Kids Can–And Do–Make A Difference!

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”––Anne Frank

We hear a lot these days about kids’ rudeness, kids’ selfishness, and kids’ fixation with computer games and television. People, as most of us eventually figure out, are NOT linear, and children, like adults, are a quixotic mix of dark and light. SWRA is very proud to recount the stories of three young people who are going out of their way to help wildlife and in doing so, providing a role model to their peers and yes, to adults, as well! Jeannie Morris and Katy Walters are 4th grade students at Salem’s Schirle Elementary School. On a school day in late September, they were shocked to see a boy throw a large ball at a pigeon nest, knocking the young fledgling to the ground. They rescued the baby bird and took it to Salem Veterinary Emergency Clinic. It was then transferred to the care of licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator Mary Bliss. Mary kept the youngster for a few weeks until he was ready to “leave the nest” and released him with four other pigeons of the same age on September 29. Katy’s mom, Lisa Walters, talked to Katy about Salem Wildlife Rehabilitation Association and told her that she felt that she (Katy) should continue her responsibility to help wildlife by helping SWRA. So, Katy and Jeannie went from classroom to classroom at Schirle School collecting donations for our work with community wildlife. We’re delighted to announce that Katy and Jeannie raised over $80!! At the October 2nd Membership Meeting, they presented Board President Tari Edmonds with a check, and SWRA presented them with WILDLIFE HERO CERTIFICATES. We applaud Jeannie’s and Katy’s compassion and generosity!

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Edwin Osorio-Canterwall joined SWRA in the spring–simply because he is interested in all environmental issues as Edwin Osorio-Catnerwallwell as the protection of wildlife–and he wondered how he could help us. He once told Mary Bliss that “we created the mess they (animals) are in; it’s up to us to fix it.” Edwin lives with his family on 20 acres in Silverton, and Mary decided to put him to work as her apprentice. She released 11 Mallards on the family’s ponds. As Edwin’s property has the perfect deer release habitat, Mary transferred three fawns into his care. She bought a dairy goat, and with another one on loan, Edwin diligently milked them in order to provide milk for the fawns. Just recently, he bought two goats with kids and traded yard work for some of that cost. He has also gone out on deer rescues. Mary says, “Edwin has a lot of knowledge about animals and continues those studies in school. He has a very natural approach and is a quick learner of nutritional and healing issues. His enthusiasm is refreshing.” Edwin- you’re a true WILDLIFE HERO!

We Love OurPatrons!

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” ––Aesop

We are delighted to welcome the following new members and thank them not only for their membership dues but for the donations they added in, as well. We also send heartfelt thanks to members who have sent contributions or donated supplies since the printing of the summer newsletter: Dana Beck, Diana Bowen, Chris & Karen Brindle–owners of Wild Birds Unlimited, David Burkhart, Joy Davis, Heidi & Charles Foster, Brenda & Bruce Holoubek, Patricia & Ed Hostetler, Glenn Leighty, Jeannie Morris, Jean Nelson, Cynthia Norton, Robert Othmer, Duane & Anna Romig, Larry & Sharon Todd, Katy Walters, the students of Schirle Elementary School, & Pamela Wood.

We welcome Lori Fisher as our new Webmaster. Lori takes over for Peter Banka, who did all the groundwork. The site will be down for a few weeks while we transfer domain ownership and bring it up to date. The site may undergo a name change, as well, so you’ll just have to stay tuned!

Joni Brewer has consented to become SWRA’s Volunteer Coordinator…on a purely volunteer basis, of course! Joni and Trina Brown have created a dandy new Volunteer Opportunities flyer. If you’d like to find out about the types of volunteer jobs we have available, please give Joni a call at 503-585-5577. Also, if you know places where we could distribute the flyer and/or our newsletter, please let Joni know!

Think of Us When You Go Shopping!

Though Baby Animal Season has wound down, our rehabilitators continue to care for injured or sick adult mammals and birds as well as the juveniles who must be wintered over before release next spring. Licensed Mammal Rehabilitator Melanie Smith has 27 (yes, that’s 27!!!) frisky juvenile raccoons who must stay in her outdoor care pens over winter. She is slowly “wilding them up,” but though her contact with them lessens by the week, she must still feed them and make sure they have their parasite medications and treatment for any other health problems. Raptor Rehabilitator Karen Costa never has a slow season, so year round donations are very welcome.

Here are some of the priority items on our Wish List:

In-Care Supplies

Rolls and rolls and rolls of paper towel, heat lamps, heating pads, old blankets or comforters, sheets, and towels, kleenex, broad spectrum light bulbs, Clorox Clean-up, gallon-size Lysol, 23”x36” underpads (the type humans use), baby wipes, smooth sided dog or cat kennels, bottled water.

