13 July '08
I never thought I would be counting 72 baby birds! Not just counting!!! But sorting and (OMG) FEEDING!!!!!!
These baby birds came into Shore Wildife as a call about having to remove barn swallow nests from The Eastern Shore Farmers Market. Hopefully ( and it has been promised) there will be steps taken to ensure the parents will not be able to build their nests there next year so the babies would have to be removed or destroyed. Eastern Shore Farmers Market did send a check to help with the feeding of so many orphaned baby birds. So far, Pacific Tomato Growers (where the nests were) have not. The donation was sent on to all the rehabbers that volunteered to help in the raising and releasing of the baby birds which ranged from newborn to fledgling!!! I bought forty dollars worth of mealworms and crickets the first day and I can tell you they didn't go far!!! By the time the babies were sorted and starting to be fed, the phone was ringing with return calls from rehabbers who were offering to take some of them. Thank goodness, I guess they could hear the edge in my voice. The first box of birds being fed were already crying for more before I moved on to the next batch!!! I was very scared we were going to loose some but as far as I know, only two baby birds did not make it once they were rehomed. This was several weeks ago and most are still in the care of rehabbers - although a large portion are now in flight cages being readied for release!!!!! We would like to take this time to thank Wildlife Response for helping rehome about half the orphans., A whopping thank you to Susan Helstrum who generously took 32 !!!!

We also have some photos of our baby deer for this year, so far totalling 6. And this year we had baby bats - they taught me a great deal about raising baby bats. And I have to say, I am HOOKED!!! They are darling little folks!!! With loads of personality. And everyone says they are very cute, Yes, cute!! The first Batman looks more like a chocolate poodle every day - Honest!!!!!<G> They are being trained now to go after their mealworms on their own and working their wings getting ready for the flight cage. They beat their wings whenever they hear my voice!!!!!

13 July '08
Sometimes certain animals needing care or the person who called in about an animal make an impression Sometimes i'ts a member of your own family. Sometimes all of the above. A very upset and caring lady from Accomac called with a baby deer who was spending time in her drive that went through the woods before coming to their home. The baby deer, lots of times, have a lot of swelling and infection especially around the eyes from ticks. The Shore is especially hard on woodlnd creatures because of the amount of ticks. Baby deer who eventually cannot see because of the amount of ticks and infected eyes is the number one reason we are called about injured or sick baby deer. My daughter happened to be visiting and she had volunteered to help get the baby deer in Accomac. She knows I am not the best at running any more. Age and weight have taken their toll!!<G> But Shannon very often wears shoes not very handy running after a baby anything!<G> We got there and he was in the drive as Jane had said. The three of us spent a good while trying to catch or corner the sad youngster who kept running into trees and even once into my car. His eyes were so badly infected and swollen closed! Shannon was determined after seeing his state that we were going to get this baby and the second time he ran into the woods she kicked of her heels and took after him barefoot - through the thorns, briars and branches!! Talk about a Mother being proud!!!! It took a while but we finally caught Festis. Daughter Shannon took the downing tackle!!! And after weeks of antibiotics and nursing he can see much better but as you can see the eyes still have not totally healed. He had many abscesses on his face and a few on the legs. But he is much improved and glad to be outside with the small heard. His name is Festis because this year we went down the alphabet in order sort of like hurricanes. We have Abby, Babe, Camille, Dylan, Elly Mae and Festis. (Shannon is a beautician at Shore Cuts if anyone needs a trim.) I am sure she has many tales of her crazy Mom and of herself growing up with critters. Ask her about the time the goose kept her pinned on the hood of the car, or when she was nine and held the chicken while I stitched up its back after a fox attack!!!! She is game, that child!! and my Grandson, Chase is just as great with the animals as anyone I have seen. He will hopefully be the vet one day!!!!! So thanks to Jane Rosemerta for her help and for making sure Festis was not going to be left!!! She called many times to check and visited him as well to be sure he was getting on!!!! Without people like her caring I would have a lot more work to do, and people like Shannon, who pulled thorns put of her feet and ticks out of her hair the whole ride home as she tried to comfort Festis.

Call us any time - we are always here for the wild ones!!!!

Bye for now,
Kathy

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