Wildlife Recovery Association at the Little Swamp Sanctuary : 2009

Monday, December 7, 2009

Wildlife Recovery: MAEP Grant Award

December 5, 2009: Wildlife Recovery Association was awarded a $1000 grant from MAEP, Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals, and Schoolcraft College, to support the MI WHO Project, helping to provide for updated educational materials as we bring quality wildlife educational presentations to schools and citizen gatherings throughout Michigan. We were pleased to accept the grant award at the MAEP Annual Meeting in Ann Arbor on December 5, 2009, and are excited about this great opportunity! Our sincere thanks to MAEP and Schoolcraft College!

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"Sarah and Friends at Greenpoint Nature Center" by Bonnie Prestin

Sunday, November 29, 2009

WRA Programs: Schoolcraft College, 11-7-09

Nature Day at Schoolcraft College: Building Owl Boxes and Artificial Loon Nest Islands
November 7, 2009

WRA Programs: Pinconning Library, 11-14-09

Piconning Library- Piconning, Michigan, November 14, 2009
Special Program for Pre-Schoolers

Monday, September 28, 2009

WRA On the Road with Education: Detroit

Sunday, September 27, 2009: Wildlife Recovery Association and MLPA-MLW spent a wonderful, sunny day at the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Member Appreciation Day at Rivard Plaza, presenting an ongoing program from 12 noon to 3 P.M. What a beautiful place right on the river, with the Detroit Renaissance Center nearby and Windsor, Ontario right across the water! We met many people and were happy to present the live birds that share the Detroit River migration corridor (the Broadwing Hawk and Saw-Whet Owl) as well as those who live right in the area (Eastern Screech Owl, American Kestrel Falcon) and Michigan's winter visitors: the Rough-Legged Hawk and Snowy Owl. In addition, MLPA's loon mount, Mahng, was in attendance and received much attention, as he represented the loons that migrate each year along the corridor. We were happy to be working with the Riverfront Conservancy, part of the International Waterfront Alliance, and looking forward to future contact and cooperative educational efforts together.

(Above: 1) Betty Rogers at our Display Table; 2) Snowy Owl (Snowy) and the Detroit Renaissance Center)

Monday, September 21, 2009

WRA Celebrities: Sarah the Turkey Vulture

Our latest newsletter will be off the presses soon and on its way to our WRA members! This issue features Sarah, our year-old Turkey Vulture, and her story of how she came to be at Wildlife Recovery, and also relates many interesting facts about these wonderful and necessary birds. They truly are a beautiful member of the bird family, and Sarah wins friends wherever she goes. Sometimes we will hear people say that they aren't sure they would like meeting a Turkey Vulture, but after Sarah comes onto the scene and they learn about her and her neat ways and how to watch for the graceful flight of these birds, they change their minds. We are pleased, too, to hear of how many people tell us that Turkey Vultures are their favorite bird! Truly, Sarah is a good ambassador for Turkey Vultures everywhere!

We would love to share our newsletters with you! To receive Sarah's story, and future issues of our Wildlife Recovery newsletters, we would be very glad to welcome you as a member! WRA memberships begin at $10 per year. Our contact information is on the sidebar under 'Contact Us"; information is also available on our web site www.wildliferecovery.org (link at bottom of the page). Your membership is tax-deductible.

We thank you and Sarah thanks you, too!

(Top: Sarah and Joe at Huron County Nature Center)

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9-23-2009: Sarah and Joe at BSA Cole Canoe Camp School Nature Day

Sunday, September 20, 2009

WRA On the Road with Education: Lake Erie MetroPark Hawkfest: 9-19-2009

It was a great day, and wonderful weather as we presented to over 250 people at the park. Although we did not see many birds passing through, we enjoyed a day devoted to this annual migration event. We were happy to see some old friends there and to meet new ones!

Above; 1) Joe Rogers shows Sarah, the Turkey Vulture; 2) Barb Rogers shows Great Horned Owl feet (on loan to us for educational purposes by the Michigan State Judicial System, under state and federal permits).

"They travel with a constant companion, Autumn."
Larry Van Goethem, "Southward Stream of Birds of Prey." The New York Times

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

WRA On the Road with Education: Petsokey

Citizen Science Day, with Michigan Loonwatch, sponsored by Michigan Department of Natural Resources, at North Central College, Petoskey, MI, April 2009. Joe and Barb Rogers and Joanne Williams show the Common Loon study skin (Slim), female Saw-Whet Owl (Pipsqueak), Barred Owl (Wilbur), and male American Kestrel Falcon (Zip-Zing).
(Photos by Paige Calamari)

Trillings

Indian Lullaby
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Rock-a-bye, my little owlet, In thy mossy, swaying nest,
With thy little woodland brothers, Close thine eyes and take thy rest.
To whoo, to whoo, to whoo, to whoo...

