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"DUCK TALES"
Wild Care's Monthly E-News |
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To learn more about Wild Care, visit our web site!
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by Animal Care Coordinator, Jennifer Taylor
After one of our snowfalls this winter, we received a call about a downed Great-horned Owl in Wellfleet. Our ever helpful rescue volunteer, Swede Plaut, gathered the bird and brought it into us. It was very weak, dehydrated and emaciated. After two days of fluids and liquid nutrition it was quite evident the bird was on the mend. Its pale, dry mouth turned to bright pink and glistening. He had a heavy load of intestinal parasites, and was dewormed and worked up to hand-fed small pieces of mice and soon began eating on his own. His incoming meek demeanor changed from, "Please leave me alone I am scared" to "Get me out of here or I will kill you!".
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Who are YOU lookin at? Photo by Amy Webster |
After exercise and enrichment in our Elliptical Aviary for about ten days, he had gained his strength back and was flying well with good stamina. The night came for release. I walked down to the Aviary just before dark and approached the door to peek in and survey the situation. (I should add here that Great-horned Owls are fierce and never to be trusted.) Apparently he saw me coming and flung himself -SPLAT!- on the door screen right in front of me to freak me out, and he did!
When it got dark I had to enter his space to unlock the release door. Having to deal with this healthy, nocturnal, largest-owl-in-North-America, soon after his interrupted attack on me, I suited up like a jousting knight and crept around the circular aviary, not knowing where he was perched or if he was going to attack me again with his silent owl flight and large talons. Quite an adrenaline rush!
Alas, all went well. He instantly took off out the opened door. He flew up high into a large tree and sat there for about fifteen minutes. He then soared north over the marsh toward his homeland of Wellfleet...
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| The owl's trajectory - up & out with a blur of wings! Great-horned Owl release |
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We're always in need of supplies. Visit our Amazon Wishlist this giving season and add Wild Care to your shopping cart!
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Click here to donate!
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We had three baby squirrels (days old) brought to us on March 20th after the nest was accidently destroyed. The finder, named Heather, brought them to us at Wild care within a half hour. Knowing that the adult squirrel will continue to look for the young for some time, we got th
em back to the site as quick as possible!
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A Squirrel mom is reunited with her young. Photo by Amy Webster
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The work was stopped and everyone took the dogs and disap
peared so I could continue to try to provide a quiet place for the mother squirrel to come back to. The homeowners were very caring even though this was inconvenient. Thanks to the recent donation of car power-inverters that we received, I was able to
keep a heating pad under the babies for quite some time while the mother explored the situation. Finally she was brave eno
ugh to come back and take one baby at a time. Here is a picture of her carrying the third baby out of the old site to her new safe place!
Thank you to Heather for bringing me lunch while I waited for mother to return. So sweet! Returning young animals to their mother's is important for many reasons. One, because it is the best care they can possibly receive. Two, getting them back with her mother also allows us more time to care for other animals that don't have the opportunity to get back to their natural environment.
If you find an orphaned squirrel, please do not care for it yourself. Squirrels require a a specialized diet and care, and can often be reunited them with their moms. We can help!
Give us a call. Daily helpline.
Wildlife Helpline 508-240-2255
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W
ild Care has over 150 volunteers.
We couldn't do what we do without them! Here's our chance to highlight some outstanding volunteers.This month we're spotlighting volunteer
Peter Kosewski
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Feeding time. Photo by Cristalyn Searles.
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Peter started volunteering at Wild Care on the 4th of July, 2016. How's that for dedication! Peter is a Monday Clinic volunteer, who put in over 70 hours in 2016 helping us with the animals. Most recently, he began assisting with orphaned squirrel feedings, and he is a natural at it. In fact, he is one of the most nurturing and gentle squirrel-care volunteers we have ever seen. Peter has been coming to Wild Care multiple times per week in addition to his Monday Clinic shift, to help feed the orphaned squirrels when we need him.
