FWMA - Rescue and Rehab

Home - Profile - Archives - Friends

Now and then...

Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 9:33 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

This is my favorite kind of Blog entry - a 'then and now' entry! This baby Great-Horned Owl came in on May 5th. I was there the day he came in and he was in such bad shape after having fallen from his nest, I was afraid he wouldn't make it. Great-Horned Owls build their nests high in the trees, so you know this little guy had one heck of a fall!

He was really in bad shape!

To my surprise, he made it through night..and the next day...and the next week! And on May 19th, he was still very weak, but bless his heart, he was hanging in there!!

The more time that passed, the stronger he got! And on May 27th, he was sitting up on his own!!

By mid-June, he was really starting to look like a 'big Owl'!!

And by mid-July, he was moved to an outside pen to help prepare him for release!

~~~

He shares his pen with an adult Great-Horned Owl who is recovering from an injury and hopefully, they will both be released soon!

Many of the baby birds in the center are growing. This is one of my favorite cages; we have a Cardinal, a Great-Crested Flycatcher, and an Eastern Kingbird.

One of several Mississippi Kites;

One of our pretty Pelicans;

And our favorite Fox Squirrel, Buddy, doing what he does best - sleeping - in one of his many funny positions!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eagles

Posted on Monday, June 16, 2008 at 9:41 PM - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

One of the very first Bald Eagles that came into Florida Wild Mammal this spring was this 10 week old Eaglet. He had fallen from the nest and came into the center weak and too young to fly.

He was an absolute beauty and once he was stable, we knew we would have to send him away. FWMA doesn't have a flight pen large enough to be able to keep these beautiful birds. They need a great deal of space to learn how to fly....these guys have a massive 6-8ft wingspan!Building a pen large enough for them is not a cheap project!

Telling this beauty goodbye was difficult. All of the Eagles that come through the center get transferred to other facilities across the state and when it's time for release, they get released there. But this big boy got lucky and was eventually brought back here for release.

He was transferred to the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida in Pensacola - where he attended, you got it....Flight School!

This sanctuary has a wonderful flight pen - just perfect for conditioning a young eagle for release!

~~~~~~

He spent several months here learning how to be an eagle and when it was time to be released, this sanctuary asked if we wanted him returned to our county! Of course, we said YES!!!

They drove over 200 miles to bring our boy home and it was a goosebumply experience having the priviledge to watch the release! (And even better because an article about the release made the front page of our local newspaper - bringing attention to the plight of these injured and orphaned birds to the public!)

That Eagle tale had a very happy ending! But there have been 5 other eagles brought into the center so far this year. Three of them were transferred out right away, but two remain.

This young Eagle came in weak, dehydrated and too young to fly with an eye injury. She is doing well and will be leaving us soon.

This big guy was was brought in with a terrible injury in his mouth. He's already undergone one surgery and is still recovering.

He is starting to heal and acts like he's feeling better! When he's ready to be released, we'll have to send him away to a facility with a flight pen and let me tell you, after everything we've been through with this bird, it's going to be hard to say goodbye to him! We'd much rather see him flying free here in Wakulla County!

Back in the spring, a friend to FWMA passed away. It was his hopes that a flight cage for large bird could be built and to this end, he bequeathed some funds to help get this project started. Many of his friends and family also contributed to the fund, however, a flight cage of the size is not a cheap undertaking and even though the labor and equipment have been donated, materials to build the cage are costly.

FWMA is currently seeking donations to help make this flight pen a reality! If you would like to help - no amount is too small - please make your check out to FWMA and send to:

Florida Wild Mammal Association

198 Edgar Poole Road

Crawfordville, FL 32346

Please make a notation that it's for the Eagle Flight Pen!

Or you can send a donation through Paypal. Also make a note that it's for the Flight Pen!

Please send to: choppaotta@aol.com

You can be sure this blog will be updated with the progress of the flight pen - as it's being built and as it gets used to help return our raptors to freedom!

Special thanks to Barbara Shugar for providing the pictures of the flight pen at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida and to the staff of WSNF allowing us to photograph the pen!

So many new faces!

Posted on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 10:20 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Things are really hopping at FWMA these days! So many new patients coming in - some we can help and some we can't.

