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My Wildlife Adventures

AliCat37

AliCat37

Michelle's Candied Corns!
Hey everyone!
I am "one of those" people that injured and sick wildlife seem to just find. So I started volunteering with wildlife rehab and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife about a year ago after finding a little eastern screech owl on the road (I got to release him once he was better). I get lots of neato wildlife adventures, whether I get called to pick something up at the office, or someone has a fox stuck in a window well, or I just find things. Today, I was walking my puppy in the local park and found this beautiful Cooper's hawk. No physical injuries, but rather some kind of head injury. Either he got blown around in the 75 mph winds we had yesterday, or he had a mishap while hunting. Any way, he is at rehab now and hopefully will recover for release. I will keep this thread going with whatever critters happen to show up :) it's fun!
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So, unfortunately the little Cooper's hawk from the other day passed away. He must have had some major internal damage. Better to pass away warm and well cared for, rather than alone in a snow bank.

Today, I picked up a psycho kestrel. He was found in the middle of the city, and the person who found him initially thought he was a sandwich (????), then he moved. It's likely that he hit a window. Hopefully this guy will be just fine, he is a BOUNCY little kid. And no, that is not blood under him.. Well, kinda. It's cut up mouse. He was too excited to eat though.
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The sad stories stink Michelle but the fact that to take care of these guys are awesome and warms my heart, im looking forward to checking bad to this thread often
 
A sandwich? That's new. I'm glad the little bugger found his way to you guys. It sounds like an awesome way to volunteer your time :)
 
If I could have any job in the world, I think it would have to be wildlife rehab. I'll be looking forward to any new stories/pictures you post.
 
Spring time is just around the corner- so lots of babies will be coming in soon.
We had a really bad summer, with lots of rain and fires, so it was a terrible year and we lost a lot of my favorites in rehab to westnile.

Here are some fun pictures with my favorite babies, both unfortunately passed because of the virus.
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These two flickers were awesome! They would basically attack for baby formula.
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And here are just some other random summer pics from last year:

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This is awesome Ali. I am looking into wildlife rehab in Pennsylvania after I get out of college. Dealing with sick and injured animals that most people don't get to see or handle is amazing. I could do without the people, however. Good luck in everything you do. And just for funsies, from one wildlifer to another, have an owl.
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Sorry it's sideways! :p
 
Sometimes I wish that I lived closer to Santa Fe. There is a rehab up there that works with Raptors, and I think it would be awesome to volunteer some days, or get a job doing that type of work...
 
Check into local aviaries. Many state parks here in Maryland have injured raptors in captivity and work with rehabilitators.

Guy on campus: You know that thing can't love you. It has no frontal lobe!
Me: Your dog eats poop and licks your face.
 
kayladewi said:
This is awesome Ali. I am looking into wildlife rehab in Pennsylvania after I get out of college. Dealing with sick and injured animals that most people don't get to see or handle is amazing. I could do without the people, however. Good luck in everything you do. And just for funsies, from one wildlifer to another, have an owl.
Click to expand...

Neato!!! That was how I first really got into it, I would find critters all the time and just bring them to the vet that deals with the rehab, and then I found Wally...

I don't have pics of him on my computer, but he is a little screech owl that I found in the road. I just scooped him up,put him in the car (he decided to show us that he could still fly at that point) and we got him out to the rehab. I got a call a few weeks later that he was doing just fine and that I could release him.. and I was hooked!
 
It's all well and good as long as you can avoid the "politics" involved. You have to work with a whole mess of different agencies and *gulp* the public. It gets very frustrating when people do silly things and bring you animals to rehabilitate that would've been better off if they had left them alone (like a fledgling bird on the ground). As long as you can stick to the fun stuff, keep doing it!

Guy on campus: You know that thing can't love you. It has no frontal lobe!
Me: Your dog eats poop and licks your face.
 
I have been looking into falconry as a sport/hobby. I have been reading up on it for a few months now, and yesterday started taking steps toward seeing what I am looking at spending in order to get into the hobby... Lots of money and time, but in order to fly a Redtailed Hawk (apprentice bird), and eventually (7-10 years when I become a Master) hunt with a Golden Eagle....totally worth it.

I also hope to one day run a rehab facility for raptors and other birds... But that will be some time from now.
 
I just think the laws suck. It is SO hard to get a license to rehab animals. We also lost one of our really great wildlife officers because he was tired of being told to kill everything. We didn't get a lot of cool mammals last year.

I don't mind working with the public, I do it everyday at work. The animals make it easier. BUT I do mind the people who pick up wildlife meaning to do well, and the animal ends up dead for it. Happens all the time with "abandoned" deer, or fledglings. The saddest things I saw were some baby robins that some people had for a few days, they had kept them in direct sunlight and stuffed them full of worms. They were on the verge of death when they arrived, it was awful. Their little bellies were hard as rocks and all black in color. We also got this sweet little baby pigeon (still fluffy) that already knew how to feed itself because he had practically been starved. Thankfully, he was paired with the big baby Godzilla and another baby that was very, very emotionally damaged, that wouldn't eat on his own, so they were great for each other.
 
No pictures,
But I was working in the meat room today, and I have a following of chickadees when I am at work. One in particular is always very close by.
So today I was putting things away and he landed next to me, so I just put my finger out for him, cause why not? To my surprise he came right up to me and landed on my hand. I talked to him for a few minutes, then he jumped to my shoulder, before finally settling on my head. He stayed only a little while longer before flying away. Very sweet little bird.

This morning on the way to work I was just thinking about George, a sweet little house sparrow I rehabbed and released in my yard. Sadly, he got killed by my cat only two weeks later... Maybe this little bird was George in another form. There to say "it's okay".

I miss my George.
 
Jealous. I photograph these animals in the wild every week but I rarely get to see them that close. Hanging around the banding station at our local refuge gets me that chance on occasion. Never babies, of course, but I've been lucky enough to be able to hold and release a few birds after data collection.
It's nice to see people put in the time for rehab, thanks for making this thread.
 
I love chickadees. Absolutely my favorite year - round songbird and in the top 5 overall. I had one land on my head once but never one linger that long. You're so lucky!

Guy on campus: You know that thing can't love you. It has no frontal lobe!
Me: Your dog eats poop and licks your face.
 
Sorry I fell behind on this! There have been lots of transports and releases in the last month, all between working two jobs! But I picked up this sweet pea today. He should be okay, but this is one of those critters that someone thought they were helping by keeping it themselves until it started to fail. He has pneumonia, probably from inhaling foods and liquids someone tried feeding him without the right knowledge on how to. He also is skinny and covered in fleas :(
Good news is he was very happy to get fed and warmed up! Hoping he does well :)

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AWESOME work! Such little cuties, and when the stories have good outcomes it is such a great feeling. Because you like birds, my parents just emailed me this link to birds of paradise, it is video and pics of some of the amazing birds of New Guinea. I think you will like it.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc
 
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