NorthWings
NorthWings programs provide thrilling educational experiences. With the help of a few incredible feathered teaching assistants, the See-North staff discuss topics including natural history, habitats and predator-prey relationships. An up close and personal view of these incredible predators grasps attention and leaves a long lasting connection.
| Upcoming Public Programs | NorthWings News |
| Sponsorship | Volunteer Opportunities |
| Northwings History | Meet the Birds |
Upcoming Public Presentations:
ONGOING: Raptor Programs at COS! (Beginning
July 2007)
Every Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Every Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Every Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Meet the NorthWings raptors at the SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies.
$5/adults, $3/students, Free for children under 3.
May 3, 2007
NorthWings Nestlings Series: “Raptor Eyes & Beaks"
First Thursday of each month. Designed for young children, today’s
program spotlights the adaptations of birds of prey and features the live
birds of NorthWings. 1–2 p.m. SEE-North Exploration Center. Free. Donations
welcomed.
May 5, 2007
NorthWings Raptor Series: “Falconry"
First Saturday of each month. Older children and the general public
can meet and learn about the hawks, eagles, falcons and owls of Michigan and
meet the birds of NorthWings, SEE-North’s live, “feathered teachers.”
1–2 p.m. SEE-North Exploration Center. Free. Donations welcomed.
June 2, 2007
NorthWings Raptor Series: “Michigan’s Raptors”
Older children and the general public can meet and learn about the
hawks, eagles, falcons and owls of Michigan and meet the birds of NorthWings,
SEE-North’s live, “feathered teachers.” 1–2 p.m. SEE-North
Exploration Center. Free. Donations welcomed.
June 7, 2007
NorthWings Nestlings Series: “Raptors”
Designed for young children, today’s program spotlights the
adaptations of birds of prey and features the live birds of NorthWings. 1–2
p.m. SEE-North Exploration Center. Free. Donations welcomed.
July 5, 2007 Nature at Noon Series: “Raptors”
Nature at Noon events occur every Thursday from 12–1 p.m. throughout
the summer. They’re designed for kids but even great big adults have
been known to enjoy the day’s activities. Pennsylvania Park in downtown
Petoskey (adjacent to SEE-North’s Exploration Center). Free. Donations
welcomed.
July 20, 2007 Harry Potter at Horizon Books
The new Harry Potter book is here, and the owls of NorthWings will
be on hand at Horizon Books for a fun-filled event. For details, call SEE-North
or Horizon Books.
August 6-9, 2007 Junior Birders (Ages 7–9)
Ever wonder why birds of prey are called raptors? In this 4-day camp,
learn about adaptations, see birds in the wild, and get up close and personal
with our live education raptors. SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies. $100/child
for the four-day session.
There are many ways to financially support NorthWings, one of SEE-North's exciting education programs. All contributions are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated. Click here to print out a sponsorship form.
1. Sponsor A Bird: An annual sponsorship supports the medical care, food, housing, enrichment activities, and daily care for any of the birds used in our education programs.
Cost of annual sponsorships:
Golden Eagle (Koda): $750
Red-tailed Hawk (Maggie or Marley): $500
Barred Owl (Luna): $350
Barn Owl (Belfry): $250
Eastern Screech Owl (Chilly): $250
Cooper's Hawk (Coop): $250
2. Help Rehabilitate a Bird: We care for sick and injured birds of prey that live in northern Michigan. Many of the birds we treat are successfully returned to the wild. Donations help provide medical care, food, housing, and transportation for injured birds of prey that are brought to our facility.
3. Donate to the General Fund: Donations to the NorthWings' General Fund are used for overall needs of the program. Donors giving $1000 or more receive a free NorthWings program for family and friends, or one to donate to a favorite school, community, or civic group.
We have immediate openings for anyone interested in helping us with day-to-day tasks associated with our Education Birds, such as preparing food (our raptors eat mice and rats), and maintainenance of a healthy and sanitary environment (cleaning cages, washing floors, and doing laundry).
Occasionally, we need help with cage and outdoor mew maintenance, travel box repair.
We also need volunteers that are interested in assisting with programming and handling birds at events.
