>> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY -- >> HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT LOOK EERILY SIMILAR, THE INSURRECTION ON THE CAPITAL IN 2021 AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN'’S INAUGURATION.
>> THERE WERE CROWDS TRYING TO GET INTO THE CAPITOL.
INSIDE, THERE WERE POLITICIANS GIVING SPEECHES, DENOUNCING THE RESULT.
>> IT IS NOT SAD.
I AM THANKFUL TO GOD.
HE GAVE THIS EXPERIENCE, THIS CHANCE TO LIVE.
>> THE WORLD TENDS TO MELT AWAY SO IT'’S TRULY A GREATYOU ARE SO FOCUSED ON OR THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT CAN INUNDATE US FROM DAY TO♪ >> GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.
I AM PAMELA WATTS.
THERE IS ARGUABLY NO PRESIDENT MORE BELOVED IN OUR HISTORY THAN ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
HE GUIDED THE NATION DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND ISSUED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, WHICH LED THE WAY TO ABOLISHING SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THOUSANDS OF BOOKS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT HIM BUT A RHODE ISLAND HISTORIAN CAME ACROSS NEW INFORMATION THAT SHED LIGHT ON HOW A DIVIDED COUNTRY CAME TO KNOW LINCOLN AS THE NATION WAS ON THE VERGE OF CIVIL WAR.
MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL BRINGS THE STORY.
>> HE'’S MOVING FAST AND IF HE SLOWS DOWN TOO MUCH HE BECOMES VULNERABLE AGAIN, BECAUSE WHILE HE'’S STANDING STILL IS WHEN SOMEONE CAN GET CLOSE TO HIM WITH BAD INTENT.
>> THAT FAST-MOVING MAN WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON BOARD A TRAIN HEADED TO HIS INAUGURATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
HISTORIAN AND RHODE ISLAND AUTHOR TED WIDMER SPENT YEARS COMBING THROUGH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND RESEARCH, RETRACING LINCOLN'’S 13-DAY JOURNEY STARTING IN ILLINOIS.
>> I WENT INTO A DEEP VORTEX, ALMOST LIKE TIME TRAVEL, AND I WOULD GO ANYWHERE I COULD FIND A FRIEND OF INFORMATION ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN DURING THESE 13 DAYS.
>> IT WAS FEBRUARY OF 1861.
LINCOLN WAS RECEIVING DAILY DEATH THREATS OVER HIS OPPOSITION TO SLAVERY.
SEVEN STATES HAD ALREADY SECEDED FROM THE UNION AND THE NATION WAS ON THE CUSP OF CIVIL WAR.
YOU WRITE ABOUT HOW THERE WAS A LOT AT STAKE AS LINCOLN MADE HIS WAY TOWARD WASHINGTON, D.C. WHAT WAS THE RISK?
>> THE SURVIVAL OF DEMOCRACY, BASICALLY.
AND A KIND OF PRINCIPLED DEMOCRACY THAT REALLY BELIEVED IN THE WORK OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL, SO IF THIS FORM OF SELF-GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO SURVIVE, WE NEED A STRONG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW IT WILL DONE.
>> IN "LINCOLN ON THE VERGE" HE FOLLOWS THE PRESIDENT ON HIS ROUTE THROUGH STATES THAT HAD ELECTED HIM.
>> IN THE NORTH, THERE IS HOPE THAT HE WILL COME IN AND BE A STRONG PRESIDENT, BUT THERE'’S A LOT OF ANXIETY.
THERE'’S NEVER BEEN A PRESIDENT FROM THIS PARTY.
IT'’S A BRAND-NEW PARTY CALLED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
AND THE IDEA THAT A NEW KIND OF PRESIDENT IS COMING IN AND MAY GET RID OF SLAVERY OR WILL SOMEHOW INHIBIT THE SPREAD OF SLAVERY, THAT'’S SCARY TO NORTHERNERS TOO, INCLUDING IN RHODE ISLAND, BECAUSE THERE WERE NORTHERNERS WITH EXTENSIVE ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN THE SOUTH.
IN THE SOUTH, IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN ANXIETY.
IT IS REALLY HATRED.
HE IS BUILT UP IN THE SOUTHERN PRESS AS A KIND OF MONSTER.
>> AS LINCOLN WAS ON ROUT -- EN ROUTE TO WASHINGTON, HIS RIVAL, JEFFERSON DAVIS, WAS TRAVELING TO HIS INAUGURATION IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.
