e K4 ocKi ng b i rd ( 3 r o n i c i e s Rsletter of the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc. Number 3/2013 P f Our Qoaf: m Hetiinq them GO! This issue is dedicated to all out summer releases Highlights: Release and Freedom!...p. 3 “Wildlife Wednesdays” Wrap up....p. 4 Our History: part 4....p. 7 Bayer CropScience is a proud sponsor of “The Mockingbird Chronicles” 2 "The Mockingbird (Chronicles www.spwrc.org Enchanted Moments - Letter from the Lounder The Mockingbird Chronicles is a quarterly are still coming back at regular intervals every publication of the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation 45-60 minutes. Center Inc. (SPWRC). The organization is an IRS It’s always bittersweet for everyone at determined 501(c)(3) non-profit facility that cares SPWRC when baby season draws to a close. for orphaned, injured, ill and displaced wild animals Hundreds of birds and mammals have been with the ultimate goal of returning wildlife back to its raised and released by Center staff and volun­ natural habitat. teers, too — bird of prey chicks, waterfowl, squirrels, fawns, cottontails and a host of oth­ SPWRC holds state and federal permits but ers - but, we’re all ready for a slowdown in fall. receives no funding whatsoever from either regulating agency. To read about my personal summer expe­ riences — and one harrowing afternoon with SPWRC operations are maintained through Mississippi Kites a tittle too close for comfort Carol Lee donations, gifts, grants, education programs, - visit our web site at www.http//spwrc.org - quarterly newsletter subscriptions, tributes,“wildlife The summer seemed to fly by. I raised doz­ ens of baby birds at home again this year, and on the top left bar you’ll see “Summer Re­ ambassador" sponsorships and fundraising events. ever since I raised and released my first baby leases 2013.” Donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law mockingbird in 1984, the magic always returns allows. for me along with the little nestlings and Thanks to everyone who brought us an Founder Carol Lee fledglings. animal the past few months, and also a dona­ Raising songbirds is demanding and labor Operations Manager Daniel Andrews tion to help care for it. Our LPL utility bill in intensive, but the rewards and satisfaction of Asst. Operations Mgr. Ami Knox August was a staggering $607.54, thanks to Education Coordinator Gail Barnes watching them grow is wonderful. With an ultimate goal of setting the captive birds free, their rate hike, our many incubators and freez­ I jump into high gear every June, July and ers. Our summer food bills are also very high. Officers and Directors August. Our donations drop off sharply when baby Dr. Jim Moyes, President The Center was started years ago as a result season ends each fall. We always need more Rob Lee - Vice President of my passion for wild songbirds, and even Keystone Donors — those who make a finan­ though there are some stressful situations and Carol Lee, Secretary cial commitment each month to help us with sad moments along the way, over 90% of Patricia Ham's, CPA, Treasurer those I raised this year thrived and were re­ our ever-increasing expenses, and a donation Gail Barnes leased. Youngsters leave the confines of the on which others depend. These donors are Sheila Johnson flight cage in our back yard when they can fly listed in each newsletter issue, (p. 10 in this Advisors Jeanette Lubenau, D.V.M. well and self-feed, and they stay in or near our issue) and we appreciate them all! yard for weeks post-release. They grow into Mr. Bill Van Pelt, Austin, TX. healthy adults, learning the skills necessary for Development Consultant Stacy Keith their long-term survival. A few are hestitant to C O A s t^ s leave right away, but eventually, their wild insticts kick in and out they go. By summer’s South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc., end, our yard seems enchanted, full of ‘my’ is located at 3308 95th Street, Lubbock, TX birds: jays, robins, thrashers, mockingbirds Bayer 79423. (95th and Indiana, East side). and kingbirds, all returning to visit for a hand­ CropScience: out about every 45 minutes. Kingbirds catch You can reach volunteer Gail Barnes or Operations Proud Manager Daniel Andrews to schedule a program or pellets mid-air, zooming around our treetops. community service work at (806) 799-2142. Eventually the birds learn to find their own Supporter of Bayer CropScience SPWRC food, but until they all stop coming back to SPWRC can be reached by e-mail: spwrc eat, I remain available. Jays are hardest to wean. [email protected] The early mockingbirds left first, and remain­ ing robins no longer beg, but