Sky Hunters visit

About an hour's drive east from San Diego, back up in the hills and off the beaten path, is a very picturesque area know as Alpine. Unless you know where to turn you could easily miss one of most unique experiences you'll ever have ~ coming face-to-face with raptors, or birds of prey.

Nancy Conney, the director of Sky Hunters, is a wealth of information about these majestic creatures. The facility is open to the public on the weekends, but we were able to get a special tour on Friday, May 2. The facility operates totally on donations and with the help of volunteers. Mrs. Conney was pleased to get our donation and explained that we just bought 150 1/2 bird meals as each "meal" cost $1.00.

Many of her birds of prey were rescued and have been left with slight handicaps (such as broken wings that didn't heal properly). Some of their injuries were the result of mishaps in nature, and some were the unfortunate results of humans. A few of her birds have "imprinted" on humans and wouldn't know how to hunt and fend for themselves so she has kept them; and a few of the birds were victims of illegal activities. One of the birds we saw is actually evidence in a pending case being cared for by her temporarily.

Greeting us when we arrived and saying	"good-bye" when we left ~ this male peacock.
We began our tour in a room just off the living room of Mrs. Conney's 100+ year old house, in her owlery ~ yes, most of her owls are inside. Mrs. Conney houses 20 birds on her property ranging from exotic parrots and cockatoos to owls, eagles, hawks, and falcons, and even a peacock.
Barn Owl	Besides these 2, there is also a pigmy owl inside, and a Barred Owl and Great Horned Owl in their own flight cages outside. Additionally there is a wild, non-captive Barn Owl that lives in a palm tree in the front yard. It took up residence there about 2 years ago. Also in the owlery is an American Kestrel, which is a falcon (pictured below).
Down an arbor-covered pathway to what used to be a tennis court are the flight cages for the larger raptors. Do you recognize the bird on the right? .... That's right, a bald eagle, our national symbol. This was taken 3 feet back from the front of the cage, and he was in the back of the cage ... a very large bird, he weighs about 10 pounds. Unfortunately the fencing blocked the shot, but looking at his beak I did not want to be any closer!
	This is Mrs. Conney holding one of her prize possessions ~ a red tailed hawk. Look up in the sky sometime ~ these beautiful birds fly freely above San Diego County. Click to see what we had gone to see >>