Redhawk's Raptor Diaries

1st Annual Bird Day at Fairchild

2009-11-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

The Miami Science Museum's Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center participated in Fairchild Tropical Garden's first annual bird day. There was a full line up of speakers and bird walks including other exhibitors and vendors. Visitors were very enthusiastic about the presence of the birds and asked very thoughtful and intelligent questions about our resident raptors.

Mr. Pepe, our red shouldered hawk is always a favorite of mine to take to events such as this one. The admiration by the bird enthusiasts was very well received by him. He is an outstanding educational ambassador and sits quietly while people take his picture and inspect him closely. Sadly, it is because he was raised by humans that he makes such an outstanding educational bird. He is not without fault however, and cannot be housed with other birds because of his dangerous aggression towards his own kind. He is also unpredictable with the wildlife staff at times because of his hormonal urges. Clearly, this bird belongs in the wild but cannot be released because of these behavioral issues.
Screech-o is an eastern screech owl. Also an imprint, he is unable to be released because of his behavioral inadequacies. He is also prone to show unhealthy aggression towards other screech owls. He is one of our most popular educational birds and the foundation of any good bird of prey program. He gives us a chance to show children and adults that birds come in all sizes and small doesn't always mean baby.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2009-10-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is, the last one from the migration season 2008-2009. This cooper's hawk became an extended case for us due to a highly contagious protozoan infection which resulted in a lengthy stay in isolation in a small hospital cage. Due to the high strung personality of this type of hawk, she broke most of her flight feathers, rendering her unreleasable. It is a challenge to manage these types of cases because the longer they stay in captivity, the greater the odds that they will sustain even more injuries that may render them unreleasable. This extended stay in captivity that results in a release is an especially big reason to celebrate. Those that know and work with cooper's hawks can appreciate this on a deeply personal level. So while the reader

may shrug and say oh, another cooper's hawk release, we celebrate each victory as each one of these feisty warriors is truly a challenge and a beauty to behold!

The 2009-2010 migration finally brought us our first peregrine. He sustained a fracture to his left wing and has a really good prognosis. We will remove his bandage this weekend and allow him to move the wing a bit so as not to cause any stiffness or retraction of tendons. We are considering ourselves extremely fortunate as he is quite calm and we anticipate that we should see him out of our center sometime in November.

The weather has been quite hot this year averaging in the upper 80s to low 90s every day. Too hot for fall, and too hot I think for migrating birds. The turkey vultures have arrived but the rest are slow to come south, or maybe just avoided us altogether?

Bird Profile- Brother the Peregrine

2009-10-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Since we are in anticipation of the impending yearly fall migration, I thought I'd share a photo of our resident peregrine falcon Brother who resides at the Miami Science Museum's Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center. As evidenced by the photo above, Brother suffers from a prior injury to his left wing rendering him unable to be released back into the wild.

Every year peregrine falcons make the annual journey from their spring/summer homes in the Arctic tundra of Canada down into South America. These amazing migratory routes bring them straight down through the heart of downtown Miami. While it may seem strange, peregrines are frequently seen in the heart of many downtown areas of Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, and multiple other locales across the country.

An interesting blog to follow can be found here http://frgroup.frg.org/2009/09/2009-southern-cross-peregrine-migration.html. The Southern Cross peregrine project actively monitors migrating falcons every year giving enthusiasts such as myself a day by day snapshot into how much ground these birds cover in a day and what I find most interesting: how some birds will follow the same routes year after year which follow one route down and another back, completing a full circle almost.

Brother was one of those typical first year falcons that did not complete his journey as many first year fledglings do not. It is an estimate that 75% of our peregrine patients are 1st year raptors. The migration is a perilous journey and one can only imagine how many near misses and perils are faced by the time these birds make it to Miami.

Hopefully this year will be a good one and we will return them all back to their journey. In the meantime, I sit with Brother and we both look up awaiting their arrival.

Spectacular Bald Eagle Release

2009-09-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to successfully release an American Bald Eagle Tuesday Sept 22, 2009. This i

s only the second one that I have treated since my employ for the past 6 years at the Miami

Science Museum. It is a first year juvenile and missing the trademark white head feathers of the adult bird. They will grow in at around its 4th-5th year.

This bird was sighted on a golf course eating what seemed to be a duck early in the morning a week before. Later that day, the finder Daniela Ruiz reported seeing it in the lake struggling. By the time Florida Fish and Wildlife officer Miranda arrived, it was floating motionless in the water.

Our director, Greta Mealey received the bird that night and administered emergency care. The next morning, the bird was alive, alert, and to say the least, very feisty. We believe that it was perhaps exhausted, waterlogged and perhaps a little hypothermic after its struggle to get out of the water. It may have encountered a toxin or some sort of trauma. It was most definitely in shock and would have died without the intervention of all parties involved.

The bird stayed with us for a week as the blood values were a little questionable and we wanted to make sure that it was as healthy as possible. In addition, it was eating well and seemed to be

calm and unstressed once introduced to our flight enclosure. Periodically we administered more fluids and monitored the weight. Finally this eagle was ready to spread its wings once again.

I don't think I need to point out the smiles on every one's faces. We were all very excited.

The day of release was a special event and the finder and officer were both in attendance as well as some media, family members of the finder, and a couple of friends and associates from the Museum. Brian Mealey, of the Institute of Wildlife Sciences placed a federal band on the eagle's leg and it was placed on the ground about 100 feet from the place first seen. See for yourself, as words cannot describe this. What a great time to post a video!

Some Stories Never Get Old

2009-09-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

This posting is a bit late as I have been having some problems with posting pictures. I couldn't bear telling this story without the pictures. I am also happy to share this behind the scenes photo that shows how we hold birds (not more than 30 minutes) in preparation for release.

The hood keeps the bird, a cooper's hawk calm by keeping the vision dark. Hawks are very visual, so taking away sight goes a long way towards preventing them from intense stress or hurting themselves or their feathers which would jeopardize the release. Coincidentally, this bird remained with us for a very long time because of feather damage incurred while quarantined because of an infectious disease. Cooper's hawks are very high strung birds and will frequently fling themselves around their enclosure in a frantic attempt to escape. We were thrilled that we

were able to nurture this bird back to health and then provide a safe enclosure in which

the bird could grow feathers again and regain strength which allowed for her release. The towel restrains movement and prevents the panic response that sometimes ensues when a bird is left hooded in a cage. They remain quite calm and able to breathe.

When we schedule a public release, we like to have the bird ready ahead of time in case of any unforeseen circumstances. We also transport birds in this manner sometimes as well. Rolling a towel around them and securing the velcro band helps to restrict their activity. When unable to move, most animals tend to calm down (notice I said most). I like to explain the rationale behind our restraint of the birds because people tend to react very violently when they see an image like this, but when learning the rationale, they understand and become very intrigued how this actually works. Same principle works with cattle, horses, and other animals that would respond in panic situations.

So I happily said a little prayer and we sent this cooper's hawk on her way, just in time for the fall migration. The honor of release went to Justin, our herpetologist who has yet to release a bird. He was, understandably so, very excited about his first release. Way to go Justin! And way to go Cooper!

Beautiful People and No Deeds Too Small

2009-09-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

This blog entry really was a gift to me as it sort of materialized instantly in my head as I curiously peered at the guy who had stopped in the middle of the road to save a turtle from sure death on the horrifically brutal roads of South Florida. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him in my rear view mirror as the turtle fought to get away from him as the guy struggled awkwardly to pick it up (I think he was a little scared). It occurred to me that the flip side of the story I wrote about last was the numerous people that every day, take time out of their busy lives just to help animals.

The latest individual named Matt was one who had found a duck shortly after it had been hit by a car. It was bleeding from the mouth and nose and appeared to have a leg injury. He was frantic as I spoke to him on the phone and I told him yes, bring it right away. He hung up the phone and was on our doorstep quick enough that I am sure he broke all speed limits and perhaps a couple of other traffic laws to get there. We treated the duck with emergency medication and fluid and

kept our fingers crossed, there were no other injuries. This man called not only later that day, but the next, and the next checking up on his duck. I am happy to report that the duck not only made it, but had no serious injuries that prevented it from being transferred to the duck specialist, who now fields all the calls from Matt! So he was infinitely grateful for the life of the duck. He had brought another bird to us in the past that unfortunately did not make it, and thankfully he didn't give up trying to help these animals, or else that duck might have died on the side of the road as many animals do. There are so many of these stories, not just in my world, but from other rescuers as well. There is a legion of peregrine falcon fans in Duluth MN that await the spring nesting season eagerly every year. I joined their webgroup to keep up with the drama, but was absolutely amazed at the dedication of these people in not only reporting the goings on of the peregrine family, but coming together to report finding young birds on the ground or in distress. Seems that the whole community has become wildlife rescuers!

