Baby Birds Flood In to REGI

We are admitting many patients each day now. We receive 10-15 patients a day at this point. That will only increase as summer approaches.



Baby birds of every shape and species are pouring through the door. Here are some of their photos! They grow so quickly. Baby passerines can go from egg to flight in as little as 8 days. It is hard to even imagine the process unless you have experienced it.


Passerines need to be fed every twenty minutes their first week of life from sun-up to sundown. The next time you see adult birds such as robins in a frantic search for food you can appreciate the reason.

The Saw-whet Owl admitted from Merrill late last week is currently in an exercise flight. We are encouraged with her quick recovery from her head injury. Her vision has all but returned. We will check her depth perception and hearing in the flight. An owls hearing is just as important as their sight. About sixty percent of an owls hunting ability comes from hearing. A head injury could cause problems with hearing so we need to make sure hers is spot on before we send her home. We hope her mate has been taking good care of the youngsters in her absence. Male birds, raptors in particular are incredible parents and can take over raising young without the female in most cases. At REGI we have male foster parents that rear orphans from tiny through release with no female present. I am always tempted to write the "Father of the Year" contests for some of our special "dads".



(Photo: Mallard ducklings in brooder on the left and Canada Goose goslings on the right. The duckings are much bigger than the goslings at this point, but that will not last for long.)

The ducklings rescued by a Wausau Police Officer are growing. They are about ¾ the size of adult Mallards now. They are ravenous all of the time. We wish duckweed was developed on ponds in the area. We harvest the duck weed and bring it home for our ducklings. There is nothing better for them to grow in. Tiny invertebrates hide in the duck weed and give them a meal filled with all the natural things they need. UNFORTUNATELY it has been so cold in our region the duckweed is not yet out in ponds. We are making due with lots of meal worms and wax worms as well as a specialized diet for them. Thanks to Dale Waterhouse of Jada Baits in Antigo for continuing to provide us with cast off wax worms and Lori Schubring owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Wausau. Lori offers “Bird Bucks” at her store on certain items such as books. The public can use the "Bird Bucks" as money off their next order OR donate them to REGI and WE can buy things we need for our patients. YEA! I got 5,000 meal worms yesterday just using the bird bucks. A friend of REGI John Jacobs of Antigo also raises meal worms for our hungry birds. You know your lifestyle is a little different from the rest of the world when you celebrate the gift of insects with the enthusiasm that we do.

The young Canada geese admitted last Wed from Marshfield are growing beautifully. The Mallard ducklings picked on the goslings when they were first admitted. We had to laugh at the sight knowing that soon the goslings would be giant size neighbors to the Mallard Ducks. They better hope the goslings don’t hold a grudge from that first day.

Wood Duck ducklings are very high stress and high energy babes. I can tell when a caller has a box of Wood Ducks when they call just by the sound or their frantic and distinctive peeping. They jump like little jumping beans and find it hard to settle down. We admitted a little Wood Duck family from Medford when their mom was hit by a car as she led them to a pond. Sadly not all survived but those that have are doing very well. They eat insects exclusively their first month of life. The insects have to be small because this duck species is ultra tiny when hatched. We buy frozen bloodworm's, they type people feed tropical fish, from the pet store for our Wood and Merganser ducklings as a first food.


An adult male Coopers Hawk was admitted from Plover. He had been shot. This is an old bird as his eye coloration is so intense. The gray feathers and the deep orange-red eyes are typical of older birds. What a shame he will never fly again. Shooting any native bird is illegal, but happens more than we like to admit. It is actually against the federal law in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Tomorrow will be an exciting day as our summer interns are arriving! The addition of college interns is energizing for all of us.

Best to all,

Marge Gibson © 2009

Snowy Owl, Bluebird, Saw-whet Owl and Canada Geese OH MY!

Patients are coming through the door rapidly now. They are of every shape and size and keep our life interesting with their diversity of species and medical needs.

A beautiful adult Snowy Owl was admitted on Wednesday. She is thin weighing less than half her normal weight. She is blind in one eye. Her blindness may have played a role in her level of starvation. We do see Snowy Owls in Wisconsin some winters, but this date is too late for her to be here. She should be settling into breeding with her mate in the tundra near Churchill, Canada. Her prognosis is not good to recover from her multiple medical problems, but we have seen miracles before here at REGI. Our rule of thumb is if she is fighting to stay alive we are willing to do our part to help her recover. We will continue to tube feed her oral emaciation diet and give her sub-q fluids. She was found by some very caring people that wanted to make sure she had the best chance at life. As so often happens, without members of the public calling to alert us to emergency situations we would never have the chance to help.

We also admitted an adult female Saw-whet Owl yesterday. How odd we are seeing adult patient this time of year when babies are more the rule. This owl has a brood patch which means she was sitting on eggs before she became ill. She is blind in one eye. Her blindness could be due to a head injury as she has a small patch of feathers in an odd shape on the back of her head. She is doing much better and I hope we can get her home soon.