return often to Founder Carol Lee can be reached at the food dishes. There’s one cardinal rule dur­ Front Cover: [email protected] ing baby bird season: Never walk out the back Ladder- backed Woodpecker door without food - lots of food. They are July 5th, 2013 - on his day of release Learn more at our website: www.http//spwrc.org always hungry. At the end of August, 14 birds (Photo by Carol Lee) and follow us on Facebook. www.spwrc.ors The Mockingbird (Chronicles 5 Our Goa I is all about Release When an animal’s moment of release ar­ I had the pleasure of raising a dozen rives, it can turn into something quite exhila­ or so Western Kingbirds (Tyrannus rating. verticalis) this year. About eight inches Release is the hoped-for-end-result for each long, the kingbird’s head is dark gray; bird, mammal and reptile that comes through die throat and chest are lighter gray and our doors. the belly is pale to bright yellow. Once Whether it’s an opossum, fawn, cotton­ released, they hang around for several tail, robin, hummingbird, cardinal, hawk, owl weeks, and are amazingly fast, aerial ac­ or box turde — our goal is to release our charges robats Extremely feisty, they’re not called back to their natural wild habitats whenever “tyrant” flycatchers for nothing. possible. They hover impatiendy in front of “Release” is often far from our thoughts me as they often snatch a morsel from as we have set off coundess times over the my fingers, or catch one mid air. past 25 years with boxes and pet carriers, nets, Sharp-eyed, extremely agile and su­ heavy gloves, towels, wading boots, and other per-quick, there are few misses. This “gear” - heading for a playa lake, field, budd­ gives them practice for chasing and catch­ ing, tree, chimney or attic, in search of an ani­ ing bugs on the wing (their diet is al- mal reported to need our help - but far more A bowl of baby robins. They most exclusively flying insects, and they have often, of course, one comes to us. graduate from the incubator to a voracious appetites) once they leave me. Yes, we get “attached” to our patients be­ small - then large - cause we all have empadiy toward creatures that flight cage have been orphaned, are ill, hurt or displaced. (Photo by Kim Davies) That notwithstanding, our job is to always do what’s best for each animal. For the major­ ity, that’s release back to the wdd and freedom.. Photo, right, is one of my Being treated and/or raised in captivity is favorites: Former Administra­ not ideal, but it’s an animal’s best hope of a tor Dorothy Tinkler helps me second chance at life —and freedom. feed hovering Kingbirds sev­ This issue is devoted to the countless thou­ eral years ago - as a mocking­ sands of little lives that had the good fortune bird sits on her head getting a to end up at our wddlife center. bite too! When you raise and release so many youngsters around the same time, multi-tasking is a must! This is their Number One essen­ tial survival skill, and they must learn quickly, because this month they’ll start migrating south. Kingbirds return to Lubbock in summer to breed and raise families. Their pips and constant chatterings are unmistakable, and I’m glad they’ll return again next summer to start a new generation. Did you know? Collectively, a group of kingbirds is Seven newly released Northern Mockingbirds known as a ‘coronation,’ ‘court’ or a One of three Curve-billed Thrashers hanging around on the kingbird ‘tyranny’ of kingbirds. raised and released this summer cage for a handout! w w w .5p w rc .o rg The Mockingbird Chronicles 4 “Wildlife W ed nesdatj s” W rap (Jp In June, we held two-hour classes on each of the four Wednesdays. Our pilot program was attended by six students, all 10 or 11 years old, going to 5th or 6th grade. The students were Reagan Jones, (attends Cooper North) Jonathan Higmght (Cooper South); Maddy Sudduth (Oakridge Elementary); Anna Brown (Lubbock Christian School); Aaron Roghan (Hutchinson) and Aubrey Andrews who was visiting Lubbock during June, but lives and goes to school in Oklahoma. Our first class was all about birds and the characteristics that make birds unique. We discussed their hearing, vision and adaptations that allow birds to “make a living.” We used tweezers, pliers, slotted spoons, toothpicks, tongs and straws to demonstrate how different kinds of beaks and bills are used to crack nuts, eat seed, spear fish, pry insects out of bark or take apart a berry. We also talked about the different types of birds’ feet, which are used for perching, hunting, foraging, swimming and wading. We had a display of various bird nests and eggs, and talked about the plume industry and the dawn of conserva­ tion around 1900.