Liz has a Master's Degree in Chemistry from George Mason University and a Master's Degree in Telecommunications and Computers (Engineering) from George Washington University.
In addition to her passion for raptors Liz and her husband, Tim, are beekeepers and members of the Loudoun Beekeepers Association. They live in Northern Virginia with their 2 dogs, 3 parrots, 2 hawks, 1 falcon, 4 owls, a few chickens, and about 150,000 honey bees.
Liz Dennison has been working with birds of prey for more than 15 years as an educator, rehabilitator, and falconer. In 2016, Liz founded Secret Garden Birds and Bees to share her love of these amazing birds of prey and spread the word about the essential role they play in a healthy ecosystem.
Liz began her work with birds of prey in 2006 with Raptor Conservancy of Virginia and continues that work today with Owl Moon Raptor Center. Caring for injured, sick, or orphaned birds is very rewarding and certainly significant to the individual birds, their mates and their young, but even if every bird rescued could recover enough to be released, there would be little effect on the overall population and the decline we've seen in some species.
Liz Dennison - President
The number of injured wild animals that can be saved through rehabilitation is insignificant compared to the number harmed by habitat loss and climate change. Liz believes that an understanding of the natural world and how we impact it is essential to making wise choices for the future of our planet. She hopes that the informative and entertaining programs offered by Secret Garden Birds and Bees will increase awareness of the amazing creatures around us. If each of us does our part to build our cities, suburbs, and rural communities intelligently, considering the needs of our native wildlife, we will not merely coexist with nature, we will thrive with it! As a scientist and engineer with advanced degrees in chemistry/physics and telecommunications engineering, she encourages all young people to study both science and the arts so they can understand the complex mechanisms that drive the natural world and appreciate its beauty.
Liz is a Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN), and a past member of the Board of the Banshee Reeks Chapter of that organization, leader of the VMN's Barn Owl and Kestrel Nest Box Project and a contributor to the chapter's website. Liz is also a member of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and has served on the LWC Programs and Field Trips Committee. She has been a contributor to LWC's quarterly publication, the Habitat Herald. Liz is now the "Eagle Expert" working with LWC and the Dulles Greenway as a camera operator and chat moderator for the Dulles Greenway eagle nest. As a raptor rehabilitator she has volunteered her time with several wonderful organizations including the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, and is currently working with Owl Moon Raptor Center.