Carol Speegle
Master Falconer
As a child, Carol borrowed her grandmother's binoculars to look at the birds in the fields and woodlands surrounding her home in Pennsylvania. As soon as she was old enough, she borrowed her dad's gun to hunt deer. Although the deer were good at staying out of sight, there were always birds to observe. After years of birding with bino's and hunting with guns, Carol got a different kind of weapon, a falcon. In 1990, the two hobbies merged into one, falconry. It was a perfect fit. " I had read about falconry years before, but did not realize it was still practiced."
Falconry is a highly specialized form of bird watching. Trained hawks and falcons pursue wild quarry, both mammals and birds. Joining the raptor's hunt on a daily basis gives a view seldom seen outside of falconry. There is a great variation in hunting styles between species. While many hawks crash into thick brush after quarry, most falcons break off pursuit when quarry take refuge in tall grass. While Carol has flown 10 different species of hawks and falcons, she prefers to fly falcons on birds as the aerial abilities of both are clearly seen.
Carol has co-taught introductory classes on falconry for ODFW's "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" and at the Winter Wings Festival for the last 3 years. Although most people who attend will never train a hawk or falcon, they can get a good understanding of the various aspects of falconry and can learn to appreciate these magnificent animals.