Introductions

Greetings! If you've found me, then you are someone who has a interest in the world of wildlife rehabilitation or you just came to know me one way or another and want to keep up with the madness of what I call my daily life!

I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in the care of birds of prey or raptors. I practice at the Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center at the Miami Science Museum in Miami Florida. As you can well imagine, my day to day life is much different from most people. Sometimes I feel like the luckiest person on earth as in this photo. It was taken moments before this first year hawk was returned back to the area where it was found. Just before or after this shot was taken I looked in his eyes and said, "You're going home buddy." I felt everyone present stop and smile down upon this simple moment, savoring the thought before moving on to the particulars of the who, where, when and how of this release. The press was there, along with my director and the bird's finder, Terine who took these phenomenal shots. The chairpersons of the Museum's board had been selected to release this bird with their little granddaughter as a gesture of thanks for their ongoing supports of the rehabilitation program. I was very simply the guardian of this moment, there to guide it, to make sure that all the steps happened in tandem to continue this bird's journey. My role is an essential, yet privileged one, and I never let any bird leave our center without a parting word and prayer for its safe passage back into the life it was meant to live before crossing our path.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one is worth one. One that means everything to many, especially all of these winged wonders that cross my path every day. Freedom. I hope you'll come back and share in my stories again. Until then, find your wings.....