WINGS

Following is a poem about some of our resident birds by Marge Biermann, a very talented friend of World Bird Sanctuary.

WINGS

As night is falling our feathered friends are awake.

They keep each other company, each for the others’ sake.

Everyone has a problem special just to him,

That suddenly turned his life from free to grim.

Frazzle, an Eastern Screech Owl

Poor little Frazzle lost an eye, which hampers his flying,

But Sanctuary friends saved him from actually dying.

Now he’s an Educator for children large and small,

Proving that even with a handicap an owl can stand tall.

Injury need not stop a mighty life quest,

Not as long as you have help and do your very best.

Farfel, an Eastern Screech Owl

Then there’s little Farfel….his wings are not quite right,

So he can only manage a very short flight.

But he flies every day in his little heart,

And by greeting at the Sanctuary he does his part.

Farnsworth, a Common Barn Owl

I must mention distinguished Farnsworth, so white of face,

Who serves as a Sanctuary ambassador with style and grace,

And he is so easy in any “Owl Crowd” to spot,

With a bit of white on his forehead….just a tiny dot.

Hatched at the Sanctuary he knows his way about.

You’ll find him where all the Barn Owls “hang out”.

Jersey, a Barred Owl

We must speak of Jersey who had to diet.

Probably some of us should also try it!

Thus the name “Jersey” implying her a bit chunky,

But she’s a show “walk-on”….now really spunky!

Athena, a Common Barn Owl

The Barn Owl, Athena, is a super mother,

Having produced more eggs than any other.

She prefers to live in quiet seclusion,

Yet have a space to fly without intrusion.

The Sanctuary gives her that, but keeps a watchful eye

With an “Owl Cam” mounted way up high.

Peabody, a Tawny Owl

If you’re looking for Peabody just look to the sky,

Because this Tawny Owl really loves to fly.

Two thousand twelve was his first flying season.

Now he’s ready to go anytime, for whatever reason.

Aspen, a Saw-whet Owl

In April we bid “Farewell” to Aspen, a lovely little flower.

We cared for him and nursed him through his final hour.

The lesson he taught us was, indeed, so great,

“Serve when and wherever, no matter your fate.”

These birds can survive with help from friends like you,

Who give the assistance needed to see them through.

Man interacting with Nature’s winged creatures….

Often we wonder who are the students and who the teachers.

Almost all the owls mentioned can be seen at World Bird Sanctuary on a daily basis.  Come over and check them out! 

Poetry submitted by Marge Biermann, Guest Author
All photos by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer/Photographerhttp://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/

365 Photo Project - November Photos

My November photos are from two different parts of the month; two photos from the beginning of the month and two from the end of the month. 

The beginning of the month started off with World Bird Sanctuary’s Camera Day.  The fall colors were beautiful this year and attendance was great.  I had the opportunity, while working the event, to take a few photos.  Two of those photos stand out in my mind. 

 Tundra, WBS's beautiful female Snowy Owl

The first shot from Camera Day was of Tundra, a Snowy Owl.  This was her first Camera Day and she did amazingly well.  Tundra has very quickly become one of my favorite birds.  Because she is such a visual bird she loves being out and getting to see things.  This photo became my favorite because I love this bird so much, and the fall colors and her eyes just make for a beautiful combination.

Jersey, the Barred Owl

The second photo from Camera Day that I really like is one of Jersey, the Barred Owl.  This year I tried to use birds that were new to the event, or have not been used in several years.  It has been several years since Jersey made an appearance.  Because she was set on a log on the ground this photo appears to be of a wild bird.  She was very popular with the photographers.

During the latter part of the month I participated in World Bird Sanctuary’s Project Owlnet.  I have been helping the World Bird Sanctuary’s bird banding team with this project.  We are working on a banding project to determine if Saw-whet Owls are migrating through the area and how our site compares with 2 other banding stations in the state.  Watch for a blog coming in the future with more details on this fun project.

Our first Saw-whet Owl of the night

The nights I had attended had been slow, but recently we had a night that produced two Saw-whet owls!  They are just so much fun to see, since they are difficult to find in the wild.  Also, this is something I have always loved.  I had the opportunity when I was young to band Saw-whet Owls, but at that time I could only help release them. This time, however, I had the opportunity to band one of the owls. 

I got to band this one!

This first photo is the first owl we captured that night.  The second photo was taken by Colleen Crank, banding team member, of me with the Saw-whet Owl.  I was allowed to put the band on this bird.

All in all I consider November to have been a very productive month for my 365 Photo Project.

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Jersey Girl

This month I am excited to introduce you to a very special owl that has a very curious behavior and a great voice!

This special bird’s name is Jersey and she is a Barred Owl.  Jersey is a rescue bird that was hatched in the wild.  She came to WBS in 2011 as an adult, therefore we are unsure of her exact age.

