Rescue Report Fall 2003 - Wildlife Rescue League

Newsletter of the Wildlife Rescue League
Fall 2003, Vol. 21, No. 3
birds of prey
Shortage
of volunteers
hits League
–see p. 4
A glimpse inside the world of
Kent Knowles and the Raptor
Conservancy of Virginia
By Holly Ross Haynes
S
ince his youth, Kent Knowles has been fascinated by birds of prey. “They are the epitome
of ‘wildness,’ yet are fragile in some ways and
in need of humans’ help and tolerance,” he
explains. He had hoped to one day work with these
fierce yet delicate creatures, but the need to provide
for his family prevailed.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Kent moved
a number of times, and lived in Central America with
F E A T U R E S
Hooked on Wildlife ................................... 6
A couple moves from rat race to slow pace,
and wildlife played a part
DEPARTMENTS
Kent holds a 5-year-old adult female red-tailed hawk.
President’s Message ................................ 2
Photo by Holly Haynes
The Editor’s Desk ..................................... 3
his family for three years while practicing international law. Today, rehabbing raptors and overseeing
the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia (RCV) is a far cry
from the world of high-powered meetings, 100-page
pleadings and three-piece suits. A fellow rehabber
once chided Kent: “I know the real reason you
became a rehabber — you’re doing penance to the
world for all the time you were a lawyer!”
About 15 years ago, Kent met WRL member Joan
Parker, who introduced him to the League. Not only
News .......................................................... 4
EcoWatch ................................................ 12
WRL Leadership Directory .................... 14
Book Corner ........................................... 15
“The Flight of the Red Knot”
— continued on page 10
Visit our
Rescue Report
„ Fallwebsite
2003
— www.wildliferescueleague.org
1
President’s Message
Going My Way?
Rescue Report
Wildlife Rescue League, P.O. Box 704,
Falls Church, VA 22040
(703) 391-8625
E-mail: [email protected]
www.wildliferescueleague.org
Wildlife Hotline: (703) 440-0800
Editor
Jennifer Connors
Staff Writer
Holly Ross Haynes
Contributors
Kathleen Britts
Pat Chamberlain
Kathy Denino
Alex J. Lagasca
Stan Polinsky
Kathy Wilson
Distribution
Lida Hawk
Articles and photographs published in Rescue Repor
Reportt
are for the information of Wildlife Rescue League members and do not necessarily reflect the views of WRL.
Articles and artwork are the intellectual property of their
creators and may not be used without permission. Permission requests may be sent to the editor.
Deadline for submission is the 15th of January, April,
July and October. Send articles and photos to Jen Connors
at [email protected].
2
…TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A WOOD, AND I –
I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY,
AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
(FROM “THE ROAD NOT
TAKEN” BY ROBERT FROST)
IT’S DIFFICULT TRYING
to juggle all that life
throws at you — work,
kids, bills, etc. It never
ends. You think, Who
has time for anything
else? You might have thought about volunteering
once or twice, but then second-guessed your ability
to add that to the list and stay sane.
As president of WRL, I may not be the most
objective person to suggest how to spend your free
time. But I can say this: volunteering for WRL is one
of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Just
ask one of our many board members, committee
chairs, rehabbers or hotline volunteers. They won’t
lie; it can be tough. Saving lives is a tough job! But it
can also be a life-changing experience.
By becoming a WRL volunteering, that’s just what
you will be doing — saving lives. Animals in distress,
whether injured or orphaned, need human intervention and assistance until they can get back on their
own four feet, as it were. (See Stan Polinsky’s article,
“Hooked on Wildlife,” on page 6 to learn more about
the challenges and rewards of rehabbing.)
Now more than ever before, WRL needs more
rehabilitators, apprentices and hotline volunteers.
The past spring and summer seasons were our most
challenging yet; the lack of volunteers was keenly
felt.
I can’t stress it enough — WRL can’t make it
without the help of our members and volunteers. If
rehabbing, working on the hotline or volunteering in
other ways to help the League interests you — even
if you can spare only three hours a month — contact
us at (703) 391-8625 or [email protected].
Should you come to a fork in the road, consider
the road less traveled. It will make all the difference
— especially to the animals you help save.
DAWN DAVIS
President
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
The Editor’s Desk
Raptor Mania!
AUTUMN MAKES ME THINK OF RAPTORS —
hawks, owls, eagles, osprey — birds of prey left
behind by the wayward migrators at summer’s end.
We can spot them easily on a dead-tree snag or bare
branch, after the leaves have fallen.
As part of this issue’s cover story, Holly Haynes
points out some noteworthy websites devoted
entirely to raptors. I also would encourage readers
to check out the website of a unique program called
Raptors in the City — www.raptorsinthecity.org.
I whole-heartedly endorse this program and its
educational value.
I first read about the program in a 2001 issue of
Wild Bird magazine. I contacted the program’s
director, teacher Deborah Mathies, to find out
whether any peregrine falcons or other birds or prey
that were known to nest in NYC had been affected
in the wake of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center
attacks. In our e-mail correspondence, I directed her
to the Ontario-based Fatal Light Awareness Program,
or FLAP (see Spring 2001 issue of Rescue Report), of
which she was previously unaware and now intends
to use in her curricula. Deborah then drew my
attention to the Raptors in the City program and all it
had to offer.
