upcoming programs-May 2014

Hello:

We have a few upcoming programs in May. First up is Dunbar Cave State Park in Clarksville, Tennessee on May 10th. We are there for their annual Spring Fling http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/dunbar-cave
We have programs at 10:00 and 12:40 CDT. The following day we will be at Russell Cave National Monument http://www.nps.gov/ruca/index.htm near Stevenson, Alabama. Our program will be be at 2:00 CDT. On May 23rd we return for our 10th season of Rock City Raptors http://www.seerockcity.com/pages/Rock-City-Raptors/ Our programs this year are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11:00, 1:00, 3:00 and 4:30 p.m. Come on up to the "Rock" and see us this year. We'll have a few new birds in our presentations this year including a Great Horned Owl and a Peregrine Falcon. If you get a chance, come by a catch one of our shows. We are scheduling programs for the Fall and Winter. If interested, e-mail us at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com or call 423-605-8917 or 706-657-3278. Thanks!

John and Dale
www.soarsouth.org

Hello,

We are still at Rock City's Fairytale Nights until April 20th. We are doing a special show called Fairytale Falconry which is a very brief look at the history of falconry. Our showtimes are at 5:15, 6:15 and 7:15 EDT. We also posted a great clip of our show which was film at the 2013 Eagle Expo in Morgan City/ Patterson, Louisiana. The segment is from a series called Go Coast, produced by WLAE in New OrleansThe show is hosted by Tom Gregory and we feel Tom and Company did a great job. To view the Wings to Soar segment go here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ7hAtBjRVY&feature=youtu.be

Check back for upcoming shows. Thanks!

Dale and John
www.soarsouth.org
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

upcoming programs-early 2014

Hello:

It has been awhile, but we're back! We have some upcoming programs in early 2014 the first being our annual Reelfoot Lake State Park program http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/reelfoot-lake . On February 1st, we are there for their annual Eagle Festival and we will have programs at the state park's visitor center on Highway 21/22 across from World Famous Boyette's Restaurant. We have programs at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. CST. Reelfoot is a great place to view eagles!

The following weekend, February 8th, we will be at Lake Guntersville State Park in NE Alabama. This will be for their Eagle Awareness Weekend http://alapark.com/LakeGuntersville/EagleAwareness/ We have programs at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. CST at the park's beautiful Lodge. This facility is located on top of a high bluff overlooking the lake and many times eagles can be seen from the comfort of the dining room.

On March 8th, we'll be at Wheeler Refuge Visitor's Center http://www.fws.gov/nwrs/threecolumn.aspx?id=2147533987 near Decatur, Alabama with programs at 11:00 and 1:00. This program has limited seating so get there early for a seat!

March 15th and 16th we will be in the land of the hopefully not frozen North...Wabasha, Minnesota. We are presenters at the National Eagle Center's Soar with the Eagles Weekends http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/soar-2014-march-15-16/ We really enjoy going to this beautiful facility along the incredible Mississippi River. We have presentations on Saturday March 15th at 11:00 and 2:00 p.m. CDT in the St. Felix Gym and on Sunday, the 16th at 12:00 and 2:00 CDT.

Also, come to Rock City and help us usher in Fairytale Nights Mach 28th-April 20th http://www.seerockcity.com/pages/Fairytale-Nights/ We will be conducting a Renaissance-type/history of falconry show. Come up and check us out in our costumes!

Thanks for dropping by and if you want to contact us, do so at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com or 423-605-8917. Visit our website at www.soarsouth.org 

Take care!

Dale and John

photos by Dianne Blakenbaker

Upcoming programs

Hello,

We will be at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville on Saturday September 28th.
Our presentations are part of the Cheekwood Harvest http://www.cheekwood.org/Public_Programs/Cheekwood_Harvest.aspx and we
will be doing programs at 11 and 1 p.m. CDT.

We will return to Rock City for the Rocktoberfest Celebration http://www.seerockcity.com/pages/Rocktoberfest/ We'll have shows at 11:30,1:30 and 4:00 EDT.

We are scheduling programs for the Fall and Winter. If you're interested in scheduling a
show for your school or organization call 706-657-3278 or 423-605-8917. You can
also e-mail us at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com Check out our website at
www.soarsouth.org

Thanks!

