Pointers visit REGI

Today we had a visit from Dr. Shelli Dubay's Techniques of Captive Wildlife Management class from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point. Each year Shelli brings her students up to REGI to learn avian rehabilitation techniques from the best in the field, Marge Gibson.

Photo above: Marge is teaching the students proper raptor handling techniques. When properly handled, our patients do not feel threatened and can be examined with minimal stress. We do not sedate our patients for examinations, there is no need as long as the patients are handled with care and are shown respect.

Photo above: This Barred Owl was brought in a few weeks ago suffering from starvation. You may remember her from a previous blog. She provided the students with an excellent example of the proper way to care for a starving animal. When birds are found with starvation, our first instinct may be to give them solid food. As Marge explained to the students, a starving bird's digestive system cannot handle solid food right away and instead we must feed a liquid diet until the bird is able to regain strength and handle small amounts of solid food. This owl is recovering very well and is on solid food once again. She will be placed in a flight enclosure to regain the muscles necessary for flight her body absorbed during starvation.

Photo above: As you can see, our clinic was at full capacity, but we made it work.

Photo above: Marge allows the students a close-up look at a Bald Eagle, the closest look that many of these students have ever had.

Photo above: Marge teaches the students about proper enclosure construction from inside the flight building. She discussed everything from proper dimensions to substrate material.

Photo above: The students also got a super-condensed introduction to how we give tours. Here, Education Coordinator, Molly McKay teaches the students about Turkey Vultures.

Photo above: Upon their departure, Dr. Dubay and the students pose for a parting group shot.

This visit was especially exciting for me because just one year ago I attended this same field trip as one of Dr. Dubay's students. It was great to see some familiar faces from my alma mater, UW-SP. Attending the field trip were a couple of our future interns for this coming summer, Kyle Lannon and Katherine Tesch. We were excited to see them and look forward to getting to know them this summer.

We wish all of the students luck in their futures!

Thanks everyone!

Karissa Mohr
REGI Wildlife Educator

Summer Interns are HERE!, Two Sandhill Cranes, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed hawk and Hairy Woodpecker Admitted

Our interns are here! What a terrific group we have. This year we have four students. All happen to be from University of WI Stevens Point. You will meet them often in photos during the summer.



( Photo: Intern Katie R. holds a three-week-old Sandhill Crane colt after he was admitted this evening with an injury to his right leg. Tomorrow we will have a better idea of the extent of his injury. He certainly is a little charmer. We hope he has a full recovery.)

It has been quite a busy night with two admissions about 9 p.m.. A Red-shouldered Hawk, a threatened species in the State of WI was transported by Menominee Tribal Warden. The male one-year-old Red-shouldered Hawk was likely hit by a car and has an injury to the spine. A stronghold of this rare species exists on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The habitat is perfect for Red-shouldered Hawks due to the tribe's excellent forest conservation methods. We are proud to work closely with Menominee Tribal Conservation Department supporting their efforts with this threatened species and many others.




( Photo: Orphaned Barred Owl chicks are introduced to their foster parent, Malcolm, our stellar education bird/foster parent today. One chick remains in the "basket" while the other moves about the enclosure checking it out under the watchful eye of Malcolm. From this point on they will be with Malcolm and not associate with humans. In that way they will grow up to be normal, well-adjusted owls, not imprinted to humans.)



( Photo: This young Barred Owl has big expectations for itself as it stands on a gopher hoping to eat the "whole thing". Foster parent, Malcolm, will be very helpful in showing him how to do just that.)

You just never know how your day is going to turn out when you are at REGI. Super volunteer Dave Koch is living proof of that. Dave was helping repair the many woes of our aging buildings the other day when we got a call about a Red-tailed hawk on the ground. Dave jumped in the van with me and we were off to rescue a beautiful adult male. Thanks Dave!



( Photo: Dave Koch holds a Red-tailed Hawk he helped rescue.)

The Red tailed Hawk had been hit by a car a week earlier but was able to avoid capture. He is suffering internal injuries and starvation.

Our passerine babies have grown and many are out in the aviaries learning how to be normal wild birds. It is amazing to us how fast the process goes. Some passerines ( songbirds) can go from egg to fledgling in 8-10 days!) About 10 days ago I posted photos of some very tiny American Robins. See their progress below.




( Photos: Remember the photo above just ten days ago? This is the little American Robin now. He is growing well as are all of our American Robin patients. Now they finally look like robins rather than an embryo. )

Our Savior Lutheran School came by for a field trip today to the REGI compound. They were a terrific group of youngsters and teachers.



( Photo: Children from Our Savior Lutheran School see how they measure up to the wingspan of and Bald Eagle and other raptors on our wingspan wall. )



( Photo: Intern Jen R. demonstrates the foot of a hawk for students during a field trip to REGI by the Our Savior Lutheran School of Wausau.)

We celebrated Intern Karissa's birthday today. Happy Birthday Karissa! It is going to be a great summer!



( Photo: REGI crew is always happy around pizza and birthday cake! )

Our days begin at daybreak now. Feeding the baby birds goes from daylight through about mid-night and then starts all over again.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend everyone. Please remember and honor those that have served in Military Service past, present and future.

Marge Gibson © 2010