Program

Welcome to almost spring! Our speaker, Deb Essman, will present a program close to home, the tricks of identifying and understanding our county raptors. Kittitas County is home to 18 species of diurnal raptors. Some are common year-round residents, some are reliable migrants, and three are rare but not impossible to find here! Deb is a former raptor rehabilitator, and has always been especially fascinated with birds of prey. Each has its own special way of hunting, flying and nesting. In her program she will not only want to share intriguing facts about each species, but also pass along field identification tips that will make distinguishing each species a lot easier!

Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk? Golden Eagle or immature Bald Eagle? You’ll learn simple tips to tell them apart and gain new appreciation for all their amazing skills and beauty (yes, even the Turkey Vulture is beautiful!).  Deb Essman is a local phenomenon… an avid naturalist, hunter, and birder. She majored in Natural Resources Management at Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo and was a seasonal naturalist at Morro Bay State Park while attending college.

After college, she co-founded and ran a raptor rehabilitation center for almost a decade, was a vet technician at the Woodland Park Zoo Earthwatch program for Bald Eagles, worked for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as a Game Warden (the only woman in that position at the time), and even taught a pursuit driving course for the WA State Patrol.