Delaware Valley Raptor Center
Going west out of New York State on interstate 84 you cross into the state of Pennsylvania. A very short drive on 84 to the second exit will bring you into Milford Pa. On the outskirts of this town we find the Delaware Valley Raptor Center (DVRC), a home to many different kinds of raptors. From the large Golden and bald eagle to the little 8 inch high Saw-Whet owl and the tiny kestrel, all with some kind of trouble or disability from a mishap at another time in their life.
I first met Bill Streeter about a year and a half ago while photographing the release of a two-year-old male bald eagle for the NYSDEC, which Bill had rehabbed. I had never been to the center so I ask Bill if he would like me to donate some photos of his birds for their foster parents. (Yes you can foster a bird to help with the cost, as this is a non-profit organization with no other help).
On an August night I was getting my e-mail and there was a note from Bill asking me if I could come down and take some photos for them. I assured him I would be there on the day he had planed.
After a two and a half hour drive I arrived at the center and was greeted by Bill. One of the technicians was loading some birds into a van for a show at a school so I would not get to photograph them this day. Bill introduced me to Jan (She was loading the van and doing the show). He showed me around the center and I did get some good shots even without the other birds. We than went over to his second location and there I got to get right up close and personal with birds I could only dream of being with to photograph.
While we were going from one cage to another I got to meet Bills wife Stephanie who is more into it than I think Bill is. Between the two of them and Jan it is hard to see a bird not get the proper care at this center.
Many of these birds do not make it back to the wild so they end up living a pretty good life with Stephanie and Bill but they try very hard to see a great raptor go free again.
They have a great web site where you can see what they do and a way to help support the operation. It doesn’t take much and you can even give a foster parent gift certificate to someone for a gift. What a great idea for a child to receive a gift like this. So why not click on their link and take a look, you won’t be sorry.
Her golden hackles shining in the sun as Bill Streeter holds one of his favorite birds. She is a Golden Eagle from Montana and has been with Bill since 1986. Crystal (as she was named) was injured by a train and has a remarkable bird bio on their web site. In her younger day’s many a jack rabbit has fallen prey as those 7 foot wings shadowed it running for it’s life across the plains.
It was not to long ago a very sad day had fallen on all of us who knew Crystal. Bill noticed she was not being her old self and before long despite many efforts she fell to West Nile Virus. Crystal was properly about 35 years of age when the disease hit her. She is still missed by so many of us but no more than Bill who loved her dearly.
While on another note a little smaller bird of prey is sitting pretty with Bill and his wife Stephanie. They are holding Mortimer, a Saw Whet Owl all of 8 inches but a beautiful little guy that just makes you smile. Many more are there like Mortimer and Crystal and they all get great attention from the Streeters.
Meet Julia, a beautiful Golden from Cody Wyoming.
Now a resident at the Delaware Valley Raptor Center. Julia is blind in one eye and can never be released back into the wild.
Below are some of the resident birds that now reside at the center. Each of these birds has something wrong with it which prevents it from ever going back into the wild.
Many more will come and some will be able to be rehabbed and released back to the wild but many more will become residents here at the D.V.R.C.
A view of part of one of the centers