Nutritional Supplies

Lactated Ringers Solution, Pedialyte, Esbilac (powdered– found at pet stores), Nutri Cal, DRY kitten chow, DRY dog food, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Medical Supplies

Ophthalmic ointment, amoxicillin, liquid baby vitamins, 3 cc “o” ring syringes, Baytril, forceps, incubator.

If you’d like to donate any of these items,
please call President Tari Edmonds at 503-362-1982.
We’ll be happy to pick them up or arrange to have you bring them to us! Or, we’ll go shopping with you!

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Who Do You Call?

If you find an animal needing assistance,
please contact the
WILDLIFE HELPLINE, 503-856-8242.

HELPLINE volunteers will triage your call and refer you to the appropriate rehabilitator if the situation requires in-care treatment. Many situations can be resolved through triage. By law, SWRA can only treat and release native wildlife. However, we will help you find humane solutions for non-native animals in distress.

“Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission – to be of service to them wherever they require it.” ––St. Francis of Assisi

In the summer newsletter, we told the story of the miraculous survival of five baby Barn Owls, who rode for five days without food or water on a hay bale truck from Christmas Valley in Eastern Oregon to Salem. Karen Costa provided intensive care, and the birds quickly grew into sassy fledglings. After live mice training in early autumn, Karen and her husband, Mike Costa, took the birds back to their birthplace, Fort Rock. Karen released them near the cliffs which provide excellent cavities for shelter. The owls will be able to fly to the cultivated fields that are home to mice and other small rodents. We wish the young owls luck, and when the time comes, may they find more suitable nesting places than the hay barn!

In early autumn, Karen treated a first year Turkey Vulture, who had been hit by a car. The driver didn’t bother to stop, but a nearby wildlife-friendly farmer, who sees Turkey Vultures in his fields, rescued the bird. The TV (as birdwatchers call these birds) sustained a concussion and a few bumps and bruises. Keeping in mind that TVs migrate as a family group, Karen brought the youngster back to health as quickly as possible. When she returned him to the field, she anxiously scanned the skies for his family unit. No birds floated lazily above her, so Karen placed a hunk of thawing venison in the field. Within 30 seconds, the family was circling overhead, and a reunion followed. Juvenile TVs must stay with their families through their entire first year of life. Contrary to their Gothic image, Turkey Vultures are sweet-natured, intelligent, and gentle. Their Latin name, Carthartes aura, means “pacifier” or “cleanser.” The TVs’ keen sense of smell is capable of detecting odors in parts per trillion and discerning the directions from which they originate. Since TVs feed on carrion, the featherless head is easier to keep clean. The juvenile has a gray head; the adult has a red head. (TV facts courtesy of The Turkey Vulture Society)

On a late summer day, we received a HELPLINE call from a frantic lady who, earlier in the day, had found a young raccoon in her yard. She went out to investigate and concluded that he was dead, so she put him in her trash can. She surmised that he had fallen from a tree and hit his head. When she went out to put garbage in her can later that day, she was shocked to hear crying. The trash was alive! The youngster came to us severely hypothermic and shocky. Reva Lux stabilized him, and he was transferred into the superb care of Melanie Smith and her intrepid assistants, Larry and Jan Williamson. It became clear that Trashman, as Jan nicknamed him, would be a special needs patient. He could not close his mouth. He could not climb or walk well. Under Melanie’s supervision, Larry and Jan undertook his daily care and physical therapy, not to mention the laundry, special feedings, and cage cleanings. Slowly, this tough little raccoon made progress. He is climbing on the cage door now and weighs 15 lbs. Happily, he will be releasable!

This fall, Mary Bliss accepted the challenging care of a Mallard Duck that had walked in some sort of caustic substance, such as car battery acid. The bird’s webbing was badly burned, and the eyes were cloudy and matted shut. Mary worked diligently to heal this bird, and we are thrilled to report that the bird’s webbed feet and eyes are now normal. Mary released him in late September.

Tari Edmonds is working hard to help a Western Scrub-Jay that was held captive in a cage in a garage for THREE years!! The malnourished bird could not fly due to feather abnormalities and did not recognize her own kind. Slowly, Tari has brought the bird back to health and has moved her to an outdoor aviary where, Tari says, “She is getting used to sky above her instead of a garage door.” She will be held over until spring, and Tari has high hopes for her return to the wild. Now you can see why it is against federal and state laws to keep wildlife in captivity.

Report any captive wild animals to us or to the Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, please!

Captivity is cruel!