21 years ago today

•

And now an anniversary to acknowledge.  

July 4, 1998 was the first day I took one of the state-permitted, non-flighted birds-of-prey outside for a walk at the nature center. On that day it was a red-phase screech-owl.

That's 21 years ago.

For me, it was a sea change, it reoriented my life. My heartfelt thanks to Ijams for allowing me the opportunity to realign my priorities. 

Thank you wildlife biologist Pam Petko-Seus for training me and having the faith that I could handle large birds-of-prey all those years ago and Dr. Louise Conrad who followed in her footsteps.

And now that I am retired, I care for a state-permitted, non-flighted American kestrel. His name is Doc, or Dox, honoring Dr. Cheryl Greenacre who treated him when he came into the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital last January with a badly broken right wing. 

Sadly, Doc will never fly again but he is good-spirited and has taken on the role of wildlife ambassador for the state of Tennessee helping to raise public awareness of kestrels, the smallest falcon to live in the Americas.

We'll also acknowledge the cliché, "my, how time goes by" but, my, how time goes by.

With Doc, a state-permitted, non-flighted American kestrel.
Photo by Shirley Hamilton at Wild Birds Unlimited. 

•