Have you ever noticed a perched hawk hunting in a nearby field or viewed an eagle soaring high above the lake shore? Does it give you pause? Make you realize that life is more than the day to day bustle? This is the feeling James Manley gets every time he sees a bird of prey in the wild. Ever wonder what happens to one of these magnificent birds when it is found injured, ill, or orphaned? Founder James Manley answered this call of the wild.
In March of 2006, James attended a Wings of Wonder educational program presented by Rebecca Lessard. As he listened to her talk about the wonders of raptors, a Redtail Hawk named Pearl sat perched on her glove. James began volunteering at Wings Of Wonder that summer, assisting with building projects, helping at education programs, and training how to care for sick and injured raptors. In 2009, James earned his own state and federal rehabilitation permits. He continued to work with Wings Of Wonder.
At the close of 2020, Rebecca announced her retirement from rehabilitation work. After years of gaining experience from one of the world's leading experts, James was uniquely qualified and ready to carry on with the work. In 2021, Skegemog Raptor Center was hatched!
Skegemog Raptor Center is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raptor rehabilitation, education and research. We hope you will support us by following us on Facebook and viewing our website. SRC just took in its 28th bird of the 2021 calendar year. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to help with the costs of housing, diet, equipment, medical supplies, and travel expenses. SRC receives no government funding. We are entirely dependent on the generous donations of community members like you.
James says, "I want to give special thanks to the SRC board and volunteer staff for all of their hard work in bringing this to fruition. Rebecca Lessard, my dear friend, none of this would be possible without your support and mentoring. Thank you for showing the wonders of raptors to us all!"
James with Rebecca Lessard