The program’s “Falcon Flash” e-newsletter —
which arrives each week throughout the entire
nesting season — features large color photos (via the
“falcon cam” mounted on a skyscraper) and detailed
descriptions of the day-to-day survival of a Cleveland, Ohio-based peregrine falcon family, which
makes its home on the ledge of an office building.
SW and Buckeye, the resident falcon parents,
have remained at their nest site during the cold
Cleveland winters to guard their territory. (They
nested there during the 2002 and 2003 nesting
seasons, and perhaps longer.) Each week, you’ll get
to see the falcons’ familial process in its entirety, as
SW and Buckeye perform their courtship ritual, lay
their eggs, watch their eggs hatch, feed and protect
their nestlings, even allow humans (from the Ohio
Division of Wildlife) to get close enough to band the
chicks, and then finally, one by one, say “farewell” to
their brood as they leave the nest.
To view the falcons and their chicks live, go to
http://www.falconcam.apk.net. (Alas, the 2003
season has come and gone, as this year’s falcon
fledglings have “flown the ledge,” so to speak.) To
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
“Kudos,” a young male and one of three chicks from SW
and Buckeye’s 2003 spring brood, gets banded.
Photo by Scott Wright/Falcon Flash
sign up for the “Falcon Flash” e-newsletter in time for
the 2004 nesting season, send an e-mail to raptors@
optonline.net.
I hope you’ll look forward to seeing the new
brood in 2004 — you won’t be disappointed!
JENNIFER CONNORS
Editor
3
News
Call to Action
By Pat Chamberlain
N
orthern Virginia’s native wildlife may not be
getting the critical care it needs when an animal
is hurt, injured, ill or orphaned. In this area of rapid
growth, animals are quickly losing their habitat. As
wooded, meadow and pond areas are shrinking,
more than ever before, the need for wildlife
rehabilitators is growing.
WRL members can help save our native wildlife
by training to become a wildlife rehabilitator.
Rehabilitators are state-licensed animal care providers who volunteer their time at home to treat and
care for wildlife.
Why Become a Wildlife Rehabilitator?
In addition to helping save our native species, the
benefits are many. You will be able to:
Welcome Back!
Check out our fun fall school
and office supplies at the
WRL Store online:
■ Book bags ■ Lunchboxes
■ Mousepads ■ and more!
www.cafeshops.com/wrl
4
• Set your own pace. You can commit to as little or
as much as you feel will fit into your life.
• Choose your species of expertise, whether babies or
adults, orphaned or injured. You can care for:
- Small mammals — cottontails, squirrels,
opossums, mice, voles and chipmunks
- Large mammals — deer and bears
- Rabies vector species (RVS) — foxes,
groundhogs, skunks, bats and raccoons
- Reptiles and amphibians — turtles, frogs
and snakes
- Birds — songbirds, waterfowl and raptors
• Make rehabbing a family experience. Spend some
quality time with a child or grandchild by demonstrating how and teaching why you are caring for
wildlife. It can be great way for a couple to spend
time together as well.
• Exercise your mind. WRL offers many new and
interesting wildlife classes to help you get started.
Learn how to treat wounds and illness, or raise
infants until they are ready to be released and
survive on their own. Learn how wildlife teaches
us about our environment.
• Meet new people. Network with other WRL
rehabbers, state rehabbers, national and even
international rehabilitators.
• Reward your heart. Your efforts culminate when
your animals are successfully treated and released
back into the wild.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
If you have room in your heart but not the space in
your home to accommodate wildlife for treatment,
you can become a licensed wildlife care provider.
Care providers essentially perform the same duties as
licensed rehabbers. By assisting rehabbers in their
homes, care providers can set their own pace and
hours, without having to maintain their own treatment facilities.
The WRL Hotline also needs volunteers. The
hotline, which covers the Washington, D.C., metro
area, is a resource that connects the public with
rehabilitators when an injured or orphaned animal is
found. The Hotline uses a voice-mail system, so
volunteers have the convenience of working from
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
Fall Yard Sale
to Benefit
WRL
home, work or wherever a telephone is available.
Shifts are normally 2-3 hours, and you can work as
many shifts as you would like each month.
For more information on becoming a licensed wildlife
rehabilitator, care provider or hotline volunteer, call
(703) 391-8625 or visit our website. For wildlife
assistance, call the WRL Hotline — (703) 440-0800.
START SAVING THOSE
WHITE ELEPHANTS!
WRL is planning to host a
yard sale in late fall — after
the busy season — to raise money for the 2004
season. Exact date and location TBD.
If you’re interested in helping with the
event or in making a donation — or both! —
please contact Linda Jasper at 703-448-6981 or
[email protected].
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Two WRL Leaders to
Step Down
Help Needed for Fall
‘Discovery Day’ Event
AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF OF DEDICATED
service, Kathy Denino, who scheduled and maintained the hotline calendar, and Kathy Wilson, who
was in charge of rehabber updates, will relinquish
their hotline responsibilities effective September 1.
The position of Hotline Coordinator has been
vacant this past year, and both Kathys stepped in to
fulfill these duties to ensure that the hotline continued to maintain its excellent reputation and quality.
