Taking Flight

Two Newly Admitted Adult Bald Eagles With Lead Poisoning

2012-01-28T03:20:00.002-06:00

Katie holds the female #005 before afternoon treatments 1-27

It has been a long few days and nights here at Raptor Education Group, Inc (REGI). Two adult Bald Eagles BOTH with lead poisoning were admitted. Sadly BOTH eagles have blood lead levels of lead read out on the analyzer as" too high to calibrate". These days we at REGI are not detered by that finding. There is no question it will be a fight for their lives, time consuming and expensive, but we hope to be able to recover the eagles or at least give them the best possible chance we can.

The female eagle has a beautiful story as many of our patients do. She was captured on a beaver dam after dark by two caring gentlemen. The men ended up in the water in the recover process in below zero temperatures. We don't suggest that kind of heroism, but when it occurs and everyone is OK, we are grateful.

It turns out the female eagle is one of the local eagles that has lived on the family farm for many years. One of the men involved has since moved to another city for a career, but was home visting when they spotted the eagle not flying and acting oddly on the beaver dam. As I worked on the eagle in the clinic, he recounted beautiful stories of the times he watched this same eagle with this grandfather through the years. Now to have her in his arms was a sad turn. We hope we can get her back home again to breed once again on her territory and the land her rescuer grew up on.

I draw blood on the female #005 when she is admitted while Don holds her.

Neither of the eagles just admitted will have an easy recovery. While found in different areas of the state, their cases are so oddly identical from a clinically perspective, I can talk about them almost as one.

Both eagles have neurologic symptoms. That means they still have siezures and other difficult symptoms. When that happens I stay with them often holding them during siezures so they don't injure themselves. Sedating birds is not a good option as they have small but efficent lungs. When sedated, their breathing is shallow and the chance for pneumonia is great. Since that is NOT what we want, we pull out all the stops to make sure they are safe even when it means I am up all night with them. That is not unusal as a matter of fact and will be the norm for the next few days at least.

The female shows neurological symptoms and is disoriented.

People often ask how we can do this work as it is gut wrenching watching these magnificent eagles endure the wrath of lead poisoning. I am not ever sure how to answer because there is no good option. Lead poisoning is human caused. I firmly feel it is a human responsibilty to help them in everyway we can.

Our great joy comes the day they leave our arms as they are released to the wild. There will be many long days and nights and months of rehabilaition including reconditioning on the other side of this critical care time, but it is the reality of what lead poisoning is. Until we do something about it... the birds suffer and we help them recover if possible.

Don holds the male Bald Eagle #007 after admission

The male Bald Eagle came from Park Falls, WI. The sad thing about his case is he was one of three eagles eating from the same carcass when they were found. He was the only eagle that was able to be captured. That means two more are out there from the same feeding area that are likely dying as I write this blog. Wisconsin has many remote areas in our northland. This eagle is from one of those places where few people will come across eagles in trouble.

I have calls out to volunteers in that area. With a new snow fall tonight it is possible they will be able to use snowmobiles to do a better search of the area and hopefully find them soon.
We also have a report of an eagle down near Medford, WI. The DNR was unable to locate it tonight before dark. If anyone that is reading this blog knows of its location pleaes give us a call.

Don't worry I am not choking him :)) #007 is given a tube feeding of liquid food as his digestive system as well as other organs are failing..

The male eagle #007 weighs a little over 6 lbs. He should weigh 9-10 lbs. Lead poisoned bird are usually present with starvation as their digestive system shuts down due to the lead toxicity.

It is 3:15 in the morning and I have one more check of the eagles before I sleep. Please keep our eagles in your thoughts as they struggle with this horror that is lead poisoning.

Until later,

Marge

Eagle Releases at Sauk Prairie's Bald Eagle Watching Days!

2012-01-14T21:06:00.015-06:00

Hello everyone! What an exciting day we had today! We were invited to the 25th Annual Sauk Prairie Bald Eagle Watching Days where REGI's Executive Director, Marge Gibson, was able to release 3 Bald Eagles in front of a crowd of several hundred eagle lovers. It was wonderful to see that so many people came out to celebrate these special moments with us!

There were so many wonderful things to do at the Bald Eagle Watching Days; it was a great day for everyone who attended!

Photo above: You couldn't ask for a more beautiful location to release these gorgeous birds. All along this stretch of the Wisconsin River we could watch other eagles fishing and gracefully flying overhead. There were plenty of gulls and ducks for birdwatchers to gander at while the eagles were taking breaks from fishing. It was wonderful watching the resident eagles knowing that soon the eagles that were rehabilitated at REGI would soon be joining them in the wild once again.

Photo above: Marge gives the crowd of several hundred people a look at this magnificent Bald Eagle before he flies back to the wild where he belongs. Marge joked that as we were all watching this eagle in awe, the eagle was likely doing the same to us! Not many eagles see such a large gathering of people as these eagle saw today.

Photo above: Marge and the eagle take a moment to prepare for the release. Hopefully as she leaves Marge's hands it is the last time she will ever be touched by a human again.

Photo above: At this very moment, the only thing I could hear was the sound of several hundred people gasping. It is a wonderful sound which goes perfectly with the majesty of a flying eagle.

Photos above: There she goes! It must be an amazing feeling for her to be back in the wild where she belongs. We wish her the best, and we hope she never has to come back to us!

Photo above: A Native American Blessing is given to each of the Bald Eagles just moments before they are released. What an honor. This is a juvenile Bald Eagle who was admitted during the summer of 2011 as an orphaned eaglet after tornados ripped through the state. She and 21 other eaglets were raised by one very dedicated and patient foster father eagle. Although she is fully grown, she will not get her white head and tail until she is about 5 years old. This eaglet has had lots of practice flying in the huge flight building here at REGI, but she is about to take her first flight in the wild!

Video above: Click above to see the juvenile Bald Eagle as she takes her very first flight in the wild!

Video above: Click above to watch the video of the third Bald Eagle flying to freedom. This eagle was admitted in 2011 after being hit by a truck. He sustained a wing injury which has healed perfectly. He is now back in the wild!

A special thank you to each of the rehabilitators here at REGI for providing these birds with the best care possible. Months of dedication are required for each patient and these fine people would be the first to tell you that it is so worth it! A thank you goes out to rehabilitator, Alberta Halfmann, who stayed back at REGI to care for all of our current patients and resident birds. She held down the fort so the rest of us could participate in this wonderful event! We also send a thank you to our wonderful volunteers, Denny Stenstrom, for building wooden transport boxes for this event in record time; and Douglas Dittel, Adam Evans, Kristi Mohr, Steve and Evie Fisher, Greg and Marlene Toon, Megan Ackley and her family, and everyone else I've forgotten to mention for helping with handing out information at this event.

Thank you to everyone who supported us this past year. Each and every one of you helps to make releases like this possible and we truly couldn't do it without you!

I'm going to try to come down off of "cloud 9" after this wonderful day! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Karissa Mohr

Wildlife Educator

Wrapping up 2011, New Years Patients, Eagle Releases, and More!

2012-01-06T10:40:00.023-06:00

Can you believe that 2012 is here already?! 2011was a busy year for REGI. We treated literally hundreds of patients, 76 of those were Bald Eagles, and 22 of those eagles were babies!

