gentleman's videos while searching for something else. This one is beautiful truly beautiful...enjoy and search for more of his videos on YouTube at your leisure. ~ Peter Reshetniak, Director of Special Projects
|
|
Lots of Other Ways to Help! |
|
A Special Anniversary Offer on All Three of Our Books!
Celebrate our 44th anniversary by purchasing our
three books at this special price!
|
Our Online Store is Open!
|
Help Our Book Fly Higher:
Order Today!
Reviews
“A unique book aimed at introducing young and beginning birders to the world of raptors. . . . Creative for certain! Helpful, too.”–Jim Williams, Wingnut Blog, Minneapolis Star Tribune
“A very cool new book.”–Doc Kirby, On The Bookshelf
“Bird enthusiasts of all ages will find this book full of educational fun.”–Skipping Stones
“All the essays were well-written and provided lots of easy-to-understand information, which allows the reader to identify many different types of raptors. I also really enjoyed the further reading at the back of the book about the kestrel box. The instructions were clear-cut, and the activity was easy and fun to do.”–Hannah, age thirteen, Kids’ BookBuzz
|
The newest Jabebo earrings are here! Jabebo received requests for this species from several nature centers in Florida, and by coincidence, our photographer friend Jeff Wang spent a few days chasing two species of kites, including the fascinating snail kite. The two designs are taken directly from Jeff's photos with very little editing; the male is on the left and the female, carrying a freshly-caught snail, is on the right.
Feeding almost exclusively on apple snails, this unusual raptor frequently practices ambisexual mate desertion, a reproductive strategy designed to maximize the number of young that survive to fledgling. Thank you, Jeff and Kevin Abbott, founder of Jabebo!
|
|
Help us put another 1,000 eagles on the streets of our great state! Qualified members of REF are entitled to display them on their cars. Put Colorado's first and best environmental plates on YOUR vehicle!
|
One of our members sent us this picture of his Cobra with our license plates. Anyone else out there with a classic car wearing our eagle? Send us your image! |
Special thanks to The Kroenke Group & THF Realty for extending our lease and keeping the fee at zero dollars though 2023! Support like this ensures we will make it through these challenging times.
Thanks to our past and future partners, THF Prairie Center Development, L.L.C., THF Prairie Center Investors, L.L.C. and the City of Brighton, for creating the best intersection in Colorado just a minute or two north of our headquarters!
As the new villages grow at Prairie Center, so do the streets with cool names! Check out some of the newest intersections as of October 2021.
|
WISH LIST
We're still looking for a gently-used, 20-25 foot RV (Class C) that would serve as a mobile office for traveling programs around Colorado and farther away. Or maybe you have an SUV or pickup truck you would like to donate? We can put it to good use! Please give our office a call if you have a vehicle you think we could use!
(303) 680-8500
Thank you!
Raptor Chronicles
Just in case you've missed any issues, we currently have issues dating back to January 2020.
REF Event Bulletin Board
|
|
|
|
Limited Edition Eagle Pin |
An exclusive creation for us, this fine pewter pin has been hand painted to let everyone know what you think of America's living national symbol. Available in a very limited edition, while they last. This beautiful pin measures 1 1/8" by 1 1/2". Two clasps keep it firmly attached. $50 each includes shipping. Discounts for multiple purchases. Click here to order.
If you don't wish to use PayPal, then please click here.
|
|
Last year we featured two great-horned owl (Bubo virginianus) nests with fuzzy families spilling out of the small nests. This year only one of the nests is active, and just like the previous year, three youngsters are visible. We'll provide regular videos of this family as the babies grow up. Make sure you visit our YouTube channel and Facebook page!
|
|
US Fish & Wildlife Service Proposes Killing 500,000 Barred Owls |
|
Join the 63 Families Supporting Our Raptor Sanctuary
Help Us Reach 100 Supporting Families!
|
|
Have you signed up for the King Soopers Community Rewards Program yet? Do you have a Loyalty Card and digital account? Just visit https://www.kingsoopers.com/o/store-services/community-rewards , log in and enroll to have REF receive donated funds from King Soopers and Kroger! We'd love to increase the number of families supporting us...please share with your friends and family!
