Raptor release draws a crowd

• Jo Martinson, left, and Martha Gagnon release a red-tailed hawk

Jo Martinson, left, reacts as the red-tail hawk takes flight after being released by Martha Gagnon, the last human to touch the bird. Gagnon dedicated the release to the memory of her late niece, Marki Gagnon. Photo by Margaret A. Ontl

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The University of Minnesota Raptor Center held a public raptor release at Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center on Saturday. The event included the release of eight birds, four in the morning and four in the afternoon, and drew close to 3,000 people to the center.

The nature center was given the opportunity to release two of the eight birds. Hudson resident Martha Gagnon was invited to release one of the birds as a guest of the nature center. She recently donated an electric cart to the center in memory of her late niece, Marky Gagnon of Hudson, to help special-needs students and adults gain access to the trails.

Each of the eight individuals chosen to release birds on Saturday were the last humans to touch the wild birds, who were rehabilitated at the university.

Tags: outdoors, raptor, release, carpenter, nature, center