Both Kathys were instrumental in revising the
Hotline Manual this year. Kathy Denino also organized a recent hotline volunteer training program.
Planning this program took a great deal of work on
Kathy’s part, and the program was a huge success.
Kathy and Kathy will continue to be active as
hotline volunteers and also will concentrate on
rehabbing small mammals and birds. They will also
continue to help organize hotline training sessions.
Anyone interested in the Hotline Coordinator
position should call (703) 391-8625, or contact Dawn
Davis at (703) 966-3474 or [email protected].
WRL WILL PARTICIPATE AGAIN THIS YEAR AT THE
Great Falls Park Discovery Day, to be held at Great
Falls Park, a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The event is scheduled for October 4,
2003.
Volunteers will be needed at the WRL booth to
answer questions about WRL and injured and orphaned wildlife. Park ranger Sarah Koenen commented that our presence last year “helped get a
valuable message out to the public.”
If you would like to volunteer, please call our
administrative line at (703) 391-8625, or contact
Dawn Davis at (703) 966-3474 or [email protected].
Deadline for the Winter Issue
of Rescue Report is Oct. 15.
Send submissions to:
Jen Connors at
[email protected].
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Raise Money for WRL
While You Shop
WRL IS NOW ENROLLED IN
Food Lion’s LionShop & Share
program. Register your Food
Lion MVP card and help raise
money for WRL every time you shop.
To register your card, go to http://
www.foodlion.com/shp_lssconsumers.asp. Enter
your 12-digit card number (found on the back of
your card under the barcode). Then select Virginia,
Falls Church, and Wildlife Rescue League from the
list of designated organizations.
For more information, visit http://
www.foodlion.com/shp_lssconsumers.asp.
5
Feature
Hooked on Wildlife
By Stan Polinsky
Author’s Note: This is the story of my travels from rat
race to slow pace and how wildlife influenced and
aided in that positive transition. Many friends helped
me along the way, particularly raccoon pals — Mo,
Larry, Curly, Fred, Ethel and Arnold — and human
buddies — Erika Yery and Adrian Roberts. They
provided encouragement, helped me learn to stop and
smell the roses, and certainly entertained. I am
fortunate to have met them all and to have been able
to do the things many people only dream about.
The Wildlife Seed Is Planted
L
ike many people living in a large metropolitan
area rat race, I was becoming disenchanted
with my professional and personal life. After 25
years in Washington, D.C., I was getting burned out.
My wife, Susan, and I decided we needed some
tranquility and purchased a house with a stream on
3-plus wooded acres in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Although not exactly country living, it was the
closest we could find; I worked in downtown
Washington most of the time and didn’t want to add
a long commute to my already frazzled lifestyle.
As our environment greatly influences our
behavior/interests, we soon found ourselves buying
nature books on native plants and animals. We
started walking the property with our guides, trying
to identify what we had. One unexpected but very
pleasant byproduct of our property was the amount
of wildlife traveling through. We lived close to a park
and unlike most of our neighbors who had expansive lawns, our property was all wooded with the
woods coming right up to the house. This provided a
natural setting to observe wildlife compared to the
barren, open areas all around me. To my surprise we
had numerous deer, raccoons, foxes, opossums and
lots of frogs and toads. We even had American eels
and Northern water snakes in the stream, things I
had never seen up close and certainly never on any
property I had owned before. I was getting hooked
on the natural world.
Over time, we placed bird feeders, feeding
stations and a small pond all around the house. We
6
were amazed at the number and variety of wildlife
attracted to our property. Deer came within 20 feet
of the house to feed on deer chow, and raccoons,
opossums, flying squirrels and red foxes visited our
feeders on a regular basis. Friends came over for
dinner and instead of watching a movie afterward,
we turned out the lights for “animal watch.” Our
feeding stations were in range of our outdoor
floodlights. We set up chairs in the kitchen next to
the patio doors and marveled at the parade of
animals that came to feed. Raccoons, opossums and
foxes often came around at the same time. It was
interesting to watch their interaction and that of our
guests. I expect the animals would have had as much
fun observing us as we did them.
All this wild activity soon led us to acquire more
than just a passing interest, as we realized how much
we enjoyed it and how much it enriched our lives.
We started taking nature and wildlife courses offered
by the county and soon joined the Wildlife Rescue
League to learn and do more. We were amazed at all
these crazy people who transported, repaired and
repatriated injured and orphaned native wildlife.
Many people did this while holding full-time jobs.
The wildlife rehabilitators infected us with their
enthusiasm and heartwarming stories.
We decided to join the League to help where we
could and as a relief from the stresses of every day
life in the “big city.” We attended meetings and soon
volunteered to help transport wildlife. One of our
more interesting transports was a call from the
League’s Wildlife Hotline to pick up a turtle at the
animal shelter and take it to a reptile rehabilitator.
Like good volunteers, we dutifully gathered up our
plastic container, towels, gloves, etc., and headed
over to the shelter. When we arrived and said we
were there to pick up the turtle, handing over the
container to put it in for transport, they laughed. The
staff led us to the back. To our surprise, there were
32 turtles of varying size in a large tub filled with
water. Using a little creativity, we loaded the turtles
into a large cardboard box filled with wet newspapers. Good thing that we didn’t have far to drive and
that the turtles didn’t mind sitting on top of each
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
other for 30 minutes. We learned that the turtles had
been confiscated from a pet store for mistreatment
and could not be released as they were not native to
the area.
