Celebrating 25 Years
by Gail Garber, Executive Director
At Hawks Aloft, everything is about the birds, from the wild ones we study to our avian ambassadors and those that we rescue. It has been 25 wonderful years and we are still going strong!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make our Falcon Fiesta a success, from those on the organizing committee to Hawks Aloft staff and volunteers who helped in so many ways--from making table decorations to holding educational raptors and, of course, our photographers! Thanks especially to those of you who attended the event and took home some uniquely wonderful art, building our restricted bank account so that one day, we will have a place to call home--The New Mexico Center for Birds of Prey!
We especially thank Mary Chappelle who was the organizer for the silent auction, securing a myriad of donations, organizing gift baskets, and securing our wonderful emcee Dennis Chamberlain as well as Peter Menice, the caricaturist! Thank you to Kristin Brown whose Peregrine Falcon photograph graced the fronts of the commemorative T-shirts.
Paul Domski and Tyler Sladen, representing the New Mexico Falconer's Association, had several falcons of different sizes on display, talking to guests about their birds, falconry, and the time they dedicate to birds of prey.
The Hawks Aloft Board of Directors was very involved in the Fiesta, securing a host of corporate sponsors for the event as well as personally donating items to the silent auction. Of course, none of this would be possible without our amazing staff: Ellie Althoff, Trevor Fetz, Angela Green, Maggie Grimason, Katrina Hucks and Amanda Schluter.
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A Mischievous Merlin, by Ellie Althoff, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Thirty-five feet does not seem that high! At least not until you have your feet staggered and swaying on a cargo net, one arm wrapped around the dusty netting, and another arm precariously swinging a large hand net. This was all in the effort to capture one of our educational Merlins, Little Richard (Richie)
, who snuck out of his crate the morning of a program. A bathroom, classroom, office, or hallway would have all been preferable for his escape. But Little Richard had bigger plans, flying straight up to perch in the rafters of the school’s gym. Two hours later and with the help of our biologists (Amanda and Katrina) and volunteers (Mary Bruesch, Larry Rimer, Chellye Porter and Arlette Miller), Richie was rescued safe and sound. It only took two cargo net climbs, many frantic phone calls, a ladder, multiple towels, two nets, a broom, and, of course, duct tape.
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Discover the Darien
& Canal Zone of Panama
with Hawks Aloft and Canopy Family!
November 9-18, 2019
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We are excited to offer our newest adventure destination tour – Discover the Darien region of Panama! Mark your calendars for November 2019.
Panama, a biologically and culturally diverse country connects North and South America. It is a haven for wildlife watchers of all kinds, especially birders. The Canopy Family has operated ecotourism lodges in Panama since 1999. Their mission is “to share the nature, history and culture of the Republic of Panamá with passion and enthusiasm, focused on customer satisfaction and guided by the principles of conservation and social responsibility.”
This trip will be lead by Gail Garber, Executive Director, and Katrina Hucks, Avian Biologist. Katrina worked as a hawk migration counter at Canopy Tower in Panama prior to beginning work at Hawks Aloft.
Trip Highlights
- Look for Harpy Eagles! (as of this writing a new nest has been found with indications that the pair is incubating eggs)
- Visit the Darién region of Panama, a vast area of the eastern part of the country with no
roads and diverse wildlife. Stay at the Canopy Family’s Canopy Camp
- Explore local culture, including a native Embera village
- Take time to photograph the amazing wildlife that includes not only birds, but a vast array of other wildlife from butterflies to monkeys and reptiles
- Relax and enjoy rainforest-level views from the famous Canopy Tower.
Hawks Aloft has offered trips to Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and other international destinations at least once a year to experience diverse wildlife and new cultures. Join Hawks Aloft and the Canopy Family on the trip of a lifetime!
Trip limited to 12 participants with three trip leaders. (Only 8 spots remain)
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Guatemala: Birding the Highlands and Lake Atitlán with Hawks Aloft
January 26 – February 5, 2019
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Falcon Fiesta Fun! by Angela Green, Office Manager
It’s been a busy month here in the Hawks Aloft world. As many of you know, we recently hosted our gala event, the Falcon Fiesta, at Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum. Our days during the first two weeks of September were filled with tasks like gathering auction items and assembling gift baskets. We also created the lovely table decorations.
The live auction included exquisite framed photography by Keith Bauer, Dennis Chamberlain, and Alan Murphy, a gorgeous modern quilt donated by Albuquerque Modern Quilters’ Guild, a private photography session by Doug and Kristin Brown, and private tour packages of the Ladder Ranch and the Valles Caldera. At the end of the live auction, we auctioned off the winning pieces from our first annual apron contest, which was great fun. Even people who did not participate in the live auction by bidding had a fantastic time watching the excitement.
