What a day we had with Denise Disharoon of Talon and Flight and her amazing raptors.
Steam, her female Harris’s Hawk, wowed the crowd with her striking beauty and elegant flight. The lucky winners of a raffle got to “glove up” and experience her up close. There were big smiles and a few choked-up throats—it’s hard to describe the visceral reaction we have when in the physical presence of these birds, but no one walks away untouched.
In addition to being a licensed falconer, Denise is a leading educator on the sport of falconry, its history, the birds themselves, our relationship with raptors, and the environmental concerns that affect them. There was so much to learn and explore, and our guests had plenty of questions.
But it wasn’t just learning about raptors while sitting nearby and watching them that made the day special. We were also in an incredibly beautiful place: the Topa Institute in Upper Ojai. Expansive views, a rustic setting, and lovely walking trails gave guests a chance to explore while waiting for their session to begin.
Chef William created a farm-to-table lunch experience featuring local, seasonal ingredients for everyone. To top it off, we had cookies donated by Roan Mills Bakery, Pixies from our recent Pixie Picking party, and Acornbars from our local acorn purveyor, Thousand Oaks Acorn Company.
Our guests came from near and far, and the event sold out well before the day arrived. We are grateful for everyone who attended and for the many others who have already expressed interest in future events involving raptors. We’re already in the early planning stages of what’s next!
This event was a fundraiser, with proceeds supporting our work to protect public lands—and raptor habitat—along California’s Central Coast.
Photos by Marc Alt and Ron Williams