Hard Work

Flight Pen (Before the bottom row completion)

Tim (Up Top) and Bryan (Center)

Two New Mews

"The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand."

Vince Lombardi 

As everyone is well aware; all work put into Upstate Birds of Prey is volunteer work, and we are extremely thankful that we have hard working volunteers! During the last two weekends of May, Tim (Natalie's husband and co-founder of Upstate) and Bryan (one of our outstanding hard working volunteers), worked tirelessly to complete the construction of our flight pen! Tremendous gratitude goes to Bryan for volunteering, because of him we were able to finish our flight pen in two weekends! It is now up, and has passed state inspection! Bryan also helped construct two mews measuring 10'x10'x8' as well! Another great volunteer, Todd, helped Tim run an electrical hard line out to our hospital. A huge thanks to our volunteers! Hard work really does pay off! 

Flight pens are structures we  use to evaluate the flight (from takeoff to landing) of all raptors being considered for release. We also verify that the raptors can successfully hunt for themselves since we have been providing their meals "work free" while in the rehabilitation process. Also, the flight pen allows the raptors to build strength and recondition their bodies for going back into the wild by allowing them to fly from end to end. A flight been for Great Horned Owls, Red Tail Hawks, and other similar raptors needs to be ten (10) feet wide, fifty (50') feet long, twelve (12) feet high, with perches, water stations, and feeding stations. So for us to have an operational flight pen is a huge success!

Again, thanks to our great volunteers! If anyone is curious about volunteering please contact us at natalie@upstatebirdsofprey.org. We would be thrilled to help you find your place amongst us here at Upstate! We promise you won't be disappointed, because once you meet the creatures you are saving you'll be glad you came. 

Beholden,

Upstate

Sophie - June 1st, 2013