Homeless people are frequent rescuers, which by the way always touches my heart when someone who has nothing will do everything they can to help an animal in distress. People bring them on the train, on bikes, and even on motorcycles if they need to.

Then there are the others who offer invaluable support for our operation. Whenever in need all we have to do is say the word and they are there. This is by no means a comprehensive list but a few of the very special people who contribute their time and services to us.

Dr. Lorraine Karpinski has brought such a great depth to our rehabilitation's veterinary services at the Miami Science Museum's bird of prey center. She not only consults with us on all cases that involve injuries to the eye, but also performs surgery to restore sight to birds that would otherwise have no life otherwise. We are proud that she is an important part of our team that gives of her valuable skills and time.

This is Tatiana, one of our longest volunteers. It takes dedicated people like her to get us through those crazy days when nothing seems to go right to have someone who is ready to lend that extra hand to try and make it just a little bit easier. Possibly, more important, these individuals share their enthusiasm and curiosity, keeping the job fresh and reminding us every day why we wanted to do this for a living, despite all the ups and downs. They become over time, invaluable, and inevitably our friends.

Sometimes friends come from the strangest places. Jeff from Miami Animal Removal showed up at our door on Christmas Eve 3 years ago (I think) bringing with him an injured broadwing hawk. Jeff was one of those individuals that I liked right away as he has a very calm, very pleasant demeanor. Over the years Jeff passes through our doors regularly, sometimes bringing animals he has rescued on his job, sometimes bringing animals that we have asked him to rescue. Other times, he plays wildlife taxi, ferrying raccoons down to a meeting place for the raccoon rehabilitator close to his home. Jeff is always available to help us for difficult rescues or in a crisis. I like to think of him as the ace up my sleeve!

And last, but certainly not least, the members of the Venom One unit of the Miami Dade Fire Rescue. The have become a huge part of our operation, a huge safety net if you will. They have logged several hundred miles picking up injured wildlife and transporting to our location. They also support us in our special events such as snake day.

Unfortunately we are in danger of losing their services as the Mayor and commissioners of Miami Dade County see fit to cut the county budget and to sacrifice services such as these. Meanwhile the mayor gives double digit percentage raises to his inner circle much to the bewilderment and anger of the taxpayers. To lose the Venom One Unit would be a tragic and critical loss to the community and most certainly to the rehabilitation program at our facility.

In closing, there are too many others, some which can be named, Nelson, Gisella, and others that cannot but their faces and memories are forever burned in my mind. As long as there is an animal in need of help, there will be someone to care, gives me hope to carry on my journey and make a little difference in my corner of the world.

The Evil Men Do- When Compassion Goes Too Far

2009-08-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

All over the country (and world) people in their everyday lives stop for just a moment to notice some unfortunate incident affecting some poor animal causing it to suffer and possibly die. It is in the course of my business as a wildlife rehabilitator that I come into contact with these caring individuals on a daily basis. Usually these individuals have simply found these animals and brought them to us right away for care. Other times they may have fed something inappropriate overnight or for a couple of days and it is something that the animal can overcome with proper diet and medical care. In extreme cases, people keep animals for a week, or two, or four and the results can be catastrophic for the animal. What comes immediately to mind is baby animals that have been raised by humans and are so acclimated to their human caregivers that socialization with other animals may be difficult or impossible, resulting in either a permanently captive animal or euthanasia if dangerous due to lack of fear of humans. Other circumstances may involve an injured animal that is kept too long and allowed to heal improperly, or a baby animal that is fed the wrong diet for too long and is in the throes of death when brought to us.

The delay of a couple days will always bring the reminder from me of the importance of immediate care and bringing the animal in right away. Those who keep the animal longer or bring it in dying will get a harsher explanation from me as to the serious consequences of their actions. They will often get confused or angry when I tell them what they've done might cost the animal its life , but more often they will get upset and begin to cry when they realize the seriousness of their mistake. I have been criticized by others for this approach of what I see as "tough love," as not rewarding them emotionally for "doing the right thing." But I believe that by sugar coating the reality of the situation, you do no justice for the animal that will end up paying with its life and this person may walk away believing they did such a great job that why not do it again? So red-eyed and sniffling the individual usually walks away armed with the knowledge that will prevent them from making this mistake again and they will more than likely share this story with someone in the future, possibly preventing them from making this mistake.

So now since you have a little background info of my perspective on "good intentions gone bad," you may understand my outrage a little more deeply at what I am about to share with you. On Saturday, I caught an episode of Animal Planet's "Untamed and Uncut," a reality based show that shocks and horrifies viewers with actual violent footage of animal "accidents" from around the world. It's not my favorite show, but I keep the TV on as background when I am doing this or that around the house. They got my attention when they announced the next story would show how the rescue of a great horned owl in Arkansas played out. I stopped to watch the story unfold as a family found a great horned owl that had been captured in a steel trap and suffered a mangled and broken leg as a result of this heartless trapping method. The family, videotaping their every move, showed how they were able to secure the owl and pry the trap off. They then proceeded to debate whether or not they should put it out of its misery. They proclaimed rather triumphantly that they intended to "help" this bird and proceeded to cut its leg off with wire cutters. They were satisfied that they had done a good thing since the bird made no protest or show of pain. They then poured hydrogen peroxide and alcohol over the remaining stump as a precaution. What came next, I could not believe. They simply let it go!

Horrified. Shocked. Appalled. Saddened. All of these emotions hit me at once and are still swirling around in my head as I think of this poor bird flying off, dehydrated, in probable shock, and likely infected by the bacteria of a wound that was not fresh by the looks of it. The proud amputator proclaimed that now the bird had to work twice as hard to feed himself now that he only had one of his weapons. The guy even knew that! Wonder if he knew that if the bird survived the infection of his wound and debilitated state that he was likely to get an infection in the other foot as one legged birds are known to do?

So given my position stated in the beginning, I'm sure that you, the reader can imagine what type of conversation I would love to have with these people. That conversation is so important so these people won't go around bragging about this deed and what a wonderful thing they did. One can only hope that at some point, someone pointed out to them, uh maybe you should have taken it to a vet first? Yes, I hope they second guessed their decision at some point.

My deeper anger is directed at Animal Planet. I wrote them first letting them know how irresponsible the airing of this story was. That it was first and foremost, ILLEGAL. Rehabilitators like myself are not allowed to release birds with one leg and must be considered carefully on a case by case basis to keep them in captivity because of the propensity of the other foot becoming lame. It is for the same reason that horses with 3 legs are not typically saved. The other thing that Animal Planet is guilty of is glorifying an act that was clearly the wrong decision. Some producer felt that the wow factor was more important and spinning it this way was acceptable programming. It was in my opinion a morally reprehensible decision to air this story, and it was my suggestion to Animal Planet that they will examine these stories a little more closely before airing them.

I am really not that surprised, but I feel that enough is enough and I hope that people will speak out and let them know that they do not approve of this sort of irresponsible programming that ignores not only the law, but the codes of common sense that an animal that has just lost an entire limb needs medical attention by a trained professional, something that should be inherently obvious. Here's the web address if you have a quick moment to let Animal Planet know that you do not approve of this sort of irresponsible content: http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations. The show is called "Uncut and Untamed" and aired Saturday August 29th.

Meanwhile I commend and applaud all of you that do take the time out of your busy lives to help animals. Don't stop trying, but just remember that like us, they need the care of a trained professional. You took the time to care, now take that extra step to find them the help they need.

Last Rites of Summer

2009-08-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Well we've almost made it through another hot, sticky South Florida Summer. Pictured above are 3 members of the Miami Dade Venom One Response Unit as they made a huge splash at the Miami Science Museum's 10th annual Snake Day. They treated our visitors to not only close encounters with some of the largest python species on earth, but also to some educational presentations and a highly entertaining venomous snake demonstration.

This stunning snake is a gaboon viper, one of the worlds heaviest venomous snakes from Africa. It belongs to the Everglades Outpost, a wildlife sanctuary in Homestead just outside of the Everglades. They were kind enough to bring 4 venomous snakes to display.

