Eagle Valley Raptor Center September 2009 Volume 4, Issue 9

Flights of Fancy Newsletter

“Baby Owl’s Rescue” Book Available

Two years ago, Ken Lockwood About the author: Jennifer Inside this issue: at Eagle Valley was contacted Keats Curtis, a resident of by Sylvan Dell Publishing. Maryland, has written several They were working with author books about helping wildlife. New Sidewalk 2 Jennifer Keats Curtis on a new Her first book, Oshus and Shelly children’s book about two you Save the Bay, won the Frederick Eagle Scout Project 2 children, Maddie and Max, Douglass Award, from the who find and rescue an or- Maryland Council of Teachers phaned baby owl. They of Language Arts. She is often Rescue Report 2 needed Ken’s help to make invited to speak at schools sure the facts about the baby about both literacy and conser- Upcoming Pro- 3 owl and about wildlife rehab vation. She is also editor-at- grams were correct! large for Maryland Life Maga- zine. North to ! 3 That book, “Baby Owl’s Res- cue,” will be available in stores Eagle Valley was both thrilled Rescue Guidelines 3 on September 5. And Eagle and honored to be included as Valley is listed as a partner on part of the research for this Sylvan Dell’s website: book. As you know, we have sylvandellpublishing.com always sought ways to teach Just click on the “Baby Owl’s children about respect for wild- life and how to care for our Rescue” book cover, and click on the “Related Sites” link to natural world. This book does exactly that. Eagle Valley is proud to be an the right. You can also pur- official partner with Explora- chase copies of the book. tion Place in Wichita!

Starting in September, we will be presenting a “ of the Eagle Valley Raptor Center was recently honored with a memorial for Shirley Beuerlein, who Month” program. We will also passes away last week after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. Shirley was a friend be working with the “Roots and Shoots” program, which and coworker of Ken’s wife, Susan, at the US Postal Service, and will be greatly missed. was started by the Jane However, we are thankful that she and her family chose Eagle Valley as a recipient for her me- Goodall Institute. morial, and we will be honoring Shirley’s memory with a plaque on one of our bird pens. Be on the lookout for us at While it has nothing to do with , we would like to remind everybody that the Wichita Ko- Exploration Place! Our first men “Race for the Cure” happens this year on Saturday, September 26. If you or somebody program will be on Thursday, you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer, please consider joining us in the fight. September 17. For more information, contact the Mid Kansas Affiliate at 316-683-8510. Flights of Fancy Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 2

New Sidewalk is a Huge Hit!

Eagle Valley’s new sidewalk enough to accommodate and will be set up very soon was finally completed in Au- wheelchairs, making us ADA near to the start of the side- gust, and has been an instant compliant. walk, in their honor. hit with our visitors. We’d like to thank everyone So be sure to schedule and tour The sidewalk runs from the who gave toward our capital to come out and see our birds vulture pen on the east side, in campaign, but a special, heart- AND our new sidewalk! front of the owl pens, all the felt thank you goes out to way down to the eagle pens to Frank and Marni Stevens. the west. They gave generously toward It has already proven itself the sidewalk and in their honor, we are naming it “The handy for some of our senior visitors, who find it much eas- Frank and Marni Stevens Me- morial Walkway.” A lovely ier to walk on than gravel or even grass. And it’s wide sign has been commissioned

Eagle Scout Project Update

Laurence Barrett, of Troop vide a lovely shaded area for 776, has selected Eagle Valley guests to sit and rest or watch for his Eagle Scout Project! an up-close program with our Laurence is a senior at God- birds on the glove, instead of dard High School, and is the having to peek at them son of EVRC’s resident agent, through the front of their pens. Attorney John Barrett. You can see Laurence and Laurence is building a pergola company hard at work in the roof over our brand new seat- photo. The project should be ing area in front of the bird finished this month and will be pens (and next to our beautiful featured in our next newsletter. new sidewalk). This will pro- August Rescue Report

