Steve Layman will provide the public with an inside look into the life of a falconer and the craft at Deer Lagoon Grange this month.

During his presentation, “Falconry; Human and Natural History,” Layman will talk about and demonstrate the role birds of prey play on Whidbey Island. He will also show how domestically raised birds can be used for commercial applications. Two of his hawks will be included in the demonstration.

The event is 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Grange Hall at 5142 Bayview Road, Langley.

“This guy is internationally known, so we’re looking forward to this one,” said Chuck Prochaska, treasurer and spokesman for Deer Lagoon Grange.

Layman, a Clinton resident, has over 50 years of experience handling raptors and holds a degree in zoology. He was featured in a May 2007 Vanity Fair article by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The following is an excerpt:

“Steve Layman, [then] 59, is a typical hawking bum. He lives on Whidbey Island, near Seattle, with his wife, Kathy, and four children, and to finance his falconry operates a pressure-washing business and acts as a wildlife consultant. As a boy he rushed to finish his daily chores in order to spend every possible moment in the forest. ‘I grew up thinking of the outdoors as fascinating and friendly,’ he recalls. T.H. White’s classic nonfiction book The Goshawk’ and an old National Geographic article entitled ‘The Sport of Kings’ kindled Layman’s passion for falconry.”

For details about the presentation, call Prochaska at 360-222-3110. Donations are appreciated.