One of the highlights of the year was the successful rehabilitation and release of 7 poisoned eagles. It was a first for REGI and the world, as there are no records of any bird surviving this kind of toxin. It is normally 100% fatal! Imagine our joy to see them pull through this. Some of you may have been here with us to see them fly free. You can read what Fish & Wildlife Service had to say about this momentous occasion on their website.

Photo above: Katie Farvour releases one of the 7 Bald Eagles on June 1, 2011 (Photo: Karissa Mohr)

We have another big release coming soon! Saturday, January 14, we will be releasing Bald Eagles at Eagle Days in Prairie du Sac, WI. Prairie du Sac is prime eagle watching territory along the Wisconsin River. Hundreds of eagles gather there to take advantage of open water. This is a perfect opportunity to release juveniles, as the adults are there to guide them through their entrance to the wild world. We have about 30 eagles, juvenile and adult, who are destined for release at different times over the next month! Eagle Days is a public event, with releases by Marge and many activities for families. We hope you will all join us!

Photo above: Marge Gibson introducing the public to one of the eagles that was about to be released at an Eagle Days event.

We received so much support from all of you through the year! We ended the year with a very special Christmas surprise, Lori Schubring, from Wild Birds Unlimited in Wausau, brought us a truckload of donations which we talked about in our last blog. Well, Lori has amazed again, and started off the New Year with a bang! After hearing our plea for someone to transport a donation of mice, rats, and quail from Schlitz Audubon Nature C enter in Milwaukee she conspired with her brother, Brian Thiede who lives in Richfield, to bring them to us! This morning they showed up with an entire truckload of food for the birds!

Thank you Lori and Brian, for the time, miles, and commitment to getting us the food we need! Marge and I were talking this morning about what a rare gift it is to have someone like Lori in our lives. When working in rehabilitation you see the very best, and the very worst of people. It is easy to become jaded. But people like Lori remind us that there are good people out there, she truly is one of the best.

Photo above: Lori and Brian work along with Katie and Stacie to unload the truck. (Not only did they deliver, but they helped with the unloading too!)

Photo above: Our newest education bird in training, Lou, enjoys a delicious mouse shortly after our big delivery came in. Yum!

Things in the clinic just don't seem to be slowing down. While the many eagle patients have moved up to larger enclosures or flight spaces we still have smaller patients in need of care. We have patients from the very end of 2011 in the clinic, and our 1st patient of 2012 has arrived.

Photo above: This little Downy Woodpecker is the first patient of 2012.

He came in just after the start of the year from Portage County. Found on the ground, and not flying his rescuers brought him in to the Humane Society. While humane societies don't typically deal with wildlife this little woodpecker was lucky enough to be brought to one that is aware of our facility. They called us right away! Downy Woodpeckers are tiny little things, only 5-6 inches in length, and look very similar to Hairy Woodpeckers. The easiest way to differentiate is to look at the beak. The beak of a Downy is about half the length of their head, and the Hairy's beak is about equal in length to their head.

Photo above: A beautiful Great-Horned Owl patient well on his way to recovery.

This large and lovely owl was found trapped in a fence in the Wausau area. He was found near the ground with his feathers tangled in the chain-link. It looks as though he got a bit too close to the fence while hunting, you could see tracks of a little rodent right in his path. Fortunately we found someone to untangle his feathers and bring him in for examination. He injured his wing slightly during his struggle, but the injury appears to be superficial, and he is on the road to release already. We have 2 Great Horned Owls in the clinic right now. If you are spending time in the woods this winter keep your ears open. Great Horned Owls are the earliest nesters, and you can begin to hear them calling for their mate starting in late January!

2012 is off to a great start! We hope to see you soon.

Molly McKay

Director of Education

Wrapping up 2011, New Years Patients, Eagle Releases, and More!

2012-01-06T10:40:00.022-06:00

Can you believe that 2012 is here already?! 2011was a busy year for REGI. We treated literally hundreds of patients, 76 of those were Bald Eagles, and 22 of those eagles were babies!

Photo above: Katie Farvour releases one of the 7 Bald Eagles on June 1, 2011 (Photo: Karissa Mohr)

Photo above: Marge Gibson introducing the public to one of the eagles that was about to be released at an Eagle Days event.

Photo above: Lori and Brian work along with Katie and Stacie to unload the truck. (Not only did they deliver, but they helped with the unloading too!)

Photo above: Our newest education bird in training, Lou, enjoys a delicious mouse shortly after our big delivery came in. Yum!

Photo above: This little Downy Woodpecker is the first patient of 2012.

Photo above: A beautiful Great-Horned Owl patient well on his way to recovery.

2012 is off to a great start! We hope to see you soon.

Molly McKay

Director of Education

Christmas Came Early to REGI!

2011-12-19T08:48:00.018-06:00

We had a wonderful surprise this weekend from our friends at Wild Birds Unlimited in Wausau; a surprise that would make Santa Clause himself blush!

Lori Schubring owns the nature shop, Wild Birds Unlimited, and has been a long-time supporter and close friend of REGI. She knows just how difficult is it for us to continue caring for the hundreds of birds we see every year while surviving strictly on donations. She collects donations for us at her store throughout the year, but she decided to do something extra special for us this Christmas. She and her wonderful and generous customers collected many items from our wish list, secretly filling an entire chest freezer and then some. She and her husband Rocky surprised us with and entire truck-load of donations this past Sunday morning.

Photo above: Marge and Don Gibson were shocked to see an entire truck-load of donations, including much needed supplies such as a chest freezer, kitchen knives, laundry and dish soap, bird feed, rugs, dog food, office paper, a Garmin GPS, and baby food just to name a few. (Left to right: Marge Gibson, Lori Schubring, and Don Gibson)

Photo above: Near the end of unloading the truck, they find more wonderful things like a power washer, power drill, and kitchen scale! (Left to right: Avian rehabilitator, Katie Farvour; Lori Schubring; and Marge Gibson)

Photo above: Even Suzie, one of Marge and Don's chickens, had to get in on the excitement! (Photo credit: photos by Katie Farvour)

Thank you!

A giant THANK YOU to Lori and Rocky Schubring, and all of the folks who brought donations now and throughout the year. We cannot thank you enough! With your generosity, you have helped hundreds of birds have a second chance at life!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

Snowy Owls and Lead Poisoned Bald Eagles

2011-12-09T08:35:00.032-06:00

As the seasons shift from fall to winter, our clinic is still as busy as ever. Winter is usually a Wisconsin rehabber's "slow season," but there is truly nothing slow about the season we are experiencing here this year. Our clinic is still full, and more patients are coming through the door. While the babies of summer are gone, we are seeing cases of starvation and lead poisoning instead.

Photo above: Aurora, our Educational Snowy Owl, looking as beautiful as ever in fresh snow.

If you are a follower of happenings in the world of bird news, then you're probably aware of this year's irruption of Snowy Owls. If you haven't heard about it yet, I'll get you in the loop! Already this year, hundreds of Snowy Owls have been spotted throughout Wisconsin and other parts of the US. When these "irruptions" or "invasions" occur it is usually because of a dip in the lemming populations in the far north. Lemmings are small rodents that make up a large part of Snowy Owl's diets. Lemmings go through cycles of high and low populations which influence the owls. In times of low populations, the owls are forced south in search of food. The last time an irruption such as this occurred was in 2006.