OUR COMMUNITY REWARDS NUMBER IS TF405. Simply log into your account, look for "Community Rewards" on the left hand side, and enter TF405. Our name will appear, and you can link your card to REF. You save on groceries, earn fuel points, and we'll receive a quarterly donation from King Soopers.
|
|
Star K Ranch Nest Success! |
|
While Peter was in Nebraska visiting one of the world's largest migrations of sandhill cranes, he received an alert from long time REF supporter Laura Chapman, that things were afoot at the Morrison Nature Center. Her camera lens was not sufficient to capture what was going on in the nest, but her observation of behavior by the adult assured her that there was an eaglet in the nest. Upon Peter's return he dropped in, set up his very long zoom lens and at about 1200mm he recorded this video.
There is at least one eaglet in the nest. Considering this nest has failed numerous times in the past years, one live chick is a success! Hopefully another eaglet is spotted we'll be able to watch them grow over the next few months. Located at the Morrison Nature Center in Aurora, Colorado, this nest is surrounded by industrial parks on three sides, with the nature center providing a buffer on the south and east sides. Prey species from cottontail rabbits to prairie dogs are not too far away. Bald eagles are much more tolerant of human activities than initially believed, so we're keeping our fingers crossed, and hoping this nest fledges at least one eagle this year.
|
|
America's Largest Hawk & Smallest Falcon |
|
These two Colorado raptors are very far apart in size, habits, and taxonomy, but they both utilize the short-grass prairie, and the trees that manage to find enough water to grow in this arid landscape.
The ferruginous hawk in the first half of the video, is the largest "buteo" or soaring hawk, in the US. They have feathers all the way down to the tops of their feet, unlike their close cousin, the red-tailed hawk. Ferruginous hawks specialize in hunting prairie dogs, with shorter toes than red-tails, and a huge "gape", or opening of the mouth. Occasionally they look like they are smiling when viewed up close, but the wide gape serves two important purposes: it allows them to swallow a prairie dog skull whole, and also permits them to cool themselves very effectively when they pant. It gets VERY hot on the prairie in the summer months, and shade can be difficult to find.
On the other end of the spectrum, we find the American kestrel, the smallest US falcon. Weighing around four ounces, this tiny raptor lives in Colorado year-round, managing to hunt mice and small birds in the winter in sub-zero temperatures. This beautiful male (which we can discern from his gray wings, and rusty tail with only a single subterminal black band) is an excellent contrast to the chunky buteo, with his long tail, and elegantly pointed wings. Though he cannot dive or "stoop" at 150 mph to hunt birds, like his larger relative the peregrine falcon, he is a master at hovering. A kestrel's long tail acts as a counterbalance, allowing it to stay in one spot to watch for summer prey, such as insects and reptiles, in addition to birds and mammals.
|
|
Women's Business National Enterprise Council Meets Our Bald Eagle |
|
In March, we were privileged to attend a reception sponsored by KADDAS Enterprises at the Women's Business National Enterprise Council (WBENC) national conference at the Gaylord Rockies resort. The WBENC is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States and is a leading advocate for women-owned businesses in corporate and government supply chains.
KADDAS Enterprises, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, manufactures products for wildlife and raptor protection, and is an innovator in the manufacturing of thermoformed parts to assure an uninterrupted power supply. Their products also ensure the safety of raptors in the transportation and aerospace industries. CEO Natalie Kaddas is a huge supporter of raptors and women entrepreneurs, and we were thrilled to be able to partner with KADDAS once again here in Denver. The women definitely outnumbered the men for these few hours; between Anne, our nine-year old female bald eagle, and the enthusiastic attendees, a jovial time was had by all! The backgrounds, businesses and interests of the women who visited our corner of the hotel were incredibly diverse and fascinating, and all were captivated by our eagle.
A huge thank you to our partners at KADDAS--Heather Bauer, Manager of Strategic Partnerships, and John Martino, Director of Sales
|
|
In addition to America, our Facebook followers are found in the following countries:
United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, Pakistan, Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Mexico, Ukraine, Russia, New Zealand,
Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Panama, and France!
|
|
Automatic Monthly Donations: Thanks to everyone who has set up a monthly donation via PayPal. We have people from both coasts, a few states in the middle and in Colorado contributing automatic monthly pledges...thank you!
|
|
REF Staff: Anne Price, President & Curator; Peter Reshetniak, Founder & Director of Special Projects; Savannah Grout, Mews Manager
Docents & Volunteers: Kristy Bortz, Megan Considine, Kevin Corwin, Karen Gonzalez, Kim Kistler, Linda Julia, Jennifer McAllister, Denis Murray, Karen Ogle, Peggy Plaus, Anne Price, Jennifer Redmond, Peter Reshetniak, Beverly Rice, Mitch Skinner and Ann Stanz
Docents in Training: Clarissa Cigrand, Robert Mitchell, and Mila Ringo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