How Would You Like to Be a
Wildlife Rehabilitator?
After about a year of WRL membership and animal
transporting, I met a wonderful lady who suggested
that my wife and I become licensed wildlife
rehabilitators. Although very interested, we questioned whether that would be possible with full-time
jobs. She suggested a visit to her home, discussion of
what would be required and of course a more
we met another raccoon aficionado, Adrian Roberts,
who also provided tremendous support. A retired
attorney, Adrian provided free legal services any time
a raccoon needed it, particularly after raiding local
garbage cans.
Getting Started
The process of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator in
Virginia is an arduous one. Virginia has rather
stringent laws and regulations regarding the acquisition, care and release of native wildlife. In order to
become licensed, we had to be sponsored, complete
the proverbial government forms, pass a home
inspection, work under a two-year apprentice
program and take continuing education credits each
year. As if filling out government forms was not
torture enough, we had to take a series of preexposure rabies shots as we would be handling
rabies vector species.
We began working with Erika on a regular basis.
We attended classes and helped Erika with small
items while learning the basics. One skill I had that
proved very useful was carpentry. This was about the
only skill I had over Erika — how can you compete
with someone who can care for 30 raccoons at a
time and still find time to take in unexpected critters
that come out of nowhere? She was amazing, and I
knew I was learning from the best.
In preparation for the day when we would get
animals of our own to care for, we started buying
supplies and building cages. I built several nest
boxes, a small indoor cage (2' x 2 x 4') that could
also serve as a transport cage and an outdoor cage
(8' x 8' x 16'), custom made for raccoons that could
be disassembled and reassembled easily if needed.
(This cage now resides at Erika’s refuge.) We placed
the outdoor cage next to the living room window
where we could keep an eye on things, both for
pleasure viewing and to make it easier to monitor
health/behavior on a continuing basis.
The Call
Susan and Stan’s first baby raccoon.
Photos courtesy of Stan Polinksy
personal and close-up introduction to the animals
she would like us to work with. How could we say
no?
This was the beginning of our adventure with
Erika Yery and her wild bunch of raccoons. With
Erika’s encouragement and willingness to work with
us neophytes, we stepped off the ledge. Over time
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
Finally we got a call from Erika to pick up three
baby raccoons to care for on our own. They were
healthy siblings and just needed basic care until they
could be released in about six months or so. We
were ready! They were cute as the dickens and very
friendly. Although you are supposed to avoid getting
too attached, we named them Mo, Larry and Curly
after the Three Stooges. The name fit as they were
very funny to watch.
Over the next few months, we ended up with
three more young raccoons. Two were siblings
(named Fred and Ethel) taken from a construction
worker who took them from their mother as pets,
and the last one was a timid, small orphaned raccoon found by a gentleman who tried to care for it
7
Bottle feeding the babies at 4:00 a.m.
himself. He eventually heard about our organization
and did the right thing by bringing it to us. He had
named the raccoon Arnold not realizing it was a girl.
We kept the name because it fit so well.
So far so good. All were healthy and, except for
Arnold being very timid, everyone got along fairly
well. We made sure Arnold got enough food by
giving her a separate bowl away from the other,
more aggressive raccoons.
Although it was time-consuming (e.g., a 4:00 a.m.
bottle feeding before getting ready for work), we
thoroughly enjoyed what we were doing. We looked
forward to coming home after work to feed, clean
and romp with them. We would sit in the outdoor
cage and watch them jump in and out of their minipool. One of their favorite tricks was to jump from
their perch onto our backs while we were cleaning
the cage floor. They would wait until we bent over
to pick something up and then they would pounce.
We had our ears nibbled and shirt collars pulled
many times. Of course it didn’t help that I hid
peanuts in my shirt pockets for them to discover.
days and had no idea what was causing their sudden
illness. If the illness was transmittable, it was likely
the remaining animals had it too.
Fortunately, Erika came to the rescue. She found
out other rehabbers were having similar problems
and the illness was likely parvovirus. With the
constant moving and mixing of animals from place to
place, it is easy to see how infections and diseases
can be transmitted, but difficult to pinpoint the
source. Based on a good hunch from Erika and her
veterinarian, we immediately began an aggressive
treatment of medicine, vitamins and fluids on the
other raccoons to help prevent the intestinal infection we believed was the culprit. We brought them
back in the house and into their original small cage
to minimize potential heat-related problems in the
unusually dry, hot summer and to facilitate the
intensive care they would be receiving (consisting of
lactated ringers, PEP, Nutri-Cal and Biosol). Each
raccy received 4-6 shots three times a day for several
weeks, in addition to forced feedings.
Although in a weakened state, the raccies were
still difficult for one person to handle and treat. My
wife and I worked together in the mornings and
evenings. I came home during lunch every day
The Fun Ends
Things were going well, and we thought this rehabbing stuff was pretty tame. Feed, clean, play, grow
and repeat until ready for release. Boy were we
naïve!
