Wildlife Conservation Award

On July 19, 2003 the Ohio Bluebird Society presented its annual Wildlife Conservation Award to RAPTOR, Inc. Each year, the Society gives this award to another conservation organization. RAPTOR was selected for its years of service in the fields of environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation.

RAPTOR, Inc. gained recognition and valuable experience while helping Dr. Cheryl Dykstra in her research on nest selection and productivity of Red-shouldered Hawks in Southern Ohio. She was assisted by RAPTOR members Jeff Hays and Melinda Simon. The research was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and was designed to determine whether Red-shouldered Hawks could be used as indicator species of water quality in riparian ecosystems. It turned out that they could not, since they did not favor clean over polluted streams, but a great deal of other interesting information was learned. Among other things, they found out that the population of Red-shouldered Hawks near Cincinnati was much greater than had been known.
Red-shouldered hawk on nest

For more information on the Ohio Bluebird Society, visit http://www.obsbluebirds.com or write to: Ohio Bluebird Society, PMB 111, 343 W. Milltown Rd.,Wooster, OH 44691.



Service Award from Ohio Division of Wildlife

 In August, 2003, Jeff Hays, pictured below, accepts an award on behalf of RAPTOR, Inc. for distinguished service from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Rick Jasper, of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, presented the award at the annual RAPTOR, Inc. picnic this August.

The award recognized RAPTOR, Inc. volunteers for assisting with the Peregrine Falcon project in Ohio. Over the years, our volunteers have participated in the hacking project in downtown Cincinnati. We have also monitored nests in Cincinnati and at the CG&E Miami Fort power station in Cleves, OH. In particular, the award recognized Jeff’s work in arranging a food supply for the Peregrine nestlings after the male Peregrine at the Miami Fort nest was killed.