Vanishing Texas River Cruise provides Freedom Flight for rehabilitated birds of prey
FROM STAFF REPORTS
SILVER CREEK — Vanishing Texas River Cruise is providing a truly remarkable journey.
The cruise has partnered with Last Chance Forever to release back into the wild injured birds of prey, including species such as hawks, ospreys, owls and eagles.
Last Chance Forever is a nonprofit organization that accepts injured or orphaned birds of prey and rehabilitates those that can be and returns them to the wild. Birds that are deemed non-releasable become part of the Last Chance Forever’s educational program.
At the start of the year, Last Chance Forever let cruise officials know about how many releases they will have during the year. Typically, the releases are once a month on Lake Buchanan.
The next Freedom Flight Cruise is 11 a.m. July 20. Go to www.vtrc.com for tickets.
An official with Last Chance Forever will be on hand during the cruise to share the particular bird’s story. The group often brings a few ambassador birds that can’t be released as a way to bring the plight of the species to the people.
Go to www.lastchanceforever.org for more information on the organization and the birds.
If you can’t make the next Freedom Flights Cruise, there are more scheduled in the coming months. Check the cruise website for information.
Along with the Freedom Flights Cruise, people can enjoy the Lake Buchanan Birding and Bluffton Tour. Though the boat can’t make it up the Colorado River because of the drought, the cruise gives people a unique look at Lake Buchanan and its history. With the water levels down, the old town of Bluffton is visible. The town was evacuated and moved when officials built Buchanan Dam, which formed Lake Buchanan.
The birding and Bluffton tour is Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Whether you take a Freedom Flights Cruise or another cruise, you’re in for a memory-making time.
editor@thepicayune.com