Hey Twin Cities peeps, The Raptor Center has an interesting lecture coming up on Friday, October 1, 2010, at 4 p.m at Ben Pomeroy Student Alumni Learning Center, Room 215 on the St Paul U of M Campus. Event is free and open to the public but reservations required. Dr. David Mech and Mark Martell will talk about "Tracking Apex Predators," and specifically address their research involving wolves, ospreys, and bald and golden eagles. There will be a reception and an opportunity to meet some of The Raptor Center’s education birds afterward.

You may recognize Mark's name--he's let me tag along with him to band bald eagles, osprey, peregrines and even golden eagle tracking. He's an awesome guy. I've never seen Mech speak, but I love his books.

The Duke Lecture Series was established in 2006 by Dr. William H. and Mary E. Holleman, lifelong friends of Dr. Gary Duke, co-founder of The Raptor Center. The Hollemans' gift to establish a lectureship endowment fund pays tribute to Dr. Duke's work and legacy at the University of Minnesota and The Raptor Center. An annual lecture hosted by The Raptor Center features speakers on the topic of avian medicine, avian conservation, and other pertinent avian topics.