Things are getting busy at REGI...

Things are picking up here at REGI. We have received our first baby bird of the year, a three week old Great Horned Owl baby! This owl may be our first baby, but he definitely will not be our last. As the weather gets nicer, more people will be outside finding not only baby birds, but injured birds as well. Our clinic is full of new patients that have arrived in the last couple of weeks.

There are many ways you can help REGI during this busy time. One way is to check out our Amazon.com wishlists. We have a baby shower wish list, a patient wish list, and most recently an education wish list to help supply our future classroom (more details coming soon!).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/TUDJTMJA0YQA/ref=topnav_lists_1
http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1T7FRTO4KRPN8/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_o_C-1
http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/NW91M663IHZK/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_o_C-1

Another way to help is to sign up to be a volunteer transporter or just come on down and volunteer at REGI. We are always in need of landscapers and gardeners to help get our facility ready for summer and tours.

Below you will find a video of our little owl eating a mouse. The video is dark because we keep a sheet covering the enclosure so the owlet does not see people. Our foster dad is sitting above him on a perch keeping watch.

Check Out our Facebook Page!

For those of you who love daily updates about what is going on at REGI, "LIKE" our Facebook page. You will get updates, pictures, and videos of our new patients!
https://www.facebook.com/RaptorEducationGroupInc?fref=ts

Bald Eagle Release January 19th

If you have always wanted to see a Bald Eagle go back to the wild after rehabiliation this is your chance! This Saturday , January 19th, I will be releasing several Bald Eagles at VFW Park during the Sauk Prairie Eagle Days celebration. You can see them up close and personal before they take their "first flight of the rest of their life" the flight to freedom. Check out the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council web site for specifics. I will also be giving a presention on Eagle Rehabiliation later in the afternoon on Saturday Jan 19th, 2013! Come and enjoy the weekend festivies. There will be lots of eagle related programs for young and old alike. http://ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org/

Staten Island Zoo Bald Eagle, IWRC Conference

 

Intern Brian and I do the final check on Tweety before he takes his flight to New York.  In this photo Brian is applying Udder Balm to his feet to keep them soft as a baby's bottom.  ...which is important for raptors.



In early October we sent one of our non-releasable Bald Eagles to the Staten Island Zoo.  He will be a permanent member of the zoo family there.  After the Super Storm Sandy, we were gravely concerned for our friends and their families as well as for the animals including the Bald Eagle that was once our patient. We contacted the Staten Island Zoo staff and heard back that the zoo personal were all affected by the storm. Sadly, many staff members have lost their homes and some lost loved ones.  The zoo itself weathered the storm with little damage and no animals were lost due to the quick thinking and pre-planning of the zoo veterinarian and staff.  Our Bald Eagle is doing well and enjoying his enclosure and the lovely lady Bald Eagle with whom he shares the space.  We will continue to keep our friends and all the residents of Staten Island and surrounding areas in our thoughts as they recover from this disaster.

People often ask us how we transport eagles and other birds cross country.  The answer is by domestic airlines on the same flights you would take...but in a different part of the plane.  The photos below are from the mid October when "Tweety" our handsome male Bald Eagle flew to New York to begin his new life.  Before any bird leaves our care they receive a physical to make sure they are in top shape for travel and their new homes.  We don't usually name our patients.  This eagle was named by the young family that found and rescued him and the name stuck.




All is ready and Intern Peter is about to put "Tweety" into the carrier bound for New York.







 


Airline personal and TSA are always excited to see a Bald Eagle staring back at them .




We had to arrive at the airport at 0500. Brian and Peter wait with the eagle while the paperwork is finished.



Good Luck sweet bird.  We hope he has a long and happy life at the Staten Island Zoo.

 

This week is the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) Symposium in Appleton, WI.  We hosted a field trip to our facility on Wednesday 11-14-12.   It was great to see so many wildlife rehabilitators from around the country visiting REGI.  I will be presenting 6 professional papers at the conference this week. 




It was terrific to have so many IWRC members tour the REGI facility this week. 

 


Touring the REGI ground this time of year is not as comfortable as in the summer.  Because our guests came from across the country we had to remind them to dress warmly as we have already experienced snow in our part of the world.

 Patients continue to flow into REGI at a rapid rate.  More updates soon.

Have a great week everyone.

Marge Gibson

Eagle Release Success, Release photos



 The eagle releases last Saturday were a resounding success.  Each eagle soared into the sky and soared and soared... It was exactly what we like to see when we release there magnificent birds.  Enjoy the following photos as each bird regained their freedom.