This beautiful baby Opsrey came in with a terribly broken wing and probably some internal injuries - he did not make it through the night. It's always so hard when the beautiful raptors don't make it.

Thankfully, some of the other new birds are doing well. This little Red-Bellied Woodpecker has a broken wing, but he is still just full of himself! I think you can tell from his little feathery face that he thinks he's something!

We aren't supposed to get excited when new birds and animals come it - we would much rather see them wild and free, fat and happy....but seeing this big, beautiful White Pelican up close is such a thrill!

The White Pelicans are not that common up here in the panhandle but do come through during migration. This guy should have left with his flock and already be in Southern Florida, but for some reason, he was left behind. He's kinda weak, but seems to be okay. He truly is a beauty!

Other new faces include a new baby Tortoise. Isn't this a face to die for??

Yes, that is my hand he fits so comfortably in! He's a big one! (NOT!)(Those are normal size kernels of corn in his food bowl!)

~~~

Our baby Great Horned Owl is growing like a weed! He is still very 'fluffy' and I swear it looks like he's wearing a nice, fancy pair of pantaloons!

He may be a baby, but he still has come killer claws! I would hate to be a little mouse in the forest! But...this guy is still young and it will be a while before he's hunting on his own! So in the meantime, he sits around watching the world go by!

Our baby fox keeps chewing his splint off...a great vet is coming to look at him and hopefully will have a good prognosis for this little guy! He is so precious!

Our Loon is hanging in there!! Finally eating on her own - which is always wonderful!! She is so beautiful!

I'll end this entry with someone I've never talked about before. We have a duck that was bit by a snake. He's got some neurological damage, but he is coming along. It's been more than 7 months since the bite and this guy isn't giving up.

He has no control over his legs, but with the help of some physical therapy and his walker, he's hanging in there!

To see him in his pool...go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z8XlolD1eQ

~~~~~~~~~~~

FREEDOM!

Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 8:04 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I had the rare pleasure today to be a part of something very special - the release of a Bald Eagle! He came to Florida Wild Mammal Association back in March. He had fallen or been knocked from the nest and was rescued by a U.S. Fish and Game officer.

Since FWMA doesn't have a flight pen that meets the standards set for Bald Eagles, this baby was sent to the Sanctuary of Northwest Florida in Pensacola. They have an awesome flight pen set-up and this young eaglet grew and learned everything he needed to know to be eagle!