We might not have broken any jority of these were brought to now been released back into high-temperature records this us in the aftermath of the se- the wild. We’re glad, because August (thank goodness!), but vere wind storm that hit Salina, those little guys surely can put we did take in a record number Kansas, in late August. The the food away! of injured birds! Mississippi kites are at the end of their nesting season, and EVRC received 26 Mississippi The Littlest Mississippi kites, 1 barn owl, 4 nighthawks, their fledgling chicks were the hardest hit during the storm. Kite rescued after the 1 osprey, 2 great horned owls, storm in Salina. and 1 turkey vulture. The ma- All but one of the kites have Flights of Fancy Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 3

Upcoming Programs

In addition to our new “Bird eagle, Talon, will make an ap- of the Month” programs at pearance in Garden City, to Exploration Place, we have a honor a Boy Scout at his Court few more upcoming programs. of Honor Ceremony. On September 12, we will be And then, toward the end of traveling to the John Redmond the month, a group of Boeing Reservoir for the Coffey engineers and their families are County “OK Kids” Program. going to pay us a visit. Later in the month, our golden

North to Alaska! DID YOU KNOW… Volunteer and newsletter edi- Cessna is originally tor Rachel Bournival is em- from. Rachel is hoping that The Alaskan bald barking on a cruise next week she will have time to pay a visit eagles were not endangered as they to Alaska! She’s very excited to the Juneau Raptor Center were in the lower 48 about the trip, as she has while she is there. It will be a states. However, the wanted to visit America’s fun exchange, as the director state still carefully northernmost territory for of the JRC, Kathy, recently manages the quite some time. visited Eagle Valley and got to population to ensure One of the ports of call on her see her former eagle in her new they continue to thrive. setting. Bon Voyage! cruise is Juneau, where our

Bird Rescue Guidelines

Obviously, if you are reading 2. Place the bird in a box or to a bird can be detrimen- our newsletter, you know who animal crate. Make sure tal or even fatal. In addi- to contact in the event that you the box has holes for air tion, sick or injured birds find an injured . flow. Line the bottom may not be able to prop- But what do you do in the with a towel, so the bird erly digest even correct meantime? has something to grip for food, so it’s best to not 1. If you are able to, capture balance. Keep the bird in give anything at all. Water a quiet, dark room, away may be offered, but do the bird. Be sure to wear heavy leather gloves to from children and pets. not force the bird to drink. protect yourself from the 3. Do NOT feed the bird. bird’s talons. Gain control While you may be well- These steps will greatly assist of the feet first, then se- intentioned, raptors have us in being able to provide cure the wings. As long as specific dietary needs. appropriate care to injured you have the feet, the bird Giving hamburger or birds. We really appreciate it! cannot escape. processed sandwich meat Eagle Valley Raptor Center Please consider making a donation to Eagle Valley Rap- tor Center this month. The 30 birds we took in after the 927 N. 343rd Street W. Salina storm really put a dent in our food supply. Also, Cheney, KS 67025 the fall season starts to see a drop-off in the number of school groups and tours we see, and the funds from Phone: 316-393-0710 those are badly needed as we approach winter. E-mail: [email protected] And be on the lookout for our Christmas ornaments again this year! But if you’re not quite ready to break Visit our website: out the red and green holiday decorations just yet, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered: Halloween-themed www.eaglevalleyraptorcenter.org magnets and wall hangers! What could be better for fall than owls and pumpkins? We’ll have these on sale Caring for Nature’s during our shows at Exploration Place, but you can also Orphaned and Injured Wildlife order them by calling Ken at 316-393-0710 or emailing him at [email protected].

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Phone I’d like to schedule a school/church program or tour of Eagle Valley’s facilities I’d like to order _____ magnets and/or ____ hanging Email address ornaments (fall theme). $4 each or 3/$10. Please enclose check.