Jackson and his buddy, Ian.
Jeremiah on top of Manzano Mountain.
Jeremiah climbing a boulder on Manzano Mountain.
Karen, Monica and Sharon, with kids Ian, Jackson and Sky.
Here we all our on top of the Manzano Mountains looking for raptors.
This is Brita holding a tagged and tubed Swainson hawk.
This is a gorgeous Swainson hawk, the actual hawk that I held and released! Wow!
To reach the Hawk Watch location, we had to drive 50 miles from Albuquerque and then onto a gravel, bumpy, twisting road up the back side of the Manzano mountains. The views, forest and wildflowers were spectacular!
The boys and I rode together in our friend Monica's Land Rover, along with her 3 boys. So, 5 loud, joyous boys and 2 silly, fun-loving Mama's bounced and rolled up the mountain......in a vehicle with a gas tank on Empty! What a blast!
Somehow we made it up to the top (and even back down) and it was such a great day. Too good to describe with words.
The cherry on the top for me was having the honor of holding and releasing a wild Swainson hawk. What a treasure!
There's me and Jackson admiring the beautiful hawk.
Yes! Those are my hands releasing that hawk into freedom again! Awesome!We hiked to the top of the Manzanos on the Gavilan Trail. The name Gavilan is Spanish for "hawk". It is also the name of the trail that leads to the Manzano Mountain HawkWatch site.
We learned about the tiny Flammulated Owl and saw the nets that capture them for tagging and recording. We also learned alot about raptors, which are characterized by a hooked beak, strong feet with sharp talons, keen eyesight, and a carnivorous diet. Hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls are examples of raptors. The word raptor comes from the Latin word “rapere” which mean to seize or plunder. Today, the word is used to describe a group of birds also known as birds of prey.
I'm also considering some future volunteering with this fascinating Hawk Watch International. Here's more info:
The mission of HawkWatch International (HWI) is to monitor and protect hawks, eagles, other birds of prey and their environments through research, education, and conservation. We believe that through our efforts to monitor and protect birds of prey (also known as raptors), we can also protect our shared environment, our rich natural heritage, and ourselves. HWI was founded as a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) organization in 1986.
Raptors are an essential part of healthy, functioning ecosystems. As regulators of natural systems, raptors are crucial to maintaining the stable, healthy, and diverse ecosystems upon which we all depend. And as sensitive and widespread predators at the apex of food chains, raptors are superior indicators of ecosystem health worldwide. Humans share these ecosystems with raptors and all other species--thus, whatever happens to the raptors will happen to us. Hence, HWI's mission of protecting raptors is very relevant to the human condition. HWI fulfills this mission through programs in research, education, and conservation. Through these programs, HWI promotes an ethic of ecological sustainability and conservation for this and generations to follow.