There were also plenty of contestants vying for the bragging rights of best in show, largest, and people's pick. Here's just a few that struck my fancy.

The last of the orphaned wildlife is still trickling in but will stop soon enough as the migration of North American birds will trickle down South inevitably getting in trouble by the the time they reach Miami. Some familiar faces you have seen before will soon reappear. In the meantime, some parting shots of some end of summer memories.

Gotta love those animal people! They don't mind sharing a cool slice of watermelon with a hungry tortoise. This was Justin's first summer in Miami. He survived, but knows the real meaning of hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk!

I spent my first summer with children since the days of my first paid job back in the summer of 1999 as a summer camp instructor at Zoo Atlanta. Can't say I've really missed it, but it wasn't that bad! Here I am showing campers at the Museum how to dissect a dead quail. Never fear, these specimens didn't go to waste. The kids were allowed to watch the feeding of their subject material to the raptors.

This is what dreams are made of, that is if you are an oppossum! We thought this little guy had escaped from our care, but fortunately, he found this enclosure more comforting that the one we provided for him! Happy end of summer! May all of your fall wishes come true!

The Beat and the Heat Goes on

2009-08-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

The summer heat has been intense this year. I can't say I remember it being so unbearable in years past, but I'm sure it has and I'm sure I will probably say the same thing next year. My friend Vered has been adjusting to life without her center, but let's just say she has had something to keep her mind occupied! The above picture is one snapshot of this afternoon I spent with her while she fed these two adorable baby ostriches. Because of her expertise with animal nutrition, a local facility has enlisted her support. These chicks were developing bone problems due to too much protein in their diets. Vered must feed them several times a day and they eat up to 2 whole heads of romaine lettuce per day in addition to other grains and food items. What a treat it always is for me to see something I've never seen before and be privileged to be so close to such an adorable baby of the largest bird on earth!

Speaking of different animals, here's a great shot my husband took of some prairie dogs we saw on our recent trip to Denver Colorado towards the end of July. Their burrows were smack dab in the middle of the median of road to the airport. Luckily for them, as prairie dogs are regularly killed in the thousands because of their burrowing habit which causes a hazard for herds of grazing cattle and horses. While it certainly must be a heartbreak to lose an animal this way, it is also hard to think about these cute little critters being mass exterminated just because of their "home building" ways.

Overall, though, the Rocky Mountains afford some breathtaking views quite different from the Florida landscape. This cool mountain stream was just begging to be rafted.

We found a great little museum up in the Rockies at the site of Buffalo Bill's grave. It played homage to not only Buffalo Bill, but the Native American tribes of the plains. Pictured above is the exhibit displaying a portrait of Sitting Bull and some of his personal items including a beautiful ceremonial war bonnet. There is a website that is devoted to the life history of Buffalo Bill and the exhibits at this museum at www.buffalobill.org

Well that's about all for now cowboys and cowgirls, back to the soupy heat of South Florida. Happy trails to you.....until we meet again.

Summertime Blues

2009-07-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

It's not yet the middle of the summer and I'm already looking forward to the end. Although there has been a break in the number of birds admitted at the Center, the working conditions have become almost unbearable. I hear from folks all over the country that this year has seen an explosion of mosquito populations. That's pretty much always a given in South Florida, but they are much fiercer and numerous this year. Maybe it's the heat. The heat has been absolutely unbearable this year as we've reached record levels for week long durations at least twice that I can remember. Again it's a given that it's hot in South Florida, but when you work outside, 5 more degrees make it miserable.

All of these minor inconveniences aside, a rather catastrophic event tops my reasons for wishing the summer away, the closure of one the largest wildlife rehabilitation centers in South Florida. The Folke Peterson Wildlife Center is closing its doors due to lack of funding. Given the state of our economy and all of the other closures, why should we care about just one more? Given that thousands of people are out of work and major companies such as GM and Chrysler are in danger of disappearing forever, why does this stand out as particularly tragic?

For starters, Folke Peterson has treated approximately 5,000 animals per year. These animals range from squirrels, blue jays, ducks, herons, pelicans, hawks, owls, eagles, deer, and foxes. Faced with the closure of this center, citizens are now faced with driving to other wildlife centers that may be up to 50 miles away. Likewise, those that are unable or unwilling to drive will not have the option of Folke Peterson staff members picking up the animals. So how many of these animals will die a long suffering death in the street or be cared for improperly by well meaning citizens and either die or become permanently maimed? Half? One third? That's still 1-2 thousand animals a year. The faces of these animals that are not saved are the most heartbreaking consequences of the failure of our economy as it has affected those who would be able to donate funds to this facility. As the financially well off scramble to secure their uncertain futures, somewhere an animal with a simple injury that would be treated at Folke Peterson Wildlife is placed back in the wild to slowly starve to death or be devoured by a feral cat.

For humanity, why should this matter? These animals don't belong to us, and their survival doesn't affect ours. I have considered this matter many times, why do people rescue animals? In part, I believe that in many cases people feel helpless in their everyday lives or existence. They go about their business and everyday lives with little control over the greater scheme of the stock market, international conflicts, safety of their children when they go off to school, etc etc, you get the picture. When presented with an injured or orphaned animal, they are presented with an opportunity to do something greater, to change the world for THIS animal. For a moment, especially in these dark times, people are given a reason to hope, to see that there are moments in life when you CAN make a difference. Sadly without the help of Folke Peterson Wildlife Center, the light of hope will never exist for many of these animals and people who would help them. Depressing? Yes it is, but it is reality.

The effects of this closure are also far reaching in the South Florida community. There are those of us (myself included) that depend on the expertise and facilities that Folke Peterson Wildlife Center possess to assist with difficult cases or the overflow of wildlife. Likewise we have assisted them in times of overflow and in difficult cases. This was initially why Folke Peterson Widlife Center was created, to assist local rehabilitators and as a teaching facility. It has grown to what it is from that initial vision, and in 5 short years, that dream is now disappearing.

For myself, this is heartbreaking and feels a lot like a small knife in my heart and brings a lump to my throat when I think of the lights being turned out and the doors locked forever on this wonderful place of sanctuary and healing. For the people who have poured their hearts and souls into this place it is an unbearable sadness that I'm sure dwarfs mine by miles in comparison. They have stood by loyally to the very end, watching animals leave to their new homes and answering the phone only to tell people that they cannot help them with their injured wildlife. I know that this must be the hardest part for them is to go against what is infinitely ingrained in their personas, to help. As time ticks away, they still wait for that miracle that will save their precious center. There may be one.....I hope and pray that someone out there can still help.

Yes I can't wait for this summer to be over.

Some uncommon babies at the Center

2009-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

This time of year we never know what will come to our center. The first chimney swifts were admitted that I've seen in my 5 1/2 years at the Miami Science Museum. These strange birds behave a lot like bats rather than birds, even clinging to the towel as seen in the above photo before they were transferred to Pelican Harbor Seabird station. These birds are appropriately named because they have adapted over the years to nest in chimneys because of the loss of habitat with the destruction of forests. They are seasonal migrants and only seen in most of North America during the spring/summer months.

This close up of the baby swift shows how birds develop. These birds are normally hatched naked but the feathers develop as little pin like growths all over their bodies. They are appropriately called "pin feathers" and indicate that the baby is unable to care for itself. I highly encourage you to read more at this great website I found at www.chimneyswifts.org

Likewise, this little bird pictured here is a loggerhead shrike. Although it may look very much like a blue jay or mockingbird, it behaves a lot like a raptor minus the talons. You can see the slight curve to the beak which is used for severing the spinal cord of its prey. It is mostly an insect eater, but will hunt mice, small birds, and lizards. Perhaps the most distinctive trait of this bird is the habit of wedging the prey on a thorn, or spike in a medieval fashion while ripping it apart. For more reading go to http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/logshrike.htm You never know what unusual patient may be around the corner next!

Back Where They Belong

2009-05-31T19:10:00.000-07:00

This beautiful little hawk is a young cooper's hawk that had fallen from the nest tree during the start of the rainy season here in South Florida. Her sibling arrived at the Miami Science Museum just two days before. We were unable to return them to the nest immediately due to ongoing storms which put not only the birds, but the humans at risk. We nervously waited a week but when we arrived, we not only found both parents, but another sibling still in the nest tree. Remaining baby in tree.

All renesting photos courtesy of Richard Williams, the concerned resident who brought both birds to our center.Parent in nearby tree
I prepare the youngster for the last leg of her trip home.