As far as the silent auction gift baskets went, their themes ran the gamut from salsa to Halloween. We were proud to say we had something for everyone’s taste! None of this could have been done by staff alone, of course. We had the assistance of many dedicated
volunteers in both planning and executing the Falcon Fiesta. Thank you so much, everyone! Thank you, Mary Chappelle, for all of your organization and hard work! Thank you to everyone who took photographs at the event: Dennis Chamberlain, Mary Elkins, Tom Green and others.
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In the event of inclement weather, a backup date has been set for November 11, 2018.
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Milestones,
by Ellie Althoff, Education Coordinator
With an American Crow in one hand and a Merlin in the other, I waddled up to the door, gently set the birds' travel boxes down, and knocked lightly. Curious, I peered inside the glass window pane. Inside, there was a girl with a pink bow drawing at a small desk, a teacher reading with a blonde-haired boy, and the muffled sound of silly giggles and loud laughter coming from the many other students shuffling about the room. When the door opened, I was greeted with a wide smile and a cheery “Welcome to Los Ninos Montessori!”
Hawks Aloft has visited Los Ninos Montessori several times in the past, presenting students with a wide variety of birds of prey, activities, and information. Yet this particular visit, at 9 am on the 25th of September, was a milestone. It was my first educational program at Hawks Aloft. As 9 am approached, students ranging from 18 months to 6 years old took a seat in a semi-circle in a mix of chairs and on a patterned carpet. “What’s in the box?” asked one eager student. “It’s a bird, it’s a bird!” responded a boy as he flapped his arms up and down.
With a focus on bird adaptations, the next hour had students hooting like owls, flapping like falcons, playing with puppets, protecting a nest, listening to a book, and admiring our two educational ambassadors. The students were especially excited to share how they too, had rescued an injured bird just the week before. As I wrapped up the program, the room filled with a chorus of thank you's. With the close of a door and a final wave, my first program was complete.
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Birds and Books, by Maggie Grimason, Senior Editor
Janet M. Ruth is many things—a transplant to New Mexico, an ornithologist, and perhaps most importantly here, a poet. Her recently published book—minted in 2018, the “Year of the Bird,” as it was dubbed by many groups like National Geographic and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology—takes a deep look at bird life in all its diversity and beauty. Translated endearingly into both poetry and prose, the work combines a scientific understanding of avian life, uniquely paired with an expressive sense of lyric. Delving into dreamy states while rooted firmly in wondrous habitats across the globe, the book, titled
Feathered Dreams: Celebrating Birds in Poems, Stories & Images, will likely grip those who have long been looking to the skies.
Below is an excerpt from the book, available for purchase on our website.
“Owl Dreams”
By Janet M. Ruth
In the predawn glimmer
The screech-owl perches on her post,
Old woman in a moth-eaten overcoat.
Soft bouncing hoots ruffle the feathers at her throat.
I slip into violet shadows,
A breeze lifts the hair from my forehead.
Spicy scent of wet sand sage
Tiptoes softly across the back of my tongue—
Morning-after-rain smells like chai tea tastes.
A thrasher croons from the rooftop—
Billie Holiday husking the blues.
From the darky smoky depths of a club
Somewhere in Harlem.
Early morning chill
Traces cold steel down my spine, drags me back
To the owl’s gaze.
The diminutive huntress reaches for me,
Beak stained with mouse blood
Rips into my soul—
Owl and human exchange skins
I fly by instinct at midnight with terrible gaze,
Seeking warm-blooded prey—
The plunge, the shriek, the crunch of tiny bones,
The sweet horror of my fierceness,
The not-so-gentle justice of clenched talons
Soaked with blood.
I plummet back into my body,
My human heart pounds.
As the sun stirs, throws off the blanket of night,
The owl’s twin golden orbs flame for an instant,
An owlish cry claws at my throat,
As she unfurls the cloak of her wings and
Disappears into my dreams.
In daylight and darkness—
I will remember her.
An iron taste rasps my tongue.
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Down to the Wire, by Katrina Hucks, Raptor Rescue Coordinator
In rural areas of New Mexico, food is often plentiful. These make for ideal habitat for raptors such as Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks. Ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other rodents are abundant. As these raptors hunt, especially when hunting in low light, little else matters. There are no humans, vehicles, structures; only predator and prey.
Unfortunately, this is when predators in pursuit often get hurt. One of the main threats in these situations is barbed wire. Barbed wire fences are commonly used to keep cattle in, mark property lines,
and discourage unwanted visitors. While humans can easily perceive a barbed wire fence, birds and
other animals may not see these sharp, thin wires when in flight or pursuit.
