Megan Mosby
Executive Director
Springtime… and time to Sip some Southwestern Delights
It is happening. I can feel it in the air…can you? Spring is popping out all over and the things that make the southwest so special abound at this time of year. Everything is starting to bloom, and it is stunning in the desert. The migrating birds are back to nest and raise their young. Love is in the air.
(Photo appeared in Arizona Republic. Photo by Paul Landau)
On any given day at Liberty Wildlife, you can find a number of insects, as well as birds, enjoying the rich selection in our butterfly garden. But as the hummingbirds and others sample the delicacies of our native flowers, we humans may enjoy the tasty sip of a local concoction, as well. It is time for our annual Sippin’ the Spirit of the Southwest event, which begins to celebrate many things that are special about where we live…the southwest. If you are new to our campus, you might not know how much you can learn to appreciate about the beauty of our area. We have so much of it here. We have native plants that are now resplendent. We have native wildlife, up close and personal. We have programs including facts, stories, and appearances from many native wildlife ambassadors. We have a glimpse into our award-winning Liberty Wildlife Non-Eagle Feather Repository that provides protected feathers to Native Americans to use for religious and ceremonial practices.
But, for a little while on April 13th you can also enjoy the music, food, and libations from around our celebrated desert…our home.
This is a terrific opportunity for those who are 21 years and older, to sip samples of spirits from local offerings like Cancion Tequila, Carefree Bourbon, Chakra Vodka, Carefree Spirits, Crescent Crown Distributors, Tito’s Vodka, American Premium Vodka and more. We will have food trucks from Wally Burger and vegan delights from The Farmacy, providing a great selection of food options.
And, we enthusiastically welcome back Jeordie with her sweet musical stylings. There will be raffles and a libation pull to add an element of chance and fun.
The best part is that it all goes for a truly great cause, to support the mission of Liberty Wildlife. The proceeds from events like this allow us to take care of over ten thousand animals a year, allows us to provide educational programming all over the state, and helps us provide feathers to Native Americans conserving wild birds in the process.
All of this comes your way for a mere $50 a ticket.
If you want an opportunity to assist us in our mission, if you believe in the importance of our work nurturing the nature of Arizona, if you want to help a wild creature in need, if you want to learn more about the world you live in, support our upcoming event: Sippin’ the Spirit of the Southwest.
P.S. This week nonprofits across the state celebrate Arizona Gives Day. You can show your support for Liberty Wildlife, and help support our continued program expansion with a gift today!
This Week @ Liberty – March 26, 2024
Well, well, well, if it isn’t our old friend spring. Although you can’t seem to decide what kind of weather you’re wanting to give us, I appreciate the cool temperatures before the ‘storm’ regardless. In fact, I even appreciated the pounding rain—and subsequent hail—at my house the other night! It was quite unexpected, but I loved it nonetheless.
But all this means is we’ll be getting busier in the hospital. If you made it here for the Orphan Care Baby Shower, then you saw the new building made just for all our babes. It’s in full swing right now; the start of our orphan care teams are rolling in, and with it, all the kiddos. Which means, if you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity, there’s still plenty to be had here at Liberty Wildlife! Sign-up to feed babies in 4 hour shifts here; I promise it’s totally worth the time!
Zone-Tailed Hawk: New Life for Feathers that can no longer Fly
Two weeks ago, we talked about a rare sighting here at Liberty Wildlife; a Zone-Tailed Hawk who had come in with avian trichominiasis. While the protozoan found commonly in pigeons and doves is a normal thing we see, the hawk himself was not. And while we had hoped for the best (as we always do), this hawk did succumb to the disease two days after his arrival.
It’s a hard thing to see; these hawks that come in so broken. As a rehabilitation facility, we do everything in our power to see these beautiful creatures put back where they belong. Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter what we do, nature calls their hearts back.