This year, the owls are moving south, but it is likely because the lemming populations over the summer were high allowing the owls to have a very successful breeding season. Now that all of those baby Snowies have grown up, they are becoming territorial and the young owls are forced to find territory elsewhere.

The Duluth News Tribune put out a little article about the latest Snowy Owl irruption and you can click this link to check it out.

I prefer to refer to this movement of birds as an irruption because I think that "invasion" makes the birds sound frightening. They are nothing of the sort. They are simply gorgeous birds looking for new places to survive. This is somewhat good news for birders who may get a glimpse of these amazing birds which are rarely seen in Wisconsin. It also means that because they've flown all the way from the arctic in search of food, many may be starving or exhausted. Please keep an eye out for these magnificent birds. If you see a Snowy owl (or any bird) that is in need of assistance, please call our rehabilitation clinic at (715) 623-4015. We will be able to help you make the best decisions to help the bird.

A Snowy Owl has found her way to our clinic after what appears to be a horrible ordeal. Some very kind and thoughtful folks went out of their way to get her the help she needs. Kay Hawksford from Drummond, WI found the Snowy Owl along Highway 63. She scooped it up and brought it to safety. Luckily her husband, John, is a pilot so they were able to transport it to Antigo very quickly.

Photos above: Kay and John Hawksford and their daughter flew the injured owl to the Antigo airport where it was then transferred by van to REGI. (Photos by: Alberta Halfmann)

Photo above: When the Snowy Owl arrived, the rehabilitators examined her and learned that she is very thin, has a broken leg, and has bruising on her breast. She also smelled of skunk. We have to put the story together like pieces of a puzzle because the animals we help cannot tell us what happened. It is likely that she was forced out of the arctic and flew to Wisconsin in search of food and a place to live. Out of desperation and hunger, she went after a skunk, a fairly common occurrence with Great-horned Owls, but very strange for Snowies. Possibly hurt by the skunk and still weak from starvation, she was unable to fly very well and wound up being struck by a vehicle, leaving her with a broken leg. It is easy to see by her expression that she has been through a lot. Her size indicates she is female, and she is a young owl judging by the amount of dark speckling on her feathers. Adults have less to no dark speckling on their bodies.

Gun deer hunting season is now over and that means we will be treating many Bald Eagles suffering from lead poisoning. Several patients in our clinic at the moment are Bald Eagles with lead poisoning, and I'll introduce a couple to you now.

Photo above: This gorgeous Bald Eagle was found in the Merrill, WI area. She is shown here with Executive Director, Marge Gibson, right before her examination. The eagle was being watched by some concerned citizens who knew they needed to do something. They watched her and made sure they knew where she was until Marge could get there to rescue her. Without their help, she would have ended up like so many other birds that need help, but are lost forever.

Photo above: Once back at the REGI clinic, her blood was tested for lead and she was diagnosed with lead poisoning. That makes her the 7th Bald Eagle admitted into the REGI clinic with lead poisoning since this fall. She is shown here in the arms of Don Gibson after he drew her blood for testing.

The next patient I'll introduce you to has an encouraging story.

Photo above: This Bald Eagle was admitted a few weeks ago with blood lead levels so high that our lead analyzing machine couldn't read it. Lead levels that high are a death sentence without treatment. The rehabilitators immediately began chelation treatments to remove the lead from her blood, but for three weeks her blood lead levels were still too high to be read by the analyzer. Marge tried a technique that has never been done before with birds, and it seems to have worked! This may be a breakthrough, but more research needs to be done. Her lead levels have dropped dramatically, and excited "high-fives" were passed among the staff here when we learned the good news. We are not out of the woods yet, but we may have found a key to treating these extremely ill birds. We continue to look forward to her complete recovery, and we could not be happier with her improvements.

It is estimated that for every one Bald Eagle suffering from lead poisoning that is found and brought to a rehabilitation center for help, there are 9 others that are never found that suffer and die needlessly in the wilderness. For the 7 lead poisoned eagles that were brought to us for help so far this fall, there were likely 63 others who were not as lucky and were never found. We work so hard through the year to get the word out about lead-free options in hunting ammunition and fishing tackle, and yet every year we treat many birds suffering from the effects of ingesting lead. It is such a senseless loss of life and I will never understand why people would knowingly let that happen.

I grew up with a strong tradition of hunting and fishing in my family, and I am a hunter and a fisher myself. When I learned about the horrible things that lead does to wildlife and saw for myself a gorgeous Bald Eagle suffering from lead poisoning, I made the decision to change my ways. I now hunt with lead-free copper bullets and fish with bismuth-tin alloy tackle. It has been one of the easiest changes I've made, and I encourage everyone out there to do the same. If you love the outdoors, the small extra cost for safe ammo and tackle will be worth it. Maybe one day in the future, you'll look up and see a Bald Eagle flying gracefully in the sky-- a Bald Eagle that would have been killed after ingesting a piece of your lead had you not made the switch.

We will never stop educating people and encouraging them to switch to safe alternatives and we hope for a year where we won't see a single bird suffer due to the carelessness of humans. It is a dream of ours, and you can help make that happen.

On top of all of the busyness in our clinic, the education department just finished the Fall 2011 Newsletters so you should be expecting those in your mail box or email inbox very soon. We ship out over 1800 paper newsletters each mailing and that's the reason we haven't been able to offer you many updates recently. It is quite an undertaking, but we enjoy it, and we hope you enjoy reading it as well! If you aren't on the newsletter mailing list yet, we'd be happy to add you! You can sign up for the paper version by sending me your address at Karissa.REGI@gmail.com (or Molly at MollyM.REGI@gmail.com) or you can go GREEN and sign up for the paperless email version by clicking on this link. You can find past and current newsletters on our website and by following this link.

Please keep us in mind with your end of year donations. This year has been a record breaker in terms of patient numbers, and we need your help now more than ever.

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr

Wildlife Educator

Have-A-Heart This Hunting Season!

2011-11-15T13:10:00.010-06:00

Well, it is that time again! Time for hunters to pack up their gear and head out to the woods, hoping to come home with a big buck.

Many of our supporters are hunters, or at least know hunters, and hunters have a great opportunity to help REGI during deer season! We know that the heart of the deer is usually left out in the woods along with the gut pile. REGI can use those hearts as a valuable, high nutrient, low-fat source of food for our raptors! We often purchase beef hearts for food, but the price is on the rise, and beef is not quite as lean and healthy as deer heart.

We can always use food donations, but this year it is even more vital that we have your help. We still have over 180 birds in care, more than 30 are eagles, and this is supposed to be our down season! With the closing of other facilities our patient numbers have greatly increased. Our facility is packed with owls, eagles, falcons, hawks, and other birds! Your deer heart could help to feed these amazing raptors.
(Photo above: An employee from Ken's Hwy 45 Meat Market in Antigo helps to load the REGI van with the boxes of deer hearts they collected in 2010.)

So, hunters, have a heart... for REGI!
Save your deer hearts in a plastic bag and drop them off at one of our collection sites around the state.

