HawkWatch International 2014 Calendar

I support a variety of educational and conservation organizations by donating my images but I’ll admit that some of them are more near and dear to me than others.  Near the top of my list is HawkWatch International.

HWI has been conducting migration counts to track the health of raptor populations at their research sites for over 30 years.  They also conduct winter raptor surveys, provide community outreach and school-based education programs and their American Kestrel nest box monitoring project is meant to give this declining falcon every chance possible.

Mission Statement of HWI :  The mission of HawkWatch International is to conserve the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health.

I generally avoid attempting to recruit others into supporting organizations or causes I endorse as I think doing so often borders on bad form, particularly when it’s about politics or religion.  But this cause involves neither directly and I believe the work of HWI is so critically important that I decided to make an exception.

The HawkWatch International 2014 Calendar is now available for purchase.  Cost is $18 (20% off for HWI members).   The 14 raptor photos by 12 talented bird and wildlife photographers are stunning (I’m looking at one of the calendars as I type).  Two of the images are mine and the funds raised from calendar sales are used to support raptor research that benefits raptors in particular and natural ecosystems in general.

Even with all of our electronic gadgets these days that include calendars, many of us still need the comfort of one hanging on the wall and this one is a beauty.  So if you’re a calendar person (since you’re here I suspect you’re already a bird person) I hope you’ll consider supporting HWI with a purchase of one of their calendars (they can be purchased here).

If not, no worries but I had to suggest it.  Maybe next year…

Ron