All of us drawn to this website are inspired by Nature. Our dedication to protecting and conserving Nature is part and parcel of why we chose to become environmental leaders. Several years ago, while driving to meet a friend for breakfast, I happened upon a flicker that I assumed was injured probably by an encounter with a car. I stopped and picked it up and contacted the Como Zoo and a variety of other organizations to see who could provide medical assistance. My calls landed me on the doorstep of the then-director of the Gabbert Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, Pat Redig. That chance encounter led me to over a decade of learning about the ancient art of falconry, securing state and federal licenses to work with protected raptors and dedicating my free time to the husbandry, training and hunting with a variety of raptor species. To me, being a falconer gave me an intimate opportunity to observe and understand wild animal behavior and in the process, experience firsthand my role as a partner in the circle of life. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is sharing the story of another falconer’s journey in a webinar next week. They are highlighting the experience of Rodney Stotts, a Master Falconer, who just released his book, Bird Brother. I wanted to pass this webinar onto you so that you could get a glimpse of the sacred relationship between a falconer and a raptor. 
