As I impatiently wait until the day I can hop in my car and head to Chicago to see my family for my “Christmas Break,” I’ve been thinking a lot about traveling in general. Because, let’s face it, it’s never as easy as “hopping in the car!”
Yours Truly and Patriot our well known Bald Eagle appearing before a fascinated Eagle Days crowd
I have packing lists, cleaning to do, weather forecasts to check daily, etc. Perhaps there are some people who are less Type-A about this process, but the point is this: it is ironic that many of us do most of our long-distance traveling during the season of worst weather. It is certainly true for all of us here at the World Bird Sanctuary, not just myself. Once this vacation is over, I’ll be back and it will be all about traveling still, but for work instead.Cold and snow means Bald Eagle migration season, and that means a migration of sorts for us as well. We trainers face an erratic “migration”--following programs instead of food, as the eagles do. Up and down the Mississippi River we go, through towns celebrating the return of Bald Eagles en masse, our big white van loaded down with people and birds and…a whole lot of STUFF.
As one might imagine, traveling with live animals is a truly different species of endeavor. Our setup in any given town varies wildly. Some venues have an adequate place for us to house our birds overnight, while other trips have us building our hotel rooms into a micro-replica of our bird room at home, with plenty of rubber "carpet poop protectors". Yes, birds in the hotel. Yes, the raven might try to bite your toes on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Yes, the owls DO often hoot quietly all night at the foot of the bed. Yes, eagles have been admonished for throwing rat chunks exactly where bare feet tread…squish.
Twig, our Eastern Screech Owl, handing out under the bathroom sink in a hotel room
These magic moments may make hanging out with the birds in the off-time sound really awful. But, in truth, it is one of the best parts of doing these shows. It has been stated repeatedly by all of us that while our job is fun, it is also a ton of hard work and frequently exhausting. So this situation is actually a great opportunity to sit and watch and admire our amazing raptors doing what they do—eat, preen their feathers, sometimes just perching and doing nothing. Rarely do we have nothing more pressing to do than just sit and observe. For those times, I am truly grateful. For a bit of down-time with raptors, check out the following fun video on You Tube by clicking here. This footage was taken by and narrated by Naturalist Trina Whitener while she and I were on a trip to Nebraska.
People are equally as important in these travels as birds, of course. We meet so many gracious folks in each town who put together these celebrations, help get us settled and find anything we need. They are always so happy to see us arrive. How many of us get to experience that kind of welcome week after week, year after year?
The people who come to see the programs are just as warm and wonderful. Many come every year, braving the cold winds and ice, bundling up their children; and they always tell us what an important part of their family traditions the Sanctuary’s shows are. They even know the names of our birds. And half the time they remember our names as well! Their passion and these traditions they pass on to their children will be what keeps Bald Eagles and other wildlife protected in the future. I cannot explain how good it makes me feel about the work I do--personally as well as for the Sanctuary. Some people never experience validation of that magnitude.
If you have never been out to see one of our Eagle presentations, you will have many opportunities in the next few months. Just to name a few, we will be at the following locations near you soon:
Alton Visitor Center in Alton, IL Jan. 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29
The Great Rivers Museum in East Alton, IL Jan. 23 & 30, Feb. 6 & 13
Chain of Rocks Eagle Days Jan. 15 & 16
Clarksville Eagle Days Jan. 29 & 30
For more information about these programs and others in surrounding states, please call 636-225-4390 Ex. 0 and speak to one of our Naturalists. If you would like to stay up to date on where the Sanctuary’s travels are taking us, sign up to receive our email newsletter by entering your email address in the box on the right-hand side of this page, or better yet, become a WBS Sponsor today and receive the Mews News Newsletter tri-annually—full of schedules, updates, and stories!
Happy travels—be safe out there!
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