Have-A-Heart This Hunting Season!

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!

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

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!

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!

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.

 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