| Animal Rescue Stories of Our Volunteers |
Shasta Wildlife received a call that a mama duck was dangerously leading her babies across
the I-5 northbound on ramp off of Cypress Ave. We were told traffic was brought to a halt as
cars honked their horns and waited for the duck family to cross.
A volunteer rescuer immediately went to the location and tried to find the ducks. We searched
the oleanders on the side of the on ramp for quite some time with no luck of finding them.
We were about to give up when animal control arrived. They had received the same report.
With the help of the two animal control officers, we finally found the duck family.
We retrieved the 6 baby ducks, which were about a day or two old, but the mother flew away.
We waited to see if the mother would come back. We thought if we could have caught the
mother, we could have relocated the family to a better location and keep them all together.
She did not return. SWRR took the babies in, and they were cared for until they were released
in a safe location.
Typically mother ducks will find nice nesting spots, hatch their eggs and will begin to walk
leading their ducklings, until they find water, which could mean crossing dangerous streets
and in this case, a freeway on ramp.
the I-5 northbound on ramp off of Cypress Ave. We were told traffic was brought to a halt as
cars honked their horns and waited for the duck family to cross.
A volunteer rescuer immediately went to the location and tried to find the ducks. We searched
the oleanders on the side of the on ramp for quite some time with no luck of finding them.
We were about to give up when animal control arrived. They had received the same report.
With the help of the two animal control officers, we finally found the duck family.
We retrieved the 6 baby ducks, which were about a day or two old, but the mother flew away.
We waited to see if the mother would come back. We thought if we could have caught the
mother, we could have relocated the family to a better location and keep them all together.
She did not return. SWRR took the babies in, and they were cared for until they were released
in a safe location.
Typically mother ducks will find nice nesting spots, hatch their eggs and will begin to walk
leading their ducklings, until they find water, which could mean crossing dangerous streets
and in this case, a freeway on ramp.
The day before the 2007 April Baby Shower, my Monday morning crew and I were decorating
and doing some last minute cleanup at the Center. While we were doing our thing, someone
brought in a baby killdeer only a couple of days old. I asked where they got it from and they said
they picked it up there in the park. They didn't see any adults around so I picked it up. We went
to the spot where they found it and I looked and walked all around and couldn't see any adult
killdeer. So we took care of him while we finished decorating and I was planning on taking him
home with me for home care. They get the same set up as the baby quail except they also get
live blood worms and I was planning on getting some at a local pet shop in Redding. By the time
I left the building, the baby had been away from its family for about 3-4 hours.
Before I left the park, I got my binoculars out and drove really slowly and stopped and scanned
the open fields looking for adult killdeer. I did eventually find 2 down the hill from where they
found the baby and figured this was Mom and Dad. So I went out into the field and put the baby
on the ground. Funny thing is when it was at the center and in the car, it was peeping all the
time. When I was walking outside and it could hear the adults, it stopped calling. Then when I put
it down, it stayed crouching down instead of running around in a panic like it had been doing the
whole time it was in our care. I had to look for it once and thought I'd lost it even though I knew
about where I had put it. Then I went to where my car was sitting in the sun (it was over 80
degrees), sat and watched.
Pretty soon it was walking and making it's way towards one of the adults and the adult was
watching out for it. Eventually the other adult called the OK signal and two more babies that
were hiding came out. They were the same age! Then the one with the baby eventually walked it
over to the other ones and they all went about the business of feeding and the little one even
went under Mom to be warmed up. After sitting out there for an hour sweating my head off,
looking through the binoculars, making sure no people came to that area where they were, I left
feeling wonderful that I was able to reunite the baby with its family.
Lesson learned: parental instincts are very strong in the animal world if we humans would only
give them a chance.
and doing some last minute cleanup at the Center. While we were doing our thing, someone
brought in a baby killdeer only a couple of days old. I asked where they got it from and they said
they picked it up there in the park. They didn't see any adults around so I picked it up. We went
to the spot where they found it and I looked and walked all around and couldn't see any adult
killdeer. So we took care of him while we finished decorating and I was planning on taking him
home with me for home care. They get the same set up as the baby quail except they also get
live blood worms and I was planning on getting some at a local pet shop in Redding. By the time
I left the building, the baby had been away from its family for about 3-4 hours.
Before I left the park, I got my binoculars out and drove really slowly and stopped and scanned
the open fields looking for adult killdeer. I did eventually find 2 down the hill from where they
found the baby and figured this was Mom and Dad. So I went out into the field and put the baby
on the ground. Funny thing is when it was at the center and in the car, it was peeping all the
time. When I was walking outside and it could hear the adults, it stopped calling. Then when I put
it down, it stayed crouching down instead of running around in a panic like it had been doing the
whole time it was in our care. I had to look for it once and thought I'd lost it even though I knew
about where I had put it. Then I went to where my car was sitting in the sun (it was over 80
degrees), sat and watched.
