Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research

MONTHLY FLYER
A Volunteer Newsletter

August 2017

Celebrating 41 years of excellence in

wildlife rehabilitation and research

Photo: snyders/moonbeampublishing Editor: Loretta Carlson

LATE-SUMMER BABIES KEEP US BUSY IN THE CLINIC

The Baby Bird Season has passed its midpoint, and we are grateful to all the volunteers who dedicated many
hours to helping us raise and release hundreds of baby birds. However, with baskets full of Chimney Swifts
and the first Cedar Waxwings and American Goldfinches coming into the clinic, we need your help more than
ever. Over the next few weeks, our summer interns will start heading back to school. So please check the
schedule on Volgistics and sign up for a shift or two. If you can help in the evening, on weekends, and during
Labor Day weekend, we would be so grateful.
Dont forget our hotline for same-day schedule changes. If you need to cancel a shift you signed up for
that day, please call and leave a message at (302) 737-9543, extension 103. Use the same number if you have
some unexpected free time and would like to come ineven if its only for a couple of hours.

FAREWELL, INTERNS: PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW

We want to send special thanks to our interns for all your help this summer. Whether you were opening or
closing the nursery, caring for outside birds, doing general cleaning, or making diet, please know that you
made a huge difference to the staff, volunteers, and, especially, the birds. Good luck in your studies, keep in
touch, and remember: New babies will be back next summer. We hope you will be, too.

COUNTING THE DAYS TO OUR YARD SALE

The trailer is filling up, and the Yard Sale Committee is busy making
plans for Tri-States annual fall fund-raiser. We are looking for help
with the following tasks:
Setting up on Friday, October 6, starting at 8 a.m.
Staffing tables and cash registers the day of the event, October 7.
The first shift runs from 7 to 11 a.m. and includes getting ready for
the shoppers. The second shift runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and
includes helping with cleanup.
Cleaning up, packing and loading unsold items, and recycling
cardboard from 1 to 3 p.m. on October 7. Our second-shift
volunteers will still be around, but cleanup is a big chore, so wed
like to have extra hands onboard.
As always, the success of this event depends on our faithful
volunteers. If you have connections with local churches, youth groups,
or high school and college students that may be interested in helping
with this community event, please pass along contact information to
Julie Bartley.
Remember: This year, you may drop off donations ONLY on Sundays
and Tuesdays between 9 and 11 a.m., and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. The deadline for donating items is October 1.
Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research 2

Last year we raised more than $14,000 for the birds. With your helpdonating items and spreading the word
among your family, friends, and communitywe can make this years Giant Yard Sale an even bigger success.

RECENT RELEASES
Its not every day that you see
American Oystercatchers running
around a grocery store parking lot. But
thats exactly what happened in
Ventnor, New Jersey, on June 9.
Concerned shoppers contained the
young shorebirds, and a volunteer with
Conserve Wildlife of New Jersey
transported them to Tri-State. Because
they had no obvious injuries, we were
anxious to reunite them with their
parents. Unfortunately, the parents
could not be located, which meant we
needed to care for the birds until they
could fly. We set up an outside cage to
give them more privacy and monitored Staff Photo
their weight and the progress of their flight skills. By early July, both oystercatchers were flying well and ready
for release in a marsh near the area where they were found.
A Barred Owl that had been in captivity since December 2016 finally returned to the wild in early July. The
adult raptor came to us from the Humane Animal Rescue Wildlife Center in western Pennsylvania, where
it received initial treatment for barbed-wire entrapment. Rehabilitators there were concerned this bird could
never be released. After Tri-State veterinarian Dr. Cristin Kelley learned of the case, she suggested that we
evaluate the owl, which then came to our clinic on May 24. The raptor was in good condition except for the
lingering effects of a serious foot injury and eye trauma. Based on her findings, Dr. Kelley performed two
surgical procedures: amputation of one toe and enucleation of the right eye, a procedure in which the eye is
removed but the eye muscles and orbital contents remain intact. Adult owls have been proven to be able to
survive with one eye because they rely so much on their hearing. As its wounds healed, the owls appetite
increased and it began self-feeding mice and taking its first flights in an outside cage. By early June, we
moved the owl to a larger cage to give it more room to practice its flight skills and build muscle and stamina.
Once the wounds were completely healed, the bird proved it could catch live prey, and it was sustaining
strong, silent flight, we released the Barred Owl on July 2.
On June 25, a thin and debilitated Ruddy Duck
came to our clinic from Hartly, Delaware. In
spite of its condition and the presence of an
old wing fracture, the diving duck eagerly ate
mealworms and swam in the hydrotherapy
tub. With a few days of supportive care, the
birds condition stabilized, and we moved it
outside, where we observed it diving and
maneuvering expertly in the pool. Despite its
excellent swimming and diving skills, however,
the duck was still thin and needed additional
time to regain its strength and stamina. After
another week in our care, the Ruddy Ducks
Photo by Steve Howey-Newcomb
overall condition was much improved. That,
combined with its good waterproofing, feather condition, and diving skills, convinced us the diving duck was
ready for release to a suitable habitat in Delaware on July 5.
Monthly Flyer, August 2017 3

