Another of my favorite places to visit is Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The beauty found in God’s nature can be seen everywhere you look.
My family has stayed there several times and while they treat the visit as a vacation, I spend my time shooting.
There is so much to do at Callaway. There are 7 miles of hiking trails, flowers galore, the magnificent Day Butterfly Center, lakes, restaurants, golf, hiking, and many other activities. My kids love to lay out at Robin Lake Beach or enjoy a rival game of shuffleboard.
Callaway’s mission statement is: “Connecting man and nature in a way that benefits both.” One way Callaway benefits man and nature is through the Birds of Prey program. These raptors cannot be released in the wild either because of injury or human “imprinting.” This program is one of the highlights to my trip because of the close access I get to these majestic birds.
Birds of Prey is an educational program. Visitors get an up close view of the raptors while being taught many neat facts. Visitors also learn about man’s impact on raptors and other wildlife.
There are many perches for the birds to land on throughout the outdoor Discovery Amphitheater. The raptors are trained to fly to the perches by placing their favorite food on top. They fly from perch to perch, and I get great photographs of them from short distances. The birds are trained to return to the handler’s glove.
I love sitting on the front row with my tripod and camera so I can photograph the raptors up close.
This is Juniper, a Great Horned Owl. She and her brother Cedar were orphaned after falling from a nest. I am thankful Callaway has such a wonderful program that benefits man and God’s nature!