Collections will take place from November 19-27, 2011.
2011 Collection sites:

Antigo	Ken's Hwy 45 Meat Market	N2220 US Highway 45, Antigo, WI
Appleton	Cedar Creek-Northland	3220 E. Northland Ave Appleton, WI 54915
Elderon	Mama's Place	Elderon, WI
Gillett	Northwoods Veterinary Center	9920 State Hwy 22 E, Gillett, WI 54124
Land O'Lakes	The Tackle Box	P.O. Box 989 4267 Hwy B Land O' Lakes, WI 54540
Marathon	P&K Machine	203 2nd St., Marathon, WI 54448
Milwaukee	Schlitz Audubon Nature Center	1111 Brown Deer Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53217
Park Falls	Faye Rogers	W8797 Hwy 70, Park Falls, WI
Rhinelander	YMCA of the Northwoods - Ministry Rehab	(Y) 2003 Winnebago St. (H) N9307 Mill Rd. Summit Lake, WI 54485
Stevens Point	People's Meat Market	PO Box 659 6811 Burr Oak Rd, Stevens Point, WI 54481
Stevens Point	Rusty's Backwater Saloon	1715 W River Dr., Stevens Point, WI 54481
Stevens Point	Renee's Red Rooster	2339 County Road PS, Stevens Point, WI 54481
Wallace, MI	Gary's Quality Foods	N5977 US Highway 41, Wallace, MI 49893
Wausau	Zillman's Meat Market	1910 6th St., Wausau, WI 54403
Wausau	Wild Birds Unlimited	4121 Rib Mountain Dr., Wausau, WI 54401
Weston	Country Fresh Meats	9902 Weston Ave., Weston, WI 54476

If you do not see a collection site in your area feel free to collect them on your own, or start a site locally. Please, spread the word to as many hunters as possible! With your help this can be a great success. You can find more information about the program on the REGI website at www.raptoreducationgroup.org.

If you have venison left in your freezer from last year we would happily take that off of your hands for you as well. As long as the meat is not severely freezer burnt we can use it.

Another important and simple thing that hunters can do is to switch to non-lead ammunition. If you are following our blog you surely know about the dangers of lead poisoning, we currently have 5 lead poisoned Bald Eagles being treated in our clinic. Watch this news clip from WJFW about some of the patients that arrived in the clinic just a few weeks ago.

If you are having a hard time finding lead alternative ammunition you can check out this list from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Or if you would like to learn more about the effects of lead on wild birds read this report from the USGS Wildlife Health Center. And of course we are always happy to talk with people about responsible hunting.

Just remember, don't leave your deer hearts in the woods this year, have a heart for REGI instead!

Happy hunting!

Molly McKay
Director of Education

If you have any questions regarding the Have-A-Heart program, or would like to start your own location call (715)623-2563 or email MollyM.REGI@gmail.com.

Owls!

2011-10-24T13:15:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday morning, we had the privilege of participating in an "All About Owls Program" at Wild Birds Unlimited in Wausau. We discussed the amazing adaptations of owls, and all of the visitors got to dissect owl pellets! It was a blast! It seemed like the kids (and even the adults) really enjoyed finding all of the bones!

If you aren't aware of what an owl pellet is, it is a packet of undigested material that an owl coughs up. Owls and other raptors frequently swallow their food whole, ingesting fur and bones along with the meat. Owl stomachs impressively take out all of the digestible material and pack the fur and bones into a neat little packet. This process takes a little while, and usually about 6 to 12 hours after eating, the owl coughs up the pellet. An owl must regurgitate the pellet before eating the next meal, because the pellet blocks the digestive system for a little while.

People can dissect these pellets and identify the prey species of owls in the wild by examining the bones found inside! A lot has been learned about the eating habits of owls by studying their pellets. At REGI, we save the pellets that our education owls regurgitate, bake them to kill any "bugs" and wrap them in tin foil for schools to purchase. We brought a bunch of pellets along with us to the program, and the visitors were able to find out for themselves just how cool this can be!

Enjoy the series of photos I have below!

Photo above: These young men are comparing the bones they found in the owl pellets to the bone sorting chart to identify which creatures the owl likely ate.

Photos above: Making new discoveries!

Photo above: Getting a closer look at those awesome pellets!

Photo above: Everyone seemed to be enthralled with what they were finding in the pellets.

Photo above: This young lady found an intact rodent foot in her owl pellet!

As you can tell, we had a very fun and unconventional Saturday morning! We would like to thank everyone at Wild Birds Unlimited for inviting us to this wonderful event and all of the visitors for attending!

I hope you all have a great week! Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

New Patients, Lead Poisoning, and Great-horned Owl Releases

2011-10-12T09:39:00.017-05:00

I have a mini update for you all. We continue to see many patients coming through our door, but here is just a peek at what we have now.

I'm going to spend a moment talking about the first patient I'm introducing to you because this is a species that isn't common to our clinic or our blog. Yellow-rumped Warblers are beautiful and fascinating little birds that spend their summers in the far north and west. This time of year, they begin migrating to their warmer wintering grounds in the south, and luckily for us, they pass through our area so we can enjoy their beauty for a short while. The most fascinating fact about these little birds pertains to their digestive system of all things. These birds can forage on bayberries and their relatives which have a thick coating of wax for protection that other birds cannot digest. Because of this unusual trait, Yellow-rumped Warblers can subsist on these berries and live farther north than some of their warbler cousins.

Photo above: This beautiful Yellow-rumped Warbler accidentally hit a window near Woodruff, WI. Luckily for this little one, only a few days of recuperation were needed for a full recovery, and he has been released to continue on his migration southward.

Photo above: This lovely little male Barred Owl was likely hit by a car and has a wing fracture. He is in very good weight, and is expected to make a full recovery!

Photo above: This gorgeous female Bald Eagle was seen feeding on a gut pile when she then tipped over onto her back. She was rescued, and when she arrived at our clinic, a blood test was done to determine if she was suffering from lead poisoning. The results were off the charts. The good news for this beauty is that she is with us for treatment, and with a lot of perseverance on her part, she can pull through. Please excuse the "crumbs" on her beak, she just finished enjoying a piece of salmon when I photographed her.

During and after hunting season, many Bald Eagles are brought to our clinic suffering from lead poisoning. Because they are scavengers, Bald Eagles are at a huge risk of becoming poisoned by lead this time of year. When a deer is shot, bullet fragments containing lead are left in the woods in gut piles. Unknowingly, scavengers, including Bald Eagles, feed on these gut piles and become very ill. With luck, these poisoned animals are found and brought to us for help, but sadly, those that do not get help will ultimately die. Making the switch to non-lead ammunition can be the difference between life and death for wildlife. I am a hunter myself, and the few extra dollars I spend on a box of lead-free ammunition, is worth it. Please, if you are a hunter, make the switch.

Things are slowing down a bit this fall, and we have been experiencing the joy of release with many of our patients. Two Great-horned Owls that were originally admitted due to starvation and being hit by a car were able to make a full recovery and are now free once again!

