Happy Birthday Arnie!

Arnie Schrier has served World Bird Sanctuary for many years, both as a volunteer and as a Board Member.

Arnie retired from the board and from his weekly volunteering at World Bird Sanctuary in 2012.  In 2013, Arnie’s family honored him and his unwavering service to WBS by purchasing an engraved brick for his 85^th birthday as part of WBS’s “Buy A Brick” program.

Sentiments expressed on WBS bricks are only limited by your imagination

On Sunday, September 1^st, Arnie, his wife Thelma, and his children and grandchildren visited World Bird Sanctuary to view the brick, a fitting tribute to his dedication to our mission.

Arnie and his family came to view his brick

Arnie will be recognized by our long-term visitors as the helpful and smiling face that greeted visitors at the Visitor Information Center (the VIC) – the first stop on a visit to World Bird Sanctuary.  Arnie would let visitors know what there was to see and tell them about some of the birds they could see at the VIC.  In addition to chatting with visitors, Arnie put birds out into the weathering area in the morning, diligently scrubbed their overnight quarters, and then made sure they were fed and put to bed safely for the night before leaving.  Skyler, the Lizard Buzzard, who has since passed away, was Arnie’s favorite – and the two would “chat” back and forth while Arnie was going about his work at the VIC.

Arnie visiting with his old friend, Patriot the Bald Eagle

After an absence of over a year, it was wonderful to see Arnie back at WBS again.  We think that the engraved brick – a gift from Arnie’s family – was a great way to commemorate his 85^th birthday and honor the work he has done for World Bird Sanctuary.

Thank you, Arnie – we hope that you will visit us again soon!

You can find out more about our engraved brick program here (https://www.bricksrus.com/order/worldbird/)

Submitted by Catherine Redfern, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Fundraiser

Who Says Barns Have To Be Red?

Welcome to another article about a resident of the World Bird Sanctuary! 

His name is Barnaby and he is a European Barn Owl AND the most adorable little barn owl I have ever met!  He was hatched at the World Bird Sanctuary on April 21^st, 2013.  In the pictures following he is only two months old, but full grown!

Barnaby getting a better look at me. 

Since this bird is so young he does not as yet have a great deal of life history to share with you.  However, he is quickly becoming a valuable member of our Education Department, and we expect great things from him.  For now suffice it to say he has a great “Aaaww” factor.

Following are some of the fascinating Natural History facts about his species:

There are over 200 species of owls in the world and around 16 species, 5 subspecies, and 35 races of barn owls. The five subspecies include New World, European, African, Australian, and Asian.   Of the European Barn Owl, there are four races that include the British Barn Owl (Tyto alba alba), European Barn Owl (Tyto alba guttata), Madeiran Barn Owl (Tyto alba schmitzi), and Ernest’s Barn Owl (Tyto alba ernest).   European Barn Owls are found in Austria, Bulgaria, Crimea, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.  They are very adaptable birds that can make a home in man-made dwellings such as barns, church steeples, and natural tree cavities and caves.  These cute little birds’ diets consist of small mammals such as bats, large insects, small birds, but mostly mice and other small rodents.

Lifespan in the wild is vastly different from in captivity.  Most animals usually live longer when they are cared for by people, than caring for themselves in the wild.  Barn owls live around 2-5 years in the wild while in captivity they can live into their early teens.  A few reasons why animals in the wild do not live as long includes predators, less food available, predation, and accidental injuries, such as a vehicle collision.

In reproduction, the female will lay 4-6 round solid white eggs, sometimes more, in a clutch (group of eggs or chicks).  After 29-31 days of incubation during which the female sits on the eggs to keep them warm, they will start to hatch. 

The chicks will fledge the nest around 7-10 weeks old, but will stick around for several months before living on their own.  Females are generally a third larger than the male barn owls, as with most birds of prey.  Barnaby has a sister named Peace that is a bit bigger than him.  If you would like to visit her, you can see her at the Environmental Education Center.

European Barn Owls stand at 8 inches tall, have a wingspan of 2 feet (24 inches), and weigh from 9 to 13 ounces.  North American Barn Owls (Tyto alba pratincola) are larger in size than the Europeans.  They stand at 12-16 inches tall, have a wingspan of 3 feet (36 inches), and weigh from 14 to 25 ounces. 

