We musts give thanks to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation for hosting SOAR’s 2021 annual release celebration at the former Iowa 4-H Camp! We estimated about 120 folks celebrated these raptors return to the skies.
Enjoy this collection of photos! Thanks to photographers Terrie Hoefer and Christopher Knisley. Photo attribution got lopped off in the photo slider.
SOAR Executive Director Kay Neumann addresses the crowd gathered for the 2021 Annual Release at the former Iowa 4-H Camp.
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Director of Philanthropy Abby Hade Terpstra talks about INHF purchasing and protecting the camp property. (Woot!)
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Land Stewardship Associate Derek Miner talks about about the future for the grounds - including removal of many of the buildings and returning it to a natural setting... a bittersweet transition for the camp.
Kay holds the red morph eastern screech owl and talks about the habitat needs for screech owls and why this owl needed care.
Allison Ringgenberg waits patiently for the red screech owl to take flight from her hand!
This grey morph eastern screech owl needed some encouragement from Kay to leave the hand of Casey Evans.
Fly grey screech owl, fly!
Kay carries one the two barred owls to be released.
Deb Lee getting ready to release one of the barred owls.
Deb releases the barred owl - good form, Deb!
Barred owl heading for the trees.
Lenny Palmer holds the second barred owl to be released.
The first barred owl released is still perched in the tree!
A hatch-year 2021 female red-tailed hawk before hand-off for release.
Kay helps transfer a red-tailed hawk to Tonia Thomas for release.
The first tail feathers on a red-tailed hawk are banded. Next summer, this hawk will molt the juvenile feathers and grow in the brick red tail feathers of an adult.
An adult male red-tailed hawk is more than ready to be released (trust me!).
Kay is making sure Carol Bruhnke has a good hold on the adult red-tailed hawk before 1 - 2 - 3 - go!
Notice the brick red tail of the adult male red-tailed hawk!
Jasper County Iowa Sheriff's department officers, Deputy Kira Lazenby and Sgt Ian Winfield, not only were part of the rescue team of adult bald eagle, but were on hand at the annual release to see her fly free again.
The crate door was opened, hop, hop, take off!
The adult female bald eagle rescued on a county blacktop in Jasper County, Iowa, flys free again!
Baxter gains altitude and banks to the west.
How does Baxter know that she is heading towards the Des Moines River?