The gun deer hunting season is fast approaching, and that means it is time once again for Have-A-Heart for REGI! Those of you who are hunters, or know anyone who hunts, please save the deer hearts for us! Heart provides an excellent source of nutrition for the raptors in our care, and you can do your part to help us out. Information about drop-off sites can be found on our website under the "events" tab or by following this link!

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

Fish galore!

2011-10-07T09:43:00.012-05:00

Yesterday we received a pickup-truck load of salmon to feed our eagle and osprey patients! The salmon came from the Strawberry Creek spawning facility near Sturgeon Bay in Door County, Wisconsin. When the salmon swim up Strawberry Creek for spawning, this facility collects Chinook Salmon eggs for stocking in Lake Michigan. After spawning, salmon naturally die, but instead of letting them go to waste, this facility saves the salmon for donating to food pantries, a liquid fertilizer company, and us! We are so thankful for these donations.

Rehabilitator, Alberta Halfmann, her fiance Chris, her niece April, and Assistant Rehabilitation Technician, Stacie Wild set off for Door County at the crack of dawn. Alberta selflessly used her truck to transport the less than pleasant smelling fish. Thank you Alberta!

Photo above: When they arrived back at REGI, we all jumped into action, putting the fish into huge storage bags to preserve them in the freezer. New staff-member, Brennan Rausch must be wondering what he got himself into!

Photo above: Volunteer, April looks like she is having a great time. Thanks for your help!

Photo above: Transporting and storing fish isn't very glamorous, but check out those awesome garbage bag pants! Alberta and Stacie look great! Could this be the next hot fashion trend? ;)

Photo above: Delicious life-saving fish for our dozens of Bald Eagle patients.

Photo above: Qushquluk is about to devour a yummy chunk of fresh salmon! Lucky lady!

We send a huge THANK YOU to everyone at Strawberry Creek for saving these fish for us. Our eagles will be eating very well!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! It's beautiful out there!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

Releases and Thank You!

2011-10-03T10:46:00.012-05:00

Hello Everyone! Fall is upon us, and I must say it is glorious!

Photo above: Elva, the little gray phase, Eastern Screech Owl is enjoying this beautiful fall weather.

This lovely weather is perfect for releasing more of our summer patients. The 9 American Kestrels, 3 Cedar Waxwings, and 3 of the American Robins that have been growing up here this summer have all been released!

Photo above: Rehabilitator, Katie Farvour, releases the 9 American Kestrels. The two most eager made it out first. Good luck, little buddies! (Photo courtesy of Katie Rymer)

Photo above: Director of Education, Molly McKay, got to release the robins! The first of the American Robins leaves their temporary transport box for their first taste of freedom! Live long and prosper, little ones!

After releasing the babies from the summer, we received a new baby as a patient! What were his parents thinking?!

Photo above: This Mourning Dove came in as an orphaned baby at the beginning of OCTOBER! His parent's didn't plan very well, but he is safe here and will grow up in good hands with the help of our foster Mourning Doves.

We also need to say thank you to a few wonderful people who helped us out this past week. The basement here at REGI was long over-due for a fresh coat of floor paint, and the Triple Progress 4H group and John and Joanne Starry volunteered their time to help us out. The timing was perfect as we didn't have any patients in the basement mews, so we could safely paint without worrying about the fumes harming the birds. A big THANK YOU to those folks who helped us finish this huge task!

It is also almost time for Have-a-Heart for REGI! Hunters, please save your deer and bear hearts this season! Drop-off locations will be available all over the area, and will be posted closer to gun deer season, but if you bow hunt, simply save your heart in a plastic bag and throw it in the freezer until drop-offs are available! Hearts are an excellent source of food for our raptor patients, and you can make a difference for them just by saving your hearts!

If you are cleaning out your freezers to make room for fresh meat, keep us in mind as we will happily take older meat! No pork please, but anything else is welcome! (715) 623-4015.

Thank you!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

Herky the Bald Eagle Update!! Poisoned Red-tailed Hawk admitted, Red-eyed Vireos Admitted with Migration Exhaustion, Trumpeter Swan cygnet update.

2011-09-24T18:08:00.008-05:00

We love great stories here at REGI. Improbable success stories, are all the sweeter. We are honored to live the recovery stories along with our patients. The story of Herky the Bald Eagle from Hayward, WI began on September 4, 2011. It has been only twenty days, but what a difference that time has made for Herky the Bald Eagle. The story of her rescue and link to the video of the actual rescue can be found in the September 7, 2011 blog . If you have not seen it, I urge you to watch at the link provided below. http://www.2dorks.com/Eagle.html Her story continues below.

Herky on the scale this morning. Look at that confident eagle face!

"Herky" the Bald Eagle rescued near Hayward, WI by the Bill Obenauf family, of Davenport, Iowa is doing great. She has gained weight by leaps and bounds and is starting to fly again. Herky weighed in this morning at 7.094 lbs which is a gain of 3 lbs in the twenty days since she was admitted.

A very tired and sick Herky looked a lot different on twenty days ago when she was admitted to the Raptor Education Group, Inc. (REGI) clinic. (photo taken 9-4-11)

Herky fans in Iowa are all abuzz about this magnificent young eagle and her story. So, let me tell you about her. When I last updated Herky was still in critical condition. She had gained a few ounces however we were not yet celebrating. When any animals weigh sinks to half what is normal for them...the situation is dire. To add to the starvation issue Herky had a serious leg injury caused by cord wrapped tightly around her leg. Frankly, it was a miracle she had circulation in the foot when she was found. Our job was to make sure that good luck continued for her leg as well as navigate her through the turbulent waters of starvation and the associated fungal problems that affect birds when they are severely compromised.

The cord from the snare was wrapped tightly around the eagles leg. It did serious damage to the surrounding tissue. In this photo the unhealthy tissue was debrided to allow the leg to heal from the inside out.

We will never know for sure how her story goes before Herky came into captivity on September 4. Our patients cannot tell us their story. We have to piece it together as best we can. It is possible Herky was likely a healthy young eagle before she somehow came upon the snare someone left in the woods. The cord became tangled around her leg. Unable to get the cord off, it twisted tighter until it embedded into the skin. The cord may have been around the leg for weeks before she was found. Encumbered as she was with the snare, and increasingly swollen and painful leg, Herky was unable to find food. A domino effect of disaster had begun.

Herky today with her "foster dad". Dad is in front of her protecting her from my intrusion. The photo is poor quality from our monitor.

Today Herky, aka Herky Lerky, aka the Herkster is enjoying life with 3 foster siblings and 2 adult eagles, one our foster dad, in a 40' long flight. It is a smallish flight for an eagle, but just the right size as they recover from injuries and have limited activity again. Our foster father eagle is in the flight as well with the two youngest Bald Eagles chicks. Herky is the terror of her flight room! She is bossy and LOUD. She screams at everyone else during feeding time as it to say, "step away from the food" or else. In general Herky is "feeling her oats". We sometimes see this behavior in eaglets when they have been through a traumatic situation. It seems they are so pleased to have survived, they take life to an entirely new level.

You can be when she leaves here for her second chance in the wild, she will be living life to the fullest.

Another monitor photos...but that is Herky in the middle on the highest perch (28 ft high). She is trying to "remove" a foster sibling from the perch with a one two punch with her wings. An adult female stands to the right.