WIDMER SAYS DIGGING THROUGH THIS CHAPTER OF LINCOLN'’S LIFE WAS A LABOR OF LOVE AND HIS PASSION FOR HISTORY IS EVIDENT AND ON DISPLAY IN HIS HOME ON THE EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, FROM HIS COLLECTION OF OLD MAPS TO THIS PORTRAIT OF LINCOLN.
>> SOMETHING ABOUT HIM HAS ALWAYS ATTRACTED ME THE WAY IT ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, SOMETHING IN THE SADNESS OF THE FACE AND, YOU KNOW, THE INCREDIBLE STORY.
WE TALK ABOUT RAGS TO RICHES AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, BUT NO ONE EVER CAME FROM AS OBSCURE A BACKGROUND AND ACHIEVED AS MUCH AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN DID.
HE SAVED OUR COUNTRY.
>> MANY PEOPLE SAW LINCOLN DURING THE -- LINCOLN FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING HIS INAUGURAL TRAIN RIDE TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
HE TRAVELED THROUGH EIGHT STATES, SHAKING THOUSANDS OF HANDS, BUT THAT COULD BE VIEWED AS A FORESHADOWING OF WHAT WAS TO COME.
>> DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP, THERE WAS A DEVICE FOUND ON THE TRACK IN ILLINOIS NEAR THE BORDE WITH ILLINOIS ON THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT SOMEONE PUT THERE TO CAUSE MAYHEM.
IT WAS FOUND BY PEOPLE LOOKING AHEAD ON THE ROUTE, SO THE DANGER WAS REMOVED, BUT THEN, IN CINCINNATI, A DAYS LATER, A BAG WAS PLACED WITH AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IN LINCOLN'’S CAR MOMENTS BEFORE HE GOT ONTO THE TRAIN.
IT WAS FOUND AND REMOVED.
>> THERE WERE, DANGERS AT EVERY CORNER INCLUDING A PLOT TO KILL HIM IN BALTIMORE.
STILL, LINCOLN GAVE ABOUT 100 SPEECHES ON AND OFF THE TRAIN.
TO SHORE UP DEMOCRACY, RIGHTS WIDMER, LINCOLN NEEDED TO SPEAK EVERY TIME A CROWD FORMED IN FRONT OF HIS TRAIN.
>> HE'’S WALKING A TIGHT ROPE.
HE'’S FACING REAL DANGER.
HE'’S BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THIS PLOT AND EVERY DAY THEY ARE GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT, SO HE IS HEADING INTO THE JAWS OF DANGER, TOWARD BALTIMORE.
THERE'’S NO WAY HE CAN GET TO WASHINGTON WITHOUT GOING THROUGH BALTIMORE, BUT HE ALSO HAS AN INTUITIVE SENSE THAT HE HAS TO GET OUT THERE AND TALK ABOUT AMERICA AND TALK ABOUT HIMSELF AND SELL THE IDEA OF THE LINCOLN PRESIDENCY TO A PUBLIC THAT STILL FEELS A LOT OF DOUBT AND ANXIETY BEFORE HE'’S EVEN BECOME PRESIDENT.
>> AS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WAS TRAVELING THROUGH OHIO, CONGRESS WAS MEETING TO CERTIFY THE RESULTS OF THE 1860 ELECTION, BUT WIDMER IT WAS A FRAUGHT DAY AS LINCOLN-HATERS TRIED TO DISRUPT THE COUNT.
>> THERE WERE ACTUALLY CROWDS TRYING TO GET INTO THE CAPITOL JUST LIKE ON JANUARY 6.
THERE WERE UNRULY SORT OF DRUNKEN MEN SWEARING, TRYING TO GET IN, BUT INSIDE, THERE WERE POLITICIANS GIVING SPEECHES DENOUNCING THE RESULT, JUST LIKE WE SAW ON JANUARY 6.
>> THERE WERE FEARS CONGRESS MIGHT TAKE OVER THE ELECTION.
A LOT OF POWER LATE IN THE HANDS OF VICE PRESIDENT JOHN C BRECKINRIDGE, A PRO-SOUTHERN CANDIDATE WHO ALSO RAN AGAINST LINCOLN.
>> HE IS THE ONE IN CHARGE OF COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTES AND HE REFUSED TO CHEAT.
HE IS KIND OF LIKE MIKE PENCE IN THIS STORY.
HE REFUSED TO CHEAT AND PRESIDED OVER AN HONEST COUNT THAT DECLARED LINCOLN THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
>> FREE MIKE PENCE.