The heat of summer often prompts young swallows to jump out of their nest boxes before they are ready to
fly. Unlike most songbirds, which learn to fly after they leave the nest, swallows must be strong enough to fly
before they leave the nest. Among the nearly two dozen young Barn Swallows weve admitted so far this
summer, one fledgling came from Chadds Ford. The presenter reported that someone had knocked down all
the swallow nests in the barn where she boards her horse. The fledgling she brought to Tri-State was the only
survivor. This youngster was thin and severely dehydrated, but it began hand-feeding soon after admission.
With a few days of supportive care, the Barn Swallow gained weight and developed the flight muscle
necessary to sustain flight. By July 19, the young swallow was ready for release into the Barn Swallow flocks
that live near the Annex.

OTHER RELEASES IN JULY

In July, we also released Bald Eagles, a Barn Owl, an Eastern Screech Owl, an American Kestrel, Ospreys,
Wood Ducks, Mallards, Canada Geese, a Laughing Gull, Great Egrets, Green Herons, a Fish Crow, Ruby-
throated Hummingbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, a Common Yellowthroat, a Wood Thrush, Chimney Swifts, a
Rough-winged Swallow, a Tree Swallow, a Downy Woodpecker, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Brown Thrasher,
Northern Mockingbirds, Gray Catbirds, an Eastern Phoebe, a Chipping Sparrow, a Song Sparrow, House Wrens,
Carolina Wrens, a Tufted Titmouse, a White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, a House Finch,
an American Goldfinch, Mourning Doves, Common Grackles, American Robins, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.

FEATURED BIRD: AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER

The largest of all oystercatchers at 20 inches long, the American Oystercatcher is a striking shorebird with a
black head and a long orange-red bill. It has a brownish back and white underparts, yellow eyes, and pink legs
and feet, as well as white stripes on its wings that flash during flight.

Photo by Bill Hardie

True to its name, the American Oystercatcher eats oysters and other bivalves such as clams and mussels. It
uses its strong, sharp-pointed beak to pry open the shells. This bird also eats starfish, sea urchins, and other
marine invertebrates.
Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research 4

A solitary bird, the American Oystercatcher forms monogamous pairs and uses its feet to scrape small mounds
of sand for its nest. It may make five or more before selecting one and lining it with shells, pebbles, or other
material. It has a single brood of one to four young each year. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch
after 24 to 29 days. The precocial young leave the nest within a day of hatching. Both parents care for the
young until they take their first flight when they are about five weeks old.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, because this bird is highly sensitive to human disturbance and
subject to a declining beach habitat, The North American population of American Oystercatchers are on the
2014 State of the Birds Watch List. . . . and are listed as a yellow species (indicating a national conservation
concern) by Audubon. Learn more about the American Oystercatcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithologys All
About Birds Web site, www.allaboutbirds.org. See also Birds of North America, published by the Smithsonian
Institution, or your own favorite birding book.