Barnaby looking up at me while clutching his tennis ball. 

Barn Owls have the best hearing of all birds of prey; because of their facial disks which funnel sounds into their asymmetrically located ears flaps (one ear flap is slightly higher than the other).  Their hearing is so great that they can hear the patter of mouse feet from 90 feet away!  In one year’s time, a single barn owl can catch around 2,000 mice!  That is one awesome rodent controller!

Barnaby happily standing on his perch in his enrichment area. 

Barnaby is available for adoption in our Adopt a Bird program.  To find out more information, call 636-861-3225.  All adoption donations are tax deductible. 

This summer Barnaby can be seen at the Nature Center at the World Bird Sanctuary, which is open daily from 8am-5pm.  In this naturalist’s opinion, Barnaby is a very cute and adorable little bird.  You should stop on by and visit him!

Submitted by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Raising Baby Barn Owls for Education

Have you ever wondered how we get our education birds so accustomed to all the crowds and hub-bub they encounter at our shows?  The ideal situation is to be able to raise them from the time they are babies.  The World Bird Sanctuary Staff raised one baby Barn Owl for educational purposes in 2012.

 Socializing a young Barn Owl involved many people

In this instance every Nature Center Staff member took turns taking the fast growing baby home at night.  We exposed the young Barn Owl to new scenarios each night so that it would get habituated to different people, sounds and locations. The idea is to have a bird that is unafraid of new situations, sights and sounds.  This baby Barn Owl will hopefully help us present Free-Flying programs for the next 20 years.  Tyto was the name of our Barn Owl that lived the longest at 20 years.

Last year’s baby was named Minerva, in honor of Staff member Trina Whitener's Aunt Minerva. Trina often regales the staff with very interesting stories from her childhood about her Aunt Minerva.  Minerva and her love of the outdoors is totally evident in Trina today. Trina is an expert Naturalist in part because of all the love and attention that Aunt Minerva gave her when she was a youngster.  Aunt Minerva spent a lot of time outside with Trina teaching and sharing her love of nature and all the creatures.

My mom found that confining a curious baby Barn Owl was not so easy

Anyway, back to the Barn Owl in the pictures. Minerva hatched in February 2012.  The pictures show the night that Minerva was at my Mom's house.  You can see Minerva on my Mom, Monica Zeloski's, kitchen floor.  We tried to keep Minerva in the kitchen so that when she went to the bathroom, it would be on the linoleum, and easy to wipe up.

However, Minerva had other ideas.  She was very curious and wanted to be in the family room where the rest of us were watching TV.  Minerva found every way she could to get through or around the barrier we had erected to keep her in the kitchen. 

Minerva was a unique house guest

My Mom was able to enjoy the unique experience of having a growing baby Barn Owl for a houseguest!  One thing that surprised my Mom was how much the Barn Owl was molting or losing it's downy feathers--like dandelion fuzz, everywhere.  We swept and mopped but the fluff kept magically appearing for a couple of days afterwards. It was amazing how much that bird molted in one evening.

 Minerva as she looks today

Minerva had a great first flying season and is now on vacation. She went to numerous schools, churches and outdoor events. All of our staff must be complimented on how well Minerva was trained once we began taking care of her.

A special thanks goes to Roger Wallace who is our Propagation Coordinator. Roger spent countless hours feeding Minerva before she was old enough to be turned over to our Education staff.  Nicely done Roger.

Story and photos by Michael Zeloski, World Bird Sanctuary Director of Education

Appreciating Vultures

The first time I can recall seeing Turkey Vultures was in mid Spring, while taking a trip to Pere Marquette State Park in Illinois.

My husband, daughter, and I were crowded into my old Mazda pickup; my husband was driving, my daughter, in her car seat was in the front seat, and I was wedged into the mockery of an extended cab.  We took HWY 94 to HWY 67 into Illinois, and drove along the scenic Great River Road.

Along the River Road upstream of Alton, IL, if you haven’t been, there are tall bluffs that reach up into the sky.  Mirrored by the river just opposite the bluffs, the road is the only interruption between the two.  Trees adorn the summit, while barges and boats drift along the mighty Mississippi.  It truly is picturesque.  I imagine Charles Wysocki, had he seen this road, would have painted a breathtaking picture of it.