This magnificent adult female Bald Eagle had the highest blood lead level of any eagle we have ever worked with.  The fact that she recovered 100% is miraculous.  She was dealt a difficult blow by humans through the lead exposure. We hope the remainder of her life is peaceful and trouble free.



The adult eagle is about to feel the wind of freedom for the first time in several months. She is focused and well aware her captive status is about to change.




There is nothing more beautiful than a former patient flying free once again.  We at REGI are honored to have helped her regain her health and to give her  a second chance at life.

 

This young Bald Eagle was found by a family from Iowa while spending time in Northern WI.    The eagle was caught in a snare.  He had been there for some time and was starving and suffered from lead poisoning.  We were delighted the entire family could be there for his release back to the wild.







Photo by Bill Michaels....Female immature Bald Eagle takes to the sky after recovering from a wing fracture.

 

And he is off to reclaim his place in the natural world.  This young eagle flew and flew in circles and loops and was so enjoying his freedom. Stay safe little one. 





Release is always the best part of doing wildlife rehabilitation.  People ask us if we will miss these magnificent patients.  The answer is a resounding "NO".  We certainly will think of them and wish them well, but seeing them fly free and in good health is our success as rehabilitators as well as the success of our patients. 

Have a great day!
Marge Gibson

Eagle Releases Nov.3, 2012 Sauk Praire, WI

Just a note to let our friends and eagle affectionados that we will be releasing 4 Bald Eagles on Saturday Nov.3, 2012 at VFW Memorial Park in Sauk Praire, WI. The Park is right on the WI River in Sauk Praire.  The release time will be about noon.  Photos are welcomed.

One of the eagles will be an adult that recovered from the highest level of lead we have ever seen.  She is an older bird and is amazing from a number of perspectives.  Three of the eagles will be immatures between the ages of 2-4.  All have incredible stories . Two were hit by a cars and recovered from broken wings. One was a lead poisoning case with an wonderful story or rescue and survival by an Iowa family while in northern WI.  More on the birds soon.  Enjoy the photos below from recent eagle releases, 

Bald Eagle release Sept 2012.



Bald Eagle Release on Oct 6, 2012

 Hope to see you there.
Marge Gibson

Fall Has Arrived: A REGI Patient Update

Fall seems to have arrived here at REGI.  The air has cooled and the leaves have started to blaze.  Our resident turkey vulture population has doubled in size as they begin preparations for migration.  Our clinic is still full, but not with the chirp of babies waiting to be fed.  We are awaiting the arrival of our fall interns next week; you will get to meet them soon.  These interns will have a different experience then our summer interns, without all of the baby care, but it will be equally important.  This is the first year that we will have fall interns thanks to the generous bunkhouse donation from Wausau Homes.

One of our resident vultures rides the thermals on a beautiful fall afternoon.

The bright reds and oranges make for a beautiful backdrop here at REGI.

Last week we had a very special tribute on 9/11.  We were able to release a bald eagle patient that had suffered botulism poisoning earlier in the summer.  It was an amazing moment.  Seeing her open her wings and soar was such a symbolic moment on such a somber day.

Marge Gibson (center) poses before the release with daughter (left) and friend.

We have a wide range of patients in care, some of them new patients or some just about to be released.  We anticipate that next week will be full of releases.  We have many robins ready to make a big migration along with other birds.

A beautiful sora perches in the aviary while awaiting release.  Look at the size of those feet!  They are designed for wading through the marsh.

Sora are little marsh birds that are more often heard than seen.  They have a distinct descending trill.  Their bright yellow beak is another characteristic that stands out.  This little bird was found near a marsh with a hanging wing.  His wing healed quickly and well allowing for release as soon as the weather improves.

The wing of an Eastern bluebird with severely singed feathers.

This beautiful male Eastern bluebird was found in a dog park which happens to be on the site of an old landfill.  He has obviously burned feathers and the most likely scenario is that it flew over a methane flare and was burnt.  While he will be unable to fly until he grows new feathers in he is in good health, eats well, and behaves normally.

An osprey prepares for a feeding.

This beautiful osprey was found on the ground with a severe injury on the inside of his left wing.  He will have a long road to recovery, but we are hopeful that this injury will heal.  If only the birds could tell us what happened to them!

Great-horned owl that was caught in a trap and severely injured his foot.

If you have been following our blogs for the past few years you may remember seeing quite a few patients with severe foot/toe injuries from traps.  REGI is a big supporter of trapping done well.  Each year we get 1000's of muskrats for our birds from trappers; it keeps them fed through the winter.  But trapping done poorly is the cause of many injuries each year.  We will work our hardest to save this birds toes.

I am certain that we will have many release pictures to share with you soon!  Until then, enjoy your weekend.

Molly McKay
Director of Education