When it was time for his release, the young eagle was returned to Wakulla County - to be set free in the area of his original nest. So we gathered; the two very dedicated women who cared for him, the Fish and Game Officer who rescued him, and three of us from FWMA.

~~~~~~~~~

My pictures of the actual release didn't turn out. I was too close, at the wrong angle, he was too doggone fast for me to focus! But thankfully, I had taken my wonderful little FlipVideo! I gave it to Jessica, Chris' daughter and told her to do film! And WOW...she nailed it! So for the release...lift-off and freedom...go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU5YVYyaiXc

(cut and paste)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New babies...

Posted on Friday, May 23, 2008 at 10:16 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Pesky? Nah!! At this age, absolutely adorable is a better fit!

I tried as quietly as I could to open the cage door to get some pictures of the sleeping babies, but they heard me - and thought it must be mealtime!

The started crawling around looking for mama...

and crying their little heads off!

But they had just been fed a little earlier, so it wasn't long before they settled back into their little baby coonie sleep!

The little baby fox has been moved from Intensive Care to the med room. He is doing better, but the leg is still really messed up. Chris has been looking for a way to try to keep the leg straight and it was suggested that she try a mini life vest!

As you can see, Foxy is not crazy about this idea!

He looked good!

But it just didn't provide the needed support. So....it was back to the splint!

Some of the other new faces....a young Pelican

And a Laughing Gull.

One of the Bald Eagles that came in a while back is still at FWMA. He's been through so much and since he's still recovering from surgery, he'll remain at FWMA for a while longer.

Every evening Chris has to clean out the infection under his tongue. I can't even begin to imagine having to hold a bird this size down, much less stick my hand in his mouth!!! But Chris does it every night and slowly, this big bird is healing!

Sweet new faces...

Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 10:59 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Yes, indeedy....baby season is here and with it comes 'the faces'! Soft faces, scared faces, sweet faces! Each time I go to FWMA, I am so thankful these precious faces have a safe place to grow and in some cases, heal. I envy Chris and her dedication, skill, and never-give-up attitude. But most of all, I am so thankful I'm allowed in with my camera. Capturing these Sweet Faces in pictures is something I never get tired of.

Things seem to go in waves - right now we are in the Possum Wave - there are close to 20 baby possums either at the center or placed with foster moms. Some are very, very tiny...

....and they all have big ears!

Two baby bunnies were brought in the other day. A cat found their nest. One of the babies didn't make it, but the second one seems to be hanging in there. This is just one of about half a dozen bunnies in the center!

Our little Gray Fox with the broken leg has really started to improve. He's up, moving, and even playing! Chris is still hoping to be able to save the leg, but it's still too soon to tell on that! How would you like to cradle this??

Chris has become quite close to this little guy...with all the special care he's received and 'round the clock feedings, can you blame her?

Is this not a face to die for???

Two Red Fox babies were brought in the yesterday. I didn't get the story on them - they were transferred from another facility. I do know they are not related and are probably between 10 and 12 weeks old.

And last, our baby Great Horned Owl is doing very well. Who could have imagined that he would have survived such a great fall?

He's doing well, eating like a little piggy and enjoying massages whenever he can get them!!

Please visit the FWMA website:

www.wakullawildlife.org

Funny Faces

Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 1:35 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Baby Season is upon us at FWMA! It's just beginning - the next few months will be so busy - I wanted to start us off with some of the FUNNY FACES!

Baby Possums are here...and this one little guy absolutely cracked me up. Not sure what he thought the camera was, but he moved so fast, I couldn't get the camera focused! What a darling!!

~~~~

I know these guys were saying..."Where's the food?"

We have one little baby Mockingbird - and what a character he is! The feeding timer is set to go off every 15 minutes - I think he knows this and at 14 minutes....he starts squacking! And pooping! He is the poopingest little thing I've ever seen...but what a face!

Now that the days are getting hotter, the resident River Otter, Sushi, spends his days enjoying the cool water of his private pool! Talk about a Funny Face....ya just gotta love it!!

~~~~

And probably some of the Funniest Faces of all....the Owls!

~~~

Update - April 18th

Posted on Friday, April 18, 2008 at 10:11 PM - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Haven't had a lot of time for updates lately, but that should all change in the near future. 'Baby Season' is upon us and soon FWMA will be swamped with orphans of all sizes, shapes and colors. I plan to be there for the never-ending cleaning and filling of hungry mouths!

Until then, I thought I would catch up with a couple of the big birds that were brought in a while back. The beautiful Red-Tailed Hawk has been moved to an outside pen and is doing very well! He is just drop-dead gorgeous and really hammed it up for me!

~~~

For some reason, everyone wanted to 'ruffle up' for me today! Our newest Barred Owl also moved outside and he just cracked me up! What a fluff ball!!!

