Winter 2012 - West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center

Page 1
Winter 2012
Volume XXX, Issue 1
The Falcon
A Quarterly Newsletter for Our Supporters
Our Mission
We are moving and could use your help
To rehabilitate and release
injured, sick, and orphaned
birds of prey while inspiring
environmental awareness
through education for the
benefit of all living things
For more than two decades the West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation
Center (WVRRC) has been nestled on a small piece of private
property just off of the Goshen Road exit of I-79, south of
Morgantown. At the time we moved there, and modified a small
horse barn to meet our essential needs, Mrs. Elizabeth Zimmermann,
a long time member and generous supporter, owned the property.
She is still a financial as well as a moral supporter even though she
sold the property to Steve and Mary Jo Hollenhorst many years ago.
She still pays our monthly electric bill, as well as making a significant
annual donation to our cause even though she now lives in
Massachusetts. Her help and support will always be appreciated and
she will be remembered as a true friend of the WVRRC, no matter
where she is living or where we are located. It is unfortunate that
most of our volunteers, both present and future, will not likely have
the privilege of meeting this wonderful lady.
By Mike Book
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
We’re Moving to the “Ridge”
1
“Mack” the Eagle
2
One + One Makes Three
3
The Barn Report
Leave a Legacy
4
5
Charleston’s Sportsman’s Show
5
The Hollenhorsts have graciously allowed us to remain on this
property from the time they purchased it until now. They have other
Rehab Report for 2011
6 plans for the site and have asked us to leave. The timing could have
been a bit better but we were planning to move soon anyway. For
Education Program Schedule
6
years they have allowed us to call their
place our home. Thousands of raptors
Adopt-A-Bird
7
have been rehabilitated at this site and
Membership Form
8
from here hundreds of thousands of
people have been educated. The impact
The Newsletter is going digital.
we have made on the environment via
environmental awareness will likely not
Starting now we will post it on our
be fully realized by most, but those we
website @www.wvrrc.org It will be
Final grading for
have
reached do indeed see the results. Our
published quarterly and we will send our phase II facility
volunteer educators have driven over 450,000
postcards notifying you of the posting on “The Ridge.”
miles, at their own
for a while until we get used to the
expense, since our
change. We can e-mail them to you if Future main
meager beginning in
you want but they are about 12mb. If entrance to
1983. The drive time
alone, averaging
you want it e-mailed send your
“The Ridge”
40mph would be
address to [email protected] If you along Bunner
over 469 days or
want us to continue mailing it please Ridge Rd. just
11,256 hours.
contact us. (see page 8)
4.8 miles from
continued on page 3
I-79
Thank you
Page 2
Mack The Eagle
by: Liz Snyder, Director of Operations
Well, it’s done. He's gone. Such a bittersweet experience, but I'd have it no other way. I considered him my
bird. I remember very clearly that day in late May, when the DNR out of Braxton County called to tell us they
had an injured bald eagle. This was my first introduction to Mack. Mack struck the windshield of a semi-truck
(hence the name) and landed in the median of I-79 near mile marker 65.
I met Jerry Duffield of the DNR at the Days Inn with a portable dog kennel. I peeked inside the crate Jerry
had. Yep, it was certainly a bald eagle. Big. Brown. White head. Feet as big as my hands that ended in really
long, sharp points. I told myself this was typical of the way life events unfold for me; I don’t start easy and
work up – I start at the top of the raptor hierarchy, with the most difficult and dangerous, and work down.
Well, bring it on. I put on the gloves, took a deep breath and opened the crate door and made my grab. After a
couple minutes of attempting to get one of my gloves free of a talon, I just pulled my hand out of the glove
entirely, put on another glove, and lifted Mack from Jerry's crate to ours with the glove still attached to Mack's
talon. Once he was loaded into my vehicle, we were on our way back north.
Mack was diagnosed with a broken left wing. A pin was inserted to stabilize
his wing and the rehab began. He did really well initially, but for all the
majesty and power attributed to his species, he was a lazy specimen. Mack
needed a personal trainer to force him to fly. Mike decided to build a new
eagle cage made of netting and cables. It was truly a Mack Mansion. Or the
Taj Mack-hal. Constructed mostly during torrential downpours with much
cursing directed at staple guns, cable ties, and large, unwieldy blue tarps, this
was a magnificent 10x10x50 structure with perches at both ends. Mack was
coaxed back and forth from end to end multiple times a day. I'm sure he was a
very sore eagle at first, but it was soon apparent that he was regaining
X-ray of Mack’s fracture with steel
pin inserted.
strength quickly. Toward the end of his stay in the Mack Mansion, he was
executing fancy flaring flight maneuvers as he landed on the perches. It would
soon be time for him to be on his way.
