Help Wanted!

Hidy folks!

Cinco De Mayo is not too far off! Though it's not a huge celebration in Mexico it seems America has adopted it anyway. You can find more info on Cinco De Mayo here: Cinco De Mayo! I would suggest some great enchiladas that day, or maybe some homemade tacos! Let's get on with update, shall we?

On April 26 we picked up a baby Screech Owl! The owlet fell from a tree, and has a few minor cuts, corneal abrasions (scratched on the eye), and a small tear in the retina. This little guy fell very far according to the heroes who brought it into UT, so it is a blessing it is alive! 

You can sure tell it is the "busy season"! We took two raptors in for eye exams, and left with three! The mews are filling as fast as we can build them. If anyone would like to help feed these babies (or adults), support the purchase of their medicine, or the building of more mews we would LOVE for you to help! For monetary donations you can log onto our website Upstate Birds of Prey. From there you can safely and securely log onto PayPal, and make a one time donation or a recurring monthly donation. Any amount helps, and no amount is too small. Please take a look at these faces, and decide to help us. During baby season we are spending around $250.00 per month on food alone. Also, if you indeed decide to become a supporter by donating items we need or making financial donations, email me at natalie@upstatebirdsofprey.org if you would like to see a bird you helped be release back to the wild, or if you would just like to visit our rehabilitation center. It is only by the gracious hearts 

of others that we succeed in what we do. Without 

you we could only hope to achieve all we do. 

Thanks yet again,

Upstate

Mew!

Good day everyone!
I hope this blog find you well, and awaiting summer. It seems it's trying to get here. We have a quick update concerning new renovations! 

On April 19 and 20, Tim along with volunteers Bryan, Aaron, and Melissa built this gorgeous 10x10x8 mew! They set it up for the physical and emotional growth of the fledgling Great Horned Owl! What a great job they did! We could not have completed such without our volunteers. 

Really soon if the weather holds out we are going to put the third and final mew that will be attached to the hospital. Once this last mew is built we will change gears towards the two flight pens. Then after that feat is accomplished we will then go back to the six mew condos.

Here at Upstate we need volunteers to help with so many different things. So if your heart is into volunteering please email us at natalie@upstatebirdsofprey.org . In the subject like put 'Volunteer'. It's a busy time here at Upstate, and all help is greatly appreciated! 

Thanks to everyone that helped,

Upstate

Life in the Fast Lane

Good day Upstate guru's! 

Spring is officially, and unofficially here! Though this Spring is far cooler than the last. Maybe this will mean a mild summer. I imagine everyone could get used to that. We have been uber busy here at Upstate, and I deeply apologize for the delay in updates. As the days grow longer on our little slice of the planet, so our list of things to accomplish seems to grow as well! We aren't complaining, but rejoicing in the fact that God trust us with so much!

So let's get on with the updates, shall we?

First, Roscoe, our Great Horned buddy! After his last appointment we had to order special ophthalmic ointment compounded at a pharmacy in New Jersey. We just received the ointment this week, and are putting it in his eye four times a day. Hopefully, his next doctor's appointment will show greater improvement. His eye is so swollen from the injury that we cannot even place him in a mew. With his injury dust and pollen cannot be properly flushed or moved out of the eye as they normally would be. As you can see Roscoe is having a difficult journey, but we are doing our best, and are hoping for a release sooner or later.

Remember our baby owl? The first grade students from Tatte's School (this is where Melissa, who notified us that this baby needed our help, teaches) wanted to help us out by naming the owlet, so they voted to name this baby Great Horned Owl Sophie! We think they picked an excellent name, and we appreciate their help. Sophie has been putting on the grams! When we rescued her on April 6, 2013 she weighed 1,012 grams, and on April 13 she weighed 2,588 grams! This means she gained 1,576 grams! Whoa! We can be pretty sure this is a female due to the weight, but once again we can never be positive without testing. Sophie is doing great, and we can see a exciting release in the future!

On to some super exciting news! Lowe's Home Improvement in Maryville, Tennessee was kind enough to help with the pricing of materials to finish the inside of the hospital. We put in wiring, more lighting, a refrigerator, insulation, drywall, flooring, paint, and shelving. They were so helpful! They are planning to continue to help us as we build our mews and flight pens. A huge thanks to Lowes for your ongoing support! 

Earlier in the year we sent out two lists for pricing lumber for two mews, and one flight pen. The local lumber and building company Anderson Lumber Company in Alcoa, TN came in with an offer so generous that we are able to increase from our originally planned two mews and one flight pen, to eight mews and two flight pens! Wow! The bid from Anderson Lumber Company also put us in a position to add two mews to the hospital. You can see in the photo of the place where one mew is going up. The bid is also putting us in position to build two huge flight pens, and still build a six mew condo with a hallway/work area all under roof! After we organize the hospital we will post photos of the new beautiful inside, and the new mew! Three of the mews will be 10'x10'x8', another four will be 6'x8'x8', and for reference our current mew measures 6'x10'x8'. The flight pens will both be 10'x50'x12'. Another HUGE thanks to Anderson Lumber Company for all your support!

As you can read we are moving right along with the graciousness of our local companies! Dorothy Height said "Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It's important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It's the way in which we ourselves grow and develop." Thanks be to our community for taking the same interest in our local raptors as we do. Speaking of our patients they are as well moving right along! It's a busy time here at Upstate, so hold onto your hats, and we hope you enjoy the ride with us!

Buckled in,

Upstate Birds of Prey

It's A Baby!

