Showcase MN and Juvenile Hawk Story

That's Rob Hudson of Showcase Minnesota doing a bird segment with me at the State Fair today. I brought Juneau, a female peregrine falcon from The Raptor Center. We talked about the Bald Eagle Recovery Day Celebration that's going on Friday at 10:30am at the DNR Building at the fair. Okay, I know what you're thinking, "Geez, Sharon, why didn't you bring an eagle with you instead of mere peregrine if you're talking about eagles?" Number 1, it's easier to work with a smaller bird in the cramped spaces at the fair and number 2, I don't handle anything that has a wingspan that's longer than me. Besides, the peregrine falcon was just delisted a few years ago like the bald eagle was this year. It's all good.

We then talked general birds and I took some audience questions. It's so much more fun doing the show in front of a live audience than in the quiet of the studios. The fair crowd has such a happy energy, you can say cheesy bird jokes and everyone laughs. The best part is that when you are doing a bird program for the fair, you get picked up by the fair transport system from The Raptor Center and then they drive you to whatever booth you are going to be in. Thousands of people are milling about and you get to ride in a van right through the ocean of people. You get curb side drop off and pick up, just like a rock star. I don't kid myself, it's not for me, it's just that I'm lucky enough to be in the bird's entourage.

And I came across a fun story about a hawk that flew into a screened in porch to get a cat. Don't worry, all involved survived. There's a photo of the bird and it looks like a young red-tailed hawk to me. Those wacky juveniles, they'll try to hunt anything.