General requirements for NorthWings volunteers:
* Must be 18 years of age or older. (Some event volunteers may be 14-17 years old, if supervised.)
* Must be willing to commit to a regular schedule for a minimum of one year.
* An up-to-date tetanus vaccination and insurance waiver.
* Some tasks may require valid driver's license with a good driving record and proof of car insurance.
For more information about volunteer opportunities, please contact Alison at 231-348-9700 or alison@seenorth.org.
A Brief History of SEE-North's NorthWings Program
SEE-North's NorthWings program has come a long way in a short time! In 1996 SEE-North, an organization already well known for its expertise in environmental education, began a new initiative both to use live raptors as educational ambassadors for their species and to rehabilitate injured birds of prey for release to the wild. The idea grew out of a partnership with Marjie Johnson, who had established the Little Traverse Bird of Prey Sanctuary in 1994 and recognized the exciting potential of using live raptors as feathered teachers.
Since then, we've made great strides, thanks to the efforts and dedication of past and present SEE-North staff, consultants, local and regional benefactors, and dedicated volunteers. Read on for some highlights!
1997: Luna ( Barred Owl ), Maggie ( Red-tailed Hawk ) and Poncho ( Great Horned Owl ) come to SEE-North and form our first cadre of education birds. A Northern Goshawk with a broken wing is treated and released back to the wild. Later in the year, Koda ( Golden Eagle ) joins NorthWings.
1998: Flash ( Great Horned Owl ) is found starving in a field and is given safe refuge. Belfry ( Barn Owl ) is produced in a captive breeding program and flown several weeks later from upstate New York to his new home as an education bird at NorthWings. Two Bald Eagles are rehabilitated and released back to the wild.
1999: Rehabilitation and education efforts expand. A grant from the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation helps fund cages and flight pens at a temporary NorthWings site on Terpening Road, northwest of Harbor Springs. Staff and volunteers spend the last few weeks of the year erecting a yurt on the site. The beautiful, unique structure generates many compliments from passers-by.
2000: We begin the New Year by moving our education birds to their new home on Terpening Road. During the coming months, many injured hawks are successfully treated and released. Education programs reach thousands of people of all ages.
2001: NorthWings helps a Barred Owl with a broken wing , found near Cheboygan. After months of daily care, it recovers and is released. Marley ( Red-tailed Hawk) becomes one of our feathered teachers after a collision with a car renders her unable to survive in the wild. An injured Cooper's Hawk and Great-horned Owl are rehabilitated and released. NorthWings receives a fledgling Red-shouldered Hawk (a species of special concern in northern Michigan) and several other injured birds (a Barred Owl and several Red-tailed Hawks) . All are treated and returned to the wild. An injured Broad-winged Hawk is treated and then transferred to a permanent home at Michigan State University.
2002: Education and rehabilitation programs continue and we successfully treat dozens of sick and injured birds of prey. SEE-North creates a new facility, the Exploration Center in downtown Petoskey, to educate people about natural resources in northern Michigan. We also purchased 40 acres with an existing residence in Friendship Township -- the SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies. Among other functions, it will serve as a year-round home for NorthWings.
SEE-North launches a $1.25 million Capital Campaign, the proceeds to be used for our two new facilities. Under the watchful eyes of several education birds, we break ground for the Center for Outdoor Studies as the leaves begin to fall.
2004: A rehabilitation and indoor housing facility known as the 'Bird Barn' is built for injured and educational birds. Chilly, an Eastern Screech Owl with injuries sustained from a car collision joins our group of educational birds.
SEE-North's staff and our "feathered teachers" have taught many thousands of people about the adaptations and special needs of birds of prey that live in northern Michigan. The SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies, opening in 2007, will provide a venue for on-site birds of prey programming and will no doubt add a unique and exciting dimension to environmental education in northern Michigan
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| Belfry, Barn Owl | Koda, Golden Eagle |
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| Marley, Red-tailed Hawk | Maggie, Red-tailed Hawk |
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| Coop, Cooper's Hawk | Luna, Barred Owl |
| Chilly, Eastern Screech Owl |