Phil Barber

After growing up in industrial towns on the East Coast and in Muskegon–or the Riviera of the Midwest, as he used to call it–our dad, Phil Barber, cherished the wildlife and nature of Idaho. His lifelong love of raptors is why we asked our friends and family to support The Peregrine Fund in his memory.

His desire to share Idaho’s splendor with us led to some adventures that were a bit more rugged than he anticipated. When he heard about the beauty of Swan Falls Dam and the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation area, he scooped us off for a day trip. It was the middle of summer and the road to Swan Falls wasn’t what it is now. It was hot and dusty, the road was a bit of a nightmare, but the tour was well worth the white-knuckle drive. The views were spectacular, we heard the various calls of birds nesting in the canyon walls and we even caught a glimpse of a raptor or two.

Much of his career, he worked downtown near the One Capital Center peregrine falcons and enjoyed watching their swooping acrobatics. If he was on a call when one zoomed by, mid-sentence, he’d let out a sudden, “Whoa!” We knew what that “Whoa!” meant, but every now and then, a client would be surprised by his outburst. After reassuring them he was OK, he described the show he had from his office window.

After we settled into our adult lives, all three of us texted often with Dad. Our conversations wandered through what was going on in our lives, politics, the world. On several occasions, we’d text about the different birds of prey we heard as they soared by our respective locations.

We’re thankful for everyone who donated and continues to support The Peregrine Fund. Through their great work, his memory lives on.