On this particular April afternoon, as the sun shone brightly in the sky, I watched through the back window of the truck as the road drifted away behind me.  As I watched,  I noticed a few large birds circling above the bluffs.  Excitedly (and in my naiveté) I asked my husband if they were Bald Eagles, knowing that Bald Eagles make their way to Grafton, IL during the winter months, and I proceeded to describe them.  He told me they were probably Turkey Vultures, based upon my description, but he’d have to see them to know for sure.  I was disheartened; I wanted to know, for sure, what kind of birds I had just seen.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long.

We came around a bend in the road, and there before our eyes, at least 20 vultures circled above us.  As we watched they broke off into smaller groups, and formed a sort of scavenging parade along the edge of the bluffs.  I was in awe!  The sight of so many birds circling, teetering, riding the air currents in search of food absolutely amazed me and I remember feeling a strong sense of reverence.  I was so excited I probably sounded like a small child who had just made some sort of amazing discovery, such as finding a caterpillar for the first time.

And that was the beginning of my fascination for Turkey Vultures.

The Turkey Vultures like to follow guests as they walk past the exhibits (who's watching who?)

My next encounter with Turkey Vultures was at the World Bird Sanctuary.  On one particular visit, there were a couple of Turkey Vultures in the Outdoor Exhibit, and as I walked by one of the vultures walked next to me, from inside his enclosure.  I got a kick out of it so I stopped, looked at him, then turned around and started walking back up the path.  Again, he followed me.  I walked up and down a few times and each time, he followed me.  Finally, I knelt down and started talking to him (I love animals--what can I say?) and then in the way he looked at me it appeared he was interested in what I was saying (of course I realize he was probably hoping I had some food for him, but his apparent attentiveness was amusing).

The Hooded Vulture (above) is just one of the non-native species on display at WBS

Being that close to the vulture, and looking into his eyes, I sensed a sweetness, a gentleness, and at that moment I fell absolutely in love with Turkey Vultures.  And, through my visits to World Bird Sanctuary, I have come to love all varieties of vultures (I find the Hooded Vultures especially adorable!).

Many people see vultures as “gross” or “ugly,” but I certainly don’t. I see them as absolutely crucial to the health of every living thing on this planet. Sure they eat carrion, but people eat some pretty “gross” things too.

If you are one of the people who find Turkey Vultures to be unpleasant, I encourage you to take a trip to World Bird Sanctuary for International Vulture Awareness Day, which is Saturday, 7 September.  You can get up close to these amazing animals. And, while you may still find vultures to be “gross,” the knowledge you will come away with is sure to give you a new found respect for these important creatures.

Submitted by Sara Borgard, Guest Writer

A Day In The Life....of a Zoo Show Trainer

After being a volunteer at the World Bird Sanctuary headquarters since I was thirteen, I thought I’d gotten a decent handle on the various day-to-day tasks and how they impact the birds in each section of the Sanctuary.  It wasn’t until I moved to Milwaukee for the summer to work World Bird Sanctuary’s bird show at the Milwaukee County Zoo that I learned just how intricately related the tasks and birds really are. 

Buford the Bald Eagle being weighed

The first new adjustment I had to make was that of the start time – my workdays start at 8 AM and run until around 5:30 PM.  These days are filled with things all of which need to be done to keep the birds we work with happy and healthy.  The first of these tasks is weighing the birds, and we have 18 birds to weigh.  Keeping tabs on the weights of our birds is the best way to make sure that they are healthy. 

After being weighed, the birds move outside to hang out and soak up the sun until it’s time for our first show of the day.

Before the first show can begin, the cleaning must happen.  As you can imagine, 18 birds can create a lot of cleaning to do, as well as a lot of bird food to prepare.  Once the food is prepared, the birds are brought back closer to our building so they can be on hand for the show. 

An audience member receiving instructions for her part in the show

During the shows there is audience participation, which a trainer will explain to the participating audience member before the show begins.  The lucky audience member chosen gets to help demonstrate just how easy it is to recycle by having our Pied Crow fly to them, take a can or a plastic bottle, and fly back to the recycling bin and drop it in.