One evening when we returned from work and
started our “raccy ritual,” we found Mo dead from no
apparent cause. We immediately called Erika, who
rushed over right away. Nothing obvious was found,
and the other raccies seemed to be okay. We kept a
closer watch for anything unusual, but a few days
later we found Curly lying on the cage floor barely
alive. We quickly took him inside out of the heat and
started administering fluids as he was very dehydrated. Unfortunately, Curly passed away in our arms
while we were trying to contact Erika. We were
devastated. We lost two of our guys in a matter of
8
A litter box, food and water converts the dining room into
the raccies’ room; a step ladder serves as a jungle-gym.
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
I had a friend with 80 acres in Sperryville, Va., who
consented to help with the release (called “hacking
out”). A release cage was built, the raccies were
transported to their release site and we were able to
witness their coming out party a few weeks later. We
watched them hang around the cage for a while,
exploring their new surroundings, and then went
inside for dinner with our hosts. Later that evening,
we returned to the release site to see if anyone was
still around. Not a soul in sight. We never saw them
again. We wished them well and left for home — a
very sad two-hour drive.
Epilogue
Arnold sits in the corner for a time-out after being bad.
where Erika met me to help do mid-day injections.
Needless to say, things were crazy for several weeks
but we were determined not to lose another animal.
As if things weren’t nerve-wracking enough, I
inadvertently injected fluids into Arnold’s hind
quarters too deeply and ended up temporarily
paralyzing her rear legs (although we did not know
it was temporary at the time). Poor Arnold could not
walk for weeks and had to drag herself around by
the front legs. We felt terrible and realized how
important doing things quickly but correctly really is.
Arnold did pay us back though as she was unable to
use the litter box. This required some extra cleaning
on both the dining room floor and Arnold herself.
Eventually, Larry, Fred, Ethel and Arnold started
getting better. However, we didn’t feel comfortable
putting them back out in the hot weather even
though they needed room to exercise. The solution
was to remove most of the furniture from our formal
dining room and block the archways with plywood.
We could tell they enjoyed the freedom even though
they were still sick. We also had to watch them like a
hawk. One of them pulled a loose piece of wallpaper from the wall, and another one found a way to
climb up the window when our backs were turned.
They were definitely feeling more chipper!
The dining room was close to our supplies and
was one of the cooler rooms in the house so it
became the perfect temporary playroom. We could
come home from work, do their treatments and let
them run loose in the dining room for an hour or so
each day.
All fully recovered and were able to go back to
the outside cage until release time later that fall. Our
area is too populated with too much traffic, so we
could not release them on our property. Fortunately,
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
Mo and Curly were buried in our backyard, alongside Peter and Paul (two of Erika’s infant raccoons),
our black cat Bituminous, a red fox (found on a
neighbor’s property), and a cat and bird buried by
the previous homeowner. Each had their own little
story to tell and a lesson to teach humans. I hope I
am surrounded by such good company when my
turn comes. ■
Raccoons enjoying their outdoor cage. The rope ladder
was a “cage-warming” gift from Adrian Roberts.
Stan Polinsky, a former licensed wildlife rehabber, is
semi-retired and living on a 217-acre former horse
ranch in Trenton, S.C. The ranch has 10 miles of
trails, a stocked pond, federally protected wetland
area and a wide variety of wildlife habitat. Although
not rehabbing at this time, Stan is working with local
conservationists and wildlife biologists to develop the
ranch as a private wildlife sanctuary. He has written
an article on this project for the Wildlife Rescue
League. Stan can be reached at [email protected].
9
Raptors
Online
Hundreds of websites on birds of
prey are out there. Here are a few
that stand out from the rest (rated
out of 4 owls):
www.nbpc.co.uk
AA
Site of the National Birds of Prey
Centre of the United Kingdom —
purported to be the world’s oldest
and largest organization of this
sort. Adults and children will love
the photos of all the babies.
www.peregrinefund.org/
world.html
AAA
The Peregrine Fund site features
the World Center for Birds of Prey
in Boise, Idaho. Under “Additional
Topics,” click “Captive Breeding”
and read about the center’s
success in propagating various
species. Children especially will
appreciate “Exploring Raptors,”
a new, interactive program for
children and adults.
www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu
AAA
University of Minnesota College
of Veterinary Medicine site
features “Hot Topics,” listing
articles about current hazards
and diseases for birds of prey,
such as lead poisoning and West
Nile virus. Also features migration
tracking of various species and a
comprehensive “Raptor Facts”
section.
http://home.wanadoo.
nl/r.goedegebuur/
roofvog/roofidxe.html
AAAA
Dutch-based site lists more than
200 species of raptors, complete
with identification and facts about
each, as well as 200 color photos.
— Holly Haynes
10
Kent holds a 5-year-old male kestrel.
Photo by Holly Haynes
did he serve as WRL’s president
for eight years, Kent began
rehabilitating opossums and other
small mammals and gradually
began helping birds. Bolstered
with this experience he then
began rehabilitating birds of prey.
Back then there were no formal
apprentice and licensing requirements, so he learned all he could
from other rehabbers, books and
experience. He soon saw a need
to specialize in birds of prey, as
they come with their own set of
variables — not the least of which
is how to handle them.
Birds of prey have long, sharp
talons. From a practical standpoint, “Nobody had cages big
enough for them to regain condition and places in which to fly in
order to regain wing strength,”
Kent points out. In addition, there
was a need to delve into the
study of their anatomy, habits and
medical and rehabilitative care to
best meet their needs. Kent rose
to the challenge.