Good Samaritans that come across a raptor stuck in barbed wire often have a knee-jerk reaction to save it, untangling the bird from the barbed wire. However, this is an impalement injury. It is best to leave the wire in place until the barbed wire can be surgically removed. Even though it looks like it hurts, there is a good likelihood that the impaled object is holding something together. The very best option for the long-term survival of these birds is to cut the wire and pack it up in a box with the injured bird, letting an experienced veterinarian surgically remove the wire while the bird is under anesthesia.
Barbed wire injuries can be nasty. The bird may try to get free on its own, making the injury worse. If you come across a raptor that is tangled in barbed wire, first protect yourself from the barbed wire and the animal, and then
CUT the barbed wire. Do not remove the animal from the barbed wire. Leave the barbed wire in the skin. Contact your local rehabilitator or bird veterinarian for the next step. For instances such as this, keep wire cutters in your car’s tool kit. For a raptor, it could be the difference between life and death.
Image by Katrina Hucks
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Help support our non-releasable raptors through our Adopt-a-Raptor program. Hawks Aloft houses and cares for 25 permanently disabled raptors (and one corvid!). Our Avian Ambassadors travel throughout the Southwest, helping us to educate the public about how to help protect these beautiful animals. We provide them with top-quality housing, food, and medical care for their entire lives. It costs an average of $2000/mo. just for their food. When you adopt a raptor, you help feed our birds, make home improvements, and provide veterinary care for one avian ambassador of your choice. Prices range from $35-$100 depending on the species.
Click here to Adopt a Raptor
such as Flame, our very tiny Flammulated Owl, photographed here by Larry Rimer. When you adopt a Hawks Aloft raptor you will receive:
- A one-year Hawks Aloft membership
- An Adoption Certificate
- An information sheet about the individual bird you have adopted
- Exclusive access to video updates about your bird
- Your choice of:
A professional 8×10 photo of your bird, or
A stuffed Audubon Bird with realistic vocalizations
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Fall: A Time of Change, by Amanda Schluter, Biologist and Field Technician
I spent the month of September transitioning from field work to office work. Since I am on the go much during the field season, the notes I make can get a little disorganized. So, September's focus is organizing my notes and entering data, later followed by data analysis. It's also the month that we all write summaries of our projects for the annual
Aloft magazine and begin work on the more extensive final reports.
Along with writing, I also helped with the last minute preparations for the Falcon Fiesta that Hawks Aloft hosted on September 15. I helped make some of the table decorations and put together gift baskets sold during the silent auction. On the day of the event, I was tasked with picking up the two large cakes from the bakery, a daunting assignment. Fortunately, the cakes arrived at the venue unharmed. The gala went smoothly and it was a fun party that guests enjoyed.
In October, I will finalize the annual reports for the projects I worked on this summer
season. I hope to spend some of my free time birding around New Mexico during the fall migration and camping before winter sets in.
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Support Hawks Aloft by Shopping at Smith's!
Many of you have long been Hawks Aloft supporters, and a good number of you have also been longtime Smith’s shoppers. For those not in the know, the grocery chain has a program that provides a small kick-back quarterly to nonprofits when their supporters link their shopper’s cards to the organization.
The company recently changed their policies regarding the program—so even if you’ve signed up in the past, you may need to do it again! The good news is that it is easy to do.
2)
Either create an account or sign-in to an existing one
3)
Once logged in, click on “Account Summary” on the left sidebar
4)
From there, scroll down to “Inspiring Donations Program” and click “Enroll”
5)
A searchable list will come up, you can either search for “Hawks Aloft” or enter our ID number for the program, GL430
6)
Shop using your card and now that every time you do so, you help out Hawks Aloft!
We appreciate your ongoing support in this, and so many other capacities!
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*Check out intakes and thank-you's after the Photographer's Gallery*
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Photographers Monthly Gallery - Steve Vender
This month, we feature four songbird images taken by longtime volunteer and supporter Steve Vender. Steve was bitten by the photography bug when he got his first camera for Christmas 2014. He took his first official bird pic of a White-crowned Sparrow just before sunset on that same Christmas Day. He was inspired to get a camera and specifically take bird photos when a long- time friend showed him a photo of a Dark-eyed Junco with amazing detail! Steve
continues to try to improve his photography with hopes others will become interested in it and the birds that are the majority of his subjects. He loves getting a great shot, not just for artistic purposes, but also because they allow him to study that bird up close and in great detail. Each new photograph adds another species to my mental catalogue which allows me to make IDs in the field.
You can see more of Steve's images
here
.
- Hermit Thrush
- Purple Finch
- Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
- Rufous Hummingbird
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Thank You to our September Donors!