Othello playing his favorite game--rings

After the show is over, if the Pied Crow or the White-necked Raven has any leftover food, we either make them a toy, or play a game with them.  One of Othello’s (the Pied Crow) favorite games is rings.  In this game, rings get stacked based on color and size until they have all been stacked.  Once the game has been completed, they get rewarded with the extra food, because let’s face it, food is a great reinforcement.

Othello being rewarded for stacking the rings correctly

Depending on how much cleaning was finished before the first two shows, the time before the third show is either spent finishing up the last bit of cleaning, catching up on news from various places, or enjoying a bit of a well-earned break.  Then, on to the third show, after which we give our birds some time to sit and digest their food.  After they have digested, all of the birds are moved inside for the night.

Reese the Great Horned Owl flying stump to stump

After all of the shows for the day have been completed comes training time for our newer birds.  The places we train the bird’s free flight patterns depend on the birds themselves.  Sometimes the bird will be flown stump-to-stump, such is the case with our one-year old Great Horned Owl, Reese.  Instead of giving Reese his treats out of the glove, we instead put the treats on the stumps to help visually reinforce flying to them.  After Reese is done flying, we bring him inside to let him take a break and digest his food.

Finally, once everyone has digested their food, we check all of the birds, as well as all of the various books we record information in throughout the day, to make sure everything is good for the night.  After everything has been checked, we head out to return to our apartment to relax, eat dinner, and turn in for the night in order to repeat it all the next day.

Submitted by Matthew Levin, World Bird Sanctuary Zoo Show Staff Member

International Vulture Awareness Day

Coming Soon - International Vulture Awareness Day 2013!

Join us on Saturday, September 7^th, as we celebrate all things gross and cool about Vultures on International Vulture Awareness Day!

Vultures and condors around the world face threats and persecution.  World Bird Sanctuary joins conservation organizations around the world to bring vultures front and center on this special day.  

      Meet vultures from North America, South America and Africa!

·      Meet Dorothy, a live Andean Condor!

·      •       Free-flight shows featuring live flying vultures!

·      Free fun kids activity center.

·      Gifts and souvenirs on sale.

Date:  Saturday, September 7th, 2012
Time:  10 am -- 3 pm
Admission & Parking:  FREE!

     Sponsored by Ameren Missouri


Vultures are gross!  But we need them the most!  Learn why at International Vulture Awareness Day!

CSI Bird Patrol - Chapter 2

Following is Chapter 2 in the saga of the CSI Bird Patrol from the pen of Field Studies Supervisor Neal Cowan.  To see Chapter 1 use the search box at the top left-hand corner of this page and enter CSI.

Chapter 2:

The sunrise was cloaked in grey as the dreary day rolled on.  Agent Baird had been raised from bed far too early this cold morning.  There had been a break-in down on old Jay Bird Street.  Four people were missing.  It didn’t look good.  A member of the notorious Cowbird gang had been picked up on the scene and Blue and Chicka were on their way to headquarters to do a little interrogating.

Corinne Tarin, brains of the Cowbird gang

Corinne Tarin: brains of the Cowbird gang.  She is always looking out for her family.  Her big brother Pryce is the muscle (and the leader if you ask him) of the gang.  He is about as quick as a damp rag and just as clever, but Tarin keeps him out of trouble.  Together you could say they are more of a nuisance then an actual gang.  They run in a diverse group with the Starlings and the Blackbirds, living off the backs of others, and always in trouble.  Tarin keeps a finger on the pulse of the underworld, so on a cloudy day she always has valuable information to trade for the protection of the family.

Tarin sat alone in the poorly lit room.  The cold metal of the table before her offering comfort as the shadows crept from her mind and danced around her at the edge of the light.  Tarin was no stranger to this room.  The interrogation room usually provided Tarin a certain solace, but today was different.  This time she didn’t have the upper hand.  The knowledge in her head could not buy her safety now.  This time it would be her betrayer.  No hope could hold back the fear; the nightmare of the night before.

The shadows cowered into oblivion as Beau entered the room and shut the door.  Taking his seat at the other side of the table, eyes hidden beneath his fedora, he began interrogating: in silence.  His presence alone was enough to ease her spirits.  The other cops treated her like a petty criminal, but Blue, in his own way, treated her like a person.  He could speak a thousand words with his silence.  A half-cocked smile formed on her face as she realized how cute it was that he thought he was such an enigma, but she could see right through him.  It made it that much more unbearable that she was now going to disappoint him.

