Cooking is for the Birds!

Make suet and reap the rewards! Around 20 different species will regularly feed upon suet, so make some and enjoy the beauty that our wild feathered neighbors bring. This recipe is from Martha Sargeant, who, along with her husband Bob, founded the Hummer/Bird Study Group.


Martha's Super Suet

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups quick cook oats
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 1 cup lard (or vegetable shortening)
• 1 cup white flour
• 1/3 cup sugar

 

Melt peanut butter & lard over low heat in a large pot. Whisk in remaining ingredients, stir until well incorporated. Dried fruits can be added at this point as well--raisins, cranberries, blueberries or a mix. Place into a container and freeze (we like using commercial suet containers as they are the perfect size for most suet cages), or allow to cool and spoon into a gallon ziploc & seal. Once malleable, roll to 1 inch thickness with a rolling pin & freeze. Stored this way, the suet can be cut into shape & size or your choice.

 

Bon appetite, birds!

Meet an AWC Volunteer: Michael White

AWC volunteer Michael White introducing
a young visitor to The Colonel, a Corn Snake

We are so fortunate to have Michael White as one of the Alabama Wildlife Center's dedicated animal care volunteers. He came on board with us in the fall of 2009 and has since become a much relied upon volunteer. Michael’s warm personality and obvious love of animals has endeared him to everyone he works with.


Hard working and caring, he is one of few committed to the weekly care of our resident snakes, making sure The Colonel and Scarlet do not get overlooked in the business of regular clinic activities.

When four little orphaned ducklings arrived separately this summer, Michael went beyond the call of duty with them—from feeding and spending much needed cuddle time with them (so they didn’t suffer from loneliness) to actually getting in our duck pond with them to encourage them to swim!

Always eager to learn more about wildlife rehabilitation, Michael has recently begun training as a Shift Supervisor. We look forward offering more and more learning opportunities to Michael and feel so lucky to have him as one of our team members.

Michael is also a multi-talented volunteer. In addition to all his animal care efforts, he also takes photos for us and even baked cookies to sell at our recent Craft & Bake Sale!

Thanks, Michael, for all your hard work and for bringing many smiles to our faces!

Meet an AWC Volunteer: Scottie Jackson

Scottie began her volunteer career at the Alabama Wildlife Center after checking out a Black & White article with a list of places to volunteer free time. As a biology student at Samford intent on veterinary school, AWC fit into her schedule well and she spent at least one or two days a week volunteering a shift or even an entire day.

Scottie has expanded her interests to include anything she could do to help wildlife. Volunteering here has also influenced her career focus. Now as a graduate student in Samford’s Environmental Management Program, Scottie has plans to help wildlife and the environment. Scottie currently works with Environmental Education and Birds of Prey at the Alabama 4-H Center.

Scottie has become an invaluable volunteer. Not once but twice, Scottie served AWC during Baby Songbird season as a full-time Intern. After a spring/summer of constantly satiating open mouths, she returned as a seasoned veteran for a second summer and assisted the program by helping not only to feed the babies but also helped with songbird medical care, enclosure habitating, release preparation and planning, natural history research and training.

A volunteer with many hats, Scottie assists with not only animal care as a Clinical Technician every Sunday, but also with a variety of other tasks. Up to any challenge an injured raptor presents, she has spent many hours on the road rescuing and transporting injured birds. She is also a trained member of our warehouse rescue team and our reunite team for both songbirds and raptors. In addition to rescue, Scottie also helps recovered patients return to their homes or to find a new one at her home, which happens to be located in a bird sanctuary. Scottie volunteers at our special events and assists with pretty much anything needed whenever her school schedule allows. Bright and cheerful, she helps every month with new volunteer orientation. As one of the newest members of the Education Bird Program, you can find Scottie volunteering on Mondays with Natchez, Coosa or Ireland.

Thank you Scottie for all your hard work and dedication!

Meet an AWC Volunteer: Tamara Bahlke

In addition to the many extra shifts accumulated over the years, Tamara has been a loyal Sunday volunteer for the past 5 years, just recently celebrating her anniversary this September.

Specializing in Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, Tamara has fostered hundreds of baby rabbits, first for AWC and now for our friends at Wild Mammal Care of Alabama.

Tamara was also a dedicated caretaker for our educational display animals (Bob Kitty the bobcat, and Foxy and Joe the grey foxes) before they were transferred to excellent facilities.

Tamara now enjoys the comfort of sorting mealworms and sexing rodents during her regular Sunday shift in addition to helping us do pretty much anything that needs doing. As a trained clinical assistant, Tamara has even filled in on occasional as a Shift Supervisor and worked many other shifts throughtout our busy baby season. Thank you so very much, Tamara - your hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated!


Our hearfelt thanks to everyone that volunteers in support of the Alabama Wildlife Center. You are heroes every day.

