Enraptured by Raptors: The story of a hawk family that captured the heart of a community

Product Description

Enraptured by Raptors is a book inspired by a family of Red-shouldered hawks who find their way into the hearts of an urban community in the midst of uncertain times. Weeks into the initial throes of a world pandemic, nation-wide protests, and a contentious political election, a raptor nest is built by unwary hawks in a sycamore tree adjacent to a bustling Washington, DC bridge. Passing city buses and incessant foot traffic does little to deter the hawk family from its instinctual routine. People from all walks of life, and near and far neighborhoods, stop to visit the bridge and nest, watching wildlife unfold in all its splendor. But more is revealed than just the hatchlings. Nature is a panacea for what ails us, and brings us closer to the core of our own existence. People of all ages will enjoy and relate to this heart-warming story of nature and nurture as shared in the photographs and field notes of Jennifer Packard.

Review

“With emotion and intimacy, Jennifer Packard’s Enraptured by Raptors gives not only a snapshot in time of birds​ in the wild, but a deeply personal and resonant account of the lives of a very different but kindred species.”
– Ed Norton, Conservation Lands Foundation

About the Author

Jennifer Packard is a Washington, DC-based photographer who has been published in The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Washingtonian, The (Louisiana) Advocate, and other publications. Previously she served her country as a Public Affairs Officer in the Navy Reserves, and her community by employing photography as a rehabilitative tool working with homeless women and at-risk youths.