…Or at least several people, to accomplish something. I have two shining examples of that for this update: first, let’s start with the FundRazr LWR has had going on most of this month. I’m pleased to announce that due to yet another VERY generous donation, I now have the funds needed to rebuild the songbird flight pen and build that much-needed and often-dreamed-about small raptor flight pen!
I also want to point out that of the $3000 raised for both flights, just $225 came from fellow Georgians. This is quite embarrassing and disappointing to me, as it indicates a woeful lack of concern for the state’s native wildlife and a corresponding lack of public support for Georgia’s wildlife rehabbers—and yet the people who ignore pleas for donations will be the very ones screaming to the rafters when they can’t find a rehabber because their local rehabber shut down due to lack of funding. Can’t have it both ways, people—support us or lose us. It’s that simple.
To my fellow chatters from the NYU Hawk Cam, THANK YOU! The vast majority of the donations making these flight pens possible came from you or people you alerted to my situation. You’re pretty darned amazing, folks!
The second example of needing a village actually comes from today. This morning one of my game wardens called and said he’d been alerted to an injured wood stork—broken leg— on a local highway. He was in the process of rounding up help to go catch it and wanted to make sure I could take it. No waterfowl in the spare tub at the moment, so we’re good to go…
Several hours later, he called to tell me that a three-man team caught the bird and he was on his way with it. This is a shout out to my amazing local DNR folks: game wardens Dan Stiles and Rodney Horne and state wildlife biologist Chris Baumann. Without them, this bird would have suffered a slow and very painful death, so a round of applause, if you will, for three great DNR guys!
I also want to point out that of the $3000 raised for both flights, just $225 came from fellow Georgians. This is quite embarrassing and disappointing to me, as it indicates a woeful lack of concern for the state’s native wildlife and a corresponding lack of public support for Georgia’s wildlife rehabbers—and yet the people who ignore pleas for donations will be the very ones screaming to the rafters when they can’t find a rehabber because their local rehabber shut down due to lack of funding. Can’t have it both ways, people—support us or lose us. It’s that simple.
To my fellow chatters from the NYU Hawk Cam, THANK YOU! The vast majority of the donations making these flight pens possible came from you or people you alerted to my situation. You’re pretty darned amazing, folks!
The second example of needing a village actually comes from today. This morning one of my game wardens called and said he’d been alerted to an injured wood stork—broken leg— on a local highway. He was in the process of rounding up help to go catch it and wanted to make sure I could take it. No waterfowl in the spare tub at the moment, so we’re good to go…
Several hours later, he called to tell me that a three-man team caught the bird and he was on his way with it. This is a shout out to my amazing local DNR folks: game wardens Dan Stiles and Rodney Horne and state wildlife biologist Chris Baumann. Without them, this bird would have suffered a slow and very painful death, so a round of applause, if you will, for three great DNR guys!
The group effort didn’t end there, however: my nephew Alex and niece-in-law Brooke came down to assist me by restraining the stork while I cleaned, medicated and half-arse splinted (I'm not good with splints near a joint) the leg to stabilize it until I can get him to the vet tomorrow for assessment and further treatment, as he also appears to have a wing fracture.
Wood storks are on the endangered list in Georgia, so I’m really hoping we can put this fellow back into the wild, or at least mend him to the point that he can go to an educational center. His leg is pretty trashed, though, so right now it’s all very iffy. We’ll know for certain tomorrow.
The rains finally let up here so I could release the house finch and the red shoulder, both of whom hauled butt without a backward glance. Sorry the release videos aren’t any better, but those two were determined to shake the dust of LWR off their tailfeathers!
This red shoulder wasn’t as lucky, however. He came in late last Sunday evening with severe fractures of the right leg and wing. Both were right at the joint, which is pretty much a death sentence for a bird.
Monday before I took the red shoulder in for confirmation of the severity of his injuries and euthanasia, this adult barred owl also came in with a fractured right wing and a totally trashed left eye. He also required euthanasia.
What had happened is that with all the rainy, nasty weather we’d been having, the raptors were hunting near the roads because it’s easier to find prey there. Vehicle versus wildlife seldom ends well for the wildlife, unfortunately.
And, of course, no update lately would be complete without your Igor fix, so herewith I offer that crazy corvid himself!
And, of course, no update lately would be complete without your Igor fix, so herewith I offer that crazy corvid himself!
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