Kent founded the RCV six
years ago. Its mission is threefold: to rehabilitate native species
of birds of prey, educate the
public about raptors and preservation of their habitat, and
encourage conservation and
propagation of endangered
raptors. It is costly to care for and
maintain the large number of
birds that come Kent’s way. To
help allay the costs, Kent, or one
of his fellow volunteers, provides
educational presentations that use
many of the RCV’s beautiful, live,
non-releasable raptors. Presentations are conducted for a nominal
donation that varies according to
length of presentation, audience
size, number of raptors presented
and distance traveled.
“We have found that allowing
people to see some of our native
raptors up close helps increase
both the appreciation of these
wonderful birds and understand— Continued on p. 13
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
One-to-One with Kent Knowles
Holly Haynes: What’s most rewarding about working
with raptors?
Kent Knowles: The privilege of being able to have longterm interaction with the education birds at the RCV. The
combination of state and federal licenses we hold allow
for as many as 20 birds of prey that are non-releasable
to remain in captivity for educational purposes.
HH: And the greatest challenge?
KK: Having to come up against the limits of what one can
do and the limits of what veterinary medicine can do
with a raptor case that requires euthanasia. It’s tough,
but it’s part of the business.
HH: What are some memorable rehab success stories?
KK: The story in the WRL’s Summer 2003 Rescue Report
about the late-night owl rescue involving [WRL volunteer]
Heidi Bibber and [rehabber] Amo Merritt. Incidentally, one
thing the story didn’t convey was how reticent the man
[who reported the injured owl] was to drive back out to
Fauquier County that night and how impossible Amo
made it for him to say no!
HH: Describe some of the more humorous WRL Hotline
calls you’ve received.
KK: Once an elderly lady called and said there was a
huge Bald Eagle in her backyard. I asked her if it was two
and a half feet tall, to which she replied, ‘No, it is a
youngster.’ I asked if it had a large hooked beak, and she
said, ‘No, it’s pointed.’ Then I asked if it had thick yellow
toes, and she said, ‘No, they are pink!’ A volunteer went
to the lady’s home to check it out — it was a pigeon!
Another time, a man called bird rehabber Nora Missell
and said he had a “chicken hawk.” Nora asked what he
meant and he replied, “You know, one of those hawks
that eats everything!” Nora tried to refer him to me but
the man insisted on bringing it to Nora. As promised, the
man drove up to Nora’s in his pickup truck and handed
her a box and drove off. A chuckling Nora recounted the
story to me … I narrowly escaped taking a real chicken!
HH: If your bird patients could talk, what would they say?
KK: ‘Let me out of here! Give me more food! Hey, where’s
the TV? We want to watch Animal Planet!’
HH: How do you stay current with trends in
rehabbing birds of prey?
KK: In addition to acquiring skills and
experience day to day, I keep in close
contact with a raptor facility in Oregon and
another in Kentucky, amongst others. There
are only a few of us small raptor facilities
out there. It is not unusual for us to call one
another to bounce ideas and to get a second
opinion.
HH: If you had it to do over again, would you
have become a veterinarian instead of a
lawyer?
KK: Yes!
HH: How has your legal background
contributed to rehabbing?
KK: I became accustomed to dealing with
people and was frequently engaged in public
speaking. I’ve benefited from all of the
administrative and managerial skills I
learned as a lawyer. I’m also accustomed to
the multitude of state and federal regulations involved in rehabbing and in running
the RCV.
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
Kent with a Gyrfalcon hybrid at his college class reunion. He was
asked to do a presentation as “an alumnus who did rather ‘strange
things’ after retiring. Somehow, my name popped to the forefront.”
Photo courtesy of Kent Knowles
11
EcoWatch
Winter Oasis
This fall, why not turn your yard
into a wildlife-friendly resort?
By Alex J. Lagasca
W
ho doesn’t love to see on a crisp fall day a
cheerful Carolina chickadee hopping from
branch to branch — or a handsome cardinal
preening itself among scarlet and amber leaves — or
a first-year squirrel scampering in search of treasures
to hide for the upcoming winter chill? If you want to
see more sights like these, why not turn your yard
into a wildlife-friendly oasis?
Anyone can create a backyard habitat that will
serve as a food source and “host” for wintering and
migrating wildlife without much effort. Simply
provide the animals with two or three of life’s
necessities, and nature will take care of the rest.
Begin by setting up what all backyard wildlife
needs — food, water and shelter. A bird bath will
take care of the water, bird and animal feeders take
care of the food, and nest boxes and native plants,
trees and shrubs take care of the shelter. Adding
simple habitat improvements not only turns your
yard into a great place to view nature, it creates an
ecosystem for wintering birds and mammals.
Food
There are a wide variety of feeders on the market.
Two of the most popular types are seed and suet
feeders. Suet squares, or “cakes” — high-energy
treats that consist of rendered animal fat mixed with
nuts, fruit, grains or insects, depending on the
species — fit nicely into suet “cages” that hang from
a tree or feeder pole. You can also place suet cakes
in an onion bag or hardware cloth bag in lieu of a
cage. Try melting a suet cake and dip a pinecone in
it for a more natural way of offering the food.