Yet, here at Liberty Wildlife, we knew those who couldn’t make it through had another purpose. Hence the birth of the Non-Eagle Feather Repository. Their mission? To provide Native Americans with a source of feathers for religious and ceremonial purposes. And since 2010, they have sent over 6,000 feathers to Native American Tribes all over the United States. That includes this Zone-Tailed Hawk, who went to the Potawatomi Nation in St. Francisville, LA. The feathers will be shaped, remade, and reused, an important aspect of Native American tradition.
“Giving new life to feathers that can no longer fly”…
For more information on our Non-Eagle Feather Repository, click here.
Green-Violet Swallow: A Story of Migration
It’s this time of year we begin to see birds we don’t often see, and that’s due, in part, to migration. Those who trek long distances during the cold, winter months are now making their way back to their retrospective homes, wherever that may be. Case in point: two Green-Violet Swallows who made their way to us a mere two days apart!
In truth, I’ve never seen this bird before; many of us haven’t. So you can imagine our excitement in seeing them at all, and our sadness at having to keep them because of their injuries (both appear to have coracoid fractures—think collarbone—which is completely fixable).
Found along the west coast, up into Canada and parts of Alaska as well as into Mexico, these birds can be found in woodlands where dead trees offer natural cavities. They enjoy eating insects like flies, leafbugs, beetles and even winged ants, all of which they catch in mid-air. It’s why if you’re out looking for them you’ll want to head to a river or pond early in the morning. These little guys fly low over water, swooping down low to catch their prey. They’ve even been known to be seen in groups between ten and a hundred, and have even been seen hanging with swifts and other swallows.
So, the next time you’re out and about near a river or pond, make sure to keep an eye out for these beautiful, vibrant birds. For now, our new friends will be hanging with us until they can fly again, at which time we’ll get them right back out into the wild.
Mexican Free-Tailed Bat…without the tail
Here’s another one we don’t see too often; a Mexican Free-Tailed bat! It took us all a hot minute to figure out what this little guy was because something—we don’t know what—got a hold of his tail. Especially because we don’t get these cute little guys so often, it can be hard to identify them (at least, for me it is!). But once we realized he should have had a tail, it certainly got a lot easier.
These bats live all over the western US, including Mexico, Central America and northern South America. They can be identified by their reddish brown, or gray, fur, as well as their broad, black, pointed ears. Their tails typically extend about a third pas their tail membrane. And with long and narrow wings, these bats consume huge amounts of months and other flying insects.
For us here in Phoenix, there is a tunnel on 40th Street and Camelback Rd where upwards of 5,000 bats roost during the day. And if you hit the bridge at the right time of day (close to sunset), you’ll be able to see them fly out in the thousands to get out to their hunting grounds for the evening. They’ve been known to fly almost twenty miles in one evening to find food—why? We’re not sure, but they’ve got the energy to get it done.
For now, this flying mammal has been transferred to a bat rehabilitation center we work closely with to get some much needed rest. If you’re interested in reading more about the Phoenix bat cave, check out this article here!
Notable Mentions
It’s that time of year where I can’t keep up with all the photos I’d love to take! But, unfortunately, I can’t be everywhere all at once. Which means I have to settle for what I’m capable of getting, which, I do think, is still pretty good!
Without further ado, here are this week’s notable mentions:
- Stella the Western Screech Owl lays an unviable egg (1 picture)
- Maggie the Great Horned Owl receives two foster kids (2 pictures – by Becky)
- A Northern Mockingbird fell from his nest and makes an appearance in Triage (1 picture)
- A just hatched Thrasher is brought in by a rescuer (1 picture)
- Can you see the teeny, tiny hummingbird? (1 picture)
- One of Darwin’s foster kids lets us know they’re not a fan of us being so close (1 picture)
- A newly fledged Great Horned Owl drops by for quick hello before moving to foster care (1 picture)
Remember we’re open to the public Wednesday’s, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10am-1pm; make sure to come see us before those hot summer months hit! We also have yet another fun event coming up. Sippin’ the Spirit of the Southwest is a 21+ event happening Saturday, April 13th from 4pm-7pm. Tickets include one drink ticket, samplings from local distilleries, and animal encounters.
Until next time!
Posted by Acacia Parker
Public Outreach Coordinator