Mack taking first steps
to his release.
As I squatted on the ground, beside the same crate I first put him in last summer,
with my hand on the latch I could only think of how lucky Mack had been. All the
people who took the time to assist him ranging from the truck driver who stopped,
the state police who protected him
until the DNR arrived on scene, the
DNR for catching and containing him
safely, the rehab volunteers for
feeding and laughing at all his grunts
and squawks as he grew stronger
physically and in attitude. It all came
down to me sitting here with my hand
on the latch with a group of about 20
people on Veteran's Day (11-11-11),
watching and waiting.
(photos courtesy of Mary Moore Cole)
continued on page 5
First free-flight down the road to freedom.
Page 3
We are moving and could use your help – continued from page 1
At a meeting of the Board of Directors this spring we decided that we needed to make the move to our new
property located on Bunner Ridge, just a bit further south of our present location. While we do not have the
funds to complete our ultimate developmental plans for the 250+ acres we own, we will be able to have the
basics needed so that we can continue expansion far into the future.
Our move will be costly and we could use your help in defraying some of the expenses. Money or materials
will be appreciated. Perhaps you would want to make a financial donation to build a new flight cage,
depending on the size of cage, the materials for an eagle might be $1,500 or a screech owl might be as little
as$450. All of those donating to build a new flight cage will have their names appropriately affixed and
publicly displayed plaque to indicate the donation of money,
materials or furnishing. There is more info on the website
@WWW.WVRRC.ORG. You can determine the level of donation and pay thru PayPal, or mail the funds to our Center.
Thank you all so much, and we’ll “see you on the Ridge”.
Our New Address:
2290 Bunner RidgeRd.
Fairmont, WV 26554
Our first structure under
construction. $$$$$$$$
Not a stick farm; it’s actually the framework for
our 23 new flight cages. Nice ones..
One + One Makes Three, At Least At Our Rehab Center It Does
While we were moving we had to relocate, temporarily, some of the birds. I had our education great horned
owl, Bubo and another big female great horned in this large flight cage at my house. Every night and every
morning I would go to sleep and awake to the hooting of these two mature females. It is mating season too. I
got home later one evening and it was dark so I prepared their rats, grabbed a light and went to the cage.
When I got near the door one bird on the near perch flew to the other end. The other one was already there.
As I started to open the door it appeared that the one had flown back to my end of the cage, turned and
returned to the far perch. I put my light on the far perch, rubbed my eyes and counted three owls sitting
together. In the 25 years we have been using
this netting we have never had anything
chew their way out of OR into the cages.
The third bird is a male and all the calling
the girls had been doing the three previous
nights must have driven this guy nuts, so he
came calling. His efforts have no doubt been
rewarded. Bubo, if she lays any eggs, she
could be a mother. And some unaware
people think our birds are suffering from a
sense of helplessness. Really Now! For
heavens sakes, the bird broke into our cage.
Page 4
The Barn Report—12/2011
by: Liz Snyder, Director of Operations
Hello everyone! I hope you and yours had a delightful holiday season and are starting this new year with
hope and enthusiasm for all the good things ahead. At present we are attending to the rehabilitation needs of
two raptors: a red-tailed hawk with soft tissue and joint damage to it’s right wing, and a great horned owl
with head trauma and an eye hemorrhage. The red-tailed hawk is lodged at the barn; the prognosis is not good
as there was damage to the joint capsule and the bird is unable to extend the wing properly. We have test
flown the bird on a line, and make an attempt on a daily basis to get the bird to fly from perch to perch, within
the flight cage, but it would rather fight than take flight. The great horned owl remains under observation at
our veterinarian’s clinic.
We are also providing care for two non-releasable birds: a juvenile red-tailed hawk, and a peregrine falcon.
All attempts to repair fractures and tissue/nerve damages were made, however, due to the fragile nature of
raptor physiology/anatomy the rehabilitation is sometimes unsuccessful. If we do not keep the birds at our
center, we will make every effort to see that they are eventually placed with a reputable wildlife facility.
Within the last three month, we have transferred our nestling black vulture and our golden eagle to the West
Virginia Wildlife Center at French Creek for permanent residency.
You may know our seven non-releasable education birds currently serving as public ambassadors for the
raptor species: Annie, Bubo, Neo, Owlice, Vader, William, and Thunder.