Suet treats attract titmice, chickadees, nuthatches,
woodpeckers and a variety of other common birds.
Suet will spoil in warmer temperatures — be sure to
check your feeder often in warmer months and to
keep it clean. Storing your suet cakes in the freezer
will add to their shelf life.
The National Bird-Feeding Society offers yummy
recipes for making homemade suet cakes that birds
will love. Visit their site at http://ww.birdfeeding.org/
suet_faq.html for a wealth of information on feeding
backyard birds, including tips, downloads, Q&A and
more.
The array of seed feeders available is mindboggling! There are hopper feeders, thistle feeders,
squirrel feeders and anti-squirrel feeders, just to
name a few. Most feeders will accommodate a variety
of seed types; however, some feeders are designed
for a particular bird type. I highly recommend
reading The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Bird
Feeders and Bird Gardens by Stephen W. Kress — it
offers a wealth of insight into planning your birdfriendly backyard.
If seed and suet doesn’t suit your fancy, perhaps
a more natural solution might. If you would like to
take the au natural approach the first rule is don’t
clean up! Flowers left alone produce seeds that can
attract birds, native vines that are allowed to go
through their entire growth process provide cover for
birds, rabbits, squirrels and helpful insects. Instead of
letting perennials go crazy, divide and re-plant them.
These plants provide nectar and pollen for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Water
Local plant nurseries and birding stores are good
places to find bird baths. Chipmunk drinkers offer
water for smaller mammals who can’t reach the the
bird bath. Kinsman (www.kinsmangarden.com) offers
EcoWatch Extra
Recently, the Fish and Wildlife Service branch of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
began looking into the issue of allowing an increase in proposed vulture kills. While there may be
valid concern about some local vulture populations, it is important to remember that this particular
species, like many other large birds, reproduces very slowly.
Because of its slow reproduction rate, it is extremely sensitive to large-scale population losses —
such as these planned kills. If too many breeding adults are lost, the results could be catastrophic.
Around the world, vulture populations are in danger of extinction because of disease, habitat loss
and predation by humans. — A.L.
12
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report
unique drinkers, feeders and shelters for all types of
critters. Moving water, such as fountains, is beneficial, since it keeps mosquitoes from breeding (in
summer months) and still attracts birds and other
animals.
Shelter
Housing can range from bluebird boxes to bat boxes.
There are even shelters for toads! (Check Kinsman
for their toad abodes.) Another reputable company is
Duncraft (www.duncraft.com), known for their highquality bird feeders and baths.
I also recommend shopping at local birding
stores, such as the Wild Bird Centers (various locations), The Bird Feeder (Reston) or One Good Tern
(Alexandria). These businesses are staffed by knowledgeable birders and naturalists, and have continued
to support WRL throughout the years.
Vegetation
Mix it up! Plant a variety of native vines, flowers,
shrubs and trees. It not only makes for a beautiful
backyard, it creates a fantastic habitat for all sorts of
critters.
To create a natural hedgerow, run a wire between two posts (length is of your choosing), and
dig a shallow trench under the wire. Birds will preen
on the wire, and the seeds they eliminate while
resting will fall into the trench, where they will
sprout and grow.
And don’t rake those leaves! Leaves provide a
layer of insulation for the soil. If you can’t help
yourself and must rake, be sure to rake leaves into
compost piles. These mini-habitats are great for
toads, lizards, frogs and insects.
Resources
Want to pull out all the stops? The National Wildlife
Federation’s (www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat)
“Backyard Wildlife Habitat” certification program
offers a great interactive planner to help you get
started. Once you achieve the goals of the program,
your backyard landscape will be reviewed by NWF
and if approved, will become certified. You’ll even
receive a display plaque that identifies your yard as
an NWF-certified habitat — a real conservation
starter!
The National Audubon Society (www.audubon.
org) also is a constant source of excellent information, not only on bird watching and identification,
but also on making your corner of the world critterfriendly.
Good luck on arranging your new wildlife
habitat — and have fun! ■
Alex Lagasca can be reached at RaptorMender@
msn.com.
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
Continued from p. 10
ing of their place in the wild,” Kent explains. The
RCV also has an Adopt-A-Raptor program.
The RCV consists of two properties in the Lake
Barcroft area of Falls Church, Virginia. The first is the
Knowles’ home. The carport allows for one vehicle
and is otherwise a storage area for animal carriers.
Two large rooms, set apart from the Knowles’ living
quarters, serve as infirmaries. The second property
consists of the use of 2.5 acres in Falls Church —
thanks to the generosity of Roger Jones, master bird
bander and lover of wildlife. The Jones property is
equipped with five large flight cages and a stable
that provides three additional flight cages. The stable
was revitalized and remodeled by Richard and
Kathryne Thorpe.
“ WRL Hotline volunteers and
transporters have helped save many
raptors over the years.”
The Wildlife Rescue League Wildlife Hotline
refers countless raptor-related calls to the RCV. The
number of daily calls, e-mails and cases — both from
the WRL Hotline and other sources — varies according to factors such as time of the year, weather and
day of the week. In 2002, the RCV took in approximately 250 birds of prey, not counting holdover
cases from 2001 and the education birds.
