John Doremus - A retired biologist, John began working with raptors for the BLM in 1972. He worked as the raptor biologist for the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area since the area was first designated for protection as a Natural Area. John focused on monitoring and creating artificial nesting for owls and ferruginous hawks building and placing several hundred nest boxes and platforms in the desert.

Barb Forderhase - as the Education Specialist for the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Barb gives many live raptor programs each year reaching thousands of children and adults. A casual birder, she learned how to identify local raptors by developing the raptor identification lecture.

Steve Guinn - Steve and Jill Guinn have been operating Birds of Prey Expeditions for over 30 years and have been involved in all facets of raptor education and protection. Together with Morley Nelson, they have escorted thousands of visitors from around the world through the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.

Bruce Haak - Regional Wildlife Biologist in Idaho Fish and Game’s Southwest Region. Working with mostly nongame species, Bruce conducts studies of ground squirrels, frogs, bats and birds.  A graduate of Oregon State University, Bruce did one of the early radio-telemetry studies of the prairie falcon.  Later, he was involved with peregrine reintroduction and population monitoring, including the pairs in downtown Boise and Nampa.  Bruce has authored two raptor-related books: The Hunting Falcon is about the sport of falconry, while Pirate of the Plains is a natural history book about prairie falcons and the high desert environment of the Pacific Northwest.  He is interested in the urban-adaptation of raptors and is currently studying the three subspecies of merlins that winter in southwest Idaho

Jim Holcomb - A native of Michigan and a graduate of Michigan State University with a BS degree in wildlife management, Jim is a retired National Park Service Ranger having worked at Yellowstone, Yosemite and Crater Lake National Parks. He now lives in Nampa, Idaho.  Jim has been bird watching since he was a kid and now has more leisure time for enjoying one of his favorite places, the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.

Katie McVey - My research looks at the effect of introduced irrigated agriculture into arid lands using burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) as a focal species. More specifically, I focus on food habits and investigate differences in trophic relationships and food webs between animal communities in agricultural and more natural settings using stable isotopes analysis of carbon and nitrogen.  I am currently serving as a GK-12 National Science Foundation Fellow and work out of the Foothills Learning Center, Boise, Idaho.

Tylor and Norman Nelson - Come join Tyler and Norman Nelson, the sons of the late, renowned conservationalist and falconer Morley Nelson as they guide you on a very special trip deep inside the Snake River Canyon. They are two-time EMMY Award winning cinematographers and have spent most of their lives exploring, filming, and climbing raptor nests in the National Conservation Area. Learn how they filmed the famous scenes in the numerous Walt Disney movies they worked on. Discover the best times of day to locate, identify and film raptors in the canyon with your still camera. Enjoy the spiritual surroundings and aerial acrobatics of the world's fastest animals. Check out their work at www.echofilms.com.

Larry Ridenhour - As an outdoor recreation planner in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Larry has had the opportunity to lead many trips through the NCA to explore the many unique natural resources. Larry has been watching and studying raptors for 15 years, but only "really" began birding about 4 years ago. A native of North Carolina, Larry moved "out west"in 1988 for graduate school in Montana and then moved to Idaho in 1991.

Monte Stiles - Monte Stiles is an award-winning nature photographer who has been capturing images of birds of prey and other wildlife for many years. Monte’s work has been featured on the cover of numerous magazines and in articles about the great outdoors. Monte is also a highly sought-after speaker on the subject of photography, with recent presentations in Phoenix, Arizona, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Portland, Oregon and Hudson, Massachusetts.

“Although I enjoy all kinds of photography, wildlife photography is my favorite. It is therapy for the soul.”

Monte’s informative and interactive slide presentation will increase appreciation for the magnificent birds of prey and other wildlife, and will include valuable information on photographic techniques that can be used to capture wildlife images.

“The number one thing I want to accomplish in a presentation is to help people appreciate the beauty of this earth, including its wildlife. Next, I want to teach people people how to improve their wildlife photography skills through learning basic techniques. Finally, I hope to inspire people to enjoy the outdoors, which includes protecting and preserving it for future generations.”

This presentation is suitable for anyone who enjoys wildlife or photography. The information presented will assist photographers, from beginners to the very serious amateur. All are welcome.

Monte’s work can be viewed at www.montestiles.com.

Jesse Woody - Idaho Falconers Association

Eric Yensen - As a Professor of Biology at the College of Idaho, Eric's focus is on Ecology, Mammalogy, Conservation Biology, and the Natural History of the Intermountain West. His education includes a B.S. in Biology from the College of Idaho, a M.A. from Oregon State, and a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. Eric has taught at several colleges and universities, authored many articles, papers, and books, and presented and spoken at numerous seminars and symposia. In his free time Eric enjoys the outdoors and travel.