Three lovely goslings admitted from the Marshfield area. They are lively and doing well. We are have some cold weather again this week, but they were able to spent a short period outside in the sun. It is funny to see the Canada goose goslings at a few days old so much smaller than the Mallard ducklings that came in about 2 weeks ago. It always amazes me how fast they grow. There is something about baby waterfowl that brings joy just to watch them in their excitement and interaction with each other.
A male Bluebird came in late this afternoon. He is very thin and has pneumonia. I suspect he ate some worms that had been sprayed sometime earlier this week. Life is hard for insectivores. If there are plenty of insects we are often out spraying them or the grasses where they live. Secondary poisoning occurs so often to these beautiful birds. This time of year it is a double problem as Bluebirds like many other species have young in the nest that depend on the adult being there. The lose of an adult at a nest could cause the entire nest to fail.


We have so many great updates! The Bald Eagle with the head injury from Neopit is now in a flight. She is recognizing her surroundings better. She is not yet flying and while that is a concern she has time to recover.

Dave Koch volunteered two days this week doing repairs on the middle mews. Dave has volunteered at REGI for a number of years. He is one of those people that can do anything in terms of repairs or carpentry and is a wonderful help and a blessing. Dave wrote me a few weeks back to ask if we had any volunteer labor jobs available. I think my email back to him was one word, YES! No sense wasting time writing a bunch of words when an enthusiastic YES will do it.

E. O. Johnson Co. has begun our technology transformation. We are all like a group of children staring big eyed at the incredible equipment and changes they are making to our computers including networking. While we are up to date on biology and medical issues, technology other than the most basic was always too far a reach for REGI as a non profit. Winning this makeover means more than even we knew.

That is just part of our news. I will have to catch up more tomorrow. I am off to feed babies one more time before catching a few hours of sleep. The Sandhill colt gets me up at 3:00 A.M.and then again at 5:00A.M. if I am not already awake.

Have a great tomorrow everyone.

Marge Gibson ©2009

Gulliver, the Brownsville Goose, a New Chapter

There is good news from Wisconsin. The Brownsville Canada goose rescued from a precarious situation on the Mississippi River and transported to REGI a wildlife facility located in Antigo, WI in early February, has found love with another patient at REGI.

Gulliver gained strength quickly with some TLC, a warm place to heal and as much food as he wanted. We expected that would be the case. What we had not expected was that he would find something to nourish his soul as well.

When Sara Lubinski brought Gulliver from La Crosse to Antigo he was put into an area with another Canada goose patient. We will call her Lady Bird. That little lady had a string of bad luck much like Gulliver did. Lady Bird came to REGI suffering from lead poisoning and resulting starvation. Her condition was so fragile she was unable to maintain her body temperature. Cold weather is not usually an issue for Canada geese, however it was for Lady Bird.. She suffered frost bite on her feet and lost the webbing between her toes.

After Gulliver arrived lots of sounds began coming from the enclosure. I don’t profess to understand Canada goosese but the honks seemed like happy honks. We were delighted that the two geese found friendship in each other as they recovered from their individual problems.

A week ago the weather began to warm. The geese were taken to the outdoor area to continue their rehabilitation. Lady Bird was moved first. Gulliver followed a few minutes later. While it was just a matter of minutes that the geese were separated, you would have thought they had been apart for months! They ran to each other. The honking was loud, excited and kind of frantic at the same time.

All the noise got the attention of a pair of Canada geese that wintered in the pond area. One of the pair is a rehabilitation bird, the other a wild bird that arrived one day and never left. The gander of the resident pair came over to investigate the new geese. Gulliver took offense instantly and charged the other male. He was protecting his Lady Bird. The geese have adapted to each other, but are definitely two PAIR.

We don’t know how this story will end. Gulliver will have full strength and flight capability soon. We hope Lady Bird will regain her strength too so they can fly off together. But, lead poisoning takes a toll on the heart and kidneys. She may never be able to leave REGI. Gulliver may soon have a hard decision to make. Will he chose to stay at REGIs pond and make a life with Lady Bird,his new love with the funny toes, or leave her for a “wild”lifestyle?

Stay tuned for updates on the life of Gulliver the luckiest goose on the Mississippi.

Best to all,

Marge

PS. We are grateful to the many people that played a role in the capture of Gulliver and transport to REGI in Antigo. It is people such as you that make the world a better place. Teaching moments come from the oddest sources. In this case a injured Canada goose brought people together for a common good and left everyone just a bit better than before for having had the experience. Gulliver thanks you for his second chance at life.

