Taking flight!

Busy year at the Puddle By Elisa Fosco, Animal Care Director American Coot being released We have had another exciting year of growth! We have revamped many of our animal programs as well as our volunteer and internship programs. We have also upgraded some of our equipment, including a new Happy anesthesia machine, which also allows us to provide oxygen therapy to some of our more critical patients. We Holidays Continued on page 2 from your friends at Walden’s Puddle Season’s greetings, Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to all! We are more than grateful for your loyalty and participa- tion in our healing work! Through the grace of God, your support, prayers and lots of hard work, we are able to be here for you and the wild ones of our community in their time of need. You have received this advance inside look because you are the true be- lievers whose generously helps us grow and prosper. Our selfless “working board” allows 92% of all donations to go to animal care expenses which are 30,000 to 38,000 dollars per month. We receive no federal or state funding, so only you can help us expand our capacity to care for the growing numbers of injured and or- phaned wild ones that are brought to us for help. Juvenile This holiday season please give – to help keep the Virginia Puddle splashing, the incubators warm and waiting and Opossum the happy endings for wild hearts, paws, little song bird (Didelphus feet and raptor wings, happening in the coming new virginianis) year! under “Thank you so very much for everyone anesthesia at Walden’s Puddle, you are all beautiful people who have love and commitment for all those amazing critters! Love Hugs” –Kim B We share this sentiment with you! These Great Horned Owlets are becoming good buddies! They are being fostered together by an adult Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) in our care so that they learn the skills needed to be a wild owl. We always want to ensure that the animals have the best chance at survival once they are released.

WWW.WALDENSPUDDLE.ORG | Call 615-299-9938 for animal appointments WINTER 2018 | page 1 R.I.P. In loving memory of our wonderful Educa- tional Ambassadors: River, Red-shoulder Hawk Sowa, Great Horned Owl Shack, Groundhog Mr. Poole, Northern Wildlife rehabilitators are now allowed to Raccoon accept orphaned Striped Skunks thanks They were in part to efforts by Walden’s Puddle. remarkably amazing teachers and Continued from page 1 representatives of their are now working with Shelby kind. They served well Bottoms Nature Center on Animal Care Director Elisa Fosco worked with and are greatly missed. a turtle hatching program, Rep. Mike Sparks on wildlife legislation issues. Memory eternal† harvesting eggs from turtles season, we admitted 56 skunks, with a that did not survive their 97% release rate. annual trek to lay their eggs. Almost all native turtles are Several of our staff gave declining, so conservation efforts presentations at the National are very important. Wildlife Rehab Conference, sharing our knowledge with In 2018 we changed the world for Ten- others nationwide. nessee skunks! We worked to make changes to state legislation and now Tennessee wildlife rehabilitators can be permitted to care for orphaned skunks. In our first

A woman and her Watch those talons! daughter brought in this Free to fly again! Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) found stranded, after accidentally landing on parking lot pavement after a heavy rain. After a quick exam that included checking the bird for waterproofing, the family took it to the water nearest where they found it and off it went!

Animal Care Director Elisa and Animal Care Specialist Debbie work with an injured hawk. This year, we are incorporating big changes in the education department. We are making improvements to our animals’ enclosures, and If you aren’t following updating our training methods and enrichment Walden’s Puddle protocols. We are looking forward to sharing our on Instagram you changes by giving presentations at the state and are missing some GREAT photos and national rehabilitation conferences in the upcom- anecdotes! ing year. Debbie, Animal Care Specialist

page 2 | WINTER 2018 www.waldenspuddle.org Our focus on education Educating Middle Tennesseeans about wildlife and the services offered by Walden’s Puddle is one of our organization’s missions. Carolyn Pendarvis, our Education Director, logs hundreds of volunteer hours teaching people about what to do if they find an injured or orphaned wild animal. Carolyn, along with assistant Lizi Baucom, do presentations at area schools, churches and civic groups reaching thousands of people every year. Countless wild animals are spared from harm when people learn to respect them and their habitats. All Animal Ambassadors in our program are Juvenile Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) non-releasable animals. having a snack in their holding kennel Educational ambassadors Natchez - Broad-winged Hawk Willie our Virginia Opossum Demetri - Eastern Screech Owl Slippers and Sliders - Eastern Strange, wonderful new residents Sheldon & Penny - Eastern Chipmunks We love getting to Box Turtles Graydon - Common Grackle know armadillos, as Nagini & Fireball - Corn Odie* - Eastern Screech Owl they become more Snakes King Arthur* - Red-tailed common in Tennessee. Caddy - Groundhog Hawk We have successfully PJ, Tippy and Sylvester - * in training raised three baby Eastern Gray Squirrels armadillos, who are now back in the wild!

