Laurens Wildlife Rescue
  • Home
  • I found a wild baby - what do I do?
  • How can I help?
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • This week in wildlife

Facing the new normal

6/10/2018

6 Comments

 
This will be a short update, as I’m still coping—barely— with Daddy’s death, as well as a massive editing backlog; also, there have been few intakes the past couple of weeks, as I had more pressing issues to deal with and tried to divert calls to other rehabbers when possible.

First, thanks to those of you who sent condolences in whatever form in the past week. I’m still not caught up on my emails and my presence on FB is almost nonexistent at the moment, so I may not have seen or acknowledged all of them individually yet.  A special thanks goes to colleague Kathryn Dudeck of Chattahoochee Nature Center for taking the five brancher barnies off my hands during Daddy’s time on hospice.

As far as older intakes, we’re pretty much in a holding pattern. With the end of the nonstop rain, all the denizens of the songbird flight were released and most have stopped coming down for supplemental feedings. Currently there are two blue jays building up their flight muscles and awaiting release.

The barreds are still awaiting release; access to my preferred release site for them was flooded due to all the rain and I’m waiting for it to dry out sufficiently to get back there and give them their freedom.

The flyers are still awaiting release, as well; in another couple of days I should have most of the editing backlog under control so some of these poor babies awaiting release can go.

The two major intakes from the past couple of weeks were a starving red shoulder fledgling and a downy probable red shoulder nestling—not real sure on him; he could be a Coop. As colleague Steve Hicks says, “We know his last name; we just don’t know his first name yet.”
​
The starving fledgling was iffy for the first couple of days but is self-feeding now and looking good, if still a bit thin. Regular meals will correct that, though. The first photo below is day of intake; second is today.
Picture
Picture
​The nestling RS or Coop is doing well despite having been fed boiled chicken for nearly two days before intake—this AFTER the finder called, indicated it would be a couple of days before they could bring me the bird and asked for interim feeding advice. The one food I SPECIFICALLY said NOT to feed him was chicken, but the finder, obviously knowing more than an experienced, licensed rehabber, opted not only to feed chicken but to BOIL it first. People, no wildlife—mammal or bird—has stoves or microwaves to cook their food. When they’re fed cooked or processed foods, it can seriously and possibly fatally screw up their digestive systems. And then the finder called me condescending when I dressed them down about not following my very specific feeding instructions. Well duh, if you can’t follow simple, detailed instructions…
Picture
Sorry for the dearth of photos and details on current residents and releases; honestly, getting photos and videos was the last thing on my mind last week.  I’m still trying to regain my equilibrium, and it’s not an easy task—still one breath away from hysterical sobbing most of the time, quite frankly, and my concentration is all but nonexistent.  As Daddy said to me three days before his death, “It’s gonna be okay. It’ll all work out.” Just bear with me while I try to make those words reality.
6 Comments
Linda Hamilton
6/10/2018 08:51:38 pm

I admire you and the work you do, so very much. Thank you.

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
6/11/2018 06:23:11 pm

Thanks Linda.

Reply
Kenneth Beck
6/11/2018 04:36:13 pm

Took a blue Jay to you about three weeks ago. Just wondering if all went well with it. Also very sorry to hear about your father, our prayers are with you and your family.

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
6/11/2018 06:24:22 pm

Thanks Kenneth, and I would guess your jay is one of the two currently in the songbird flight.

Reply
Ann Feldman
6/12/2018 09:43:07 pm

Hold on tight. The sorrow will eventually fade and what you will have left are good memories. I can't believe anyone fed a hawk boiled chicken. If you need a chuckle, go to Urban Hawks blog, skip Grant's tomb (depressing) and go to 96 and Lexington post.

Reply
Laurens Wildlife Rescue
6/13/2018 06:55:39 pm

Thanks Ann. Lots of wonderful memories; it's just the realization that all memories made going forward will be without Daddy. That hurts. A lot.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008

    Categories

    All
    Baby Birds
    Baby Deer
    Baby Opossums
    Baby Possums
    Baby Rabbits
    Bluegray Gnatcatchers
    Carolina Wren
    Common Loons
    Epd
    Fawns
    House Finch
    Mbta
    Migratory Bird Treaty Act
    Mockers
    Mockingbirds
    Orphaned Birds
    Orphaned Deer
    Orphaned Fawns
    Orphaned Opossums
    Orphaned Possums
    Orphaned Rabbits
    Orphaned Wildlife
    Squirrels
    Wildlife
    Wood Ducks

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.