President's Proxy Message


Anne's last closing salutation in our newsletter, "until nest time" was quite accurate. I have managed to produce the videos below documenting the start of eagle nesting our area. We are monitoring three bald eagle nests, and one golden eagle nest. You're hearing from me because Anne is off on a well-deserved break with her husband in Costa Rica. She's chasing birds and some tropical sunshine as well as a few adult libations, no doubt.


Meanwhile, because we've had a very warm and dry winter many, of the nests I'm monitoring have been occupied earlier than normal. The big news is that Denver's downtown peregrines are back, and on March 11th after a day of technical challenges, we were able to restart our fantastic remote monitoring camera sponsored by the Considine Family Foundation. Now we have to entice the peregrines to cooperate and nest in the same spot where they raised babies two years ago. Keep your wings and talons crossed! Anybody know a peregrine influencer?

Finally, this issue introduces the Albany County Conservancy of Wyoming (ACC). ACC is literally tilting at windmills however, these giant spinning blades are not delusions. They are very real and killing golden eagles in Wyoming hidden behind the bureaucratic iron curtain of politics, money and corruption. All of it of course, to "save the planet."

~Peter Reshetniak, Founder

Wildcat Mountain Golden Eagles

Peter's visit to Wildcat Mountain on February 26th found no indications of any nesting underway. The golden pair were just hanging out together on the north side of the nest site. But his visit on March 5th provided wonderful evidence that this pair of eagles is back in a family way.


Over 45 minutes Peter watched the male make three deliveries of pine sprigs to line the nest. The fresh conifer needles soften the nest bowl and provide an aromatic defense to keep insect populations under control. It 's also believed that the fresh green color tells other raptors that this nest is occupied and active. Incubation lasts about 42-45 days, and we'll document developments as often as we can. Stay tuned for more videos as the nesting season progresses and remember to like these videos…your comments make a huge difference in growing our raptor channel.

The Ides of March Came Early

March 6th found Colorado, especially the Front Range, hammered by a typical wet and heavy spring snowstorm. The video above illustrates the severity of the winds. Peter was able to visit only two of the bald eagle nests during the storm, but he did visit all three the following day. As you can see, there is good news, and bad. Keep watching our YouTube channel for updates on all the nesting activity we can manage to report on.

A Few REF History Links

 White House Visit, Colorado’s First Environmental License Plates, Best Raptor Book Ever,  Our Raptors Cruise to Alaska, Consulting on National Memorial Sculpture, US Naval War College Special Program, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Birds of Prey International Skiing Championships, International Falconry Festival, National Geographic, State & County Fairs,  Natural Solutions Consulting Services

Flocks of Other Ways to Help!

A Special Anniversary Offer on All Three of Our Books!

Celebrate our 46th anniversary by purchasing our

three books at this special price!

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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

“Beautiful, educational coloring book.”–Katie L.Burke, American Scientist

“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

Orders Here! Or you may order on Amazon. Peek Inside

Read more about the author and the illustrator.

New Earrings Arrive!

Presenting: Falco mexicanus!

We are VERY excited about Jabebo's newest earring design, the hardy and beautiful prairie falcon. This large falcon, about the same size as a peregrine, is found only in the dry, Great Basin of North America. Surviving in landscapes tested by drought, wind and snow, this versatile falcon will hunt mammals, as well as birds. Get yours here!

Australia's Mad Pursuit of Net Zero Devastates Wildlife and Wild Places

Spend some time reading this report on the impact of the cognitive crisis in Australia as its pursuit of Net Zero delusions is destroying habit, wildlife, viewscapes, and real estate values, just to name a few of the more obvious consequences while causing electricity rates to skyrocket. World wide, 17 trillion dollars have been spent on climate science and schemes thus far, and for what? This Australian scientist has been warning about this for years. Watch this video to understand the answer.

Special thanks to The Kroenke Group & THF Realty for extending our lease at very affordable rates for the next 5 years. 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 street names!

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

Previous Issues Archived Here

Just in case you've missed any issues, we currently have issues dating back to January 2020.

Denver's 5280 Peregrine Watch Begins for 2026

On February 23rd, our Mile High spies confirmed the first sighting of the male peregrine falcon returning to the peregrine penthouse at 1875 Lawrence Street in downtown Denver. The next day, another confirmation came in and on February 26th Peter was able to film the male in the afternoon.