Jersey, the Barred Owl

At the beginning Jersey was not vocal at all, but as she got better she began to make hoot after hoot after hoot.  I can remember when I first heard her vocalize.  It was such an amazing event because she has such a beautiful voice (at least in my opinion).

The Barred Owl (Strix varia) gets its name from the barring on the wing, tail, and belly feathers.  These beautiful owls are native to North America, more specifically the midwest to the east coast, middle range of the southern Canadian provinces, and small parts of Mexico.  They are found in forested areas with access to waterways.  If you look below you can see a beautiful wild Barred Owl.

A wild Barred Owl

The Barred Owl’s diet consists of many different kinds of animals, such as small mammals, small to medium sized birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.  Jersey’s favorite food is mice, wings down!  At times she can be a very picky eater!  I guess I would be too if I was given peanut butter on celery instead of strawberries.  I love strawberries, but detest peanut butter (I know, it’s unusual).  To Jersey, mice are to strawberries as chicken is to peanut butter.  Everyone has a preference. 

With most birds of prey, males and females differ in size.  Normally with mammals, it is the males that are larger than the females, but most raptors have it switched!  The females are around a third larger than males.  Barred Owls range from 470-1050 grams (1lb – 2.5lbs) in weight.  They stand from 17-20 inches in height.  They also have a large wingspan for their size, 39-43 inches (3-3.5 feet).  Their lifespan in the wild ranges from 4-8 years and up to 20 years in captivity.  The oldest Barred Owl in captivity was 24 years old!

Here is a photo of Jersey hooting at me

If you hear an owl calling and you are wondering if it is a Barred Owl, then think of the sayings “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”  Try it now but replace the words with hoos.  This is the Barred Owl “song.”  When a group of Barred Owls hoot together, they sound like a bunch of monkeys!  Above is a picture of Jersey hooting at me.  Do you notice that her throat is puffed up?

Submitted by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

365 Project Reviewed

As 2012 is slowly coming to an end I have started looking back on the hundreds of photos I have taken this year during this amazing process. 

This became a very familiar pose during the past year

I have enjoyed the 365 Project as it forces you out and about to try to get those interesting photos and experience new things.  I am considering continuing to do this project, since it is a lot of fun.

As I browse through the hundreds of photos I have taken this year I am reminded of the happy moments, sad moments, amazing colors, lack of color and also just what a fun year of photography it was.  Here are a few of my favorite photos that did not make it into previous blogs, but are just fun.

Everything looks like a perch to Minerva

The first photo was not taken by me but by Billie Baumann, WBS Outreach Coordinator.  This is a photo of Minerva, the young Barn Owl, and me.  Minerva, as a baby, was allowed to wander around as part of her socialization process.  She hopped onto my foot for a moment and then we had a quick photo op.  Moments later she was put back on the floor, but it was just fun and her sideways head (turned sideways by her, to listen better) is classic Minerva.

Jersey - sun bathing

The second photo is of Jersey, the Barred Owl.  One winter day I walked out into the weathering area to see her with her face looking straight into the sky with her eyes closed.  Barred Owls are known to do this, as a form of sunning themselves to get the warmth and help her body produce vitamins.

Simon makes his own portholes

My last photo for this blog is of Simon, my African Grey Parrot.  Simon is given a lot of time out of his cage when I am home, but when I am gone he stays safely in his cage.  I have an old blanket that goes over part of the cage to give him a place to hide during the day, for nighttime safety, and to protect him from drafts.  However, over the last few years someone (Simon) has put some holes in the blanket.  One day I made a tent over the top of his cage.  Simon came over and stuck his head through one of the holes and needless to say lots of laughing was involved.

I hope everyone has enjoyed this year-long project as much as I have.

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

A New Home

Jersey (the Barred Owl), Goober (the Black Vulture) and I all have one thing in common; our stories all begin in the humble state of South Dakota--but that’s not where they end. 

My fascination with raptors began in Rapid City, SD. at Reptile Gardens with an organization by the name of Wildlife Experiences, and also with Jersey and Goober.  Goober and I didn’t get along too well at first, but he has learned to live with me since I came to intern at the World Bird Sanctuary in August 2011. 

Jersey the Barred Owl - a former acquaintance of mine

Wildlife Experiences, which closed in November 2010, opened my eyes to all the wonders of raptors, and their fantastic quirks and personalities.  For months I begged them for a job; little did I know that the closing of Wildlife Experiences would lead to the beautiful deciduous forests of Missouri, where my experiences with raptors would mold my true appreciation for them.

When I first came to Missouri and visited the World Bird Sanctuary, I immediately knew that I had to be a part of this wonderful association; and that is how my path took a surprising turn.  I moved from Laramie, Wyoming (where I was attending college for Animal science) to Missouri so that I could have the opportunity of a lifetime--to be an intern at the sanctuary. 