A member of our wildlife care staff working with a young armadillo. Another happy release!

Talk about indigestion! This Eastern Spiny Soft-shelled turtle (Apalone spinifera) was admitted after having an encoun- Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) release. ter with a fishing hook – requiring surgery. If you look closely at the x-ray, you can also see the snails she had for breakfast!

www.waldenspuddle.org WINTER 2018 | page 3

A rough night

Eastern Bluebird siblings (Sialia sialis) sharing a worm.

At 10:30 p.m. during baby season, our Education Young Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Director brought in a mother opossum and her 5 Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) enjoying Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) carolinensis) with her tail bandaged after babies. (Our ED had been in a traffic jam caused by some fresh air. this opossum family.) Although we were exhausted GALLERY OF being pulled from her nest by a cat. and ready for home, we gladly went to work tending to the patients. While treating the mama, who had an obvious bleeding wound to her back, we separated the babies to warm them. Although mama was on our wild ones pain medicine, she kept trying to walk, frantically smelling everything. Then it hit us: she was looking Young Northern Raccoons for her babies! (Procyon lotor) exploring their new We put them with her and she relaxed. Just outdoor pre-release enclosure. before midnight we checked on them and, sadly, Mama had peacefully passed. So, we stepped in for this wild mom and raised her babies. It was so rewarding to release them in memory of their very dedicated Mama. – Mandi, animal care staff Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) healing from a wing injury. Migratory birds often have to race the seasonal clock and this nighthawk did not heal in time for migration, so he is spending the winter with us. He will be released in the spring when his species returns.

Two young opossums (Didelphis virginiana) peeking out from their hide dens.

Thank you to everyone who donated to our new fawn barn! Below, young White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hungrily enjoy their breakfast.

Welcome volunteer work groups! Thank you, Catholic Heart Work Camp, for volunteer- Shy Red Fox kit Pre-fledgling America Crow (Corvus ing with us for four days this summer. Carolyn, our Edu- (Vulpes vulpes) brachyrhynchos) in care after his tree cation Director, did an education program on their lunch with a splint on his was cut down break, and, as you can see, our star groundhog, Caddy, fractured leg. won the crowd over!

WINTER 2018 page 4 | www.waldenspuddle.org WINTER 2018 | page 5 Healthy Waldens in the workplace The Walden’s Puddle marketing team would like to be invited appetite to your work! We are looking for businesses which would like to choose the Puddle as their charity. We can suggest lots of ways This stunning your business can support our nonprofit: employer-employee 11.5-pound donation matches, rewarding employees who donate with a casual Nine-banded “Blue Jean or Hat Day” at the office, good old corporate donations Armadillo came or perhaps organizing a fundraising event that designates a por- into care after being tion of the revenue to the Puddle. hit by a vehicle. Ask your Manager or Human Resources personnel about how While he was under we can partner. sedation we exam- If you’d like to become a part of our team contact us at walden- ined him, cleaned [email protected] . his wounds and removed hundreds of small maggots from the wound. Infection had already begun to take hold, so he was put on aggressive antibiotic therapy and pain management. He has recovered beautifully and we couldn’t ask for better wound healing. He received laser therapy several times a week to help speed up the healing. He’s had a voracious appetite from the beginning and ate over 20,000 worms in his time with us! Giving is easy! When you shop, Walden’s Puddle can benefit! Check out these merchants’ rewards programs: Kroger REWARDS!! https://www.kroger.com/account/enroll- CommunityRewardsNow iGive http://www.igive.com Amazon Smile Show your support with www.smile.amazon.com our new merchandise. We have t-shirts, sweatshirt hoodies, designer hoodies, hats and more. Purchase your puddle gear (and holiday gifts!) at waldenspuddle.org/shop/