Hush-a-bye, my little owlet, Many voices sing to thee,
"Hush-a-bye," the water whispers, "Hush!" replies the tall pine tree.
To whoo, to whoo, to whoo, to whoo...

Sleep, O sleep, my little owlet, Thro' our tent the moon shines bright,
Like a great eye it will watch thee, Sleep until the morning light.
To whoo, to whoo, to whoo, to whoo...

Barred Owl (Wilbur) photo by Christopher Schlaf

Monday, September 7, 2009

Wildlife Recovery: Raptor Rehabilitation

Healed, strong, and ready to fly free again!

WRA On the Road with Education: Pigeon, Michigan

Educational programs are presented at many locations and to many groups throughout Michigan. This outdoor program, featuring eight different live raptors, was presented at the Huron County Nature Center Wilderness Arboretum in Pigeon, Michigan. Pictured are the Barred Owl (Wilbur), Red-Tailed Hawk (Kathy) and Great Horned Owl (Stanley).

Our Live Birds of Prey Programs

**We are booking programs, and with the help of many educators and other wildlife experts we are now including many new and exciting things!

We are also working hard to keep up with all the latest research on animal communication, which includes many new and amazing discoveries.

We have added several exciting new birds to our program schedule and are continuing to work with several universities to keep up with the latest information on environmental and wildlife issues.

** Check our facebook page for upcoming programs!

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We would love to present to your school or organization! Please contact us at 989-772-1538 or wildliferecovery531@yahoo.com for more information. Our address and more about our programs below.

We look forward to seeing you as we present our wonderful live birds!

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Special News: Bald Eagle Release

On Monday, September 24, 2009, the Bald Eagle that had been in rehabilitation at Wildlife Recovery Association was released back into the wild, healthy and strong once again. This bird was found injured in the river at Chippewa Nature Center on June 13, 2009 and rescued by WRA. His release is a happy ending for us and for him, as he returned to the wild, strong and free.

For more information, photos and a film of the release, please visit the Naturalist Section at:
www.chippewanaturecenter.org
(Link below and at the bottom of the page under "WRA Important Links")

Membership

Wildlife Recovery Association began in 1977 and is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that depends upon donations and memberships, which are tax-deductible. Your membership is vital to us and supports many WRA projects involving education, research and raptor rehabilitation, as well as coordinating with colleges, universities and other groups such as MI Loon Preservation Association-MI Loonwatch to assist nesting loons on Michigan lakes.

Memberships begin at $10 per year, and may be sent to the above address. Please free to contact us; and also you may visit www.wildliferecovery.org (link at bottom of page) for more information. We welcome and appreciate your support!

***For every dollar received in memberships, at least one child sees a Live Birds of Prey program***

Wildlife Education: About Our Programs

Looking straight into the eyes of a Great Horned Owl, understanding mysterious sounds of the night, watching a hawk "lock on" to its prey: . . .these are the things that spark an interest in nature and science. Wildlife Recovery Association brings exciting natural history programs to your doorstep for a close look at live birds of prey, and a fast-paced, funny and informative presentation. Our programs can be for any type of group, any age level and with any particular focus.

WRA's wildlife presentations, with over a thirty-year history, are versatile and flexible. They can be focused on any particular raptor species, habitat, environmental issue, and for school presentations also are based on cross-curricular activities. We also feature a special program about the Common Loon, working with MI Loon Preservation Association-MI Loonwatch to bring the mystery and magic of this Michigan treasure to audiences statewide.

Please contact us for more information and to schedule a program: 989-772-1538. We appreciate your leaving a message for a return call!

Wildlife Education: About Our Presenters

Wildlife Recovery programs are presented by Joe Rogers, raptor biologist and director of WRA, assisted by scientist Joanne Williams, loon researcher and State Coordinator of MLPA-MI Loonwatch. Together they bring over forty years of experience and knowledge to these presentations, and with their backgrounds of education and research, together with ongoing activities in these fields, offer current, relevant and quality outreach through these programs. We often are also assisted by college and university students, with whom we work as they pursue studies in the biological and environmental sciences.

WRA Raptor Rehabilitation

Successful raptor rehabilitation requires a combined effort between individuals with expertise and an understanding of how best to help the bird without its becoming familiar with people. To lose its wildness inevitably dooms the animal upon its release, as it would then continue to seek out humans as a food resource. Our goal is always to return a wild bird to its particular habitat and its own territory with all its wildness intact, in perfect feather condition and with the ability to fit back into the ecosystem: to fly, to hunt and to eventually reproduce.

Wildlife Recovery Association at the Little Swamp Sanctuary