Once again Jeff Fobb is there to assist and he has positioned himself in the nest tree.

I climb up to make the hand off to Jeff. The young hawk is hooded to keep her calm.
Fortunately it was a success, but.....part of the story is missing in these photos. Would have been a great shot for a few laughs had Richard gotten the prelude to why I'm holding this young hawk who is now wet. Can't blame him though, we were all sort of in shock as the bird flew around from branches and towards the lake. She made a desperate attempt to grab at a palm tree that we all knew was a doomed effort, and fluttered into the lake, quite gently if I may say so! What happened next got me hauling my butt off the ladder rather quickly. A big black male muscovy duck made a beeline for our young friend and she desperately began to swim for the shore. As the duck gained ground I sprinted towards the lake, tossing my cell phone in the grass and heading straight into the lake with shoes, socks and all other clothing intact. Thankfully the lake was shallow, the hawk was within arms reach, and the only wet clothing I had to endure were the socks. The bird was safe.

On the third try of placing the bird in a tree farther away from the lake, the young hawk dried out a bit before flying about 10 feet across to the tree containing her siblings, and we all breathed in relief as she settled on a branch next to her other sibling and one of her parents. Too bad no one caught the more glamorous side of this story on film, but hopefully you got the gist of it and clapped just as we did at the happy ending to this story.

Taking a break, visiting animals in Georgia

2009-05-24T19:57:00.001-07:00

What an amazing visit I had back to my original home town, Atlanta Georgia. When I left 9 years ago, I wasn't an animal rehabilitator and barely had started my journey with birds of prey. So what a treat to visit and learn about animals with which I had no hands on experience.

This rather unique face came slowly waddling over to me at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell Georgia. Trust me, these animals are not usually so friendly, and I do NOT recommend trying this on your own. Because the director and I had previously communicated, I was privledged to receive a personal up close view of this amazing creature. This animal was orphaned as an infant when a trapper, ignorant of beaver natural behavior, mistakenly believed this animal's older sibling was the newborn baby. He almost died along with his brother from the time elapsed before discovered. I learned that beavers have a very close knit family structure and live together in what is called a "lodge." He has been in captivity for around 13 years and recently alone when his brother sadly died of organ failure.

This cute little guy is one of the most critically endangered freshwater turtles in the eastern United States. The bog turtle unfortunately suffers from overcollection for the black market pet trade as well as for the fragmentation of habitat which has reduced the overall variety of genetic variation. This individual is part of a breeding program to help re-establish the wild population through captive breeding. There is some great information at http://www.fish.state.pa.us/education/catalog/ab/bogturtle/bogturtl.htm

The next day was one I would not soon forget! I was again honored to get a behind the scenes visit at the Georgia Aquarium courtesy of our head veterinary consultant Dr. Gregory Bossart. I was thrilled (to say the least) to come this close to a beautiful beluga whale while it was in a training/enrichment session. Training is very important for marine mammals as they are exceedingly intelligent creatures and need varied mental stimulation and social interaction. It increases the trust and bond between the animals and handlers. Another added benefit is that medical procedures are performed with less stress when the animals are trained to present body parts for examinations and injections.

Lastly, it's no wonder that I love animals so much, considering that animals have always been a part of my life and my family too! Here's my mom's latest, Izzy, a two year old bundle of energy called a yorkshire terrier.

Helping Others Who Help Animals

2009-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

From time to time, the Miami Science Museum's Wildlife Center is asked by another institution to participate in a very special event to raise funds. In these difficult financial times, these events loom large in the continued survival of non for profit organizations. We were honored to support the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium in their annual Spring Fling at the Ft Myers Convention Center. Pictured below are some of their reptiles featured inside.
Our friends at Calusa Nature Center have given homes to several permanently disabled raptors from our center. Although this bald eagle pictured here didn't come from our center, he was rescued in Kansas from a prison facility. Their center has been home to screech owls, a red shouldered hawk, and a great horned owl from our facility.

We were also thrilled to meet animal advocate and television celebrity Jack Hanna at this event. He presented several videos presenting various causes ranging from sea turtles to mountain gorillas. There were a lot of cool and interesting animals for us to see (other than our own). Pictured below is me with our short tailed hawk and Jack Hanna of course.

On Saturday I attended Folke Peterson Wildlife Center's annual fundraiser. There was arts, crafts, facepainters, the police department with their working animals, and tours of the beautiful display cages along the Findley trail housing birds of prey, waterbirds and grey squirrels. The highlight of my day however was meeting this beautiful swallowtail kite. This bird resides at the center as an educational ambassador. Swallowtail kites are named for their long scissorlike tail and their ability to glide along the thermals hanging in the sky motionless like a kite. Their diet is primarily insects but also small amphibians and sometimes birds.

Please support your local non for profit organization in these difficult economic times, whoever it may be, no matter how small your donation. Without these organizations, who will be there when you need help?

How do you practice rattlesnake medicine?

2009-04-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

Answer: very carefully! This canebrake rattlesnake is the latest snake to be treated in the wildlife hospital. With the help of our friend Jeff Fobb from the Miami Dade Venom One Response Unit, we were able to restrain this snake to have a closer look at what appears to be some sort of condition affecting the head of this snake. But first the snake must be coaxed into the clear tube to create a safe environment for the team to examine her.

Once safely inside the tube we can safely handle this dangerous pit viper to get samples to send off to the lab for a more accurate picture of what may be going on inside the unhappy patient.

Fortunately, she could not double back through the tube.

Finally, we had to go after the most dangerous part of the operation, the mouth of the snake. I found it quite interesting that she kept her fangs "sheathed" or covered by the protective soft tissue of the mouth to protect them from injuries. Not such a nice snake as one might initially think, but certainly a smart one.

We are very grateful to be under the advisement of Dr. Doug Mader, one of the leading reptile experts in the country for this particular case. So far with very minimal treatment, her attitude has improved greatly and we are still waiting for some of our results. With any luck, she will be back in her enclosure in no time.

A Python in the Hospital!

2009-04-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

We jumped at the chance to help our friends at the Miami Dade Venom Response Unit with this rather large python that they use for their education programs. We realized however that we may have bitten off a little more than we could chew! At almost 80 pounds this patient was NOT content to be a willing participant in her treatment for an upper respiratory and mouth infection. With a little help and training however, we have figured out a reasonable treatment plan for this animal.

This snake is instrumental in educating people about the importance of responsible pet ownership. Pythons, especially burmese pythons, like this one are thriving in unknown numbers in the heart of the Florida Everglades. They represent the threat of an ecological disaster as they are a super predator that will prey on birds, mammals, and even alligators as seen in incredible pictures circulating on the Internet. How did this happen? People impulsively purchase exotic animals without considering the long term housing and growth patterns of these animals. When no longer able or interested in keeping them, they release them in the wild rather than to find an appropriate home. This particular snake was captured in January in Homestead Florida, the doorstep to the Florida Everglades. It is tame enough to be handled, but still wild enough to show the dangerous nature of these large predators.

Lt. Jeff Fobb (pictured above) trained us on how to safely remove the python from her enclosure and how to secure her head for the mouth rinse that would help clean the infection.

The brown substance in the mouth is betadine, an antiseptic used to clean wounds. Although the mouth is a little scary to look at, it is not what puts the handler at risk. This python could easily kill and digest a small goat kills by constriction, or squeezing, not by venom. Luckily, this particular snake is not overly aggressive and only defends itself against our advances to extract it from its cage and forcibly restrain it as we administer treatment.

Finally after all these treatments, the snake is treated with a nice shower from Lt. Fobb. It seems to enjoy this rather relaxing end. For more information on pythons in the everglades go to http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/10/22/predators.in.paradise/index.html. Also look for the story on this transfer to us on Animal Planet's Animal Cops Miami.

2009-04-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at our littlest eastern screech owl admitted so far this season. He/she is absolutely adorable and I got all of the doting out of my system the day it came in. I then turned it over to the second foster mom to give Lucille a little break. This little owl is one of the most fierce, yet sneaky dive-bombers that we have at our center. Her aggression preceeded the beginning of baby season and no one was safe as we entered the mew that she shares with several other screech owls. My advice for all that enter her realm: just keep your head down so her attack lands on the back of your head. I was unfortunate one year to look up and get four little needle sharp talons right on my forehead!

