Ojai Raptor Center ... Fly away little bird ...

The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply that they have perfect faith,

for to have faith is to have wings.

~ J.M. Barrie

The Little White Bird

Occasionally, the Ojai Raptor Center has an open house, which I always seem to miss. BUT, this year I made it! I left my pastel class one Saturday, an hour early, to head over there with Wendy from class. Turns out it's only about a 5 minute drive from my parents' house.

Apparently, they had at least 1,500 people that day and had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new large flight aviary. The next open house is November 10, 2012, if you're in the neighborhood!

Volunteers who regularly handle the educational birds where there to introduce the "resident raptors." If at all possible, birds that are brought there, are rehabilitated and set free. That is the goal. The educational birds are either physically unable to be released or were imprinted on humans and are unable to fend for themselves in the wild.

"Spooky"

Barred Owl

Bob

American Kestrel

How cute is Bob? Unfortunately, someone else thought so too and he was imprinted on a human (someone hand-fed him and tried to turn him loose) and then he was unable to care for himself. He is non-releasable and now an educational bird.

The Raptor Center is located on what was an old honor farm in Ojai.

Hitch

Bald Eagle

Hitch was born in 2005 but has had head trauma and wing fractures that did not heal properly.

He's been at the Ojai Raptor Center since 2008.

Shytan

Golden Eagle

Shytan sadly is unable to fly because he severed his right wing on a power line, flying after his prey.They don't know how old he is because he came to them as an adult, but he has been in captivity for 20 years. (These birds can live up to 50 years in captivity.) The trainer said he still tries to fly sometimes ... not remembering his wing isn't there. It must be like a human amputation where you have a phantom limb? Anyway, it is really sad but he is so majestic and is a great ambassador for conservation through people experiencing these amazing birds.

They built their new flight aviary so that it curves and will strengthen their wings for their in-flight turns.

On the way out of the property...

I pulled these You Tube videos from the Raptor Center's YouTube Channel.

"Avalon" gets chattier and chattier throughout the video below.

She is a female bald eagle and arrived in August of 2011.

For her full story, click here.

They also have a barn owl box on USTREAM that will hatch sometime this spring. You can see the mamma in there preparing her nest. Here is the USTREAM LINK

I wrote about the Ojai Raptor Center in a previous post, after meeting some of the birds at Ojai Day in October of 2010. To check out those photos, you can see that post here. I had an actual camera that day, not just my phone!

Hope you all have an amazing week. Please enjoy this song, which I love love love, by the indigo girls! Warning, it's a little sad but really beautiful.

O birds, your perfect virtues bring,

Your song, your forms, your rhythmic flight,

Your manners for your heart’s delight,

Nestle in hedge, or barn, or roof,

Here weave your chamber weather-proof,

Forgive our harms, and condescend

To man, as to a lubber friend,

And, generous, teach his awkward race

Courage, and probity, and grace!

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

May-Day and other Pieces

Blessings and light for a beautiful Spring Equinox!!!

Ojai Day & The Ojai Raptor Center

Last weekend I was in Ojai again to house/dog/bunny/fish-sit for my sister. My Mom was off at her 50 year high school reunion so my Dad and I decided to head over to Ojai Day on Saturday. Lots of booths in the park and downtown with food venders, people selling jewelry, paintings, pottery and other hand made items. Bands play throughout the day and there are also various organizations there to help the community and the environment.

The Ojai Raptor Center had a booth set up in the park and my Dad and I spent the better part of an hour talking to the volunteers, meeting these beautiful birds and of course, taking pictures. The Center rescues different species of raptors with the goal of returning them to the wild. Most of the time they are successful but in the cases of these educational birds (below) they were either too injured or had been imprinted to humans and would be unable to survive in the wild even though they are otherwise healthy - which is so sad.

Riley - Eastern Screech Owl

Bob - American Kestrel

Imprinted to humans

Tito - Barn Owl

He is 4 years old and came to ORC with some head trauma, bi-lateral cataracts and both wings had improperly healed fractures.

Lucky - Red-Shouldered Hawk (Red tailed hawk is behind him)

Imprint - Non-releasable

Lucky's close-up

Hope you have enjoyed being introduced to these beautiful birds. They are incredible and so are the people who take care of them. It inspires me and gives me hope that people are out there doing this work, giving of themselves and their time. I miss volunteering and am feeling the need to get back to it, especially now.

Libby Park - downtown Ojai

If you are interested in more information about the Ojai Raptor Center, in donating or getting one of their awesome t-shirts or calenders you can go to ojairaptorcenter.org

"Unselfish and noble actions

are the most radiant pages

in the biography of souls."

~David Thomas