David Lowe, of the National Aviary in Pittsburgh has a special love for birds, especially raptors. David works with over 600 different types of birds living at the aviary but raptors hold a special place in his heart because of their elusive nature. David shows us the fine details of what makes these spectacular birds so efficient at catching their prey; from eyesight which can spot a field mouse at distances beyond football field lengths to sharp talons and down-turned beaks which they use to pierce and eat their prey. He also explains why raptors are solitary birds that live a life that seems mysterious to humans. Every animal has its place in our natural world; join us as Dave introduces us to the world of the raptor.

Think you've seen it all? Travel on a wild ride with Scott Weidensaul for a day, and you'll see natural beauties, up close, like you've never seen before! Scott has a passion for studying and protecting all birds and has found that this passion can help protect them from harm while educating others at the same time. Scott is a bird bander. Which means that he temporarily catches birds in order to place a small metal numbered band around their leg so that they may be identified in the future. The whole routine takes only a few minutes out of the bird's day, and causes no imposition to it in the future. The practice of bird banding is done for many reasons, but the main focus is to get a glimpse into the health, habits, and lives of birds so that we can learn from them to see how their populations are coping with environmental changes and human impacts. Scott shows us up close how measurements and weights are recorded to create a record of each bird he bands so that if it is re-caught by himself, or a bander in the U.S. or another country, or if the bird is found dead, that the bander can know a history of where the bird was first banded and what may have happened to it. This journey has taken Scott around the globe, but Pennsylvania remains his first love for its rolling green mountains and the abundant bird species.

Education is the first step to creating changes in our habits, and to instilling a sense of commitment to the environment. The PA DEP has made a serious commitment to environmental education and last year took a leap forward into the technology of today to reach millions by having them tune into their live internet video feed, "Falcon Cam." Last year, two Peregrine Falcons nested atop the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg, and for the first time, four fledgling falcons took flight from the ledge where they roosted. This year, the Falcon Cam is back, and we hope a new nest of birds, to make their way into the wide world. Jack Farster, Environmental Educator at DEP has been working with the Falcon Cam, and visits the nest daily to check on their progress. Jack works with school groups who visit the center to help provide information to them, which will help them to form their own decisions about their place in the environment, and how they can help. He also explains that Falcons are cliff-dwellers by nature, and so it is only natural that they nest on ledges of buildings which provide habitat, abundant prey, and also helps to bridge the divide between the natural world and our world.