Pretty soon it was walking and making it's way towards one of the adults and the adult was
watching out for it. Eventually the other adult called the OK signal and two more babies that
were hiding came out. They were the same age! Then the one with the baby eventually walked it
over to the other ones and they all went about the business of feeding and the little one even
went under Mom to be warmed up. After sitting out there for an hour sweating my head off,
looking through the binoculars, making sure no people came to that area where they were, I left
feeling wonderful that I was able to reunite the baby with its family.
Lesson learned: parental instincts are very strong in the animal world if we humans would only
give them a chance.
Duckling Rescue
Happy Ending for Baby Killdeer
River Otter Pup and Kids
A couple of years ago a distressed father of a young boy called the Center to say that his son
and a friend brought home some baby otters. One of the mammal team volunteers went
immediately to the home and found out why these two young boys had the pups. Apparently they
were playing by a small creek close to home and found a hole under an overturned rowboat.
Upon investigating the hole, they found the baby otters and took them home with them.
The volunteer asked the boys to take her back to where they found the nest and the boys
showed her where it was. Upon arriving, she saw that the top of the “hole” was caved in,
apparently from the children stepping on top of it. The volunteer proceeded to build it back up as
well as she could and deposited the babies as far back in the hole as she could reach. After a
stern lecture to the children not to touch baby wildlife, they all parted company.
Across the creek was a home where an older gentleman would watch the adult otters coming
and going. He stated that he would watch out for them and call her with the news whether or not
the adults stayed with the young or abandoned them.
The following morning our volunteer couldn’t wait for the phone call that would give the results of
her efforts so early that morning she went very carefully back to the nest to see what happened.
It seemed that the parents rebuilt the entrance to the nest and the gentleman across the creek
told her that they had been seen going back and forth from the nest so our volunteer deducted
that the parents were continuing to care for their babies.
Another happy ending for everyone!
A couple of years ago a distressed father of a young boy called the Center to say that his son
and a friend brought home some baby otters. One of the mammal team volunteers went
immediately to the home and found out why these two young boys had the pups. Apparently they
were playing by a small creek close to home and found a hole under an overturned rowboat.
Upon investigating the hole, they found the baby otters and took them home with them.
The volunteer asked the boys to take her back to where they found the nest and the boys
showed her where it was. Upon arriving, she saw that the top of the “hole” was caved in,
apparently from the children stepping on top of it. The volunteer proceeded to build it back up as
well as she could and deposited the babies as far back in the hole as she could reach. After a
stern lecture to the children not to touch baby wildlife, they all parted company.
Across the creek was a home where an older gentleman would watch the adult otters coming
and going. He stated that he would watch out for them and call her with the news whether or not
the adults stayed with the young or abandoned them.
The following morning our volunteer couldn’t wait for the phone call that would give the results of
her efforts so early that morning she went very carefully back to the nest to see what happened.
It seemed that the parents rebuilt the entrance to the nest and the gentleman across the creek
told her that they had been seen going back and forth from the nest so our volunteer deducted
that the parents were continuing to care for their babies.
Another happy ending for everyone!
Mama Squirrel Reclaims Babies
One summer the Center received a call from some people that were trimming their trees only to
discover that a squirrel nest was in the tree. Too late, the branch was already cut down and in
the nest were 5 very young baby squirrels.
A volunteer took the babies home to home care and discovered that one of the babies had a
broken leg from the fall. She set the leg and put it in a little cast and proceeded to care for the
babies that night.
The following morning, the family that cut the tree down called to say that the mother squirrel was
circling the tree where the nest was and the family was hoping that something could be done to
reunite the mother with her babies. It’s a known fact that mother tree squirrels usually have 2
nests – one where she raises her babies (the nursery) and an alternate nest in case something
happens to the nursery nest or danger occurs at the nursery nest, say for example a predator
discovering the babies. If something happens to the nursery nest then she’ll move the babies to
the alternate nest.
Knowing that fact, the volunteer brought the babies back to the house, put all five babies at the
base of the tree and waited inside the house to see what would happen. Well, Mama squirrel
showed up and proceeded to take the babies one by one to her alternate nest. She did,
however, leave the baby with the bandaged broken leg behind and that one was successfully
raised by the volunteer and released back into the wild.