“This is significant when you consider that one
of the largest birds of prey facilities in the U.S. [in St.
Louis] also treated 250 birds,” Kent exclaims.
Primary reasons raptors arrive for care at the
RCV are collisions with manmade objects (e.g., cars,
buildings, windows), orphaned young and illness.
Kent says they see an increasing number of raptors
with West Nile virus, especially red-shouldered
hawks and great horned owls.
Kent and the RCV are gratefully indebted to the
time, skill and generosity of two veterinarians, Dr.
Julia Jones and Dr. John Lonam. Without their
medical savvy, the high success rate of releases
would be near to impossible. In addition, many
volunteers give their time to help clean cages,
transport and administer medications to the birds.
“I’d also like to thank the Wildlife Rescue League
Hotline volunteers and transporters for their great
work, which has helped save many raptors over the
years. You all are very much appreciated!” says Kent.
To volunteer or to schedule a raptor presentation, call
the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia at (703) 5781175, or visit their website at www.raptorsva.org.
13
Book Corner
The Flight of the
Red Knot
By Brian Harrington with Charles Flowers
(WW. Norton & Company, 1996)
AUTHOR BRIAN HARRINGTON,
an ornithologist with the Manomet
Observatory for Conservation
Sciences in Manomet, Massachusetts, has studied the migratory
routes of the Red Knots and other
shore birds for many years. The
Flight of the Red Knot documents
the incredible journey of these small shore birds,
which travel 18,000 miles each year from the tip of
South America to their breeding grounds in the
Arctic and back again in the fall.
This journey begins in the spring each year; from
early to mid-March the Knots begin their annual
flight after storing up great reserves of fat to carry
them to the first staging area, where they will rest
and replenish their energy resources for continuing
the flight. Mr. Harrington has written an exceptional
account of the routes, staging areas and the many
perils encountered by these extraordinary shorebirds. The book is beautifully illustrated with photo-
graphs and maps to guide readers along the migratory path. Detailed information is provided on the
coastal habitat and food resources necessary for the
Knots to accomplish this incredible task. Scattered
throughout the book are references to a list of notes
in the back of the book, which contain more detail
on topics from shorebird feeding habits to statistics
on the after-effects of oil spills.
Mr. Harrington has also included valuable
information on habitat conservation and organizations that work diligently to preserve the coastal
areas and wetlands that are so vitally important to
the success of the Knots’ annual migration. Significant to the migrating Red Knots is the Delaware Bay
staging area and its horseshoe crab population,
which has been harvested to excess in recent years.
The spring migrants arrive on the Bay just as thousands of horseshoe crab eggs are being produced;
the eggs provide much needed protein for the
hungry Knots. The abundance or decline in food
resources at any one point in the migratory route
can be disastrous to the arriving flocks. Other factors
are critical to the survival of the migratory species,
not the least of which is change in climate patterns.
Readers hopefully will acquire a deep appreciation for the awesome feat of bird migration, and be
challenged to action in conservation efforts. This
book is highly recommended for anyone who loves
birds, nature and the marvels of both. ■
Reviewed by Kathleen Britts. Kathleen can be reached
at [email protected]. She also recommends reading
Living on the Wind by Scott Weidensaul.
YES, I want to be a WRL Member!*
Membership benefits include:
■ Rescue Report ■ Volunteer opportunities ■ Meetings and workshops ■ And more!
Call (703) 391-8625; e-mail [email protected]; or mail this form along with
your check to: Wildlife Rescue League, P.O. 704, Falls Church, VA 22040
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ____________________________________________ State: ________ Zip: ______________
Phone: ____________________________ E-mail: ________________________________________
Please check one: † Rehabilitator – free** † Individual – $20
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† Supporting – $25
† Donor – $50
$ ______________
*For new members only – please do not use to renew current membership. **With proof of current permit.
Rescue Report „ Fall 2003
15
About WRL
Fall Membership
Meeting
Saturday, September 6
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Wildlife Rescue League is a non-profit
organization providing care for sick, injured and
orphaned wildlife in order to return them to the
wild. Our licensed rehabilitators in Virginia and
Maryland work with animal shelters, humane societies, wildlife groups, nature centers and veterinary hospitals to provide care to creatures in need.
Fairfax City Regional Library
3915 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, Virginia
(703) 293-6227
WRL operates a wildlife hotline in the Northern
Virginia and surrounding areas to assist the public
in obtaining information and assistance in locating
a wildlife rehabilitator.
Guest Speaker:
Ron Circe
Biologist and Manager
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve
Leesburg, Virginia
Please Join Us!
Wildlife Rescue League
P.O. Box 704
Falls Church, VA 22040
WRL is committed to educating the public about
the natural history of native wildlife, co-existing with
it and preventing the need for wildlife rehabilitation. We provide brochures, educational materials
and educational programs to suit individual needs.
WRL welcomes all who support the preservation of wildlife as volunteers and/or members. For
more information about WRL, volunteer opportunities, or to arrange for a program, e-mail us at
[email protected], call (703) 391-8625,
or visit www.wildliferescueleague.org.
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage Paid
Merrifield, VA
Permit #2461
Address Service Requested
This earth-friendly publication is printed on recycled paper using soy ink.
16
Fall 2003 „ Rescue Report