The WVRRC is active in contacting and responding to contacts from various, Federally licensed education/
sanctuary organization who have a need for raptors in general or for a specific raptor, usually for use as an
education bird. Our non-release birds are housed in outdoor flight cages at the barn until the appropriate
placement is made.
A new heater was donated to the WVRRC. Inside the ICU the physical aspects are operational and outside
the electric fence is operational.
Since 1994, it has been a goal of the WVRRC to develop our land on Bunner Ridge (just North of Fairmont,
West Virginia) as the future site of a new environmental education and raptor rehabilitation center. We are
finally making progress toward moving our facility to “the Ridge”. Colonel Jack “Hardrock” Bunner, who
had a great vision for how to make wise use of this
property for the benefit of the surrounding
community, bequeathed this property to the Center.
This site will house the continued rehabilitation of
injured birds of prey, educational exhibits,
classrooms, an auditorium and administrative
offices. A trail system would also be developed and
maintained for educational and recreation purposes.
This trail will set the scene for many discussions on
man’s relationship to air, water, land and wildlife.
Many aspects of the programming will remain
volunteer-based with staff support for coordination, The first structure at our new “Home on the Ridge”
funding and development.
Page 5
Mack the eagle – continued from page 2
I slowly pulled open the door. Mack stepped out of his carpeted crate (another thoughtful touch to give him
traction during travel and exit), into the light. My heart sank as he took to the air in a less than desirable manner.
His flight along the ground was characteristic of him during unsuccessful test flights and I was preparing myself
to chase after him when he disappeared as he banked left. Then suddenly he burst back into view, vaulted
himself up and over the dam and turned toward the right. He landed gracefully in a maple tree over a quarter mile
away. We all watched him for awhile as he walked up and down the branch, fluffed his feathers, did a bit of
preening and generally made himself at home in the tree after the
longest flight he'd made since May. It was one of the most beautiful
sights I had ever seen, a day of remembrance, I will never forget.
The WVRRC has better than a 40 percent success rate in
returning injured birds to the wild. I was honored that my first
complete rehab cycle was a bald eagle named Mack, my bird,
who beat the odds, with a little help.
Special thanks to DNR’s Dwayne Duffield for his interest and
concern throughout Mack’s rehab and for locating the perfect
release site. We’re certain that he is out there somewhere doing
what immature bald eagles do best plus he will likely look both
ways before crossing the interstate next time.
First landing site after his release
over a quarter mile away.
Want To Leave A Legacy For
The WVRRC???
Charleston’s Sportsman’s Show
With our relocation and new building being constructed on
Bunner Ridge the WVRRC has taken one BIG step
forward. Now, we all need to look to the future; where
will we be in another 25 or 50 years?
For pennies a day, you will be leaving a legacy with the
WVRRC and assuring our future. Your legacy will not
only help in the future but will help TODAY, with
potential grants for the Center. In addition, all Legacy
Members will have their name on the plaque displayed at
the new Center, along with your own personal plaque.
Call Bob or Jessica at 304-366-2200 to find out what
YOU can do to help preserve your legacy with the
WVRRC.
On the morning of January 21st, a group of six
volunteers from the West Virginia Raptor
Rehabilitation Center along with the organizations
founder Mike Book, made the two hour trip South
to Charleston’s Civic Center to attend the WV
Hunting and Fishing Show. Due to the freezing
rain of the previous night, conditions at the Raptor
Center’s barn were not ideal as the volunteers
gathered the education birds. Despite the cold
and the ice, they were able to collect Annie the
Red-tailed Hawk, Neo the Broad-winged Hawk,
Bubo the Great Horned Owl, Owlice the Eastern
Screech Owl, and William, a Barred Owl. The only
bird left behind was our Turkey Vulture Vader,
whose large travel cage would not fit in the
vehicle. The WVRRC’s Bald Eagle Thunder also
made the trip. At the Civic Center, we had a large
booth set up at the entrance. We were scheduled to
be there from 10:00am until 2:00pm with an hour
long podium presentation at noon. Due to our
location, the hundreds of people entering the Civic
Center could not help but notice us, most stopping
to take a look at the birds Continued on page 7
Thunder, the American
Bald Eagle, and Mike
Book, Chairman, in
Charleston at a recent
educational presentation
for the WV Trophy
Hunters Association.