~~~

The babies have already started coming in. I know there are many, many people out there who think O'possums are mean and ugly....but the faces (and ears) on these babies can only be described as precious!

~~~

Something tells me it's going to be a busy summer!

Who? Who?

Posted on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 9:59 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

The newest patient at FWMA was found floating down the Apalachicola River. He had swallowed a great deal of water and was suffering from Hypothermia.

Are those not the cutest ears you've ever seen????

And look at this soft fuzz!

The fuzz belongs to an 8 week old Great Horned Owl. He's eating well and gaining weight. The hopes are that he will grow to be a great big owl and be released to enjoy the kind of life Owls enjoy!!

1st week of March

Posted on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 9:29 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

This week saw an influx of birds at the FWMA Rehab center - birds both big and small! The first of the new patients are a couple of Owls.

A young Barred Owl is doing well - he is just the cutest thing. When you come near his cage, his eyes get huge and he snaps his beak together as if trying to convince you that he is a big, bad Owl! He's a doll - and hopefully will soon be moved to an outside pen in preparation for release.

The other new Owl is a little Screech Owl. It always amazes me how small these little things are! This one is doing well and should be able to go free soon!

From big and small Owls to big and small Hawks. I was quite surprised to see an American Kestral. The Kestral is one of the most beautiful small raptors. Seeing one of these little guys up close is a real treat.

He has a broken wing - he's doing well and we're hoping for a positive outcome!

The other raptor is a big, beautiful Red-Tailed Hawk. Talk about a gorgeous bird!!

Chris isn't quite sure what is wrong with him. Nothing appears to be broken, but he is unable to fly. Thankfully, he has a very healthy appetite and eats like a pig!

There also is a new Ring-Billed Gull.

And a new Pelican. After losing a wing, this guy is the newest permanent resident.

Our resident Osprey is doing well after breaking his wing. He is very, very vocal and quite a character!

The Black Vulture is also doing very well!

Now for one that is not feathered! This little pup is adorable and has stolen everyone's heart!

He's got a broken leg, but as soon as he heals....

...and grows, he'll take his place as one of the guardians of FWMA!

New Birds at FWMA

Posted on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 2:07 AM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

While I was over at FWMA yesterday, a Fish and Game Officer brought in a young Red-tailed Hawk. He was very, very weak and after an examination, Chris determined he had a severe fungal infection. He was very thin and probably hadn't eaten for days.

He was given fluids through the night. When I stopped to check on him today, I was in time to see his first meal. Wrapped tightly in a towel, he didn't seem to be the least bit interested in food.

Jessica was able to gently open his mouth and push some food in,

...but he wasn't interested in swallowing. The fungal infection is in his mouth and down his throat. It must be very painful, but he has so eat, so Jessica very gently pushed the food down the throat. She was able to get several bites down and he kept them down - which is an excellent sign.

He is still very, very weak. After his meal today, I took him into the quiet office and rocked him for a little while. His body felt very, very cold to me, but I know that all is being done for him that possibily can be done. Chris was going to try to rig up a lamp since it's difficult to keep birds on heating pads. I have been sending warm healing thoughts to this beautiful bird all evening. If anyone else has a spare prayer laying around, this is one creature who could really use it! I will keep you posted on his progress!

There are now two Great Blue Herons in the center! The one we rescued the other day and a younger one with a broken shoulder. this is the young one:

And you can plainly see the condition of her shoulder!

The older one seems to be getting stronger everyday. I don't recall if Chris said what his problem was - there didn't appear to be any visible injuries. But...he is getting stronger and that's the important thing!

This is truly a beautiful bird!

There is only one Pelican in the med room at the moment - and she is just gorgeous! If you walk by her cage, she doesn't hesitate to let you know she's there!

There is also a beautiful Hen in the center now. She is one lucky lady and even through her injuries look horrendous, she is slowly getting stronger - little by little. She even laid an egg the other day!

By some miracle, she got away from a fox. The Fox left her in pretty bad condition, but she's a trooper! She's eating and drinking and really hanging in there. It's kinda sad to watch her because she lays in her box with her head down.

They try to reposition her with her head up, but she always works her way back into this position. I think it must take pressure off the wounds. And they are bad ones!

But like I said, she is getting better everyday! She could use healing prayers, too!

Our resident Osprey has been moved out to her permanent enclosure. As you can see, her wing is completely useless.

She will never fly free again - which is a crying shame, but she will have a home at FWMA for as long as she needs it. You can believe I will be visiting her as often as possible!

Had to stop in and see the deer today, too! Everyone is doing well! They have the sweetest faces! Such gentleness in those eyes!

And last, but definitely not least....Princess!!!!

Yes...they named her Princess! She has been moved to her own little pen outside with her own little house and blankets!

This is one spoiled piggy! Isn't she adorable???

Jan 21st - Goat and Pig!

Posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 1:00 AM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Stopped over at the Rehab Center today. Heard they were making progress on the new house and I wanted to grab a shot. Still a long way to go....but seeing the progress brings hope!

My first stop was the med room - needed to check on the piggly wiggly! I brought him a ball to play with today! What a doll he is!

After chasing him around for a bit, he decided he was hungry. He really is a little pig!

You put it down...and he'll eat it!

Especially dog food! He loves dog food! Still looking for a good home for him....not many people want a beastie that's going to grow to be about 400 pounds!

And of course...my favorites! There are 12 Tortoises in this pen! The picture just shows half of the pen - for some reason, they all like to rest together.

Then it was off to the barn to see my favorite goat! On the way, I was suprised to see a Vulture sitting on top of the Vulture Cage. At first, I thought it may have been an escapee....but all the injured ones were present and accounted for. This guy must have been just visiting!

Of course, I had to stop and say Hello to Frosty. The old girl is still hanging in there! She is a real sweetheart!

This little thing is just as cute as a button. There is nothing more fun than watching him run and jump! He really is quite talented....but today, it seemed he just wanted to get as close to me as he could! Is this not a face to just die for?