In short, Herky is doing superbly and progressing quickly now. We are very encouraged by her progress and weight gain. She does not ignore feeding time that is for sure. Thank you everyone for keeping her in your thoughts. I wish every young eagle in trouble had such great friends.

Two of the five young Eastern Bluebirds just before they were released last week. They are still in the area and continue to eat the insects put out for them as they integrate into the wild flock that is currently in our area.

Two Red-eyed Vireos are recovering at REGI. We often receive neo-tropicals such as these beautiful and delicate birds during their migration especially when our temperatures plunge and the insects that they eat are in short supply.

Just admitted an hour ago a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk from the Stevens Point area. He is suffering the effects of an organo-phosphate toxin.

We continue to be very busy at REGI we are admitting several birds a day including every species imaginable from Trumpeter Swans to Ravens and Red-tailed Hawks thru Bald Eagles. We currently have about 150 patients. We have done many releases during the past two weeks including 5 Eastern Bluebirds and 9 American Kestrels.

Katie as she brings the cygnet Trumpeter Swan, admitted from Minnesota, in for the night. Our nights are getting mighty cold in the northwoods and this late baby is still in down and unable to stay warm himself during our frigid nights.

We have so much more to talk about. I wish we could share each patient and all of our days with our incredible patients. Stay tuned... Each day is a new adventure.

Have a great evening everyone.

Marge Gibson

Herky Update! Bald Eagles x2 admitted, Osprey, Lesser Yellowlegs, Northern Flicker...

2011-09-10T08:44:00.005-05:00

Herky the young Bald Eagle from Hayward, WI that arrived on Sunday with her leg wrapped in string from a snare is improving! She has quite a following from folks in both WI and Iowa! It is great to see people involved with this amazing little lady.

Herky the Bald Eagle from Hayward gets a check-up. Open wide Herky!!

                                                     Herky with her eyes wide open:) Yea!!

Herky remains in critical condition but has begun to gain a few ounces.  Starving birds actually continue to lose weight after admission even with supplemental feeding. Their body is in a negative balance and it takes a bit for that to balance out.  It is a scary thing to see the scale drop but joyful when it starts to move in the other direction.  Herky is being cooperative and seems comfortable with her situation. She is still receiving antibiotics and an anitfungal drug to prevent aspergillosis which can occur in a bird as compromised as Herky. She is definitely happy about getting food even when it means she is getting it through a tube.  We do not have to restrain her when feeding time comes! She has begun to make some soft calls which is another step in the right direction.

Herky is aware of the world around her which is different than when she was admitted less than a week ago. We admitted 2 other Bald Eagles this week and she is aware that they are in enclosures next to her and is interested particularly in the adult.

This beautiful Bald Eagle from Gilman, WI was poisoned.

We admitted an adult Bald Eagle yesterday from the Gilman, WI area. He had ingested poison, likely an organo-phosphate. He is still convulsing from the neuro toxic affects. Before anyone can ask "why"...I will just say it is illegal and should never happen but it does and more often than you imagine. I will be up all night with this eagle. He is receiving shots of atropine to counter the affects of the poison on his brain and nervous system about once an hour. Keep us in your thoughts. I find myself wishing everyone could be with me as they watch the horrors of what this toxin does to an eagle. If people knew they would be more careful and think things through before putting out bait for wolves and coyotes. At least I hope they would be.

Exhausted from yet another convulsion the adult Bald Eagle from Gilman rests after being given atropine.

An immature Bald Eagle was hit by a car.
Immature Bald Eagles are so beautiful. Their plumage is changing from mostly brown to a mottled white and brown. Our new patient has a wing fracture, but if all goes as expected we are looking for a early winter release.

The Lesser Yellowlegs admitted last week... is STANDING!

Great news on the Lesser yellowlegs admitted after having been hit by a car last week during migration. He suffered a back injury and was unable to stand until YESTERDAY! This is means he is going to be able to continue on his way south...maybe with a little help from a Wausau company that flies REGI patients south when needed to assist their migration or catch them up to their flock. He still has some conditioning to get him into shape again but his future looks rosy. He will be heading to South America so like any athlete conditioning is important.

This Northern Flicker was hit by a car yesterday. Sorry about the poor photo,but I take only one photo of patients when they first come in to keep stress to a minimum. He is already making progress and eating well.

I will get a photo of the osprey today to post soon. We will be releasing 5 Eastern Bluebirds and several Amercian Robins today!! It has been yet another busy week here at REGI.

We are havng some issues with the blog today. The spacing is odd and seems unfixable at this time. Please forgive the inconsistancy. We will get it fixed as soon as the program will allow it. :)

Have a great day everyone... enjoy the wildlife around you.

Exhausted in Antigo.

Marge Gibson

Busy Labor Day Weekend, Bald Eagle Ensnared Near Hayward, Hummingbirds, Nighthawk and Many More

2011-09-07T19:45:00.005-05:00

Don and Marge Gibson examine the young bald eagle when she was admitted on Sunday.

This beautiful young Bald Eagle would have died this weekend, if it were not for a family of everyday heros from Iowa that stepped up to the plate to rescue and help transport her to REGI. Our hats off to the Bill Obenauf family for their tenacity to get her help. It turns out, Bill is a well known radio personality on 97X in the Quad cities. He gives a terrific description of the rescue and how they came to find the bird in the link provided. http://www.2dorks.com/Eagle.html I urge you to read it as it is well done and has many photos of the rescue. Their response is testimony to what kindness and generosity can accomplish. In the remote areas of our state we are blessed with plentiful and a huge diversity of wildlife and few people. That situation becomes challenging when wildlife becomes injured and needs help. REGI is located over 3 hours from the site where this youngster was found on an ATV traill. The snare, which had been there for weeks, had embedded into the eagles leg. With her leg immobilized, the eagle was not able to capture fish or eat and therefore was slowly starving.

Weighing in at 4 lbs this young Bald Eagle was near death when she arrived at the REGI facility. She should have weighed about 10 lbs.

Embedded into the leg of a young Bald Eagle, the string was beginning to cut off circulation to the eagles foot.

The snare was a homemade version made from string and a stick. We are not sure what the target was for this snare, but we are pretty sure it was not a Bald Eagle. Sadly, this type of thing happens far to often. We urge folks to realize that wildlife may accidentally encounter such things and die when they are unable to extricate themselves. In the great northwoods of WI, that animal may well be an threatened or endangered species.

Tired but warm, alive and happy to have food in her crop, this young eagle now has a future.

The good news is, while she is still in critical condition, the brave young eagle is doing well. She is still on heat and being tube fed liquid food several times a day. Due to the level of starvation she suffered, she is unable to digest the fish/meat that would be her natural diet. She has a long road to recovery ahead of her but we are cautiously optimistic for her future.

Check for updates often as she progresses and regains her health.

The weekend was crazy busy with many new patients being admitted. Holidays are always busy as that is when families are together and outdoors and encounter wildlife with injures just as the Obenauf family did.

Several Red-tailed hawks, like the one Marge is holding above and Broad-winged hawks were admitted over the weekend. Broad-winged hawks are beginning their southward bound migration and we can expect many more to come in the next several weeks. Broad-winged hawks fly all the was through Mexico, Central America, and can go as far as Argentina before they rest for the remainder of the winter. In spring they will head up north again to breed and raise their youngsters.