Hootie hoo! (That's hello in Owl for all those that don't know.)

I'm not sure how everyone else feels, but we here at Upstate feel the weather the past few days has been phenomenal! I do believe Spring has finally arrive, and with its arrival it has brought new life to us here at Upstate. Let us explain...

Nature lovers Melissa, Bryan, and Aaron watched at a nearby park a paired mother and father Great Horned Owls. As being respectful and quiet observers of nature they were rewarded one day by seeing a small head pop up out of the nest! After observing from a distance the little guy in and around the nest, finally on April 6th the owlet fledged from its nest! This is the natural progression, and next step in just about all bird's progression. It is safer to learn how to fly from the ground rather than at great heights just in case there is a problem. This way the babies can spread their wings, and glide to the ground easier.

The family of owls was a well kept secret tucked high in the arms of tree, but now that the owlet had made its way to the ground everyone was aware of the family's presence. Almost immediately some children started doing what curious children do, and were speaking loudly at the little fellow and causing mischief. Therefore help was called for.

 In the beginning when Melissa called we were discussing and trying to come to a conclusion that would enable the baby owl to stay with its parents. Over time, and after discussing with Dr. Teubner we felt that for the safety of the owlet and for the safety of the public the best solution would be to rescue this owlet. The safety of the owlet came into our concerns due to the fact that it wasn't being properly care for by its parents due to its constant human audience. Whereas the safety of the public came into concern, because even as babies owls are wild and dangerous creatures - especially to curious small children. 

We went to see the situation in person, and when we arrived the little tyke had maneuvered its way back up the tree to a low hanging branch. Once we moved everyone back, and all was quiet, it decided it was safe to glide back down to the ground. On our second attempt to safely catch the owlet - that being for the safety of not only the owlet but us as well - we were finally able to kennel it, and take him to his temporary home here with us at Upstate. Please do not think this was an easy task, though they are babies they are still able to run quite fast, as well as jump and fly somewhat. It was an adventure to say the least.

Upon getting this owlet back to Upstate we fed the hungry fellow, and gave it a thorough check up. The check up went great! This babe weighs 1,012 grams, which is almost the weight of a full grown owl. If you compare him to our other Great Horned Owl, Roscoe, who weighs 1,500 grams, this owlet hasn't far to go. We bathed the new owl by using warm water in spray bottles. The parents were doing a fantastic job of caring for it while in the nest. It is one of the hardest, if not the hardest decision to make concerning rescues - that being taking a baby raptor from its parents. Had the human spectators kept their distance, and kept as silent observers, the parent owls may have felt safe enough to continue their care of their young, but this was indeed not the case. This little owl had far too many intruding fans, and it was preventing the parents from properly feeding, and also from teaching much needed lessons that are taught on the ground. 

This owl is quite the cutie, but let us inform you; it bites, lunges to attack, uses its talons quite well, and tires to put them through our gloves every chance it gets. These are wild dangerous animals. They are not cute cuddly babies. Please call us should you see an injured or orphaned raptor in the Blount County area (note: we cannot take or rehab songbirds) at 865-680-9623.

I hope this little guy's story has planted some seeds for further thought; about being a quiet distant observer of nature, about the fierceness of even baby wild animals, and the importance of doing your part for nature's sake. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions concerning raptors in your area. It would be our pleasure to help inform you on raptor knowledge and know how.  

Hoo hoo,

Upstate

Rocky - Peppy & Perching

Greetings Upstate followers!

I hope everyone is well!

We would like to give everyone an update on Rocky, our Red Tail Hawk. He is peppy and perching! We took him out to the mew today, and provided him with some artificial rain. In other words we squirted him down with warm water in spray bottles. The bath did him a lot of good mentally as he was able to rouse (shake) his feathers, fully spread his wings, and preen himself using his oil gland. The preening is a very welcomed action for we want to make sure that does not get a blockage from lack of use. He is weak as far a flying is concerned, but we have no reason to believe he is not or will not be fully flighted.

To look at a bird several times a day that we once thought would never make it, and now see him perching (he still has a long way to go with that foot, but it has come amazingly far in just two weeks) gives us encouragement. It also gives us faith in that what we are doing for these birds is in fact working and effective. 

Here at Upstate Birds of Prey we have not been slowly growing. We have neither been taking in "easy" rehab cases. We are taking this all head on, God is guiding our hands, providing awesome volunteers, given us Dr. Jones and Dr. Greenacre from UT, and the list of blessing goes on and on. Thank you so much for your support! 

Sincerely,

Upstate Birds of Prey

Knoxville Community and Neighborhood Contest

Happy (belated) Easter everyone!
I hope everyone's Easter celebrations were wonderful!
It seems Spring is trying to arrive here in East Tennessee, but Old Man Winter is holding on for dear life it seems. The forecast (click here) for next week is calling for temperatures in the 70's! Better late than never Spring! 

A couple of weeks ago we attended a Knoxville community and neighborhood gathering. We had some information posted there to get our cause out into our community, and as an added bonus we were offering a prize for a lucky person to come to our next release with seven other companions (and to also enjoy refreshments afterwards)! We are not aware of who the winner may be, but we were informed many folks were hoping to be chosen. If the winner was contacted already, and if you are indeed reading our blog, please contact us. Should you not be particularly interested in attending please email (click here) us, and we will be glad to come up with another prize on your behalf. We will also pass your prize on to another contestant!

Thanks so much,
Upstate Birds of Prey