Our special 4K camera sponsored by the Considine Family Foundation, is still in place since last year. Last year’s footage produced some stunning images, but then the falcons decided not to nest within range of our camera. And we're still not certain they nested anywhere, as no juvenile peregrines were ever spotted by our downtown monitors.

This year we hope for better luck and hope we'll be able to live stream their activities. As of March 11th, we have a report of a second peregrine near the Lawrence St penthouse, and we're assuming that's the female. This year’s very warm and dry winter have brought the peregrines back at least one month earlier than last year. Whether they start nesting that much earlier is an open question...stay tuned for more information on how you can help us monitor their progress!

Join the 89 Families Helping Our Raptor Sanctuary

Help Us Reach 100 Supporting Families!

Wyoming Wind Farms Disappearing Golden Eagles

This short video introduces REF's support of the Albany County Conservancy (ACC) and their efforts to shed light on the dreadful impact the wind industrial complex is having on Wyoming's golden eagle population. ACC has filed numerous lawsuits (FOIA) against US Fish & Wildlife Service to gain access to data that is being hidden regarding the number of golden eagle deaths caused by wind farms in Wyoming.

Mike Lockhart, consulting wildlife biologist, has been conducting satellite telemetry studies on Wyoming golden eagles populations since 2017 and his findings should have been a wake up call for anyone interested in wildlife conservation. Mike used to work as a biologist for USFWS in his younger days and he knows that getting the word out against the forces of wind farming and government bureaucrats is almost impossible. Tilting at windmills as Don Quixote discovered, is folly, but unlike Quixote's giants, modern, massive killing blades and the devastation they cause is very real. The data is being hidden by the government agencies and politicians sworn to protect our national heritage.

This short video is trying to raise funds to produce a comprehensive documentary about what golden eagles, other wildlife species, wild spaces and the traditional ranching community are facing. They are firsthand witnesses to the onslaught of the industrial scale desecration of Wyoming and the creation of enormous future toxic waste disposal issues.


Meanwhile, during a House hearing on the big law that protects nearly all North American birds from being deliberately killed, the topic of wind farm kills was avoided at all costs. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act or MBTA was passed in 1916 as part of a treaty with Canada. It has since expanded to include Mexico and to protect over 1,100 species. This report reveals the political protection Big Wind has in the halls of Congress.

Conflict energy, as we named it years ago, is not clean, green, free, or cheap. It consumes far more resources than it produces and everywhere it is pushed on a gullible public, electricity costs increase rapidly and the quality of life declines. Look at Germany and Australia in the story linked above. Look at California or the UK. Everywhere the story is the same. It is not a climate crisis we are facing. It is a cognitive crisis. Worldwide, 17 trillion dollars have been spent on climate research and related schemes, and for what? An Australian professor/scientist has explained the results and consequences of pursuing bad science. This video is a must for anyone seriously concerned about killing eagles, other wildlife and wild places in order to save the planet. Climate has been changing since the planet formed, and carbon dioxide has never been the trigger as recorded in the geologic history of planet earth. This report reveals how the climate narrative is shifting. Pay close attention to the 'Gorillas in our midsts."

~Peter Reshetniak, Founder

In addition to the United States of America, our Facebook, Newsletter, and YouTube followers are found in the following countries:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Botswana, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Automatic Monthly Donations: Thanks to everyone who has set up a monthly donations via PayPal and Zelle. We have people from both coasts, a few states in the middle and in Colorado contributing automatic monthly pledges...thank you all!

REF Staff: Anne Price, President & Curator; Peter Reshetniak, Founder & Director of Special Projects; Savannah Grout, Mews Manager; Karen Ogle, Assistant Mews Manager

Docents & Volunteers: Kristy Bortz, Clarissa Cigrand, Megan Considine, Karen Gonzalez, Kim Kistler, Linda Julia, Jackson Lincoln, Jennifer McAllister, Robert Mitchell, Karen Ogle, Mary Ann Ottinger, Peggy Plaus, Anne Price, Jennifer Redmond, Peter Reshetniak, Beverly Rice, Mitch Skinner, Ann Stanz and Jamie Ziegler

Docents in Training: Heather Allen