>> WIDMER'’S BOOK WAS PUBLISHED NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE INSURRECTION ON CAPITOL.
AS HE WATCHED THE ATTACK UNFOLD, WIDMER WAS STRUCK BY THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THAT DAY AND THE DAYS LEADING UP TO LINCOLN'’S INAUGURATION.
>> ONE OF THE MOVING PARTS OF MY BOOK WAS THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE STARTED WALKING AROUND THE CAPITOL TO DEFEND IT IN THE DAYS THEY FELT THERE MIGHT BE A PRO-SOUTHERN TAKEOVER OF THE CAPITOL BEFORE LINCOLN EVEN GOT THERE.
PEOPLE LIKE FIREMEN, BLACKSMITHS, SORT OF WORKING PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON, D.C. DID NOT WANT TO SEE A COUP HAPPEN IN THEIR CITY.
IT IS WHERE THEY ARE FROM AND THEY CAME OUT AND SORT OF PATROLLED AROUND THE CAPITOL TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND WE NEED TO BE THE SAME WAY IN 2022.
>> WYOMING CONGRESSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY RED WIDMER'’S BOOK BEFORE THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL.
THE LIFELONG REPUBLICAN LOST HER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT AFTER SITTING ON THE HOUSE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE.
>> I WILL NOT SIT BACK AND WATCH IN SILENCE WHILE OTHERS LEAD OUR PARTY DOWN THE PATH THAT ABANDONS THE RULE OF LAW AND JOINS THE FORMER PRESIDENT'’S CRUSADE TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY.
>> WIDMER SAYS CHENEY RECENTLY CALLED HIM TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOK.
SHE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE RIOT ERES GOT THEIR HANDS ON THE BOXES CONTAINING THE ELECTORAL VOTES.
>> SHE KNEW THAT WAS A WEAK POINT IN OUR SYSTEM AND WE NEEDED TO BE CAREFUL ON THE DAY OF THE COUNTING OF THE VOTES.
SHE SAID MY BOOK GAVE HER SOME FOREKNOWLEDGE THAT WAS VERY VALUABLE TO HER THAT DAY.
>> IT'’S BEEN MORE THAN 160 YEARS SINCE LINCOLN'’S INAUGURAL TRAIN RIDE, BUT WIDMER HOPES WHAT HAPPENED THEN CONTINUES TO RESONATE TODAY.
WHAT IS THE MAIN THING YOU WANT READERS TO TAKE FROM YOUR BOOK?
>> I WANT THEM TO LOOK AT LINCOLN AS A FLESH AND BLOOD HUMAN BEING, NOT SOMEONE WE SEE IN A STATUE OR A PAINTING AND CANNOT CONNECT TO.
HE WAS VERY BRAVE AND STOOD UP FOR HIS COUNTRY WHEN HIS COUNTRY NEEDED HIM.
AND FROM THOSE UNDERSTANDINGS OF LINCOLN, I HOPE WE CAN ALL, FOR OURSELVES, FIND THOSE SAME QUALITIES.
JANUARY 6 SHOWED HOW FRAGILE OUR VERY STRONG COUNTRY ACTUALLY IS, SO WE ALL NEED TO STAND UP INDIVIDUALLY, BUT ALSO HELPING EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK WE WILL BE A BETTER COUNTRY IF WE DO THAT.
♪ >> NEXT, IT'’S BEEN NEARLY 10 MONTHS SINCE RUSSIAN FORCES EMBARKED ON A MAJOR ASSAULT ON UKRAINE.
RECENT ATTACKS ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY HAVE MANY FEARING FOR THE SAFETY OF YOU -- OF UKRAINIANS AS WINTER APPROACHES.
WE LOOK AT THE WAR'’S IMPACT CLOSER TO HOME AND INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE MAN AND HIS FAMILY WHO LOST NEARLY EVERYTHING IN THE WAR-TORN NATION.
THEY ARE NOW ATTEMPTING TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES ONE STEP AT A TIME IN RHODE ISLAND WITH THE HELP OF LIFE'’S UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, MUSIC.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BOSTON GLOBE, JUSTIN KINNEY AND A GLOBE RHODE ISLAND CONTRIBUTOR BRING THEIR STORY.
♪ >> MY NAME IS ALEX.
I CAME HERE FROM UKRAINE.
♪ >> WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR AT THIS HOUR WITH BREAKING NEWS AFTER THE U.S.
