Birds of prey

at the Dickinson library with Tom Ricardi.

He is the local man who rehabilitates raptors and owls, using the ones who cannot be released for education.

I've called him in a panic twice when I've come upon injured owls that have been hit by cars; once at 6am and once at 1am. Both times he was calm and polite, actually once it was his wife who answered. The first time was before the girls were born and I went to visit the bird before he set it free. He has huge outdoor pens in his backyard and many wild birds in different stages of rehabilitation.

I am so thankful for the work he does and how loving he is towards the hurt birds as well as the children and adults he educates.

An owl at the library entrance must have made the birds feel welcome.

Here is is with a kestrel and a falcon. He makes their wooden boxes you can see behind him. Each one a bit different with pretty hinges and locks. The girls were both on my lap and we were transfixed as he introduced each bird.
Below is his favorite, the turkey vulture.
After the lecture I asked him why that was his favorite and he replied, "Oh it's just his personality. He's just a really great personality."
What a crazy looking bird, you could easily see right through his huge nostrils.


















Above is the Golden Eagle preening him.


And below is Georgia petting the Great Horned Owl. She got too close to it's mouth and it nipped her.


















and gave me quite the look.
I was elated after the presentation.
Really, I felt like we'd taken a field trip to Hogworts.
Being in a room with those big wild birds that were so calm in the care of their loving person was truly magical.