So even though the babies were handled by humans and gone all night from their mother, she
still took them back to care for and raise them.
Mama squirrel knows best!!!
One summer the Center received a call from some people that were trimming their trees only to
discover that a squirrel nest was in the tree. Too late, the branch was already cut down and in
the nest were 5 very young baby squirrels.
A volunteer took the babies home to home care and discovered that one of the babies had a
broken leg from the fall. She set the leg and put it in a little cast and proceeded to care for the
babies that night.
The following morning, the family that cut the tree down called to say that the mother squirrel was
circling the tree where the nest was and the family was hoping that something could be done to
reunite the mother with her babies. It’s a known fact that mother tree squirrels usually have 2
nests – one where she raises her babies (the nursery) and an alternate nest in case something
happens to the nursery nest or danger occurs at the nursery nest, say for example a predator
discovering the babies. If something happens to the nursery nest then she’ll move the babies to
the alternate nest.
Knowing that fact, the volunteer brought the babies back to the house, put all five babies at the
base of the tree and waited inside the house to see what would happen. Well, Mama squirrel
showed up and proceeded to take the babies one by one to her alternate nest. She did,
however, leave the baby with the bandaged broken leg behind and that one was successfully
raised by the volunteer and released back into the wild.
So even though the babies were handled by humans and gone all night from their mother, she
still took them back to care for and raise them.
Mama squirrel knows best!!!
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| A Barn Owl up close Photo contributed by Steve Hobson: http://www.steves-digital.biz/SWRR.html |
PG&E Helps Rescue Barn Owl Trapped in Kite String Between Trees
From the Anderson Valley Post article 02/19/08
A barn owl tangled in nylon kite string between two tall oak trees in Anderson was saved
recently by a raptor care specialist hoisted into the air by a PG&E bucket truck.
PG&E received a call shortly after 8 a.m. on Feb. 4 from the California Department of Fish &
Game. Due to the proximity of power lines, state Fish & Game officials were asking for PG&E’s
help in reaching the owl, said PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno.
The nocturnal hunter had apparently tangled itself sometime during the night and was dangling
by one wing about 60 to 70 feet in the air above the 20000 block of Whispering Water Lane,
Moreno said.
PG&E crews brought in a bucket truck with a 97-foot reach and lifted Daryl Chase of Shasta
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation and a PG&E worker into the air. Because the power lines
were a safe distance away from the owl, PG&E did not have to shut off power to the circuit.
Chase said the nylon kite string was wrapped around the fully-grown male owl’s wing tip a few
times, but no flesh was damaged.
“The string was wrapped around several of the owl’s primary flight feathers, but after a couple
days worth of groceries and some rest, he recovered and was released Thursday, Feb. 7, in the
same general area where he was found,” Chase said.
The nylon kite string, however, was removed as part of the rescue effort, the wildlife rescue
expert said.
Birds, especially raptors, flying into wires and getting caught in them is “somewhat of a rare
occurrence,” Chance said.
“Several years ago, we did have an ospray that was hung up on some string caught in a pine
tree, but I can’t remember any other similar problems,” he added.
From the Anderson Valley Post article 02/19/08
A barn owl tangled in nylon kite string between two tall oak trees in Anderson was saved
recently by a raptor care specialist hoisted into the air by a PG&E bucket truck.
PG&E received a call shortly after 8 a.m. on Feb. 4 from the California Department of Fish &
Game. Due to the proximity of power lines, state Fish & Game officials were asking for PG&E’s
help in reaching the owl, said PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno.
The nocturnal hunter had apparently tangled itself sometime during the night and was dangling
by one wing about 60 to 70 feet in the air above the 20000 block of Whispering Water Lane,
Moreno said.
PG&E crews brought in a bucket truck with a 97-foot reach and lifted Daryl Chase of Shasta
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation and a PG&E worker into the air. Because the power lines
were a safe distance away from the owl, PG&E did not have to shut off power to the circuit.
Chase said the nylon kite string was wrapped around the fully-grown male owl’s wing tip a few
times, but no flesh was damaged.
“The string was wrapped around several of the owl’s primary flight feathers, but after a couple
days worth of groceries and some rest, he recovered and was released Thursday, Feb. 7, in the
same general area where he was found,” Chase said.
The nylon kite string, however, was removed as part of the rescue effort, the wildlife rescue
expert said.
Birds, especially raptors, flying into wires and getting caught in them is “somewhat of a rare
occurrence,” Chance said.
“Several years ago, we did have an ospray that was hung up on some string caught in a pine
tree, but I can’t remember any other similar problems,” he added.
Daryl Chase rides the bucket
The bird is safe