We kicked off our spring season with a booth at The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show. We were excited to be invited to this an- nual event. The Puddle team all pitched in and our animal ambassadors were on hand to win hearts. It gave us a boost going into baby season! Two baby raccoons in showing different color morphs. page 6 | WINTER 2018 www.waldenspuddle.org We are grateful… Thanks to these many people and organizations who have helped Walden’s Puddle this year! Please know that even if you do not see your name your support of the work of Walden’s Puddle is truly appreciated! n Phillips Family Foundation n CVS Health Foundation n Currey Thornton and T&T Family n Steven & Laurie Eskind Family Fund Foundation n Pledgeling Foundation n Barbara J. Mapp Foundation n The CarMax Foundation n Andrea Waitt Carlton Family Foun- n Phillip Harris dation n Springfield High School n Memorial Foundation n The Ensworth School n Margaret Ann Kirk Trustee of the n Rob Lane Memorial Second Reinstated Revocable Trust n Sharon Stocking n Marjorie Neuhoff Private Foundation n Martha L. Carroll & Sandra K. n Community Foundation Stratton n The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foun- n Barbara Pierce dation Inc n Jenny Gregg n Letty Lou and Joe Gilbert Jr. Advised n Beverlye H. Owen / R. C. Owen III Fund n Dennis & Sharon K. Monroe “Thanks so very much for posting n Malcolm Fraser Foundation n Stephanie & Darrell Waltrip about the acorns on Facebook. The n L.G. Newgarden n Joseph M. & Rebecca R. Dooley children were very excited to collect Remember n R&N Hamilton Foundation n Jamey L. Kendrick the acorns for the Eastern Gray n Patricia and Rodes Hart Foundation the Puddle n Sonia M. & Ephrian H. Hoover III n Emily Magid Squirrels.” n Jeffrey J. & Madeleine P. Cashdollar in your will n Leslie Christodoulopoulos , Dragonfly Pre-K teacher n Amy Brown & Geoffrey Brittingham AmandaVasil n Abby Dees and Traci Samczyk Remembering the n Sophia Randolph Land n Donors to the Fawn barn! n Lydia Horton Puddle in your leg- n Diana W. Gray n Art Pancakes Rent All n The Big Payback acy is a wonderful n Dr. Corwin of Airport Animal Clinic n Laurie Campbell for her photographs n Victoria Heil n Dr Jerrod Johnson at New Hope and for Instagram way to insure the n Paul Simon, Trisha Yearwood Veterinary Clinic n Lisa Dammert for Facebook future of our work n Carrie Underwood & The Fisher n Veterinary Ophthalmologist Services n TWRA United Way Network for and your ongoing Family Fund n Our four interns from area Colleges Good care of our native n Leanne Freas Trout Foundation n Pleasant View Home Repair n Metro Animal Care and Control n Roger T. Moore Revocable Trust Tennessee wildlife. n Inglewood Kroger n Chelsea Allen (for arranging massive n Trustee Belinda Leslie n Green Hills Whole Foods donations of dog food and n The Fidelity Charita- n Wild birds Unlimited other needed ble Grant (John and rm! n Heritage Travel Center in items from the wa Julie Pekarsky) d Joelton Lebanon Amazon n n Joseph Sloan team) a n Stinky Pinky Inc. Trash Service y Bonsall & Mary Ann oz Bonsall Foundation n Happy Retails c y a r. t Check us out on Giving Matters and Guidesta

S From Walden’s “in kind” CEO The Puddle is a safe haven to grow and Responsibly by Giving Wildlife a Second Chance” heal our wild ones. We sincerely and humbly “Done, done and done!” is a phrased often appeal to you for your heartfelt consideration used today. All of you, our wildlife, and our of including us in your charitable holiday community count on us to “get it done”– giving! Please consider a monthly and we do!! donation to help us through the The Executive Committee, the coming year. Our ONLY real need Board of Directors, the staff and is to be able to meet the needs of all the critters, God bless you, our precious wildlife. God bless the USA, Walden’s Thank you for believing in us Puddle and all the precious and helping to create, maintain animals! and grow Walden’s Puddle! – Lane Brody, Chairman Our mission is “Helping The Greater and “in kind” CEO Nashville Area Grow Compassionately and Dedicated to all the animals we have been privileged to help and know! www.waldenspuddle.org WINTER 2018 | page 7 P.O. BOX 641 JOELTON, TN 37080 www.waldenspuddle.org

We need you!

Your generosity makes all the difference for the creatures being helped at Walden’s Puddle!

Our volunteers A big heartfelt thank you to all of our After the holidays loyal volunteers for giving of their time Your and talents to help the animals! We could not do this work without you!! donated Christmas We need steady, dependable volunteers! Are you ready to make a difference in the trees provide lives of these animals? Just go to our web- our guests with site, www.waldenspuddle.org, click on the natural volunteer page and follow the instructions. Blessed return to freedom enrichment! Walden’s Puddle offers volunteer training, This Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) success- Please and can promise a rewarding experience! fully released after a shoulder fracture. remember Walden’s Puddle Do not be alarmed… when you …by the pitiful appearance of this creature! During un-trim the tree molting time our Eastern Screech Owls all look pretty this season! awkward, but this baby took the cake! Molting is a normal and necessary process brought about by hormonal changes. It’s the process where old and worn feathers are shed and replaced by new ones. Molt varies significantly by species, both in frequency and pattern, with some birds molting only once a year and others molting several times annually. (It’s O.K. to giggle a bit at his goofy appearance! We did!) page 8 | WINTER 2018 www.waldenspuddle.org