A Word About Baby Mammals

2009-03-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

Lately, it seems as if the mammals have replaced birds as the number one patient at the Miami Science Museum's Rehabilitation Center. At about 8 weeks old this grey squirrel is severely underweight and suffering from a broken front leg. Every year, well meaning individuals cost squirrels such as this one their lives from improper feeding and lack of medical attention.

Did you know that it can take days of fluid therapy before a young mammal is ready to be fed a commercial or home made formula. Likewise they must be fed sometimes every 2 hours when very young in order to develop normally. And they must be stimulated to urinate/defecate every time you feed them. Still have time to take care of that baby squirrel you found in the yard? Consider this. If you are lucky enough to feed it the proper diet, AND manage to avoid allowing the youngster to aspirate or inhale formula into its lungs and develop pneumonia, you may want to consider what will happen to this animal later. Without the proper socialization with other squirrels, it will be socially and mentally lost when you try to release it later. It will no doubt not want to leave the safety of your care and be "imprinted" on humans. As a rehabber I can tell you it is disheartening and sometimes infuriating to see these animals end up like this, robbed of a life in the wild because of some human's well meaning yet poorly handled attempts to rehabilitate them. If you want to raise squirrels, why not volunteer at a rehabilitation center? We always need help!
It is interesting however, to note people's responses to opossums. I was recently amazed to hear all the pro opossum discussion amongst my neighbors. People were actually excited about having them in their backyards and felt that they were beneficial to keeping the rats away (they are). It would seem that slowly but surely, the old stereotypes of the vicious opossum is giving way to the actual facts about how amazing they are. As the only North American marsupial, the female gives birth to underdeveloped young that once born, crawl into the pouch and attach to the nipple for several weeks until fully developed. Once they crawl out, they continue to cling onto the mother for a few more weeks until ready to survive on their own. We occasionally receive them after they have accidentally fallen off and are about ready to survive on their own. Unfortunately however, the majority of babies this time of year come from the pouches of dead mothers struggling to cross the road with their heavy load. You can help them by watching out for them out on the road late at night and giving them more time. Also, please make sure to turn on lights for a couple of minutes before letting your dog outside, it may give that mother opossum a little more time to get going before falling victim to a large dog.

This is a sad picture I know, but a necessary image to convey the seriousness of the situation. This mother opossum actually survived for several days with a fractured skull and jaw. She was able to survive and give her babies a little more of her milk and a better fighting chance before she passed. Rest in peace mother opossum.

Saying Goodbyes Yet Again

2009-03-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

It was bittersweet as we said goodbye to one of our long term cases, a juvenile cooper's hawk that had come into our center as an orphan last season. It had been a mystery as to where her parents were and nest were. She had been found by a concerned citizen on the side of the road. One of our volunteers, also a falconer searched for her nest and siblings in the area but was unsuccessful. She fared very well in captivity and our plans were to release her as soon as she had some flight time and experience hunting. She did however contract a very devastating infection in her mouth which resulted in a deformity on the opposite side of her face that is pictured here. While this deformity never impeded her ability to eat, it was feared that it was greatly weakened by this deformity and would be a heightened risk of breakage in the wild. Kept in captivity, she could be monitored closely and receive medical attention should injury occur.

Because she was admitted at such an early age and constantly handled for medical treatments, this bird became very acclimated to humans and thus a star candidate for wildlife education. It was very tempting to keep this non releasable bird at our center for our education program. She would have surely proved to be an excellent advocate for the cooper's hawk in the wild, especially considering the constant persecution we see of them by domestic bird breeders and keepers. We opted however for her to be placed into an educational program in which she could be free flown by experienced master falconer Ray Pena http://www.flightoftheraptor.com/ for literally thousands of people who attend Renaissance Festivals all around the country including Florida. Although I would greatly miss her, I was thrilled that she would be able to fly free among the admiration of the adoring fans she would surely gain visiting the various Renaissance Festivals. You bet I will be there to visit her next year!

Another happy moment to report as a red tailed hawk was returned back to the neighborhood in which it was found. Museum wildlife staff member Meranda assisted an excited young man in releasing this hawk, which had suffered from an unknown illness, perhaps a mild toxicity. After an initial period of stabilization, this bird recovered very quickly. The entire neighborhood anxiously awaited the news that their frequently seen hawk was ready to return home. As you can see, it was quite the celebration and everyone turned out for this happy moment. We are always proud to see such enthusiasm and to share these miracles. It is the everyday citizen who is the critical link in saving these birds. Without them, we wouldn't be able to share these successes.

Another Spectacular Release

2009-03-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice shot of another member of the Miami Dade County Firefighter's Venom Response Unit. Lisa Wood, a former wildlife rehabilitator was excited as we prepared to release a sharp shinned hawk that fully recovered from a particularly nasty fracture to her wing into a beautiful park in rural Davie Florida. Sharp shinned hawks, like cooper's hawks are accipiters and primarily prey upon other birds in an ambush style of hunting. We only see these little guys during the migration season which is slowly winding down. It seems as if we saw many more of these adorable, but amazing little hawks this year than in previous years. One can only hope that this is a good sign that they are either becoming more numerous or adapting to an urban lifestyle. In either case, it may mean that we will continue to see more and more of them every year. The cooper's hawk has made quite a living hunting abundantly in urban areas as pigeons, doves, and starlings abound. It does however make them an unfortunate target of those who would shoot them out of hatred for their adaptability and unfortunate habit of hanging around domestic pigeon breeders. Lets hope that the sharp-shinned hawk, because of its diminutive size, can slip under the radar.

Some Familiar Faces Return

2009-02-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

It is time once again for us to start receiving eastern screech owls by the dozens as concerned residents of Miami and surrounding areas bring them to us at the Miami Science Museum in Coconut Grove. There are numbers listed to the left of this post to guide anyone in South Florida on who to call in the event you find baby birds, owl or otherwise. Most of these centers are extremely busy this time of year and may have important recorded information that may answer your questions or guide you to other resources that may help. Please do not hang up when you hear the recording, we will return your message. For more information on rescuing baby birds, please visit http://www.redhawksister.com/howtorescuebabies.htm If you are not from South Florida, I will be happy to assist you in finding a rehabilitator in your area. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the post.

Eastern screech owls are the most frequently admitted raptor at our center. Last year we saw 80 screech owls, 50 of them being "orphans." But what constitutes an orphan? Many times people rescue a baby bird thinking that there are no parents around, or they are afraid that the parents will "smell the human" on their young and reject it. This is NOT true! Birds have a very poor sense of smell and do not identify their young by smell. In fact, birds will quite often feed a gaping mouth of their own species regardless of whether it is their own. That's why we are very fortunate at the Miami Science Museum.

The adult screech owl, Lucille is not this baby's parent. Lucille is a former patient who has raised well over a hundred babies in the 5 years since my employ at the center. She is an imprint, raised by humans when she herself was a baby. Because of her lack of exposure to her own kind she was unequipped to survive in the wild. The parenting instinct, however, proved to be overwhelmingly natural for her, so she has served her foster lings well, giving them a chance to be returned to the wild in as natural of a behavioral state as possible. The babies are also socialized in an outdoor secluded area with other adults, prior to their release.

You can read more about our orphaned screech owl program at http://www.redhawksister.com/screechowl_rehab.htm

Taking a break

2009-02-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd take some time out from the madness of the rehabilitation side of my work. This is a shot of Jefferson, our resident Golden Eagle. He is retired from being handled on the glove so he must find other ways of occupying his time. As I drove into work one day, I noticed a lot of the hedges were trimmed along the side of the parking lot. My co-worker Sonia collected them up and made an offering to him. It didn't take long until he was happily plucking, or rather destroying the branches. We are not really sure if he is performing some type of nesting behavior or simply venting some hormonal frustration. It is after all, the beginning of the nesting season down here.

More Happy Endings

2009-02-15T12:24:00.000-08:00

There was a lot to celebrate this past week as we were able to release 3 more birds including this cooper's hawk pictured just before release at the local zoo where she was found. Note the long tail that extends well beyond the long slender legs and toes. The cooper's hawk belongs to a family of raptors called accipiters. These high strung raptors prey mostly on other birds, but also small mammals. Because of these tendencies they are widely persecuted by keepers of domestic birds, especially pigeon breeders and racers. If you have read any of my previous entries, you know what a strong dislike I have for these individuals. I have seen it over and over this year and it is absolutely heartbreaking to imagine the hatred these individuals have for these magnificent birds. I have comforted many individuals that brought these birds to our center when they learn of the nature of these injuries. I appreciate those of you who share my outrage and I urge you to spread the word. The following link shows the depth of this problem. Please share this with others. The only way it will stop is if people realize the extent of the killing, and that is not just a group of mischievous children. These are adults who profess themselves to be animal lovers. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_11_53/ai_n20512695.