This beautiful female Nighthawk made contact with a car and broke her wing as she was swooping through the night air hunting insects. Nighthawks eat only insects and are hugely beneficial to humans.

We hope for a full recovery for the nighthawk, but she will miss migration. She will either stay with us for the winter or be transported to the far south to catch up with others of her species. Central America or the Caribbean will be her final destination for the winter.

This Belted Kingfisher is a handsome and spirited bird. She broke her wing but is rapidly improving.

We raised 7 young Kingfishers this year at REGI. They were released 2 weeks ago. We are told they are happily fishing and squabbling with each other, as siblings of all species seem to do, near their private land release site.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are delicate in stature but strong in character. These two were admitted with wing fractures and are doing well.

We love sharing our patients and their stories with you. We have lots more to tell you including several popular patients that have recently been released to the wild.

As for now, our patients need attention so that will have to wait for another day. Thank you everyone for caring about wildlife and supporting our efforts with native wildlife. REGI receives no state or federal funds even though all of our patients are state and Federally protected species. It is only through your help that non-profits such as Raptor Education Group, Inc (REGI) can continue our important work.

Have a great evening,

Marge Gibson

Another Patient Update

2011-08-29T10:03:00.007-05:00

Luckily things are gradually beginning to slow down around here, so I am able to introduce you to just a tiny handful of our current patients.

Photo above: This gorgeous Yellow-throated Vireo was admitted, unable to fly because of a collision with a window. Yellow-throated Vireos are the brightest of the Vireos, and it is exciting to see such a beautiful bird, but unfortunate it had to be under these circumstances.

Photo above: This young Broad-winged Hawk was hit by a car and is unable to fly. He is a little underweight, and his wings have been taped to allow them to heal properly.

Photo above: This Red-tailed Hawk was found in Stevens Point, WI unable to fly due to starvation. Upon examination it was discovered that he is less than half the weight he should be. He is being tube fed several times per day to help improve his weight, and hopefully he'll continue to fight.

Photo above: This young male American Kestrel was found unable to fly, was very thin, and acting abnormally. Since he has been here, he is stronger, eating with a bit of encouragement, and acting more the way a kestrel should act.

Photo above: This Bald Eagle was hit by a truck and has a broken left wing. A collision with a vehicle can do a number on the internal organs of any creature, and it appears that his injuries have taken a lot out of him. With more rest, we hope he can recover from his internal injuries.

Photo above: This Osprey is another victim of a vehicle collision. His wings have been taped to help them heal and he requires a lot of encouragement to get him to eat. He is standing which is a good sign, and we hope for continued improvement.

Photo above: This is not a current patient, but former patient I'd like to update you on. Remember the teeny baby Turkey Vulture from way back in June? Well here he is, all grown up, and back in the wild! We have a number of wild Turkey Vultures that live on and near the REGI property, so this youngster was released right here. We can tell him apart from the adults because he still has his juvenile black head and a few downy feathers around his neck. Now and then he'll excite us all by flying above with the adult vultures. It's great to see him enjoying life!

As always, we'll do our best to keep you updated.

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

"Wings Over Wausau" was a hit!

2011-08-17T08:30:00.024-05:00

Hello everyone!
Thank you to everyone who made Wings Over Wausau (WOW) a success this past Saturday! I have a few photos from the event that I think you will all really enjoy!

Photo above: First of all, I have to introduce you all to the wonderful, Megan Ackley, pictured here with Great Horned Owl, Fonzi. She was the main coordinator and brains behind the WOW event, and she did a wonderful job! She and her entire family came out for the event and donated their time. Thank you for everything, Megan and family, and we can't wait to do it with you all again next year.

Photo above: Upon arrival, our WOW guests were greeted by Chris, a volunteer, and Alberta Halfmann, one of our rehabilitators. They were able to get a close-up look at real bird nests and eggs, and learned what to look for if you find a baby bird.

Photo above: Douglas, the son of Molly, our Director of Education, lead children (and some adults) in a bird habitat matching game. Other games were being lead by volunteers April and Lelani, nieces of Alberta.

Photo above: The first stop with live birds was the Owl station. Here people were able to meet nearly every species of owl found in Wisconsin. We had an Eastern Screech owl, a Saw-whet Owl, a Long-eared Owl, a Great-horned Owl, a Barred Owl, and a Barn Owl who each took turns meeting everyone all day. Pictured above are Lenora, a volunteer holding Saw-whet Owl, Sally, and Molly, our Director of Education, holding Great-horned Owl, Fonzi.

Photo above: Stacie, one of our extraordinary volunteers, gives some visitors a close-up look at owl talons with help from Barn Owl, Rhomey.

Photo above: Kerry, another of our super volunteers, and Long-eared Owl, Oscar have fun greeting everyone on their way in.

Photo above: The second stop was the Turkey Vulture station where people learned how amazing vultures really are. Katie Farvour, our other rehabilitator, and Turkey Vulture, Fran, convinced people that bald is beautiful. ;)

Photo above: At the third station, people were able to meet Falcons face-to-face. Brigid, a volunteer, introduces people to American Kestrel, Mo, and Katherine, an intern, introduces people to Peregrine Falcon, Ishmael.

Photo above: The fourth station was all about hawks. Here, people were able to meet a Broad-winged Hawk, a Harris's Hawk, a Rough-legged Hawk, and a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk throughout the day. Katie, a volunteer and former intern, taught everyone about Broad-winged Hawks with help from Aries.

Photo above: Kyle, an intern, introduced people to Harris's Hawk, Gypsy, and taught them about her amazing adaptations for desert life.

Aside from the amazing live birds we brought for people to meet, we had yummy food for people to enjoy, wonderful vendors for people to visit, and a silent auction to participate in. Thank you to all who donated items for the silent auction, and to all who participated in the bidding!

Photo above: We had many wonderful donations for the silent auction, and this basket was among my favorites because of the adorable owl charms!

Photos above: Lots of people put in very generous bids throughout the event. Thank you!

Photo above: Even Red-tailed Hawk, Julie wanted to visit our vendors. She seemed to be very impressed with the beautiful jewelry at the Lia Sofia booth, as was Marge Gibson, REGI's Executive Director.

Photo above: One of our other fundraisers for the day were these beautiful WOW shirts designed by the wonderful Mr. Hass. Thank you, they're terrific!

The setting this year was very beautiful, and we very pleased to be in the Grand Theater's Great Hall! We had a great turn-out this year, and we are already looking forward to next year!

We must say thank you again to all of our wonderful volunteers and sponsors who helped make the day possible, and to all of the visitors that came to support us and make donations. With your help, we were able to make WOW a success, and we are all looking forward to doing it again next year!

If you missed the event or would still like to purchase your very own beautiful WOW t-shirt, let us know! You can call us at (715) 623-2563 or email me at Karissa.REGI@gmail.com. They are a donation of $10 and we will send them to you in the mail. If you attend one of our public tours being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am or 1pm until August 30th (PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED), you can purchase one at our facility for only $8! We are out of size Large, but still have some in Youth Medium, and Adult Small, Medium, and Extra Large.