“I’m sorry.”

An eternity passed after she said those words. Blue just sat there.

“Well…?” fighting the tears forming in her eyes. “Lock me up and throw away the key! That’s it! That’s all there is to it!”

HE’S GOT MY FAMILY BLUE!!!

Meanwhile:

            “I don‘know what you want me to tell you Caroline?  Unless Blue can get somethin’ outa her there ain’ nothin I can do”.  The chief tried to escape to his office but Chicka just followed him right in.

            “Chief, you know there’s no way the Cowbirds are responsible for this!  You saw that place!  What could they possibly have to gain?

“Ugh, listen Chicka, I know it don’ look good.  The whole sitiation stinks like rotten mayo, but there ain’ nothin I can do aboud’it.  That girl was the only one at the scene, her fingerprints are everywhere.  She looks guilty and she won’t say a darn thing to the contrary”.

With a sigh Chicka slumped down into the embrace of the cold hard wooden chair in the corner, much to the Chief’s chagrin.  The otherwise uninviting room wasn’t doing its job; uninviting the bird now planted in the corner.  It would be cozy if the Chief didn’t keep all the window shades shut tight and the thermostat low.  He rounded the big oak desk and planted himself in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh as he brought his weight off his feet.

“Has anyone contacted the husband yet”?

The Chief cracked his neck before giving his reply. “No”.

Chicka just stared.

“He works in the Tech industry.  Was overseas doing work for some big defense contractor, PredGuard?… I think?  I don’know.  He won’t answer his phone and he hasn’t responded to any of our emails yet”... The Chief’s sentence trailed off as his gaze drifted into space.

“What is it Chief”?  Chicka perked up in her seat.

“Now that I think on it, something fishy happened when we first tried to get in touch with our missing husband.  The first call we made was to his cell phone.  No one answers right, but just then this guy calls us.  Some bigwig.  Says he’s the guy’s boss and wants to know if there’s anything he can do.  Sounded alright then, but… How did he know we were lookin?  We didn’t call him…hell we didn’t even know who he was!  How did I not catch that ‘til now”?!

“So who was he”?

“I don’know.  Called himself Rocown?  Ricky Rocown.”

To be continued…

Submitted by Neal Cowan, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Supervisor

Last Chance for Amazing Animal Encounters 2013

Visit World Bird Sanctuary this summer and experience Amazing Animal Encounters!

Ameren Missouri brings you free, family-friendly, fun and education Amazing Animal Encounters at World Bird Sanctuary, all summer long!

Kids love touching the snakes

Free, fun, family-friendly environmental education programs are presented by our naturalists, using snakes, parrots, birds and mammals to teach you about the amazing creatures that share our planet, and what we can do to help them survive.

Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day

Time: Saturdays at 11.30am and 2.00pm; Sundays 1.30pm. 

Admission: Admission and parking is FREE.  No reservations required.

Sponsored by Ameren Missouri

The Rebounds at Birds In Concert This Thursday

Join us this Thursday, 8/29, for our last Birds in Concert 2013, featuring our guest performers--The Rebounds.

The Rebounds play danceable classic rock.  Their selection of music spans several decades with a solid representation of the 70's and 80's.

Join us Thursday 8/29 for the music of The Rebounds

If you were to ask where The Rebounds are from, you'll get a varied answer.  The four members hail from Robertsville, Eureka, Webster Groves, and St. Charles.  The musicians, Chris Johnson, Gary Allgood, Kyle Walz, and Matt Sokeland, have several decades of musical experience and are known for creating a medley of songs that gives older tunes a fresh sound.  Artists you will hear are Poison, Billy Joel, John Mellenkamp, Van Morrison, The Romantics, Wilson Pickett, Black Crowes, and more.

Important Information
Date: Thursday, August 29th, 2013
Time:  7:00 - 8:30 pm
Admission & Parking:  FREE!

Sponsored by:

Join us for the Raptor Project, followed by The Rebounds.

Spin the Whole Foods Market Wheel during intermission for fun prizes

PLUS, the chance to win a Kindle tablet from Nationwide Hendrixson Agency!