Speaking of shooting victims? Remember this dark phase short tailed hawk? It was admitted to our center back in December, after being shot through the wing. You can go back and view the xray under the posting "Rare and Beautiful Patient." These birds are rare sightings and many years we don't see any. This year however, we saw 4 and sadly this one is the only one to recover from its injuries. It is already banded, but will be fitted with a transmitter so that researchers can learn more about this elusive bird found only in South Florida and further down into Central and South America.

Finally, we also released a broadwing hawk that was found unable to fly. We suspected trauma, but quickly changed our opinion as the bird quickly began to deteriorate, displaying symptoms of toxicity. Luckily we were able to treat it in time and it made a full recovery in a short three weeks. It was released back in the neighborhood in which it was found, much to the delight of the retired couple that showed up to watch its happy return.

Double your pleasure-two vultures released

2009-02-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

Two turkey vultures were released this week only a couple of miles from downtown Miami. Why might you ask do we release them there? Simple, that's where they spend their days in the winter. I regularly watch them go back and forth over the Museum at the beginning and toward the end of the day. From time to time we see them flying really low and you can often see their eyes checking you out as they swoop in low to see if they can figure out why all of those birds are down there.

Turkey vultures migrate in large numbers for the winter and fill our skies until spring. Although seemingly sinister to some, they are shy creatures and do not prey on live animals, but prefer to fulfill the role of nature's garbage men. Some may consider them ugly and unappealing, but to see a vulture in flight is truly a majestic sight for me at least.

These unfortunate two were admitted last week after becoming trapped inside an atrium on the roof of a condominium. Thankfully, they only suffered trauma as a result of their predicament and just needed a few days and a few good meals before they were again ready to soar above the high rise buildings in downtown.

Vultures are extremely tough and resilient creatures, but we must treat them quickly as with any bird that needs help. Bird bones are hollow and heal twice as quickly as mammal bones. Delayed treatment can result in an injury that cannot be fixed. Birds will not remain on the ground as a general rule unless feeding. Please report any bird that has been on the ground for more than a couple of hours to your local wildlife rehabilitator.

Update on shot cooper's hawk

2009-02-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately the news is not good. As you can plainly see, there is a pellet lodged in the chest of this bird. The other metal that shows up in this xray are the surgical staples that were used to temporarily close the hole. This bird was transferred to Folke Peterson Wildlife for surgery. Dr. Beth Hirschfeld performed the surgery and was able to dislodge the pellet which was putting undo pressure on the bird's lungs, accounting for the respiratory symptoms we had already seen. The bird went into respiratory arrest shortly after the pellet was removed and died. Such a shame that such an incredibly beautiful bird was lost to the world because of such a thoughtless and cruel act.

Admission of shot cooper's hawk

2009-01-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

One of the main goals of this blog is to bring public awareness to the plight of human inflicted injuries to birds of prey and other wildlife. I believe that if more people can witness these atrocities and the face of the individual animals they might think twice about walking away as they occur or keeping their mouths shut when they hear someone bragging about shooting that pesky critter that's been hanging around. It is morally wrong in my opinion to persecute an animal for its inherent nature, especially when its only crime is being born of some creature that some human deems unworthy to draw breath.

This beautiful fully mature cooper's hawk was admitted with a hole in her lower abdomen and one in her back. Although we have yet to find any remnants of ammunition, it looks suspiciously like a bullet wound (theorized as a high powered rifle by our resident gun expert). Cooper's hawks are frequently persecuted by bird fanciers and livestock owners. It is a federal crime and these people can only be prosecuted with the help of concerned people who are willing to get involved.

Although it certainly seems miraculous that this bird survived this heinous attack, she is not out of the woods yet. We will not know the full extent of her injuries until an x ray or radiograph is taken. She may have internal injuries as she has already exhibited respiratory distress. These pictures may be hard to look at, but I feel that it is important that people are exposed to this. Just think what the bird is and will be going through.

We also received a short tailed hawk also suspected of being shot. There was a massive amount of bleeding around the site. This bird unfortunately perished as a result of her injuries. This will make the fourth short tail received this season. A rare visitor to our center, and all under suspicion of gunshot injury.

3 reasons to celebrate the new year

2009-01-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

As usual, at the end of any given year we still have quite a few patients in rehabilitation from the yearly migration. Because Miami and the Florida Keys are considered hot spots in the Atlantic Flyway and one of the last stops before heading over the ocean, we see more of a variety raptors this time of year than any other. Starting in late September and early October, we will see the first of these visitors, the peregrine falcons.

This peregrine falcon was the last one received in 2008. She arrived with no visible injuries other than a massive amount of weight and the inability to fly. Laboratory tests yielded no conclusive answers other than the extra weight causing an enormous amount of stress on her internal organs. Her reluctance to feed was another cause for concern as peregrine falcons seem to be willing to eat rather readily. As her appetite came around and she finally began to eat, we were disheartened to find that she had injured herself in her outside enclosure. It seemed that every gain that we were to make ended up in a loss right behind it.

I brought the bird back inside so that I could treat and monitor the injuries, and I became quite fond of her. Though she was a wild creature with all the characteristics that any patient would have, I could see quite readily why the peregrine falcon was so coveted and beloved by falconers all over the world. In fact, at this moment I'm reading Jim Enderson's "Peregrine Falcon: Stories of the Blue Meanie." It is a fascinating account of the history of the loss of the peregrine and other raptors due to the use of a pesticide called DDT. Although I am only about a third of the way through, I look forward to reading about how the peregrine made a comeback as Enderson hints early on that it was a labor of love by field biologists, falconers, and many others.

It was a very happy moment for me this day when I watched her fly away and over the building without a look back. This is where she belonged, back in the world and free, and to resume the next chapter in her life. I would be maybe a distant memory for her, but she would always be remembered, as are all of the peregrines that stay for any amount of time. You can follow the migration of peregrine falcons from their home in the Artic to South America on one of my favorite raptor sites the Falcon Research Group's http://www.frg.org/. Don't forget to look for the links to the Southern Cross Peregrine Project, their blog about their research on wild peregrines using transmitters for tracking. It is very interesting!

Not to be understated, we also released an American kestrel this same day. This tiny little falcon was admitted with a fractured wing that healed beautifully. He was the picture of health and flew away with no problem. The American kestrel is the smallest of all North American falcons and migrates in large numbers also to Florida for the winter season.

Lastly, at the end of the day an eastern screech owl (our educational screech owl is pictured here) was released back into the area where it was found in West Miami near the Everglades. This owl was found in the middle of the road, likely hit by a car. After a little rest and recuperation, it was ready to return to its home and possibly its mate as breeding season is upon us very, very soon. We will have but a brief few weeks between the migration and baby season to catch our breath.

Why Rehabilitation, Does It Matter?

2009-01-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

What a week! Between getting over the holidays and rounding up all of the records that will be included in a report to the federal government, I've had barely time to breathe. I've been sitting on a couple of pictures that I've been dying to post, when it occurred to me that I wanted to address this controversial question that has recently popped up in a fight over the validity of wildlife rehabilitation in the state of North Dakota. Seems that state wildlife agencies believe that the contribution of rehabilitators is insignificant and even at times detrimental to wildlife populations. The outcry against this decision caused reconsideration.. You can read about it in the Grand Forks Herald at http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=100107&section=News

I have many thoughts on this issue, some of which border on the highly emotional "over the top" variety, but I would like to present a couple of cases that arrived this week as evidence for why rehabilitation is so important, both for the animals themselves and for humanity as a whole. It is a lengthy post, but one I hope will be thought provoking.

Example # 1
The evil that men (or women) do

You are looking at a photo of a mourning dove that was admitted at the Miami Science Museum on Wednesday January 7, 2009. What you see protruding from either side of the bird is a blowdart from a blowgun. Unfortunately, I didn't think to snap a picture before I cut off the sharp end and taped it to prevent further injury to the bird or handlers. You can however clearly see that it has been impaled, likely from a person standing over it probably while it was feeding on the ground at a feeder. It was transferred to Pelican Harbor Seabird Station for further care. The dart could not be removed without causing immediate further damage and possible uncontrolled bleeding. Unfortunately it died before surgery could be performed to attempt this delicate procedure.