Adobe Little Theatre
Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild
Joseph Alcorn
Ann Silva's Bernina Sewing Center
Patti Bailey
Donna Barnitz
Betty's Bath and Day Spa
Judy Botsford
Charles Brandt
Doug & Kristin Brown
Caldwell Banker
Central New Mexico Audubon Society
Niels Chapman
Ed & Mary Chappelle
Carter & Susan Cherry
Julia Clarke
The Cooperage
Dale Crawford
Phyllis Dillon
Terry Edwards
Tony Giancola
Grassroots Yoga
Sue Harris
Melissa Hart
Michael Hartshorne & Lida Crooks
Veronica Havens
HipStitch
Evonne Holder
Diana Kelleher
Leslie Kuhn
Sue Lyons
Roseann Maul
Laura McNamara
Barbara Morrison
Alan Murphy
Lisa Myers
Dave Parsons
Shirley Pino
Chellye Porter
Quilts Ole
John Reimers
Larry Rimer
Liz Roberts
Mandy Ruden
Sami Sanborn
Sani Yoga
Allison Schacht
Steven Siegel
Anita Sisk
Ian Smith
Mitzie Tadlock
Ted Turner Expeditions
Tony Thomas
Laura Thurgood
Greg Tindel
Tricklock
Alwyn VanderWalt
Weekly Alibi
Wild Birds Unlimited
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Our Veterinarians and Rehabilitators
Kariana Atkinson, DVM
Mary & Ed Chappelle
Linda Contos, DVM
Cottonwood Rehabilitation Center
Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Eye Care for Animals
Ray Hudgell, DVM
Gavin Kennard, DVM, DACVO
Daniel Levenson, DVM
Mike Melloy, DVM
Lisa Morgan
New Mexico Wildlife Center
Bob Peiffer, DVM, PhD
Petroglyph Animal Hospital
Kathleen Ramsay, DVM
Santa Fe Raptor Center
Southwest Veterinary Medical Center
Samantha Uhrig, DVM
Ventana Animal Clinic
Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico
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September Intakes
Cooper’s Hawk – emaciated
Red-tailed Hawk – wing injury
Cooper’s Hawk – gunshot injury
Common Raven – leg injury
Cooper’s Hawk – trich
Cooper’s Hawk – wing fracture
Barn Owl – wing injury
Cooper’s Hawk – unable to fly
Cooper’s Hawk – wing injury
Swainson’s Hawk – leg injury
Mississippi Kite – wing injury
Great Horned Owl – caught in barbed wire
Great Horned Owl – eye and leg injury
Cooper’s Hawk – wing and leg fractures
Great Horned Owl – caught in barbed wire
Harris’s Hawk – electrocution
Red-tailed Hawk – electrocution
Red-tailed Hawk – wing injury
Red-tailed Hawk – wing injury
Cooper’s Hawk – wing injury
Red-tailed Hawk – electrocution
Red-tailed Hawk – caught in barbed wire
Red-tailed Hawk – electrocution
Swainson’s Hawk – chest injury
Ferruginous Hawk – object embedded in wing
Cooper’s Hawk – wing injury
Red-tailed Hawk – unable to fly
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Raptor Rescue Team
Nirankar Ambriz
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Mary Chappelle
Charles Cummings
Tim Florence
Maggie Grimason
Shannon Harrison
Denise Inight
Jeannine Kinzer
Arlette Miller
Lisa Morgan
Eliane Notah
Chellye Porter
Larry Rimer
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
Davedda Thomas
Tony Thomas
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Field Survey Teams
Chuck Brandt
Wendy Brown
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Gill Clarke
Ed Clark
Charles Cummings
Vicki Dern
Roger Grimshaw
Fred Hashimoto
Joan Hashimoto
Jerry Hobart
Kay Jackson
Bob Kipp
Maurice Mackey
David Meyerson
Arlette Miller
Glenda Moore
Natalie Nunez
Bonnie Long
Dave Parson
Chellye Porter
Donna Royer
Susan Russo
Renee Robillard
Sam Sanborn
Allison Schacht
Martin Schelble
Dianne Schlies
Lisa Schluter
Mary Smith
Mary Walsh
Christie Wilcox
Steve Youtsey
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Education and Outreach
Chuck Brandt
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Mary Chappelle
Rebecca Ezechukwu
Evelyn McGarry
Arlette Miller
Chellye Porter
Elizabeth Roberts
Allison Schacht
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
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6715 Eagle Rock Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113
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Who We Are
Gail Garber,
Executive Director
Trevor Fetz,
Lead Avian Biologist
Ellie Althoff,
Education Coordinator
Angela Green,
Office Manager
Maggie Grimason,
Senior Editor
Katrina Hucks,
Avian
Biologist and Raptor Rescue Coordinator
Amanda Schluter,
Biologist
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Our Board of Directors
Carter Cherry,
Chair
Mary Chappelle, Treasurer
Terry Edwards,
Director
Alwyn VanDerwalt
, Director
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