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator

An Invitation and an Update!

2011-08-08T11:27:00.020-05:00

I am truly sorry that it has been so long since we have had time to blog, but REGI has been a whirlwind that past month. We currently have close to 300 patients in care! And 34 of those birds are Bald Eagles. Whew. It is exhausting to think about. With all of these patients comes a great need for food! If you like to fish we could use your assistance in feeding our patients!

We are also busy preparing for our 2nd annual Wings Over Wausau fundraiser at the Grand Theater this Saturday, August 13. Maybe some of you attended last year. We are expecting this one to be even better! But need your help to make it happen. We can use volunteers and, of course, we need attendees!
If you are having a hard time reading the poster above you can find out more detailed information on our events page at the REGI website.

Our interns have already begun to wrap up their summers and Katherine is the only one remaining. We could use some helping hands around here, so if you have any free time we would love to help you make use of it!
You can call Molly or Karissa at:
(715)623-2563
or email at:
MollyM.REGI@gmail.com
Karissa.REGI@gmail.comPhoto above: (Left to right) volunteer Stacie Wild, intern Libby Pearson and intern Katherine Tesch release a Mallard that was admitted as an orphaned patient earlier this summer.

Can you believe that it is already time to release some of the orphans that we have spent the summer caring for? Now, it is certainly not time to release all of them. As a matter of fact we are still admitting orphans, and some of them just take a much longer time to mature enough to be released. Let me update you on just a few of the birds that you met in blogs earlier this summer and introduce you to a couple of our new patients.Do you recognize this young Ruffed Grouse (photo above) from our June 22, 2011 blog? He sure has come a long way in the last month and a half. Here he is pictured perching on a branch in a natural enclosure, snacking on some honeysuckle fruits, which he would be likely to find in the wild.
It may be surprising to see the size of this young Sandhill Crane colt (photos above). Just one month ago he was pictured taking a walk with intern Katherine Tesch. Now he has grown many times in size and has begun to get his grey adult plumage. This little crane is entering his adolescent stage already. He spends more time running and stretching his wings and, like many adolescents, he is beginning to assert his independence. When a colt is just a young thing it will follow any tall being with 2 legs, as they get older they explore more and want to go their own way.
Another bird from our June 22 blog is the Trumpeter Swan cygnet. He is well on his way to becoming one of the largest flying birds in North America. Trumpeter Swans can reach 27 lbs. in adulthood and have a wingspan up to 6.5 ft.! Juvenile Trumpeters have grey plumage, which will slowly turn to the beautiful white you may recognize them by.
One of our newest patients has a sad story to tell. This Common Loon chick (above) sustained a serious leg injury over the weekend when he had a collision with a jet ski. Please remember that the lakes that we all love to recreate on have wildlife who make their homes there. The beautiful and majestic loon is part of what makes the Northwoods such a special place to be. They are very sensitive to our actions. This is the second young loon that we have seen this summer who has been injured by jet skiers. Be aware of the wildlife around you and make your children aware of it as well. If you see a loon out on the lake give it a large buffer zone.
The last patients I would like to introduce you to today are these orphaned Red-bellied Woodpeckers (above). Red-bellied Woodpeckers get their names from the pinkish red plumage on their bellies, but what often stands out is the bright red coloration on their napes, in females, and foreheads and napes, in males. These juveniles have not acquired the bright red feathers yet, but it won't be long!

We hope you are all having a great summer!
Molly McKay
Director of Education

Patient Updates

2011-07-01T09:54:00.027-05:00

Hello everyone!

The babies here are growing up fast and I want to share their progress with you. The following photos are updates on just a small hand full of our patients. Next week I'll try to introduce you to some of the new patients coming through the door.

Photo above: These are 5 of the 6 baby Bald Eagles we currently have in our care. You can see that they are exploring beyond their nest and trying out the high perches in their enclosure. One even decided to lounge on the ground behind the nest, and he looks quite comfortable all stretched out like that.

Photo above: The Sandhill Crane colt is out for one of his many daily walks following the leader, Katherine. Believe it or not, he is larger in this photo than when he was admitted! This tiny kid will soon be his adult size!

Photo above: These adorable Eastern Blue Bird fledglings were first shown in our May 25th blog. Back then, they were just tiny, naked little nestlings, and now they can fly! This photo only shows two of the little babies, but all four are all grown up and are flying around their flight enclosure.

Photo above: This Red-breasted Nuthatch came in as an orphan, and he wasn't introduced to you when he was a naked little baby, but you can see him here, almost all grown up. He's even been practicing that classic nuthatch move... walking down the tree upside down.

Photo above: These two beauties, an American Robin and a Mourning Dove, were first introduced to you in our May 25th blog as little nestlings. Now they have fully fledged and are in a flight enclosure with many of the other song birds, gaining flight muscles and continuing to grow up. Thankfully, these guys are beginning to learn how to eat on their own, a relief for our rehabbers who, until now, have put every bite they've eaten into their mouths.

Photo above: Check out this little guy. This American Robin is lounging quite comfortably on one of the perches in his flight enclosure. It is so fun to see how much he has grown!

Photo above: These are the three Great Horned Owl fledglings with their foster father. Oddly enough, the adult male is the smallest owl in this photo on the far right. It is also very interesting to see the huge variation in colors and sizes among the unrelated fledglings. Great Horned Owls show lots of color variations depending on region and genetics. They can be more grey, to more rusty, to very light in color, and it will be exciting to see these kids transform as they get their adult feathers.

Photo above: This is the Red-shouldered Hawk with a broken leg that was mentioned in the previous blog. When he was first introduced to you, I mentioned that he was giving us hope by standing up from time to time. Well, you can see for yourself that he is standing. His leg still bothers him, but he is beginning to put some pressure on it. We hope that he continues to improve and perhaps gain at least partial use of that leg.

Photo above: The seven young Belted Kingfishers have been moved to an outside enclosure so they can begin practicing using their wings. All are doing well, and are looking so grown-up! One of my favorite things about kingfishers are their odd proportions. They have giant beaks and large eyes, but the teeniest feet! Gosh, they're fun to see!

Photo above: Here's an update photo for the little Green Heron. He still has a funny fuzzy little head, but his adult feathers are growing in nicely.

Now that you've seen some of our patients, I'd like you to meet... a thief!

Photo above: I know this isn't a bird, nor is he one of our patients, but I found this little guy sneaking food from some of our bowls. Look at how much he stuffed into those cheeks! What a little devil! ;)

Have a safe and happy holiday everyone! Independence Day is the time to celebrate our freedom and accomplishments as Americans, and to honor our brothers and sisters over seas. Most importantly, we must celebrate in a safe manor; safe for us, and safe for our wild neighbors. Please remember that birds and other wildlife are raising their families right now so limit your use of fireworks. Instead of buying your own fireworks, enjoy the show your town puts on; it is much safer for everyone that way (and cheaper!). The loud bangs associated with fireworks can cause acoustic concussions that can kill birds by damaging their internal organs, not to mention frighten and confuse them. If your child or pet is scared by the loud booming explosions of fireworks, imagine how the wild ones feel.

Have fun, but BE SAFE!

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
Wildlife Educator