The woman who discovered this bird, worked tirelessly to find out where to take it. It is not always easy for members of the public to find rehabilitators. After all, there's not a listing in the yellow pages like veterinarians or even pet groomers. Then, after she found the Miami Science Museum, she was faced with the task of capturing the bird. I could not go to the location as I was on the way to an appointment for a recheck on another bird. I offered her the option of bringing it to the vet's office. She agreed but did not come because she could not find the bird. I was now on the way back from the vet's office and I counseled her on where to look for the bird. Finally at around 6pm she called again to tell me she had found it and I was able to arrange with one of our volunteers to receive the bird from her.

Now, imagine this scenario playing out without the rehabilitator. She may have never found the bird, because between the time she saw it and the time I told her to retrieve it and bring it to the vet's office, the bird went and hid. Then if she had in fact found the bird and found no one to help her, she may have attempted to pull the dart out and the bird would have possibly bled to death in front of her.

It would be completely reasonable to say, well the bird would have died quickly rather than in two days. I say however, how would this have affected this person, who by the way was extremely distraught by the cruelty of the individual who had speared this bird? Would she make the effort to save another injured or suffering animal? Because if she did, who would help her anyway? Maybe she would encourage others to do nothing. Or maybe she would continue to try to help, and unknowingly cause the death of a savable animal because of her lack of knowledge.

I say it is not the outcome of this case, but rather what qualities in the human being this little creature brought out. I believe that many or even most of us want to help the helpless, and by feeling that we helped an animal that would have suffered and died a painful death without us, helps us to feel that we can somehow affect a balance for this horrendous act. We were also able to share this story with others as the news media broadcast the photo. Hopefully we were able to spread the word that help is there if they need it, and yes one person can make a difference.

Example #2

There are happy endings
This little hawk is called a sharp shinned hawk. These tiny little bird hunters migrate to our area during the winter months. A concerned citizen found this bird in his back yard unable to fly. it was rescued by the Venom One Response Unit of the Miami Dade Fire Department. They have donated their rescue services this year and become a valuable resource for us during the busiest part of our year. Many thanks always to them for their dedication to saving animals all across Miami Dade County!

We believed that the hawk was suffering from severe head trauma, most likely from a collision with a window, and after less than a month at our facility, it was time for its release back into the wild. The other shots show myself and Lt. Jeff Fobb releasing the bird just outside our facility. Since these birds are migratory, we are allowed to release them in locations of our discretion. The neighborhood of Coconut Grove is comprised of dense canopy and lies within the Atlantic flyway for many migratory birds of prey.

Moments like this are the holy grail of wildlife rehabilitation. Not only do we save the individual, but we contribute to the overall survival of the species by returning an individual that may successfully mate and raise young. To the skeptics and critics of wildlife rehabilitation who claim that a certain percentage of the wildlife population is doomed to die in their first year, I say does that take into account all of the man made obstacles such as cars, windows, buildings, shotguns, and poisons? I see more than enough animals that do not make this comeback from these hazards. So we celebrate these moments of triumph and hope that you will as well, and support wildlife rehabilitation in whatever corner of the world wildlife thrives!

Hawk with injured eye gets specialty care

2008-12-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

A broadwing hawk with an injured eye received surgery today from our eye specialist. Dr. Lorraine Karpinski, is a veterinary ophthalmologist who provides this very valuable service to our facility. This bird presented with an injury to its eye possibly caused by a projectile. Because scar tissue formed around the original injury despite our best efforts at treatment, the pupil became stuck in the constricted position. Dr. Karpinski was able to free the scar tissue therefore opening the pupil. Only time will tell if this bird will regain sight in this eye. The gentleman that rescued this bird keeps in touch with me for periodic updates about the bird's future. It is my hope that all who contributed to this bird's journey can join us for a release in the future. Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, the following shots show the clinic owner Dr. Dugan preparing the bird for anesthesia, Dr Karpinski performing the surgery, and the bird's eye post operation. Look closely, you will see the remainder of bubbles from a substance injected into the eye that were purposely left in to monitor closely whether or not the sutures have kept the interior of the eye water tight.

Happy Holidays (better late than never)

2008-12-26T07:45:00.001-08:00

Photoshop is so much fun! This is one of our giant aldabra tortoises posing for me to make this great shot!

Rare and beautiful patient

2008-12-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

This rare short tailed hawk arrived last week with a broken wing. This bird was banded by one of the area researchers so we knew that this was a female, first year or juvenile bird. The short tailed hawk is only found only in Florida in the United States. Otherwise the population resides primarily in Central and South America. Their diet consists primarily of birds but they will eat rodents or reptiles. There are two color morphs, a dark phase like this one and a light phase.

Unfortunately, for this bird and many others like her, she was shot by some uncaring human that had little regard for her life. We receive dozens of birds each year that bear the marks of being shot. Fortunately for this bird most of the bullet went all the way through the wing and caused a limited amount of damage. Some fragments of the bullet were however left in as you can see in this x-ray (services donated by Pinecrest Veterinary Hospital).

Others are not so lucky. Their gunshot wounds leave them mortally wounded, left to suffer in pain, to starve to death, and eventually die. By the time we see them at our center many of them have severe infections or the bone has been destroyed rendering them grounded forever.

In particular, there are individuals who keep birds for pets, sport, or farm fowl who will shoot a raptor on sight, just to remove any threat that their pets or livestock would be harmed. Little do these ignorant individuals realize that most of the raptors down here in Miami are simply passing through and may not even stop to prey on their animals. What a tragic shame to lose such a magnificent creature based upon what might happen. Furthermore, what arrogance and malice possesses someone to assume that they have the right to decide what creature lives and dies based upon their own selfish needs. Better yet what gives these people the right to play God and to claim the sky above their head as their own or to take away my right to enjoy the everyday sight of them flying across the sky?

Seriously folks, it is time for people to stand up to these people and say no more. Please report any gunshot raptors to your local U S Fish and Wildlife Office. The home page of their website is at http://www.fws.gov/birds/. It is against the law to shoot any migratory bird, including raptors. Please take the time to report these crimes. Don't let these people take our birds and our skies away from us.

In the meantime, I will keep you posted on this beautiful patient and keep your fingers crossed that she will one day fly again.

Back on my Blog!

2008-12-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Well it's been more than a year since I posted anything. I think that what happens to us is that we neglect something for so long that we feel it is an unsurmountable task to reconnect and just jump back in without some symbolic gesture that we are back. At least it feels that way to me. So here I am back again ready to share the unique world of raptor rehabilitation with the world. This time I will not attempt to write a novel each time, but just try to share snippets of my world as I believe that is what these blogs are designed to do. I have other animal interests I will share from time to time and I am lucky that I get to see all kinds in my work.

Here's one of my favorite photos of me 5 years ago with one of the first birds I felt connected with at my current job. His name is Mr. Pepe, a red-shouldered hawk. He was brought to the Museum by a rehabilitator who had unknowingly "imprinted" him. Imprinting is the method by which an animal, at an early age, associates him/herself with another creature/caregiver so that he/she can model and adapt all future social behavior to that individual. In the wild, imprinting is an important process for the baby animal and will ensure that it is cared for properly and can at some point in the future pair up with and breed with another member of its kind. When an animal is allowed to imprint onto a human, it will ruin the animal's chance for survival in the wild as it will be maladapted to all of the behaviors necessary for its social success with other members.

For example, one year I attempted to introduce Mr. Pepe to an orphaned red shouldered hawk with the hopes of giving the orphan a chance to associate with his own kind and socialize with an adult red shouldered hawk. Our great horned owl is also an imprint but will allow young owls to coexist peacefully with him as will our foster mom Lucille, an imprint screech owl. Mr. Pepe however, wouldn't have any of this. As soon as he saw the youngster he flew at it aggressively several times (with me there protecting the youngster) until I deemed the experiment a complete failure.

Mr. Pepe therefore, remains in captivity for the rest of his days because of the ignorance of this individual who allowed him to lose all of his wild instincts. He will continue to be an outstanding ambassador to his wild counterparts. He has since blossomed into a stunning mature red-shouldered hawk. He still has his charms, but has lost his childish ways and at times can be a danger to his handlers due to the surging hormones that can create aggressive behavior in these imprints.

