Raptor Love Stories

“Raptor Love Stories” is an educational and inspirational presentation by Ellen Donoghue, PhD of Ardent Nature.  Ellen shares unique “up close and personal” images of raptor families she has come to know well over the years in their natural habitats.  Images are taken from strategically placed wildlife webcams supported by explore.org and their research & conservation partners.  Ellen studies the wildlife cameras as well as the comments by human “chatters” to better understand how wildlife connections are helping humans reframe anxiety, doubt, fear, and judgement.  This talk features osprey, bald eagle, and one owl species.  Ellen focuses on the dynamics of breeding pairs, offspring, feeding, and life cycle, including predation, and loss.  She highlights the incredible work being done by scientists and their partners to protect these magnificent birds.  These true stories of our avian neighbors elicit joy and wonder for us humans, thereby helping us connect, appreciate, and aspire to make wiser choices and behaviors for the well-being of all beings we encounter.   Enjoy a lovely way to spend Valentine’s evening.  This 35-minute talk will be followed by discussion and Q & A.

 

About Ellen

Ellen Donoghue, PhD, is a natural resource social scientist, empowerment coach, and inspirational speaker.  Through her consulting practice Ardent Nature, Ellen helps individuals, groups, and organizations cultivate inner-strengths to live life more fully.  Ellen empowers people to deepen their connections to the natural world, and with their renewed or enhanced “grit” aspire toward heartfelt goals on behalf of all beings on planet Earth.

Ellen began studying the connections between people and the environment in the Pacific Northwest in the early 2000s, after conducting research and working in Central America and Southeast Asia in protected area management and community forestry.  Ellen’s social science work has included collaborative resource management related to wolf reintroduction, polar bear conservation, community forest management, howler monkey ecotourism, and community well-being related to public lands.  The role of indigenous and local knowledge in sustainable forest management and resiliency related to climate change have been core areas of her work.

Although she has had the good fortune of influential mentors throughout her life, Ellen says the most enduring constant has been her connection to vast wild places.  Ellen is an avid outdoor enthusiast, was a wilderness guide in the Pacific Northwest, and a competitive dog musher in interior Alaska.  She is someone who is comfortable in ecosystems at 20 degrees below zero or in the hot humid tropics – as long as she is in nature.