Words & Photos Stephanie Staples
I love, love, love being a tourist on our beautiful Island and even after eight years as a resident here there is still so much to discover!
So after driving by “The Raptors” entrance sign in Duncan time and time again and hearing rave reviews about the place, I was delighted to finally make the time to see what it was all about. The Raptors, if you aren’t already in the know, is a conservation/educational facility dedicated to increasing awareness, appreciation (and maybe even love) for birds of prey.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect when my daughter and I choose “The Closest” experience of the numerous options available. Her husband chose the general admission for himself and their two-year-old. All of us were happy with our choices.
The general admission – coming in at a very fair price of $25 – allows you to wander around the sanctuary all day and attend the various flying demonstrations, which are an absolute must. The knowledgeable handlers both entertain and educate while the birds show off their prowess, flying inches over your head. “If you feel like you should duck, then duck,” she advised us. It’s just amazing to see these incredible birds swoop down from the trees in such close proximity to humans; we’d never seen anything like it before. Taro and little Arlo easily busied themselves around the
facility for 75-ish minutes while Kara and I took in our experience.
The Closest experience allowed us to be in a private group of six.
In addition to the private learning experience, we were all given the opportunity to hold three different birds. A sweet little kestrel, weighing as much as four TimBits (how’s that for a Canadian perspective!), an owl and a hawk. The hawk came swooping in from the trees, landing gracefully on our arms to receive his treat. Personally, being able to look a great horned owl right in his gorgeous glassy eyes, feeling the strength in his powerful claws clutching my arm and having him just inches from my face felt like such a privilege, it brought a tear to my eye.
Kara appreciated this unique opportunity to learn about and see the intricacies and specialized features of these animals in a way you would never otherwise be able to experience them and her hubby, Taro – with a toddler in tow – appreciated how easily accessible the facility was. The school-age children that we saw there seemed to be having an absolute blast.
Associated with The Raptors is the Raptor Rescue Society – these are the folks you call when you need a rescue for an injured raptor and, more surprisingly to me, they bring their raptors and trained professionals to places such as airports, industrial settings and even your own backyard to control wildlife in a holistic way. Wow!
Who doesn’t love choices, so before you take this easy day trip from the Peninsula, check out their site (www.the-raptors.com) to choose what kind of visit you would like to have – general admission, The Closer Experience, The Closest Experience, Raptor Day or Eagle Encounter. Reservations are highly recommended for the latter two experiences. They also have camps, courses and some special seasonal activities such as Medieval Knights. You can also arrange for corporate events and, wait for it … weddings! If you fall deep into this type of birding, you can even sign up for Falconry Courses.
For us, The Raptors met its goal to “educate, illuminate and inspire a sense of personal responsibility for the future of both birds of prey and the planet.”
So no matter the season, considering being a tourist on our Island, pack a picnic, leave your dog at home and go experience the rapture of The Raptors!