Want to become an AWC volunteer? Our next new volunteer orientations are scheduled for Sunday, October 3 and Sunday, November 7 from 1-3:30pm. Schedule online at http://www.awrc.org/ or arrive early to register in person. $10 fee if you are not an AWC member.

One Tough Bird!

On Wednesday of this week, AWC received a message on our Wildlife Help Line concerning a hawk trapped in a warehouse in Birmingham. Before we could assemble a rescue team, a rep from the warehouse called to let us know the hawk had flown out of the building.

Initially so relieved that the bird was free and no rescue team was needed, our relief turned to concern as we learned the hawk had flown through a window to gain her freedom. We just knew the bird was somewhere hurt, possibly dying from the impact, but there was nothing we could do--she had flown away.

About an hour later our doorbell chimed, alerting us that we had a new patient needing care. AWC staffer Lee McDonald answered the bell and met with an employee from the warehouse. They had found the Cooper's Hawk on the roof of their facility lying on her back and obviously in dire need of help.

Our initial exam revealed that she was suffering from head and possibly spinal trauma from the crash through the window, unable to stand but thankfully with movement detected in the legs. It was also found that she was in great shape--a successful hunter that judging from her weight, had not missed too many meals!

Steroids were administered to reduce the inflammation from the impact, fluids were given and she was placed in a box with a supportive "donut" to alleviate the weight from her legs. By the next day, she was beginning to use her legs more and by Friday the beautiful young hawk was standing on her own! Now also eating on her own and no longer in need of hydrating fluids, the Cooper's Hawk is making a steady recovery, though still listed in guarded condition.

Meet an AWC Volunteer: Holly Whitmire

There are certain volunteers that we rely on so much, we have named the day they volunteer in their honor. Thursdays have become “Holly days,” because that is when we are so fortunate to have Holly Whitmire amongst us. Holly has been a volunteer with AWC since 1999 (wow!) and is truly a jack of all trades. A small sampling of her volunteer work includes grocery shopping, cleaning rodent bins, taking care of our resident snakes, handling raptors, feeding baby songbirds and freeing hawks trapped in warehouses. In fact, she is one of two volunteers we can count on time and again to get trapped birds out. When asked what keeps her coming back every week, Holly said “being with others of like mind,” and “seeing the birds thrive” is what motivates her. We are so thankful to Holly for her many years of dedicated service. On behalf of our patients, our heartfelt thanks go to you Holly!

You can become an AWC volunteer! New volunteer orientations are scheduled for the first Sunday of most months from 1-4pm. The next dates are: September 5, October 3 & November 7, 2010. Register online via our website or arrive a few minutes early to complete your registration in person. One-of-a-kind experiences await you!

My Experience at the Oiled Avian Center in Theodore, AL

by Sandra Allinson, Alabama Wildlife Center's Director of Education

Located in central Alabama, it is not very often rehabilitators at the Alabama Wildlife Center
have occasion to help coastal birds such as Royal Terns, Northern Gannets or Brown Pelicans. Recently I spent 5 days in Theodore, Alabama at the oiled avian center working almost exclusively with Northern Gannets. Until then I knew very little about these birds. In fact, I had never even seen a Northern Gannet other than in photographs. They are beautiful birds with voracious appetites for fish. Adults are mostly white with contrasting black primaries and primary coverts. Their gray-blue eye rings and bills are finely outlined in black against buffy-yellow plumage on their heads and napes.

Intrigued by their beauty and raucous behavior, I spent my evenings in the hotel room reading about this species and thought you all would enjoy a little info on how the species hunts. On average, a Northern Gannet weighs in at over 6 pounds and has a wingspan of 72 inches--that's a large bird. Northern Gannets have long, thick, serrated bills (for which I now have a great respect) which make them very adept at catching fish. They are skilled hunters and practice a foraging strategy referred to as "plunge-diving." Gannets locate shoals of fish during flight at heights of up to 130 feet. Then, they tip into a vertical or slightly-angled dive, extending wings backward and close to the body just before penetrating the water's surface at speeds 62 miles or more an hour! AMAZING!

The Gulf Coast oil spill has brought together folks from all walks of life in a very unique way. Rehabilitators at the Alabama Wildlife Center (both staff and experienced volunteers) are honored to have participated in efforts to aide coastal birds. We have had a rare opportunity to work side-by-side with wildlife rehabilitators from across North America, veterinarians, veterinary students, U. S. Fish and Wildlife biologists and people whose daily lives depend on the health of the Gulf Coast. The long-term impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill to our precious wildlife and coastal communities may not be completely known for many years. The experience and knowledge we gained, and the professional relationships we developed, will continue to benefit Alabama's native birds for many, many years.

Thanks to all of you who are making a difference by supporting Alabama's wildlife.
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