Peter. We are so fortunate to have you as a volunteer at Wild Care. Your gentle nature and dedication make you a gift to the animals, and to us!
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2017 Cape Cod Natural History Conference
Wild Care was a presenter at the
2017 Cape Cod Natural History Conference
on March 11th at Cape Cod Community College. The conference, hosted by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, was a full-day of exciting presentations from the best-of-the-best in their field. All topics related to the natural history of Cape Cod. An honor!
Stephanie Ellis, Wild Care Executive Director, gave a presentation titled, "Warm and Cold Water Therapy Pools Decrease Recovery Time of Aquatic Birds in Captivity." to an audience of over 184 people.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Wild Care's Annual Yard Sale
June 10th!
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April 6, 2017
It's finally spring! A time of beauty and re-birth. We received our first orphaned squirrels of the season early this year, the baby rabbits have arrived, and orphaned birds are really just around the corner...
Have you ever wondered what it must be like to to be a baby bird? To develop encased in an eggshell, and fit inside of an egg?
Join me for my "Life in the Egg" talk this Saturday, April 8th at 11:00 AM at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. We'll tackle these fascinating questions and more. And don't sit on it. It's not an egg :)
Sign up now while there's still space!
Sincerely,
Stephanie, Executive Director
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Join us for a 3-Course Dinner & Wine Pairing, G
raciously Hosted by Karoo!
- Enjoy an exquisite taste of South Africa with Karoo owner and Chef, Sanette Groenewald.
- Live presentation and debut with "Nickerson" Wild Care's educational Eastern Screech Owl
- Silent auction to benefit Wild Care
- Ticket cost includes appetizers/entrees/dessert and respective wine pairings
- Additional beverages available for purchase
- Menu includes vegan, vegetarian & gluten free versions of traditional recipes
Don't miss this very special event.
A portion of the proceeds go to Wild Care!
Karoo is located on 3 Main St., Unit 32B. Eastham
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Wild Winter Night a Success!
Thank you all who attended Wild Winter Night. Thanks to you,
we raised over $23,400 for wildlife!
We have SO many people to thank for the success of this amazing evening, first and foremost, OUR VOLUNTEERS! Over 40 volunteers contributed to every detail. Over 200 hours during the event alone!
One very special volunteer is Jan Raffaele. Jan contributed over 100 hours planning and prepping for Wild Winter Night, and put together all of the auction packages... no small task. The night would not have happened without her. Her dedication & passion is admirable and greatly appreciated. Thank you Jan!
Special thanks to:
- Dozens of local businesses that donated items!
- John Terrio of Auction Knights for his marvelous auctioneering
- George's Place Fish Market and their crew of volunteers - for the fabulous food
- Denise Taylor for all of the delicious desserts
- Eastham Veterinary Hospital for their support of Wild Care's operations
- Bert Jackson and Roe Osborne of the Bert Jackson quartet for live entertainment
- Leo Seletsky, for event photographs!
- The Elks Lodge for graciously hosting us again
- Sir Speedy for printing high-quality Programs!
More details and photo album:
Event sponsored by George's Place Fish Market, Eastham Veterinary Hospital, Cape Cod Media Group, Pearson Financial Services, Law Offices of Kathleen Fowler, the Box Lunch, the Dobson Family, and Dental Arts Studio of Cape Cod
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Donate today!
Spring is right around the corner.
Know what that means?
BABIES!!!
Help us to keep our babies warm, fed, happy, & back into the wild!
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| Wild Care 10 Smith Lane Eastham, Massachusetts 02642 [email protected] 508-240-2255 |
| About Wild Care Since 1994, Wild Care has treated injured, ill and orphaned native wildlife for release back into the wild capable of independent survival, prevented wildlife casualties through public education and counseling, and engaged the community in conservation services through volunteerism. Wild Care does not charge the public for our services. We accept wildlife regardless of a rescuer's ability to make a donation; and we never compromise quality of care or the dignity of an animal's life for fundraising purposes. |
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