It just so happens that when Wildlife Experiences was finding homes for the birds that they could no longer house, Jersey and Goober (formerly known as Steinbeck and Grax) were placed at WBS.  My former acquaintances and I were reunited and are still hanging out to this day, because after my first internship (which generally last about 3 months at WBS) ended in November I knew that I was not done gaining knowledge from the staff (including the birds of course--they are staff, too) and all the amazing experiences here.

My old buddy, Goober the Black Vulture

Once I discovered that I would be welcome to complete another internship with WBS, I rushed off in search of a source of income, since Ramen noodles, unfortunately, does not grow on trees.  Lucky for me I was job hunting right before Thanksgiving (and “Black Friday”) and the sanctuary offers free housing to interns and staff members.  I was able to obtain a part time job, still have time for a part time internship, and happily continue to feed my newly found raptor addiction.

Since of course all good things must come to an end, my 2^nd internship was unfortunately going to be over mid February.  I was not sure what my next plan of action should be and was still not ready to leave the sanctuary, which was starting to feel like a sanctuary for me as well as for the birds.

At that point I discovered that there were going to be job openings for the educational summer shows that WBS presents in the cities of Milwaukee, WI and Boston, MA.  Fortunately there were some open positions and, amazingly enough, I was offered a position for the Masters of Flight Birds of Prey show that WBS presented at Stone Zoo in Boston.  Also chosen for the Stone Zoo show was none other than my old buddy Goober the Black Vulture himself!

Goober and I were able to travel from the Midwest, all the way to the East Coast and back; and after a demanding but also astounding summer in Boston, I was able to come back to St Louis and be a part of the World Bird Sanctuary again! I will forever thank my lucky stars that led me to this place, where I have not only learned remarkable things about birds, but learned a lot about myself as well.

Submitted by Teresa Aldrich, World Bird Sanctuary ETC Naturalist/Trainer

Jersey

Meet our newest resident!  Her name is Jersey and she is a Barred Owl.  Let me tell you her story…

 Jersey, the Barred Owl--one of our newest residents

Jersey was hatched in May of 1993 in the Richmond, Virginia area.  Her earliest history is not exactly known, but the information that came with her says that she was hand-raised by a rehabilitator in Richmond. 

The rehabber tried to release her several times, but Jersey had become imprinted and always came back.  When a bird is imprinted, it does not associate itself with others of its species; instead it basically thinks it is a human.  The bird doesn’t know how to hunt or survive in the wild and will always look to humans, instead of to its own species.  This, of course, is very dangerous to an animal and chances are that it won’t survive in the wild.  Lucky for Jersey, she had returned to the place she was familiar with; otherwise, there is a good chance she would have died.

When Jersey kept returning to the rehabber he realized the problem.  Unfortunately, he did not have the ability to keep her permanently, so he turned to the Virginia Zoological Park.

 In May of 1994 the zoo took her in and she received her first name--Misun.  This is the Lakota Sioux word for “Little Brother”.  Obviously no one had really looked at Jersey – she is a big girl!  In birds of prey, the males are up to one-third smaller than the females and Jersey definitely wasn’t a small owl! 

Jersey/Misun was trained to free-fly for the folks at the zoo – she was trained to fly perch to perch or fly to a trainer.  She helped them out in their educational programs, but she began to show signs of aggression to her handlers.  After about a year, the zoo workers put her in a big free-flight cage and let her be a display bird.  After another year had passed, they donated her to the Reptile Gardens in South Dakota.

Jersey/Misun arrived in South Dakota in April of 1996 and she received her next name. This time she was called Steinbeck.  Here she stayed for quite some time, doing educational programs for Wildlife Experiences, Inc. a non-profit offshoot of Reptile Gardens.  But once again, things were to change.  In 2010, Wildlife Experiences, Inc. became another victim of the economic crisis the US has been facing and they were forced to close.  Luckily, they contacted us for a new home for their Barred Owl and Jersey/Misun/Steinbeck took one more trip.

Jersey, shortly after she arrived at the World Bird Sanctuary 

When she arrived in Nov 2010, she received the name of Jersey.  She was named that because her weight when she arrived was just over 3 lbs – a VERY large girl… some of us affectionately referred to her as a cow because she was so large.  Also, the Barred Owl’s coloration is brown and white bars or stripes and they have big, beautiful dark eyes.  All of these things made me think of the Jersey cows – brown & white, big dark eyes and definitely very heavy.  The staff at the Nature Center took a vote and Jersey it was! 

 Jersey getting accustomed to her new home

Jersey now lives at our Nature Center, enjoying her days outside watching Missouri wildlife and listening to Missouri noises, probably a bit different from her old homes!  Please come out and visit her or you can even adopt her and help with her yearly support and care.

Submitted by Laura MacLeod, World Bird Sanctuary Education Coordinator