WARNED ALL DAY OF A FULL-SCALE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE, THAT IT WAS IMMINENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS ADDRESSED THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE MOMENTS AGO, ANNOUNCING WHAT HE CALLED THE START OF A MILITARY SPECIAL OPERATION, IN HIS WORDS, TO DEMILITARIZED UKRAINE.
>> THE PLAN WAS TO STAY IN OUR HOUSE AND ONLY THE CHILDREN LEFT, BUT WE UNDERSTOOD IT IS A SERIOUS SITUATION AND EVERYBODY FLED.
SO WE VERY QUICKLY JUMP IN OUR CAR.
WE WENT ON THE ROAD.
THE ROAD WAS PACKED WITH CARS.
VERY SLOWLY, WE CAME WITH NO IDEA WHERE TO GO.
FIRST IDEA WAS TO GO TO POLAND, THE BORDER, TO LUTSK, BUT WE GET NEWS RUSSIAN ROCKETS AND BOMBS WERE THERE, SO WE TURNED LEFT INTO ROMANIA.
WHEN WE CAME THERE, A CROWD OF PEOPLE, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN CRYING -- IT WAS VERY COLD.
MANY TIMES, I AM SHOWN ON TV WHAT'’S HAPPENING IN SYRIA OR OTHER COUNTRIES WHEN REFUGEES LEFT COUNTRIES, BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE I CAN BE -- I CAN SEE WITH MY EYES WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I AM STANDING IN THIS CROWD AND CRYING.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
♪ OUR HOUSE WAS CROWDED, WITH KIDS TEENAGERS -- CROWDED WITH KIDS, TEENAGERS, ESPECIALLY NEW YEAR'’S EVE, CHRISTMAS, BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS, ALL THE TIME.
OUR HOUSE WAS FULL OF MUSIC, KIDS AND JOY.
♪ BEFORE WAR, IT WAS VERY IDEAL LIFE.
I WAS INVOLVED IN MUSIC MINISTRY IN UKRAINE AND MUSIC EDUCATION, SO THE POINT OF MY LIFE WAS TRAINING AS A CHOIR CONDUCTOR AND CONDUCTING A CHOIR, AND SERVE IN THE CHURCH.
♪ >> 5000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED IN THE CHOIR, COMING FROM MANY REPUBLICS THROUGHOUT THIS VAST COUNTRY.
THEIR SONGS STIRRED THE PEOPLE, AND PARTICULARLY THIS NATIONAL SONG ENTITLED "OVER OUR HOMELAND," WHICH THEY HAD BEEN FORBIDDEN TO SING FOR MANY YEARS.
LET'’S LISTEN.
♪ >> IN FIVE OR SIX WEEKS AFTER WE LEFT, WE GET NEWS, RUSSIAN ARMY LEFT, AND NEXT HOUR, WE GET A PICTURE AND ALL OUR FAMILY IS CRYING BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ALL DESTROYED.
EVERYTHING WAS BURNING.
THE BIG LIBRARY, A COLLECTION OF MUSIC INSTRUMENTS AND ALL PHOTOS, ALL WHAT WE COLLECT DURING THE LAST 35, 40 YEARS.
♪ >> [SPEAKING UKRAINIAN] >> EVERY DAY, UKRAINE, I AM PRAYING ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO APARTMENT, NO HOUSE.
THEY STAY IN ONE APARTMENT, BUT RUSSIAN ROCKETS CAME AND DESTROYED ELECTRICITY STATIONS NEAR THE HOUSE.
IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
DID YOU READ THIS NEWS?
>> NO.
♪ >> I VISITED MANY COUNTRIES AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS ONE SIDE WHEN CAME THIS CONCERT OR AS A TOURIST, BUT ANOTHER WAY TO COME AS A REFUGEE.
I MET A VERY DEEPLY EMPATHETIC AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE WITH DEEP LOVE, WITH OPEN HEARTS.
I NEVER MET ANGRY PEOPLE.
EVERYWHERE I MET, VERY GOOD.
>> DOES IT MAKE YOU SAD TO THINK ABOUT YOUR FORMER LIFE?
>> IF TO SAY I AM SAD OR NOT SAD - I UNDERSTAND THAT LIFE IS A JOURNEY ON THE WAY, A JOURNEY FROM THE DATE OF BIRTH TILL DAY OF DEATH, AND WE MUST COME THROUGH DIFFERENT EVENTS IN OUR LIFE, AND WHEN I SEE BACK ON MY LIFE, IT IS NOT SAD.
I AM THANKFUL TO GOD.