Well Attended
by: Cassie Moore
Page 6
Rehabilitation Report
Raptor Disposition—January 1 – December 31, 2011
SPECIES
RELEASED
PENDING
3
DIED or
EUTHANIZED
0
TOTAL
0
TRANSFERRED
0
American
Kestrel
Bald Eagle
1
1
0
0
2
Barred Owl
1
3
0
0
4
Broad-winged
Hawk
Black Vulture
1
4
0
0
5
0
0
0
1
1
Cooper’s
Hawk
Eastern
Screech-Owl
Golden Eagle
1
4
0
0
5
7
5
0
0
12
0
0
0
1
1
Great Horned
Owl
Red- shouldered
Hawk
Red-tailed
Hawk
Sharp-shinned
Hawk
TOTAL
3
3
1
0
7
2
3
0
0
5
1
8
1
0
10
0
1
0
0
1
20
34
2
2
58
3
Education Program Schedule...so far
WVRRC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael S. Book, Chairman
Marilyn Bowman
Robert Boyle
Liz Snyder, Operations
Allen Parks
1-21-12 - Hunting and Fishing Show in Charleston...done
3-1-12 - Robert Bland Middle School in Weston
3-17-12 - Kingwood Family Health Fair in Kingwood
4-20-12 - Lantz Farm in Blacksburg
4-21-12 - Earth Day @ The Clay Center in Charleston
4-16&17-12 American Electric Power in Beverly, OH
4-24-12 - Master Naturalist Class in Morgantown
6-2-12 - Canaan Valley
6-10-12 - Lower West Fork River Fest - Worthington, WV
8-18-12 - Birthday Party at Valley Falls State Park
Page 7
Yes! I would like to adopt a
at the level of
My check for $
.
is enclosed.
Your Name:
Address:
Is this a gift? Yes No
If yes, name for Adoption Certificate:
Species
Bald Eagle
Vulture/Great Horned Owl/Hawk
Screech-owl/American Kestrel
Caretaker
$250
$200
$150
Steward
$100
$90
$80
Parent
$30
$25
$20
Sportsman Show continued from page 5
take a look at the birds and to ask many questions. The visitors were extremely generous with their donations, and
many shared their hunting stories with us. Thunder the Bald Eagle drew a large crowd as Mike held her and
answered the flood of questions about her and other Bald Eagles. The volunteers in attendance took turns holding
our bird representatives, giving the birds (and our arms) an occasional and much-needed rest. In order to keep such
a curious and interested crowd safe, we spent much of our time guarding the cages and the birds from the
wandering and probing fingers of our younger audience members. As the day wore on, our oldest education bird
Annie made herself very cozy and began to lean against her handlers for support as she got tired. Owlice surprised
the audience by using the bathroom several times dirtying not only the floor but the volunteers who were handling
her as well. William whined and threw a bit of a fit,
letting out a loud hoot, when he was first brought out of
his traveling cage, but he settled down soon after. Neo
and Bubo were both well behaved, except for an
occasional bite given to the volunteers by Bubo. Much to
the audience’s delight, Thunder would fly a loop at times
while on her leash fanning the volunteers and the crowd
with the air from her huge wings.
It was a long program for both the education birds and
the volunteers, and there was hardly a moment to take a
break, but all of the birds at the show were big hits. By
the end of the day our feet were sore, our arms were
tired, and our mouths were overworked from speaking so
much, but knowing how many people we were able to
reach made it worthwhile. It was a great experience for
all involved, and we look forward to going again next year.
Cassie Moore, the author, and Neo with part of the
never-ending crowd at the Civic Center.
Page 8
Non-Profit Org
WEST VIRGINIA RAPTOR REHABILITATION CENTER
2290 Bunner Ridge Road
Fairmont, WV 26554
U.S. Postage PAID
Permit #87
Clarksburg, WV 26301
Phone: 1-800-540-6390
(304) 366-2867
Fax: (304) 592-1482
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/WVRRC
Return Service Requested
Please visit our website
WWW.WVRRC.ORG
Working to improve the environment for ALL living things.
WVRRC MEMBERSHIP FORM
Membership in the WVRRC is open to anyone who shares an interest in our mission. Annual
memberships are available in the following categories:
Student / Senior
Individual
Family
$7
$10
$17
NAME:
ADDRESS:
Supporting
Donor
Sponsor
Patron
$35
$50
$100
$500
To Join: Please complete this form,
enclose a check or money order
made payable to WVRRC and send
to:
MEMEBERSHIP LEVEL:
WVRRC
Would you like your newsletter emailed?
2290 Bunner Ridge Rd.
Email Address:
Phone Number:
Fairmont, WV 26554
OR
Join online@ www.wvrrc.org