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Raptor Chronicles
By Colorado's Oldest Raptor Sanctuary
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After 42 Years, Their Faces Still Tell Our Story! |
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We were thrilled to return to the International Sportsmen's Expo, held from March 24-27 at the Colorado Convention Center. It's been two years since we've been able to gather in person, and once again we were privileged to be the guests of Colorado Parks & Wildlife as they celebrate 125 years as an agency.
Our crowds consisted of families with children, nature enthusiasts, anglers and hunters of every persuasion. Three new raptors made their first appearances at this busy show, including our white male gyrfalcon, who had the energy and attentiveness of a bird half his age...he'll be 20 years old in just a few months!
Thank you to our hard-working docents who kept our birds comfortable and brought the magic of raptors up close to our visitors. Thank you to everyone who made their way through the show to visit us at our new location. Finally, a big fist-bump to our colleagues at CPW and the International Sportsmen's Expo for making everything run so smoothly. See everyone again in January 2023!
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Spring Open House on Saturday, May 14!
Don't forget to RSVP for our Open House Please join us at our Brighton facility on Saturday, May 14 from 10:30AM to 1:00PM. Our mews (raptor housing) will be open to visitors and we'll have raptors on the front porch area for close-up photos, as well as door prizes and light morning refreshments.
DUE TO THE OUTBREAK OF AVIAN INFLUENZA, WE WILL BE PROVIDING DISPOSABLE
SHOE COVERS TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS ENTERING THE MEWS.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO KEEP OUR BIRDS SAFE!
Please RSVP here for more information, and mark your calendars now!
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Of California’s 23 vulnerable bird species studied (including barn owls, golden eagles, roadrunners and yellow-billed cuckoos), scientists have found 11 are now experiencing at least a 20% decline in their population growth rates because wind turbines and solar panels are killing them and/or destroying their limited-range habitat.
California’s mild-winter Mediterranean climate is home to some of Earth’s rarest bird ecosystems. But California is also where some of the most ardent supporters of “green” energy policies reside. Disproportionately due to California’s activist-level insistence on converting their energy infrastructure from fossil fuel-based to renewables-based, the US as a whole has facilitated a 300% to 9,400% increase in wind and solar energy generation, respectively, from 2009 to 2019. Nationwide, the solar power industry alone is poised to increase from a 0.4 GW energy capacity in 2009 to 75 GW by 2025.
Too few proponents of wind and solar energy expansion are focused on the effect this unprecedented change has had on local ecosystems, especially those with vulnerable wildlife populations.~Peter Reshetniak, Founder & Director of Special Projects
For the complete study from Royal Society Open Science, just click.
Many thanks to Kenneth Richard from the NoTricksZone for bringing this to our attention.
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Wildcat Mountain Golden Eagles |
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On a cool afternoon in early April, the Wildcat Mountain golden eagle pair is settling into their duties. The female is carefully organizing her nest, moving a stick here and there, getting the bowl more comfortable for her, and making sure the dry grass and feathers, which line the very center of the nest, will protect the egg(s).
Right around 3:00, she faces the camera and settles down on the egg to incubate, with a few last "stick fixes". Towards the end of the segment, you'll see Dad keeping watch in one of his favorite pine trees, with a foot tucked up in a relaxed pose, and his "panel" (belly) feathers fluffed out to keep the supporting foot warm.
Stay tuned for more updates, and hopefully some good news around Mother's Day!
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Lots of Other Ways to Help! |
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A Special Anniversary Offer on All Three of Our Books!
Celebrate our 41st anniversary by purchasing our
three books at this special price!
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Our Online Store is Open!
A new look...click on the image below.
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Help Our Book Take Flight:
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
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Listen for us the first Saturday of the month at
12:00 Noon for five minutes of "raptorous"
delight with the BirdTalk Guys,
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At long last, our friends at Jabebo have given raptorphiles what we want: the most ubiquitous hawk working with humans around the world! The new Harris' hawk design took a bit longer than expected; getting the dark eyes to stand out against dark plumage turned out to be harder than Anne or Kevin expected, but we're thrilled with the results! Get yours here!
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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!
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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.
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WISH LIST
We're 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!
in Case You Missed it!
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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. Just click to order.
If you don't wish to use PayPal, then please click here.
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Eagle Spotting in Seattle |
Our visit opens on April 19th: for just over one minute you'll see the female barely visible over the nest rim. If you don't know this part of Madison Park in Seattle, it's an easy 15 minute walk from Bert's Red Apple Grocery store as you make your way to the beaver lodge on Lake Washington, on the northeastern border of the Broadmoor Golf Course. A pair of bald eagles has been nesting there for many years.
On April 24th we saw the female fly in to deliver nest improvements and after a short eagle exchange, the male was dismissed from incubation duties and she took his place. At this point in the video you can see how deep the nest bowl is, as the female vanishes below the rim. The smaller male enjoyed some preening moments before he flew off in pursuit of food or perhaps, more nesting materials. We have no exact date when incubation started, therefore it's anyone's guess as to when the first egg might hatch. We'll just keep eagle spotting and report back to everyone...stay tuned!
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This beautiful five-year study of our female bald eagle was photographed and composited by Marilyn Stevens. It measures
16″ x 20″ and is printed on fine photo paper with a “luster” finish. The print will fit many ready-made frames. To our knowledge this is the only available photographic sequence of an immature bald eagle showing off the plumage changes as she matures. Remember, both male and female look identical except for their size, but the male is about 30% smaller. Our foil seal is attached to the bottom of each print. (Not shown in the image above). This is a limited offer and the price includes shipping anywhere in the continental U.S.A.
Pick it up at our office for only $25!
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Join the 52 Families Supporting Our Raptor Sanctuary
Help Us Reach 100 Supporting Families!
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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.
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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!!
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REF Staff: Anne Price, President & Curator; Peter Reshetniak, Founder & Director of Special Projects; Savannah Grout, Mews Manager
Docents & Volunteers: Elise Bales, Phil Carter, Kevin Corwin, Karen Gonzalez, Bernhard Hafner, Kim Kistler, Linda Julia, Jennifer McAllister, Anne Price, Jennifer Redmond, Peter Reshetniak, Beverly Rice, Mitch Skinner, Ann Stanz
Docents In Training: Kristy Bortz and Karen Ogle
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