Under Clear Skies

H is for Hawk – Helen Macdonald

Every year I try to put together a little list of cool (and this year last-minute) gifts that I think might appeal to the birding/raptor nut in your family.

One book that has been getting rave reviews across the board, not just among birders, is “H is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald. The story follows Macdonalds immersion in the world of falconry as she attempts to fulfill the dream of training a Northern Goshawk, whilst dealing with the grief caused by the loss of her father. The book obviously has a nod to the TH White classic ‘The Goshawk’, and received this years Samuel Johnson Prize. You can hear the author discussing the book and reading some of it on The Guardian website (here).

Geeky Get – Funny Side Up Owl

Everyone knows that the way to a hawkwatcher’s heart is through their stomach, that everyone likes owls and that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Given these facts, why is it that no-one has come up with this awesome idea before: Owl shaped eggs (check out the link here)?

PRBY Apparel – Snowy Owl winter hat

Tired of your typical tie-dyed Bald Eagle nonsense when it comes to raptor T-shirts, then why not check out Punk Rock Big Year Apparel’s super cool Northern Goshawk and deliciously gory Turkey Vulture tees. New to the line is their awesome Snowy Owl hat. I can also safely vouch for the legitimacy of the designer’s punk rock credentials following our DK’s duet at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival this year . PRBY Apparel also make their products in America in a way that is as socially and environmentally responsible as possible (link).

Hawk Watch International – 2015 Calendar

Need to know what the date is? Need to know what the date is while looking at super cool pictures of raptors? Then you need to get a copy of Hawkwatch International’s 2015 Calendar. An awesome gift that includes a series of incredible photos from raptor mastermind Jerry Liguori. Even better the profits from the calendar help support raptor conservation (link here).

Frank Nicoletti and Luke Tiller – 2014 HMANA Raptor Workshop

People often say that memories are the best gifts of all. Many of my favorite memories this year were from the HMANA Raptor ID Workshop I was honored to co-lead with Frank Nicoletti. Not only did everyone get to see a lot of raptors and learn a lot about IDing them they also got to have a great time doing it. You can find out more about joining us for the 2015 trip as well as read the report from the 2014 workshop on the HMANA website (link here).