Dale and John

Rock City Raptors continues through Labor Day

Hello,

Our Rock City Raptors programs continue through Labor Day, September 2nd. Also, through July 28th,
we will have Osceola, the hang gliding eagle in our presentations. By the way, John has released his book, An Eagle's Sky: My Life as a Birdman, on paperback. Visit Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Eagles-Sky-Birdman-Helped-One-winged/dp/0615833241/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374623695&sr=1-1&keywords=An+Eagle%27s+Sky%3A+My+Life+as+a+Birdman

We are booking programs for the Fall and Winter. Contact us at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com or at
706-657-3278. Thanks! Dale and John

Rock City Raptors

Hello Everyone,

Our Rock City Raptors programs www.seerockcity.com have begun and will continue through Labor Day. Showtimes are Thursday through Sunday 11,1, and 3 EDT with an additional presentation at 4:30 on Saturdays. Come on up to the "Rock" and see us. Thanks!

Dale and John
www.soarsouth.org
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
706-657-3278

Rock City Raptors-Earthdayz-Osceola the Hang gliding Eagle

Hello,

Our Rock City Raptors programs continue for the next two weekends in April. This is in conjunction with Rock City Earthdayz Celebration www.seerockcity.com/pages/earthdayz/ We have shows Friday through Sunday at 11, 1 and 3 p.m. Eastern Time. For these last two weekends we will have with us Osceola the Bald Eagle www.osceolabaldeagle.com   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXqejVqlRyk So, if you get the chance, come on up to the "Rock" and see this famous eagle. Thanks!

Dale and John
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
706-657-3278

Rock City Raptors-EarthDayz

Hello Everyone,

This weekend we begin our ninth season as Rock City Raptors. We will be at Rock City Friday-Sunday all the weekends in April for the EarthDayz event http://www.seerockcity.com/pages/EarthDayz/ We will have shows at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00. Come on up, see our show and learn what you can do to help our home, beautiful planet Earth. We are also booking programs for the Spring and Fall. Contact us at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com or 706-657-3278. Thanks! Dale and John

name change and upcoming programs

Hello Everyone,

We have a few programs coming up in the next few weekends. We will be at Lake Barkley State Park on January 26, 2013 for a program at 7:30 p.m. CST for their annual Eagles Weekend http://parks.ky.gov/calendar/details/eagle-weekend/18569/ There will be events planned from the 25th-27th including guided eagle tours. We will next be at Reelfoot Lake State Park for their 9th Annual Eagle Festival
http://www.reelfoot.com/eagle_festival.htm with our programs at 1:30 and 7:00 in the R.C. Donaldson Museum/ Reelfoot State Park Visitors Center http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/ReelfootLake/ across from World Famous Boyette's Restaurant. The following weekend we will be at Lake Guntersville State Park http://www.stateparks.com/lake_guntersville.html for their Eagle Awareness Weekend. We will have two shows at 1:00 and 7:00 CST at the Lodge. We will have Osceola, the hang gliding eagle www.osceolabaldeagle.com at the Reelfoot and Lake Guntersville programs.All of the State Parks have wonderful Bald Eagle viewing. If you've never seen an eagle in the wild, you owe it to yourself to visit one of these parks.

We are also changing our name to Wings To Soar. We will still be connected to Doris Mager through the Bald Eagle Atsa Yazhi, as we will still be on S.O.A.R.'s Eagle Permit. We are forming a new non-profit organization, with Doris' blessings.It has been wonderful to be a part of Save Our American Raptors for nearly nine years. We will continue all of our programs that we started under S.O.A.R. and our website will still be the same www.soarsouth.org We wish Doris well as she is now 87 years young!

We hope to see you on the road and we will be back at Rock City in April. Thanks for visiting!

Dale and John
www.soarsouth.org
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
423-605-8917
706-657-3278

What's going on with S.O.A.R.

Hello,

We're sorry we haven't posted anything lately. We are currently giving the birds a little time off. Our next scheduled program is at the end of January at Lake Barley State Park in Kentucky. John has finally released his e-book, "An Eagle's Sky, My Life as a Birdman." It is about his life working with birds and how he eventually took Osceola, a one-winged Bald Eagle flying again through the sport of hang gliding. It is available through Smashwords.com at this link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/246776

It is downloadable to all sorts of e-readers including Nook, Kindle, iPad, iPhones and other smartphones, Mac and PC. It is also available through most major e-book sites such as Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, Sony, Diesel and eventually...Amazon. The price is $4.99 and if you visit the Smashwords site, you can download the first 40% for free. By the way, if you want to see photos and videos of Osceola and John flying together visit www.osceolabaldeagle.com

We are currently booking programs for the Spring, Call us at 706-657-3278 or 423-605-8917 or e-mail at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com and please visit our website at www.soarsouth.org Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays!

