Dear friends --
After reading Steve Hoffman's final report on this year's Veracruz
migration, I guess it must have affected me, because I tossed and turned all
night and woke up with a poem, which I promptly typed up this morning. I
call the poem "River of Raptors" and I dedicate it to Steve Hoffman and
Hawkwatch International, Laurie Goodrich and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and
Ernesto Ruelas and Pronatura. These are the primary folks (to my knowledge)
who have documented the magnificent migration at Vera Cruz, Mexico, and have
shared its beauty and its importance with the world.
And lastly, before I share the poem, I want to mention that even though
Steve Hoffman is back working in his home state of Pennsylvania (I believe),
I will ALWAYS think of Steve Hoffman as Mr. Western Raptor.
When I attended a raptor conference in Utah once, I was fortunate enough to
go on a field trip with Steve as guide, and when we hit the open
shrub-steppe, he stepped out of that bus, and his dynamic energy,
enthusisam, exuberance, and knowledge were so fantastic that it seemed like
the vast shrub-steppe could barely contain him! I think the West needs
Steve Hoffman, and I wish we could find a way to convince Steve to come back
to the west, where he belongs, just like the sage thrasher, the pronghorn
antelope, and the prairie falcon. Maybe a great job offer would do it!
Steve, we miss you!
.
River of Raptors
Like a river flowing
from north to south
A river of wings
and talons and mouths
A river of raptors
of falcons and hawks
Heading south for the winter
in kettles and flocks
They all come together
down at Vera Cruz
And we come down to see them
and savor the views
Yes from the US and Canada
their flight paths converge
From sharpshins to eagles
their realities do merge
And we as humans
have so much to learn
How many start the journey
but never return
What are their needs of habitat
of forage and roost
How can we accurately count them
and learn all their truths
The river of raptors
breathtaking and fair
The whole world over
has little to compare
We must admire and preserve
the feathered component
And when we visit there
we'll savor each moment
Stan Moore
.