HUNT ON THE WING // Time spent in residence on the Snake River, in the largest raptor nesting area in North America

Five days of observation, photographing, and hiking along the Snake River, in the largest raptor nesting area in North America, and arguably the world. This landscape boasts generations of return raptors, nesting near petroglyphs created by humans who have shared space with them for millennia. Named for the tireless conservation efforts of falconer and educator Morley Nelson who secured initial protection status in 1971, and Congress-legislated conservation area status in 1993.

Raptors fledge the last 2 weeks of May and first two weeks of July. I had the privilege of spying osprey and golden eagle fledglings in their nests, on protected landscape that has been stewarded by the Bureau of Land Management. Not only is the nesting area along the river’s cliffs and banks protected, so is the surrounding landscape that is home to underground prey such as voles, rabbits and gophers. Conserving “the pantry”, as conservationists deem it, ensures raptors will have their ancestral breeding grounds to nest, fledge, and feed. Nesting raptors include: Golden eagle, Prairie falcon, American kestrel, Red-tailed hawk, Ferruginous hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Northern harrier, Osprey, Turkey vulture, Barn owl, Great horned owl, Western screech owl, Burrowing owl, Long-eared owl, Short-eared owl, Northern saw-whet owl.