Meet a falcon New Year's Day at Gorges State Park (NC)

[Donna]

SAPPHIRE — Visitors to Gorges State Park will have the opportunity to get a close look at Seymour the Peregrine Falcon 2 p.m. New Year's Day at the Grassy Ridge trailhead.

Seymour resides in the mountains of North Carolina with his owner and trainer Peter Kipp-Dupont.

Kipp-Dupont is licensed in Master Falconry as well as being a licensed Raptor Rehabilitation Facilitator. He has worked with the Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction Program as a volunteer in a nationwide effort to save the Peregrine Falcon from extinction.

Kipp-Dupont has trained birds of prey for 40 years and will share his knowledge regarding Falcons and Falconry including a brief history of Falconry, equipment, care, and training of birds of prey, raptor rehabilitation, and the laws and regulations regarding falconry.

Program participants will have an opportunity to have their questions asked and see one of the fastest birds on the planet.

The program kicks off the 2010 theme for North Carolina State Parks, “The Year of the Birds�. The program will be followed up with special hikes and activities throughout the year centering around birds both in the parks as well as the public schools.

The Grassy Ridge trailhead can be reached by turning South off of US-64 on to NC 281-S to the park entrance. The trailhead is 1.7 miles from the entrance.