Winter Raptor Fest

The Winter Raptor Fest is an annual event in Fort Edward NY, organized by Laurie LaFond and the Friends of The Washington County Grasslands IBA. It is a wonderful opportunity to see a terrific collection of Owls, Falcons, Hawks etc .. Raptors. The birds are all live and uncaged, and one can walk right up to them for a good close look.

The Winter Raptor Fest also includes various programs where the birds can be seen in free flight, it is a spectacular show.

The table by the front door is manned by Dr. Gordon Ellmers with a display of prints of his own wonderful bird photographs available for a nominal sum, and he even autographs them for you. Gordie is a much admired photographer, specializing in birds in the wild, and is the proprietor of the Fort Edward Animal Hospital.

All photos on this page were taken by Fred Wehner.

This is an American Kestrel also known as a Sparrow Hawk. Beautiful colors! It's the smallest falcon in North America, and one of the prettiest. They have a 2 foot wingspan. Their menu includes grasshoppers, lizards, mice and small birds.

This American Kestrel was quite a show off, he kept turning his back to me and spreading his wings and tail so I could admire his colors.

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on the planet. It dives at 200 mph, with a top recorded speed of 242 mph. The wingspan is 2.5 to 4 feet. They prey mostly on medium sized birds, and pigeons are a favorite meal.

That's a Gyrfalcon ... this one is still young, but adults can have a 4 foot wingspan. They feed on other birds and rodents. I thought this one looked particularly fierce!

The Northern Saw-Whet Owl is about the size of a large Robin, with a wingspan of 16 - 22 inches, which makes them one of the smallest owls. Their menu includes mostly mice and small rodents. I love those eyes!

These little cuties are baby Screech Owls. Adults grow to have about a 1.5 to 2 foot wingspan, making them one of the smaller owl species. Their prey includes mice, lizards and large insects. They make their nests in hollow trees and their feathers camoflauge them very well against tree bark.