In his current state, Mr. Pepe helps to spread the word of what can go wrong by keeping animals meant to be wild as pets. It may seem fun and really cool, but as always, babies grow up and will always turn into hormonal adults in one way or another and can be dangerous to the unsuspecting human, especially if released into the wild. Please always attempt to contact a wildlife rehabilitator or wildlife officer if you find a baby animal. If you cannot find one in your area, please contact me for assistance.

Looking back- Part 1

2007-10-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

With the migration season upon us, I have very little time to catch my breath before I become very busy with rehabilitating raptors that have not made the migration successfully. Already, we have received in our rehabilitation program two peregrine falcons, three red shouldered hawks, one cooper hawk, one merlin, and one american kestrel.

As I was browsing through my pictures from this last year, it occurred to me that we were blessed with some amazing experiences and some tremendous outcomes that are worth remembering.

Baby season began this year in a rather usual fashion, but quickly progressed to include orphans that we usually don't see at our center. Screech owl orphans always come in by the dozens and this year was no different. We are however ready for them as usual. We are fortunate to have a foster mom that is able to raise the youngsters and provide a necessary role model for them as they grow and develop into adults.

The "teenagers" then progress to hunting school and are offered a variety of live prey to assess their hunting skills. When they have successfully completed this stage of their rehabilitation, they are placed with a group of screech owls to develop and continue their hunting skills before the final stage, hacking.

This "hack box" provides a safe place for the young screech owls to survey their surroundings for a few days before the doors are opened to allow them to fly out at their leisure. They are given food and water while inside the box, but human contact is kept to a minimum to allow them to fully identify with their new surroundings.

Our first challenge came in the form of a notoriously difficult patient, the osprey. Fresh from a rehabilitation conference, I was ready for this challenge. I had attended a class which spoke of the advantages of reuniting young raptors with their parents instead of raising them in captivity. I saw this young osprey as a perfect candidate for this technique as ospreys have rather complex tactics in learning to hunt. They are the only raptor that specialize in catching fish as the main source of their diet, and to do so they must learn hovering skills to hone in on the fish before diving down feet first to snag their catch.

After a week of treatment at our center, the young osprey was ready for his journey back to the wild, but we were unable to locate the parents. The nest had been abandoned due to a band of marauding crows and the fate of its sibling was unknown. The finder, Rebecca was an avid watcher of all the ospreys in the area and knew the location of several other nests, so we set out for the next best thing, an attempt to foster this young bird into another nest.

We picked a location close to the original nest with only one chick to reduce the chances of impact on the established family. The entire "neighborhood" was already enjoying their morning catch. We placed our youngster in a nearby tree so that he could survey the area. After much consideration, he took flight, flying all around the area. I held my breath as he soared over the trees, then returned back to land softly on the nest and welcome himself to his new family. The adult carefully considered her new arrival, then bent down and ripped off a fresh piece of fish to offer to her new family member. It was an awe inspiring moment to realize that our young bird had been accepted into this family and fed by the adult. As we continued to watch, it became more and more evident that this bird would have the opportunity to learn from these foster parents thereby increasing his chances for survival in the wild. I am happy to report that after watching for a couple of days, Rebecca continued to see our young bird in the nest and the adult continued to feed our bird as well as her own chick.

There is much more to come. Stick around for part 2 of this non stop account of spring with the raptors in Miami.

Saying Goodbyes

2007-09-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

In my profession, unfortunately saying goodbye is not always a happy moment such as in the last post. Certain rehabilitation patients are not always released and sadly must sometime be euthanized. It's never easy to let go, to feel a life has been wasted, but there are not enough cages in the world to hold all of the permanently crippled patients that come through our doors. Some of these can never adjust to the restrictions and adjustments they must make to live in captivity. After all, they must learn to trust the enemy, a foreign species nameless to them, but one that is all powerful in the world of captivity. Once the trust has been forged they may live a life of existing within our educational collections, either passively so in an exhibit, or actively by trusting the human in one step further, to sit on a falconry glove in partnership to carry the torch, to spread awareness of the misfortune than landed it in captivity.

They are called wildlife ambassadors, but I prefer to call them heroes, for the simple heroic act performed every day to take that step out of their world into ours. Our world may have seemed confusing at first for all of the gatherings of such creatures that would stare at them, speak in languages they do not understand, and gradually come to accept that no harm would follow such interactions with our kind.

In those moments of solitude between bird and handler, this hero might even decide to allow this foreign creature into its special world. The human may be treated to a playful nibbling on a loose strand of hair, a vocal greeting, or they may share some ancient ritual with the human, treating them wistfully as they would one of their own species thereby actually crossing over the threshold of our world to invite us into theirs.

As a keeper/rehabilitator of wild animals, you never forget your first, and you realize what an amazing honor it is to have this invitation extended to you by a creature you may have thought unreachable, untouchable. It changes your perspective, it changes you.

My first was Victoria. She was a crested caracara who had spent most of her life in a roadside zoo. She had sustained a broken wing and lost multiple toes during her time spent in captivity. When I first started handling her as a volunteer at the Museum, I was warned "she either likes you or she don't." Gratefully she liked me.

She was always very calm on the glove, seemed to be actively studying me as she cocked her head sideways and made eye contact. I had always been taught that birds of prey do not enjoy physical stroking, that it was improper to subject them to it. Touching was only to acclimate them so that certain functions could be performed safely when doing educational programs.

As I went through the motions of getting her used to me touching her for safety reasons, I noticed that her feathers were raised on her head while I was doing this. I had parrots at home and knew that they did this when they were content and soliciting a head rub from me. So I tentatively and slowly raised my hand and began to gently stroke her head. She looked at me as if to say, "well finally, I'm glad you got the hint." She was loving it and bowed her head down further so I could scratch just the right spot. I was absolutely flabbergasted! Everything I thought I knew about birds of prey had just been blown out of the water.

Every week, I excitedly looked forward to my visits with Victoria. I would take her out last so I could spend the most time with her. I was careful to hide my relationship with her from the public to maintain the professional image so important to wild animal education. I quickly became intensely attached to her. I tried not to think about her estimated age of 30 years, because she was so special to me and we had only just found each other.

Until that day. The memory of every moment is forever burned in my mind. The look on the person's face who told me that there was some bad news. I started crying right away, because I knew which bird it would be. Victoria had renal disease (kidney failure) and was not doing well. I hurried up to the hospital to see her. With tears still in my eyes, I greeted her. She excitedly greeted me with her familiar call. I opened the cage and sitting on the floor stroked her head much to her usual adoration. It seemed like an eternity, like a moment frozen that we spent together for the last time. She was euthanized shortly thereafter. I still think of her sometimes when I walk by the enclosure she lived in when I first came to the museum.

A dear friend likewise just lost the first bird she brought into her education program, a beautiful red-tailed hawk named Thane. Like me, she shared an unusual bond that can never be replaced. Like her, I mourn the loss of this special creature, and her world will forever be touched by the memory of Thane as mine is by Victoria.

So this entry is a hero's solute of sorts. For all the birds who give their lives over to us in trust that we will be able to make some difference for their wild counterparts. It is for Thane, for Victoria, and all the countless rest who are forever burned in the memory of some other out there trying to make a difference. Yes, they are all heroes .

Introductions

2007-09-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings! If you've found me, then you are someone who has a interest in the world of wildlife rehabilitation or you just came to know me one way or another and want to keep up with the madness of what I call my daily life!

I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in the care of birds of prey or raptors. I practice at the Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center at the Miami Science Museum in Miami Florida. As you can well imagine, my day to day life is much different from most people. Sometimes I feel like the luckiest person on earth as in this photo. It was taken moments before this first year hawk was returned back to the area where it was found. Just before or after this shot was taken I looked in his eyes and said, "You're going home buddy." I felt everyone present stop and smile down upon this simple moment, savoring the thought before moving on to the particulars of the who, where, when and how of this release. The press was there, along with my director and the bird's finder, Terine who took these phenomenal shots. The chairpersons of the Museum's board had been selected to release this bird with their little granddaughter as a gesture of thanks for their ongoing supports of the rehabilitation program. I was very simply the guardian of this moment, there to guide it, to make sure that all the steps happened in tandem to continue this bird's journey. My role is an essential, yet privileged one, and I never let any bird leave our center without a parting word and prayer for its safe passage back into the life it was meant to live before crossing our path.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one is worth one. One that means everything to many, especially all of these winged wonders that cross my path every day. Freedom. I hope you'll come back and share in my stories again. Until then, find your wings.....