Spring is coming!

 Before we begin our updates, we have to say we are overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters. Last week, we posted a link to our Amazon.com wishlist and we are so excited to see all the fantastic items our supporters and fans are purchasing for us. Thank you all!
The wishlist can be found at: http://amzn.com/w/2OO6IHGPJPABD

 

This Mute Swan found with a ruptured tumor in Bayville, was released at his origin last week.

We are officially gearing up for Spring at Volunteers for Wildlife! We can hardly believe March will be here so soon. With March comes the inevitable arrival of orphaned and injured baby Eastern Grey Squirrel and Eastern Cottontails! We placed a big order today for our baby season needs from one of our very favorite businesses, Chris's Squirrels and More! We have also offered classes for our volunteers on raising baby squirrels. During these classes, we teach the volunteers how to identify the age of a baby squirrel and give protocol on their general care from neonate to juvenile. This knowledge will be useful for the volunteers this spring when they must help us care for baby squirrels.

We have lots of interesting patients at our hospital that are doing very well. Last week, we posted about the admission of an emaciated Great Blue Heron. He is continuing to do very, very well at our hospital. He no longer needs to be forcefed an easily digestible diet, as he is now strong enough to eat fish and clams. He is finally eating on his own which is a big help to us! While we are going through a lot of local fish and clam by feeding him, we are so happy he is eating and doing well. We hope to release him in the next week or so.

 We also have Red-Throated Loon that we are hoping to release Friday morning in Bayville. He was hit by a car over two weeks ago. Last week, he was having significant respiratory problems, but a trip to the vet for some medications and lots of time with a nebulizer cleared that up quickly. He is gaining weight and doing well here. In fact, right now he is enjoying some quiet time swimming in our bathtub!

On Sunday, we received an unusual bird- an American Woodcock! Read more about this unusual looking bird here. Our woodcock was a building collision in Manhattan. Woodcocks are most active at night, so we assume he was migrating and hit a building on accident in the middle of the night. A very kind and compassionate couple picked him up and brought him all the way to our hospital, where he has been put on cage rest and given forcefeedings. Lauren Schulz, our Education Coordinator, and Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon President, Stella Miller, are going to release him today in the perfect woodsy spot where he can do what he does best: forage for earthworms!

 

Thanks for reading, we hope you have an excellent weekend!