Dale and John

Upcoming programs

Hello,

We have several upcoming public programs over the next few weeks. The first is on September 22nd at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens www.cheekwood.org  in Nashville. The program begins at 12:00 p.m. CDT. The next day we will be at Tims Ford State Park http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/TimsFord/  near Winchester, Tennessee. Our programs starts at 2:00 CST. The next weekend we journey to Wabasha, Minnesota to the National Eagle Center http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/2012/08/celebrating-5-years-schedule-announced/. We are there to celebrate five years at their new location with programs at 11:00 and 2:00 on September 29th and 30th. Come join us at this beautiful facility. The following weekend, October 6th, we will be at the Bear Hollow Zoo http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/2012/08/celebrating-5-years-schedule-announced/  in Athens, Georgia. Come and celebrate Zoo Day. Then, from October 7th to October 14th, we will be at Rock City  www.seerockcity.com for their Rocktoberfest Celebration. We'll have programs at 1:00 and 3:00 EDT. We hope to see you somewhere on the road!

Dale and John
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

www.soarsouth.org

Rock City Raptors

Hello,

Our Rock City Raptors www.seerockcity.com  programs continue through Labor Day, September 3rd. Our program schedule is Thursday through Sunday with shows at 11, 1, 3 EDT with an additional show at 4:30 on Saturday.

Fourscore has not been seen in over two weeks now and perhaps he has started his first migration south. At this time last year, a previously released Peregrine named Lookout had made his way to the Mississippi River and spent several weeks there before moving to Louisiana, Texas and across the Gulf of Mexico. We were able to follow his movements via a solar-powered satellite transmitter. Unfortunately, we don't have such a unit on Fourscore and can only hope for the best.

We are booking programs for the Fall and Winter. To schedule either e-mail at s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com or call 706-657-3278. Visit our website at www.soarsouth.org

Thanks!

Dale and John

Fourscore update

Hello,
 Fourscore has not returned to the hack station to feed for several days now. Perhaps he is now hunting for his meals now. We will continue to provide a small amount of food for the next few days. To date, he has been the most visible Peregrine we have released. He stayed around the hack site for 3.5 weeks. We may see him again, either sometime in the next few weeks or maybe in a few years when he returns as an adult. Jeff Raabe of Rock City caught some  recent photos of Fourscore. We'll keep you posted. Thanks!

Dale and John
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

visit our website: www.soarsouth.org

Fourscore still around Rock City

Hello Everyone,

Fourscore, the "Atlanta" Falcon, continues to be seen around Rock City. On Thursday evening, he survived some 70+mph winds that were caused by a derecho http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts.htm#types similar to the one that hit the Washington, D.C  area the previous week. We were concerned on Friday that he would not be around, but we were relieved when we saw him at the hack box. He has been seen by many visitors to Rock City www.seerockcity.com, especially around Lover's Leap and the Seven States Flags Court. We hope that he will stick around a little longer because it sure has been fun to watch him soar and dive! Thanks for following!

Dale and John

s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

WEBSITE: www.soarsouth.org

p.s. Thanks to Dianne Blankenbaker for these wonderful photos!!! (click on them to enlarge)

Fourscore update

Hello,

Fourscore is still around the hack site, but now is starting to venture out a little more. On a couple of occasions, he has been seen high about Rock City thermaling with other birds. Yesterday, he was observed actively chasing a Chimney Swift, but his chase took him out of view around the mountain, so it is unknown whether or not he caught it. He continues to come back to the hack site to feed and we are interested to see how long he will stay in the area. It has now been two weeks since he was released and the previous falcons have left the area after about two weeks. However, he was released three weeks earlier than any of the other falcons, so he may stay in the area a little longer. We will see.

W are now in the midst of our Rock City Raptors programs. Come up to the "Rock" and catch a show Thursday through Sunday 11, 1, 3 with an additional show on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Thanks for checking...

Dale and John
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

WEBSITE: www.soarsouth.org

Fourscore doing well

Hello Everyone,

Fourscore is doing great! He is still returning to the hack station to feed. These photos were taken on 6/29/12 at 2:00 p.m. He had just returned to the feeding platform after harassing a Turkey Vulture at approximately 1000 feet over the mountain. The air temperature on Lookout Mountain was around 101-102 degrees. We will continue to feed him everyday for the next week and then will start to wean him. Check back in to see how he is doing. Thanks!