~~~~

Such a little sweetheart!

As I headed back to my car, there was one more stop I needed to make!

My favorite Otter, Sushi!

He popped right up and asked where Fran was. Fran is one of his friends...although they don't get to see each other very often! Hey, Fran.....

.....Sushi says Hi!

He is such a big boy and really quite the lover! He had been swimming right before I got there and was soaking wet. But that didn't stop him from wanting his chin rubbed and his ears scratched! And I managed to get a good shot of his injury. Poor baby!

Only a few new patients in. A Common Loon, a new duck and another Pelican with a wing injury. Didn't take pictures of them as I didn't want to bother them. Maybe when they get stronger.

So...I'll leave you with this....

What's up at the rehab center???

Posted on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 3:04 PM - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Several people have commented lately about my not posting any blogs. The truth is, I've been trying to stay away from the rehab center. The holidays were quiet here, no kids or grandkids - just my husband and I. So, while trying to avoid the 'after-Christmas' depression that quite often sets in this time of year, I've found going to the rehab center is just a heartbreak waiting to happen!

Let me explain....There is a precious little goat at the center. He has a horrific wound on his back from being caught in a barbed wire fence. I hate those fences! This picture was taken back in the first part of December - it is healing and starting to dry up. It looks so much better than it did!

When he is completely healed, he will need a good home. Of course, my opinion is that there would be no better home than my house! He reminds me of my darling, precious, loverboy goaty I had to leave behind in Ohio. His name was Yoda and although I know he loved me, he loved his horse more! She couldn't make the trip down here, and after 10 years of being together, I couldn't separate them! One of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life was leave them behind! Not a day goes by that I don't think of them, and then this precious little goaty face comes along!

And not only is there the precious little goaty....but there is also a darling baby hog. Everyone thinks he's mean, but he's not. He just needs some attention and interaction. He's a talker and seems to be very intelligent! I adore him! I have repeatedly asked my husband for them - they both need a GOOD home! But unless I can magically make a pen appear in the backyard, it's not going to happen....hence the heartbreak! LOL! Best if I just stay away for a little while!

I have no pictures of the piglet and the goat refuses to stand still, but I will try to go one day this week and get some pictures! As for some of the other critters:

I am not altogether sure what happened to this beauty - she may have been hit by a car. She put up a good fight, but didn't make it. It was a sad day when she died.

This young Herring Gull was treated and after a couple weeks, was released - so rewarding to see them fly free again!

Our permanent resident Osprey is doing well! His outside enclosure is finally finished and come spring, he'll be moved from the med room to his new home! He's a real beauty! Such a thrill to be in his presence! Of course, I'd rather see him fly wild and free, but he'll never fly again...so FWMA is the perfect place for him.

What can I say about this darling? She was the last baby deer to come in and since this picture was taken, she was finally released to the outside pen with all the other youngsters!

What a face!!! Baby deer are so special!

The turtle who has his face wired together is still hanging in there! Bless his heart! A week before this picture was taken, the wire had been removed from the top part of his face, but the vet said the bottom wire needed to stay in a while longer. I'm amazed he can even eat, but he does! I really thought this is one that wasn't going to make it - but he is doing remarkably well! The bottom wire should come out in another couple of weeks!

And last, but not least...Jessica's Christmas present! Her name is Carly and she is adorable! She came from a Dog Rescue - what a lucky pup to end up at FWMA!