HE GAVE THIS EXPERIENCE, THIS CHANCE TO LIVE, AND I NOW UNDERSTAND IT IS A NEW PERIOD OF MY LIFE AND EVEN I NEED TO START FROM ZERO LEVEL.
I WILL DO IT.
♪ >> FINALLY, THIS I PRIME HUNTING SEASON.
NOW WE TAKE A BIRDSEYE VIEW AT SOME RHODE ISLANDERS WITH AN UNCONVENTIONAL WAY OF STALKING GAME IN THE WOODS.
THEIR WEAPONS HAVE SHARP VISION, CURVED BEAKS AND SHARP TALONS.
>> WORKING WITH THESE BIDS AND HUNTING WITH THEM, YOU ARE TRULY ONE WITH NATURE.
YOU ARE INTERACTING WITH THEM AND IT IS HANDS-ON.
YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU ARE OBSERVING.
YOU ARE PART OF IT.
>> JIM HAS BEEN PART OF THE SPORT OF HUNTING WITH BIRDS OF PREY FOR 27 YEARS.
HE'’S A MASTER FALCONER CURRENTLY TRAINING THIS RAPTOR.
>> THE AESTHETICS OF IT ARE INVIGORATING.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOND YOU SHARE WITH THESE BIRDS IS PRETTY MAGNIFICENT.
THEY ARE NOT PETS.
THE SPORT ITSELF -- I MEAN, WHAT BRINGS YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL PLACES, BEAUTIFUL HABITAT.
>> IT TAKES PLACE IN OPEN FIELDS AND COUNTRY WOODLANDS DURING A SEASON THAT RUNS FROM OCTOBER TO FEBRUARY.
FALCONRY, OR HAWKING, HIS TRAINING FALCONS TO HUNT WITH YOU.
WITNESSING THEIR FLIGHT, YOU UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS CROWNED THE SPORT OF KINGS.
GET HISTORY DATES BACK CENTURIES TO THE MIDDLE EAST, EVENTUALLY MOVING TO MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND REMAINED POPULAR UNTIL THE INTRODUCTION OF GUNS.
TODAY, FALCONRY IS A SPECIALIZED SPORT SIMILAR TO FLYFISHING.
>> THERE IS AN ART TO IT, TO FALCONRY, AND A FINESSE TO IT IN THE SENSE OF SETTING THE HUNT UP AND ALMOST TRYING TO MUSCLE THE HUNT, IF YOU WILL, OR CONTROL IT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
>> WHAT WAS THE OBJECT OF FALCONRY ORIGINALLY?
>> TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, ESPECIALLY PRIOR TO THE INVENTION OF FIREARMS.
>> WHAT ABOUT TODAY?
>> THE SAME.
I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT I HAVE EATEN RABBIT.
I HAVE EATEN SQUIRREL.
I HAVE.
I PREFER SQUIRREL.
>> BECAUSE?
>> THE TASTE.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, RABBIT -- YOU KNOW, THEY TEND TO HAVE FLEAS AND TICKS ON THEM.
>> SO YOU CANNOT BE SQUEAMISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPORT.
>> YOU CANNOT.
IT IS A HUNTING SPORT.
>> IT BEGINS BY CAPTURING THE BIRD OF PREY.
HE SAYS HE EITHER HAS TO CLIMB TO A NEST TO GET A HATCHLING OR CATCH AN IMMATURE BIRD IN A SPECIAL NET.
YOU UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO FIND THIS OBJECTIONABLE, THAT YOU ARE TAKING HATCHLINGS FROM THE NEST OR, YOU KNOW, TRAPPING A WILD BIRD.
HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT?
>> I SAY SURE.
I CAN GET THAT POINT OF VIEW.
I THINK IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM AND CARE WE HAVE FOR THESE BIRDS, ABOUT 75% DON'’T MAKE IT TO THEIR FIRST YEAR, SO WE ARE ALLOWED TO TRAP THESE IMMATURE RAPTORS AND WE LEAVE THE ACTUAL MATURE BIRDS ALONE.
>> YOU SEE YOURSELVES AS CONSERVATIONISTS?
>> I DO.
IT WAS TRULY FALCONERS THAT HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE THRUST AND THE PUSH TO GET PEREGRINE FALCONS OFF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.
>> ACCORDING TO HIM, PEREGRINE FALCONS ARE NOW NESTING UNDER SEVERAL BRIDGES IN RHODE ISLAND IN THE TOP THE SUPERMEN BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE, WHERE THEY CAN BE WATCHED WITH THEIR BROOD ON THE WEBCAM.
