Megan Mosby
Executive Director
Everyone, here’s your reminder of a very fun event coming to Liberty Wildlife Mar. 30th. Get your tickets now to be in on the inaugural Sippin’ the Spirit event!
This event is designed to cast a bright light on the connection between native wildlife, native people, and native plants. Pretty lights, interesting foods, and infused distillations and local beers and wines.
Of, course there will be lots of wildlife present, tours of the Non-Eagle Feather Repository, contemporary and traditional native arts and culture, projected art light videos, and more. It should be a perfect evening for camaraderie, education, and good vibes by supporting the programming at Liberty Wildlife under the full moon and the eyes of birds of prey.
Don’t be left out of the festivities. The inaugural event only happens one time…be in on it!
See directions below for buying tickets! www.libertywildlife.net.
This Week @ Liberty – March 26, 2018
Two more eagles are brought in, and the arrivals of other animals are also increasing. Fingers crossed, the weather has been holding with no major storms on the horizon so we have not had the deluge of orphaned and injured baby birds that is sure to follow. We’re hoping March goes out like a lion so we can ease into the busy season – and we are blessed with good weather for two major events this week! The injured coyote is still with us, and the bunny and hummer population is steadily on the rise so things are proceeding normally except for the expected “after the storm” day that lurks behind every dark cloud. I hate waiting for the other shoe to fall, but each day is another victory for the birds and animals that find their way to our window…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Education group is also making the most of the beautiful spring weather both at home and away. Programs are done throughout the week – such as this show at Dead Horse Ranch State Park – as well as display programs at our own facility on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We’re looking forward to a couple more months of programs before it gets too warm to ask our birds to show off in the heat of the Phoenix summer.
(Look for 5 photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although they are arriving slowly, the pace of new patients will soon pick up. Hawks, falcons, doves, and similar birds are showing up regularly, as are waterfowl and owls – we took in the first great horned owl and the first barn owl babies recently. Our fosters will soon have their hands…er, talons full!
(Look for 4 photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Veteran R&T volunteer Carl Price recently rescued this swallow and submitted this back story: “Outside call (“Liberty gave me your number” – I get a lot of that) from a realtor, not a raptor and sounded annoying so I did not make him call the hotline, just went over to Gilbert to extract a “songbird” from an Open House. They mean OPEN House – every door in sight open and not a screen in sight. When I saw this small bird, pointed wings crossed over the tail while it clung effortlessly to the (presumably Styrofoam) logs flush with the cathedral ceiling it was immediately obvious that this was not an LBB and could not be logged in as such.
Young swallow – inexperienced at avoiding huge net duct-taped to an eight-foot quarterstaff, captured on first pass, carefully taken outside for two bad photos, then carefully extricated and sent on its way. Delightful bobbing sort of flight visible for at least fifty yards. (Want a long story? Let me tell you about the large group of Honeybees that accompanied me from the front yard, crossing the threshold at the same time as I stepped inside…Hey! We humans have just discovered that bees are very important also, I’ve heard.)
Best regards,
Carl”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recently we got in another bald eagle, this time from AZGFD up near the Ben Avery range. John Glitsos brought the bird down and it presented an obvious fracture of the femur which was confirmed by an x-ray. If anything was good about the bird’s condition, it was that the break was mid-shaft making a repair attempt at least feasible. Ever confident, Jan said after studying the radiography, “I think we can fix that!” How fortuitous that the bird came to Liberty Wildlife!
(Look for 6 photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We don’t get many raptors delivered to the window any the public, but this little male peregrine falcon was brought in last week. Found locally nay some brave people, the handsome bird is presenting symptoms of some possibly serious electrical damage. We’re hoping it was just a flash injury, but only time and observation will tell.
(Look for 2 photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peggy Cole brought an injured golden eagle down from the Pine Top area last week. The big female is another apparent victim of electricity as evinced by the condition of her feathers and her other symptoms. As with most serious electrical injuries, the greatest damage is usually not evident early on after the encounter, but only shows up hours or days later as the internally burned tissue dies and sloughs off. Since the bird only arrived on Sunday afternoon, she is still under close surveillance to determine the true extent of her injury.
(Look for 5 photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we get into the baby season, the “cute factor” begins to climb in the ranks of the new patients. These baby love birds are in the running, as is this little squirrel that arrived riding in a Starbucks cup. It was immediately dubbed “Squirrel Latte”!
(Look for three photos)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Terry Stevens
Operations Director