May 2005: Volunteers with the Washtenaw Land Trust were out in the fresh air over the weekend to clear new trails and pick up trash at the Washtenaw Land Trust's Sharon Hills Nature Preserve... and as a bonus, they learned about raptors, including a red-tail hawk named Roosevelt that calls this nature preserve home.

This public nature preserve, located in Sharon Township off of Sharon Hollow Road, was donated to the Washtenaw Land Trust in 2000 through the generosity of David & Ellie Shappirio, Sally Allen, and John Allen & Edith Maynard. The trail system at the 67-acre preserve leads hikers to open fields, oak-hickory forests, and kettle wetlands. Its rolling hills reveal impressive views of the surrounding area.

After a couple hours clearing trails, the volunteers took a break on the spring-green grass to learn about red-tail hawks and other raptors, and to visit with two live raptors: a kestrel named Stella, and a red-tail hawk named Penny.

Raptors are birds of prey and are primarily hunters or scavengers. Cynthia Avery, who volunteers with the River Raisin Raptor Center and who is also a licensed falconer, has worked with raptors like Stella and Penny for years. One of Cynthia's favorite raptors is Roosevelt, the red-tail hawk.

As a falconer, Cynthia hunted for years in the Sharon Short Hills region with Roosevelt, who would fly from tree to tree waiting for rabbits to be flushed out of the brush. When a female red-tail hawk came around to visit Roosevelt again and again, Cynthia knew that it would be best to let Roosevelt fly free. Cynthia made sure Roosevelt had a good last meal, and then she let him go. They flew off together into the sky, and Cynthia could watch their mating dance in the air and hear their calls.

Hawks are very territorial animals. After they claim a territory as their own, they do not share it with other birds of the same species. The territory for Roosevelt and his mate extends from beyond Cynthia's house to the Sharon Hills Nature Preserve.

When you visit the preserve, look up: If you see a hawk, you can bet that it is Roosevelt or his mate!

Photos: (Top) Cynthia Avery, with Penny the hawk, teaches volunteers at WLT's Sharon Hills Nature Preserve about raptors, including a hawk named Roosevelt who calls the preserve home. (Bottom) Washtenaw Land Trust's Janae Reneaud visits with Stella, a kestrel falcon.

About the Washtenaw Land Trust: The Washtenaw Land Trust is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that protects working farms and natural areas throughout Washtenaw County and the surrounding region. For more information, visit www.washtenawlandtrust.org, or contact the Washtenaw Land Trust at info@washtenawlandtrust.org or 734-302-LAND(5263).

Washtenaw Land Trust
info@washtenawlandtrust.org
734-302-LAND(5263)