Walkin' in a REGI Wonderland

In honor of the Winter Solstice, Mother Nature must have found it fitting to send Wisconsin a beautiful snow storm. Lovely as it is, it sends us into a flurry of snow removal (pun intended!) here at REGI.
Above: If you look closely you can see lead rehabilitator, Katie Farvour, braving the elements. REGI looks so lovely under a blanket of fresh snow!
Above: Rehabilitator, Alberta Halfmann gives a good heave-ho to get the snow off of the deck.Above: Education coordinator, Molly McKay and Alberta Halfmann team up to tackle the deck. Above: Molly attempts to shovel a pathway from the door. With some determination she finally makes it! Above: REGI's resident turkey isn't quite sure what to do with all of this snow! I think she is probably reminiscing about warm summer days.
 
Not everyone here at REGI is perplexed by the snow. The education snowy owls and rough-legged hawks are completely at home in winter conditions. Both species live in the arctic for most of the year and migrate slightly south in the winter in search of food. Above: The female snowy owl blends in nearly perfectly with the freshly fallen snow. Female snowy owls generally have more dark spots on them than males do in order to blend in with the earth as they are ground nesters in the arctic.

Above: The female rough-legged hawk, given their name for their feathered legs, sits atop her tree, happily viewing the new snow.
 
Aside from the snow, the clinic is full of patients; new Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans are keeping us busy as well. There are many things to do at REGI on a day such as today!

From all of us here at REGI, Happy Holidays!

Karissa Mohr
REGI Wildlife Educator