Watching birds inspires man to lifetime of research
Experiences in nature are an important part of our lives. They help us to get away from the busyness of life and recharge. Interestingly, time spent outdoors seems to be both relaxing and invigorating. It can also inspire individuals to action and to a lifetime commitment to wildlife.
John Stravers got hooked on birding watching hawks court in a field.
“The hawks literally were dancing in the sky and I began studying on my own and I watched that pair of hawks through the entire season, watching them nest, and raise young which fledged,” he said. Capital Times
He got in contact with a local birder who served as his mentor, went to college and stared the Midwest Raptor Recovery Fund when he graduated. But he really wanted to be in the field researching, not running an organization.
Now he is the research and field trip coordinator for the National Audubon Society’s Upper Missouri River Initiative and monitors red-shouldered hawks in Northeastern Iowa.
“This is birding with a purpose, for a species that needs attention,” he said. “To go back into some of the biggest forests for the 28th year in a row, with a shroud of fog and bingo find a pair of red-shouldered hawks, my heart responds to that.”
This is one of the many reasons behind why we first set up our feeders in our yard. It gives our children a chance to experience a small bit of nature in our own yard, even as the city slowly encroaches on our little suburb. They may or may not ever found organizations to study and conserve our native wildlife, but I hope they will maintain a lifelong appreciation for nature.
birding, backyard birding, hawks, red shouldered hawk
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