Article on Gulliver the Goose from Caledonia Argus, Caledonia,MN

The article below is printed by permission of the Caledonia Argus. It appeared in that paper on Feb. 11, 2009. We are delighted to report that Gulliver is doing well and has found love in another Canada Goose in rehabiliation at REGI. Our thanks to Charlie Warner, Editor of the Argus, Craig Moorhead and the fine people that cared so much for this goose and found a way to help him. Marge Gibson


Brownsville's 'Gulliver the Goose' rehabbing nicely in Antigo, Wis. By Craig Moorhead
Special for the Caledonia Argus Caledonia, MN


There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.
- Aldo Leopold
A wild Canadian goose with an injured wing first caught the attention
of Brownsville residents a couple of months ago. The bird could be
seen in the Mississippi River near the shoreline, towards the
northern end of town.
Lavonne Jahn was among the first to spot the flightless bird. She
contacted neighbors and friends about the goose and called the
Minnesota DNR to see if anything could be done. "They told me they
could come over and shoot it," she said. Lavonne wasn't too happy
with that.
Winter arrived, and the stranded bird could be seen swimming in an
ever-shrinking pool of water. The ice was closing in. Brownsville residents started trying to get food to the bird. They
took corn, bread, and even muffins and tossed them out for the goose,
which was near the foot of a steep embankment. As the weather
worsened, more and more people took notice of the plight of the goose. Lana Twite, owner of The Copper Penny restaurant, says that customers
started talking about the Brownsville goose almost every day.
Everyone seemed to have an opinion. Some thought the bird should be
rescued, while others thought that nature should be allowed to take
its course. As one resident put it, "eagles need to eat too." Brownsville Postmaster Barb Keehn said that people were showing up to
drop off their mail, pick up stamps, and see if anyone had news about
the goose. The Brownsville goose had become the talk of the town. Amiie Gabrilska of the Coulee Region Humane Society said that several
people contacted her agency about the big bird. Only those with
wildlife rehabilitation permits and federal migratory bird permits
are allowed to take charge of a live wild goose. Gabrilska says that
her agency had people with the permits, but a problem remained. It was a big problem. The treacherous ice conditions made catching
the bird next to impossible. As resident Laurie Arzaga said, "We were
trying to figure out how to help it, rescue it, but we could see that
the ice was too dangerous."
Arzaga talked the situation over with her friend Sara Lubinski.
Lubinski, a botanist and landscape painter who works part-time for
the U. S. Geological Survey, began contacting people she knew, seeing
if they knew of anyone who could help.
Enter Shawn Giblin and Eric Cummings, Wisconsin DNR employees who
work out of the USGS field station, La Crosse. Giblin and Cummings
were set to do water quality sampling with their airboat at Lawrence
Lake and Stoddard.
Lubinski said that the day before the attempted rescue (Jan. 11), the
goose could be seen sitting in what was left of its pool of open
water, now only about three feet wide.
On Jan. 12 the open water was gone. Lubinski said she couldn't see
the bird. She had a sinking feeling as she headed for the boat
landing. Giblin and Cummings were set to meet Gabrilska at Lawrence
Lake that morning, and she dreaded telling them that the goose was
gone. When she reached the landing Jahn showed up, telling everyone
that the bird was on the bank. The thermometer stood at two above as
the rescuers departed.
"It wasn't a terribly scientific process," Giblin said. "I just threw
my muskie net in and Amiie brought a dog carrier." Shawn drove the
airboat while Eric grasped the net. The goose was herded out onto the
ice. On the third pass, Eric netted the bird.
Giblin: "It went surprisingly smooth. He seemed like he was on his
last legs. We chased him about three or four minutes before we caught
him."
Gabrilska returned to Onalaska with the goose, which was originally
thought to be a female. Dr. Laura Johnson, a wild bird specialist
from Prairie Du Chien, Wis. drove to Onalaska to examine the bird.
She requested radiographs, which another local veterinarian donated.
Tests indicated that the goose could be saved, and might even regain
its ability to fly.
Coulee Region Humane Society started looking for a licensed wildlife
rehabilitator to take the bird (now thought to be a gander). Raptor
Education Group Inc. of Antigo, Wis. offered to take the goose and
nurse it back to health. All that was needed was a volunteer to
transport the bird.
Lubinski volunteered. On Feb. 5 she loaded up the goose, nicknamed
Gulliver, and headed for Antigo. Gulliver, she said, "made not a
single peep for three and a half hours."
She described the facility as "amazing. Gulliver was placed in a
large, clean pen with another goose and they seemed just fine
together. Once winter thaws, Gulliver can spend time in a large,
protected pond, complete with a few other geese and waterfowl to hang
out with."
(For those wishing to contact or contribute to REGI, a non-profit,
donation-funded entity, their e-mail is RaptorEducationGroup.org) If Gulliver's flying abilities return, he will travel back to the
Mississippi flyway for eventual release.
Why do all this for a goose? Lubinski replied, "I'd been watching
this goose for weeks. I really hadn't thought about doing anything
about it until Laurie called. One day just north of town I saw two
coyotes crossing where the ice was a little firmer. Another day an
eagle swooped right over the top of the goose and I thought 'this
goose is still there.' This is an amazing goose, surviving all those
predators and the ice, not being able to fly or get to food." An amazing goose? Is that all? Lubinski thinks for a moment, then
begins to quote Leopold from memory: "And when the dawn-wind stirs
through ancient cottonwoods, and the gray light steals down from the
hills over the old river sliding softly past its wide brown
sandbars--- what if there be no more goose music?"