WHOS WHO AT TRI-STATE: MEET ANITA MOOS

Its a dream come true to have a career where I am able to
combine my love for wildlife and marketing, says Anita Moos.
As Tri-States new marketing associate, she is responsible for
developing communications and marketing for the organization.
Her duties include composing and editing a full range of
material to effectively support Tri-States fund-raising goals and
convey its mission to diverse constituencies.
Anita holds two bachelor of arts degrees from the University of
Delaware and has spent more than twenty years in marketing
and communications. Prior to joining Tri-State, she was the
marketing manager at Newark Natural Foods Co-op, and she
counts herself fortunate to have been an integral part of its
recent relocation, expansion, and rebranding.
A Newark native, Anita says she first learned about Tri-State
about fifteen years ago when she and her family observed a Staff Photo
damaged cardinals nest outside their home. I called Tri-
State, and the kind person who answered gave expert instructions on making a substitute nest. . . . It worked
perfectly, and we were able to observe the birds grow into healthy fledglings and leave the nest. Over the
years, Ive shared the same instructions with neighbors and friends to help save birds whose nests had fallen.
Immediately impressed with the dedication, passion, professionalism, and kindness radiated by staff and
volunteers, Anita says she has already learned an enormous amount in only a short time. My second day
here, I videoed the releases of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird and a Bald Eagle and photographed two Barred
Owl patients in the flight cage. It just doesnt get any better than that!
Anita and her husband enjoy scuba diving and observing the amazing diversity of tropical marine life and the
beauty of coral reef gardens. She also enjoys hiking and playing with their three rambunctious dogs, spending
time with friends and family, intensive gardening, and watching classic movies.

TRI-STATE IS GOING FOOTLOOSE

After forty-one years, its time to look back, kick back, and celebrate all weve accomplished together at the
annual Benefit for the Birds. For this years event, we are going Footloose and Fancy Free. Leave the black
tie at home and get ready to join us for an evening of friends and food in support of helping wildlife in need.
We are returning to Deerfield Country Club on November 10 from 6 to 10 p.m. With a shorter time frame, a
lower ticket price, and a more casual atmosphere, theres no reason not to kick off your shoes, so to speak,
and enjoy a delightful night out. Browse the Silent Hawktion or take your chances on the ever-popular Big
Card Draw for Philadelphia sports teams tickets, all while you meet up with friends old and new.
Get your tickets online now at www.tristatebird.org/benefit. You may also purchase tickets by sending an e-
mail to Rebecca Stansell at rstansell@tristatebird.org or by calling 302.737.9543.
Monthly Flyer, August 2017 5

UPCOMING EVENTS
Information Sessions and Adult Bird Care Workshops. Do you have friends or family members who
think they may be interested in volunteering for Tri-State, but who are concerned that this may not be the
right choice for them? We have the perfect solution: a one-hour Information Session that gives prospective
volunteers a good overview of our operations and expectations. All those interested in volunteering at
Tri-State must attend one Information Session before they can register for a bird-care workshop.
Information Sessions will be offered on the following Saturdays at 11 a.m.: August 26, September 9, and
September 16.
Adult Bird Care Workshop: Saturday, September 23, 8 a.m.1 p.m.
Yard Sale, Saturday, October 7, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The trailer is here and ready to accept your donations.
Our annual fund-raiser for the birds will once again take place at the Aetna Fire Hall in Newark. See the article
above and look for updates in the coming months in The Monthly Flyer and on the Tri-State website.
Benefit for the Birds, Friday, November 10, 6 to 10 p.m. We are returning to Deerfield in Newark in
2017. Deerfield is across Paper Mill Road, just over one mile from the Tri-State turn at Possum Hollow Road.
See the article above for more details.

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