Dale and John
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
visit our website at www.soarsouth.org

Fourscore at the hack box

Hello Everyone,

Fourscore, the Peregrine, continues to hang around the hack box area. He is starting to become more proficient at flying as he was observed making high speed passes near the box. Jeff Raabe of Rock City captured this photo (with a time lapse wildlife camera) of Fourscore leaving the hack platform with a chick we left for him to eat. Click on the photo to enlarge. Check back for updates. Thanks!

Dale and John

s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

visit our website: www.soarsouth.org

p.s. We will be at Rock City www.seerockcity.com  from June 28th through July 8th (everyday) with shows at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00

with additional shows at 4:30 on Saturday

Fourscore sighted

Hello All,

After a few days of not seeing Fourscore the Peregrine (he managed to remove his transmitter), we did see him today. Food was left on his release box yesterday afternoon and this morning, it was gone. This afternoon, we replenished his food and and as soon as he saw us near the hack box, he few close by for a look. He landed on a cliff ledge in front of Mr. Chapin's house. As soon as we cleared the area, Fourscore flew to the top of the hack box for his afternoon meal. We will continue to provide food for him until we know he is hunting on his own. We will keep you updated on his progress.

John and Dale
website: www.soarsouth.org
s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com

"Fourscore" the Peregrine released

Hello Everyone,

At 6:10 a.m. EDT today, the door to the release box was opened . At 6:18, the young Peregrine Falcon from the Dunwoody section of Atlanta, flew to his freedom. "Fourscore" as he was named from a winning entry on Rock City's Facebook page (this year is Rock City's 80th anniversary, so fourscore represents 80 years...a score being twenty years. He was also the 8th Peregrine released at the attraction), didn't waste too much time flying away and landed in a nearby tree. About 15 minutes later, he was spotted flying overhead and was accompanied by a small flock of Chimney Swifts. A transmitter was fitted to him before release and a telemetry search was conducted a few hours after release with no results. Where had he gone? Had he set his sights on Atlanta? Around 4:45 p.m., food was taken to the release box (two chicks) and a telemetry check was conducted with surprising results. He was nearby! After getting another reading from a different angle, he was spotted in a tree near Bill Chapin's house, near the hack box, and near the Seven States Flag Court (click on the tree photo to enlarge). He was watched  here for nearly two hours as he preened, stretched and observed the surrounding area. He later flew out briefly into the valley and then returned to another tree near Bill's house, but closer to the hack box. Perhaps he will find the food on top of the box and hopefully he will stay in the area for several weeks. We will keep you posted.

Dale and John

s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
visit our website at www.soarouth.org 

Unexpected Peregrine

Hello,

We have received an unexpected Peregrine Falcon for release this year. The breeder from whom we normally get birds for release produced no young this year. Our back up source already had his Peregrines committed to a release project in South Dakota. We had given up releasing Peregrine for 2012. On Thursday June 7th, we received a call from Jim Ozier of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  He had a Peregrine that he wanted to know if we could hack it at our Rock City release site. After talking it over with Andrew Kean and Jeff Raabe of Rock City, we decided that we could take the bird. Jim said that this Peregrine was from a nest in the Dunwoody section of metro Atlanta. The female and mother of the Peregrine is only two years old and is inexperience as a mother. The male, hatched in 2007 on the Sun Trust building in Atlanta, had to incubate the eggs (a task normally handled by the female) and had to hunt for the young once they hatched. The female apparently brooded the young, but when it came time for her to join her mate in providing food for the young, she did not. She only hunted for herself. The pair produced two young, both males, and their father kept them fed the best that he could. Once the youngsters got older, the father simply could not provide enough food. According to Greg Greer, who has participated in Peregrine Falcon release projects in the past, and had been observing the nest at the Manhattan Condos, the young fledged sooner that they should have, probably due to hunger. One of the youngsters flew into traffic and was killed. Greg marked the location of where the second male went, but couldn't find him until the next day. The Peregrine was taken to a rehab center for a few days and Greg delivered him to us on Friday and we have had him in our care. The bird, whom we are temporarily calling "Dunwoody" will be released on Monday, June 18th from our hack site on the other side of Bill Chapin's house at Rock City. Let hope his does well, but at least for now, he has gotten a second chance.

By the way, we are now in our 8th regular season of Rock City Raptors www.seerockcity.com with showtimes Thursday through Sunday 11, 1, and 3 p.m. EDT with an additional show at 4:30 on Saturday. Come on up and see us!

Dale and John

s.o.a.r.south@hotmail.com
visit our website: www.soarsouth.org