Bring your blankets, picnics and friends, and join us for a fun evening of music.  We hope to see you there!

Food will be available for purchase at our snack table.

For the safety of our animals and other guests, no pets please.

365 Photo Project Year 2

This summer the beautiful, cooler-than-normal weather and lack of humidity has resulted in me doing a little more of the tourist thing with friends. 

Aldabra Tortoise

 One of the stops I made early in the month was at Grant’s Farm; a small, but entertaining facility in St. Louis county.  This was the first time I had ever been there as just a tourist, and I have lived here for 8 years.  One of my favorite photos from that day was a close up of the Aldabra Tortoise.  This is the largest tortoise in the world from the island of Aldabra.  The two tortoises at Grant’s Farm have been there since 1954. 

Siberian Tiger

 Later in the month a friend and I did a big day of three stops.  The first stop was Riverside Reptile Ranch, in central Franklin County, for a private tour.  We had a great tour of the facility and a nice up close look at many of the animals.  I took so many photos it is hard to choose just one.  This facility not only has reptiles, but also many mammals.  One of my favorite photos is a close-up of the Siberian Tiger, largest big cat species in the world.  This male slept while we took a look.

Stalagmites and stalactites with drip rings

 Next stop on our trip was Meramec Caverns, also west of St. Louis, in Franklin County.  This awesome cave is very worth the cost of the tour.  At a cool 55 degrees we had about an hour and a half tour, going down to about 360 ft below the surface of the earth.  It was at this point I took one of my favorite photos of the summer of the stalactites and stalagmites, with the water making drip rings on the surface of the pool.

View of St. Louis from the top of the Arch

 The last stop was a stop at the Gateway Arch.  I had been to the arch outside a few times before, but never in and up.  The concept of going up was a little nerve-racking considering I am not a fan of heights.  However, I made it to the top with a few encouraging words from other visitors that had gone up earlier with the same misgivings.  Luckily it was a very calm day and not too hot.  The view after a ride in the egg tram was very beautiful.  I have included a photo of the Missouri view. 

St. Louis Gateway Arch

 Lastly we walked over to the pond near the arch and took a few photos, so my last photo is just a nice photo of the arch.

Sometimes taking the time to be a tourist in the town you live in is nice.  Just a few words to the wise: early is always good as the crowds are smaller.  Go early in the week if you can, and just be patient.

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

World Bird Sanctuary honors birdhouse builder with Eagle Release

On Saturday, July 13^th, 2013, World Bird Sanctuary honored Bob Seyer with a Bald Eagle Release, for his contribution to conservation and the World Bird Sanctuary’s Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital.

Since 2011, Mr. Bob Seyer has been building birdhouses and donating them to World Bird Sanctuary’s wildlife hospital for sale, to support the care and treatment of sick and injured wild birds, in the hopes that they may be rehabilitated and returned to the wild.  The birdhouses are built from wood which Mr. Seyer salvages from construction sites that would otherwise be destined for landfill.  He then fashions them into bluebird nest boxes and wren nest boxes.  Over the last three years, Mr. Seyer has donated 4,000 bird houses to World Bird Sanctuary.  These bird houses are sold for $2-$3 each, and have raised approximately $9,000 for the wildlife hospital over the last three years.

 Mr. Bob Seyer gets ready to release the eagle into the wild (Photo by Donna Tucker)

Earlier this year, a bald eagle was admitted to the Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital at World Bird Sanctuary after injuring its wing when it hit a high tension power line over the Mississippi river.  It was rescued from the water by a passing boat captain and brought to World Bird Sanctuary.  After months of intensive treatment and rehabilitation, it was deemed ready to be returned to the wild in early July.  Joe Hoffmann, Sanctuary Manager at World Bird Sanctuary, asked Mr. Seyer to release the eagle, as a way of honoring his contribution to helping the birds admitted to the wildlife hospital.

Another Bald Eagle flies free. (Photo by Donna Tucker)

On Saturday, July 13^th, 2013, at Bee Tree Park in Oakville, Mr. Seyer released the eagle back to the wild – where it flew over the Mississippi before disappearing out of sight.  It was a memorable occasion, and a fitting way to acknowledge the wonderful service that Mr. Seyer is providing to World Bird Sanctuary and the birds in our community.