THIS CREATURE IS THE FIRST PEREGRINE FALCON THE STATE HAS ALLOWED TO BE CAPTURED.
SHE'’S CONSIDERED THE MOST PRIZED OF HUNTING BIRDS.
OTHER RAPTORS ARE ALSO USED FOR HUNTING, SUCH AS THIS KESTREL, THE SMALLEST OF FALCONS.
ALSO MERLINS, GOSHAWK'’S, COOPERS HAWKS, AND RED TAIL HAWKS.
>> STEPHEN IS TRAINING A RED TAIL HAWK.
HE HAD TO APPRENTICE FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN PASS A TEST.
AFTER FIVE YEARS AS A GENERAL, HE CAN APPLY TO BE A MASTER FALCONER.
THERE ARE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AND RHODE ISLAND ENVIRONMENT -- ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT OVERSEES LICENSING.
>> GOES BEYOND A HOBBY.
IT'’S A PASSION.
IT IS A LIFESTYLE.
THERE'’S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.
YOU KNOW, THESE BIRDS ARE CARED FOR EVERY DAY.
IT IS NOT A PASSING FANCY.
AND IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING YOU CANNOT JUST PUT ON A SHELF AND FORGET ABOUT.
>> HE SAYS TRAINING BEGINS WITH FOOD-BASED REWARD AND GETTING THE PREDATOR TO EAT FROM YOUR HAND.
>> AS YOU ARE DOING THIS, YOU ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH TRUST WITH THE BIRD.
THEN YOU WILL PUT THE BIRD ON A PERCH A FEW FEET AWAY.
START TO INCORPORATE THE WHISTLE.
YOU WHISTLE AND GET THE BIRD TO JUMP, TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A FLIGHT AT YOU.
PLAYLAND -- THEY LAND.
YOU PUT THEM BACK AND WALK FURTHER AWAY.
ESSENTIALLY, YOU ARE GETTING THE BIRD TO FLY FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY.
>> THE WHISTLE CALLS THE BIRD BACK TO THE HUNTER.
IN TRAINING, THEY DO THIS ON A LEASH.
THEN A LEATHER LORE IS INTRODUCED, ANOTHER MEANS OF ENTICING THE BIRD TO RETURN.
WHEN THE RAPTORS ARE RELEASED, FALCONERS GO INTO THE WOODS, LITERALLY BEATING THE BUSHES WITH STICKS TO GET THEIR QUARRY TO MOVE, AND IF AN ANIMAL IS SPOTTED, SAY, A RABBIT, THE HUNTER GIVES A DISTINCT CALL TO ALERT THE BIRD TO THEIR PREY.
>> THEIR VISUAL ACUITY IS PHENOMENAL.
WHAT THEY ARE STARTING TO DO IS THEY MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN, NOW, SOMETHING GOING, SOMETHING RUNNING, AND THE FALCONER, IF CORY ACTUALLY DOES COME OUT OF A BRIAR PATCH OR -- IF QUARRY ACTUALLY DOES COME OUT OF A BRIAR PATCH OR A TREE LINE, THE FALCON WILL KEY IN ON THAT GAME CALL.
WE ARE MORE OR LESS THE BEAGLE.
WE ARE THE ONES PUSHING THE QUARRY FOR THESE BIRDS.
>> MOST OF THE KILL TAKEN IN THE HUNT IS PRESERVED AS FUTURE FEED FOR THE FALCONS.
AFTER THIS TRAINING, MOST OF THESE BIRDS OF PREY WILL BE RELEASED BACK TO THE WILD.
HUNTERS SAY THEY ARE BORROWED.
FOR HIM AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER FALCONERS IN RHODE ISLAND, A DAY SPENT WITH THEIR SKY HUNTERS DEFIES DESCRIPTION.
>> THE WORLD TENDS TO MELT AWAY.
SO IS TRULY A GREAT ESCAPE.
YOU ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE BIRD, YOU NO LONGER FOCUS ON YOURSELF OR THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN INUNDATE US FROM DAY TODAY.
SOMETIMES YOU CANNOT PUT IT IN WORDS.
IT IS WHAT I LOVE TO DO.
♪ >> THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.
I AM PAMELA WATTS.
WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.
UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE ALL OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST, AVAILABLE ON YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.
THANK YOU.
GOOD NIGHT.
♪ [CAPTIONING PREFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
VISIT NCICAP.ORG]