BABIES KEEP COMING EVEN AS SUMMER WINDS DOWN As we move into August, we know that more than half the summer season is behind us. But homeowners and Good Samaritans are still finding fledgling wrens, cardinals, and catbirds, and we will soon admit our first American goldfinches and other late-season babies. Once our summer interns start heading back to school, we will need the help of our dedicated volunteers more than ever. Please check the schedule on Volgistics and sign up for a shift or twoor three. We particularly need volunteers in the evening, on weekends, and during Labor Day weekend.

Remember 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 in that day.

FAREWELL, SUMMER INTERNS They say that time flies when youre having fun. Judging by the way this summer has flown, we must have had a fantastic time in the clinic this year. Sadly, the arrival of August also means our summer interns will begin leaving. Thank you for all your help this summerwhether you were opening or closing the nursery, caring for outside birds, doing general cleaning, or making diet. Good luck in your studies, keep in touch, and remember: New babies will be back next summer. We hope you will be, too.

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR GIANT YARD SALE The trailer is filling up, and the Yard Sale Committee is busy making plans for Tri-States annual fall fund-raiser, which this year takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, at Aetna Fire Hall in Newark. We are looking for help with the following tasks:

Setting up on Friday, October 2, starting at 8 a.m.

Staffing tables and cash registers the day of the event, October 3. 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 3. 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. However, 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.

Were hoping to make the 2015 yard sale an even bigger success than last years when we earned a record $10,000 for the birds. So please clean out your basements and attics and encourage your family and friends to do the same. We are eager to receive your books, vinyl records, collectibles, DVDs, electronics, games, and housewares. We are not able to accept clothing, large furniture, TVs, or computer monitors. If you are unsure about an item, visit www.tristatebird.org or call (302) 737-9543.

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research MONTHLY FLYER

A Volunteer Newsletter August 2015

Celebrating 39 years of excellence in wildlife rehabilitation and research

Photo by snyders/moonbeampublishing Editor: Loretta Carlson

Cedar waxwing Staff Photo

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research 2

You may drop off donations on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays between 9 and 11 a.m. from now through September 26. You also can call ahead to make arrangements to drop off your donations at other times if you are not able to come to the center on the days and times listed above.

Thank you!

HELLOS AND GOOD-BYES

Whos Who at Tri-State: Meet Erin Norris Erin Norris, Tri-States newest Oil Programs coordinator, will be working in oil spill response, preparedness, planning, and logistics. Shell also participate in training and workshops and attend meetings with partners.

Honestly, I had not heard of Tri-State until I saw the job posting, Erin says. I applied because I loved to see how Tri-State is involved in every aspect of the emergency management cycle: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Erin earned a bachelors degree in meteorology from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire and a masters degree in emergency management from the University of New Haven in Connecticut. Her first emergency management experience came during a brief internship with the New Hampshire Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Managements Technological Hazards Division. Later she interned with the coastal community of Groton, Connecticut, planning meetings, performing hazard analysis and research, and participating in tabletop exercises involving the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant.

Most recently, Erin served as the Disaster Feeding Response Planner/AmeriCorps National Preparedness & Response Corps (NPRC) member with the Eastern New York Region of the American Red Cross. In that position, she created local and regional partnerships and a regional feeding plan to increase response capabilities across twenty-four counties. She also had the opportunity to respond to a snow emergency that crippled Buffalo, New York, in November 2014.

Erin is excited to join the Tri-State staff. She says, I can't think of any other organization that is so involved in each phase and so hands-on. To me, the greatest part is the ability to see the bird (or other animal) recover and be able to return to the natural environment and, even better, to release the animal to its now clean and rehabilitated home environment.

A native of a small town on Lake Ontario located twenty-five miles northwest of Rochester, Erin has a twin sister, Heather, who works with the Baltimore Sun. She says she is looking forward to working with a wonderful group of individuals who give back to wildlife and the environment in such great ways!

A Fond Farewell to Greg Keegan We are very sad to say goodbye to Greg Keegan, who has been our maintenance supervisor par excellence for more than nine years. Greg joined Tri-State after retiring from a career in computer services, and he has been an invaluable member of the team ever since. From plowing snow to changing sand to troubleshooting the often-troublesome plumbing system, Greg has kept the center running smoothly. He has overseen numerous projects with Eagle Scouts and outside volunteer groups, and he knows just how to sweet-talk the automated gate and remote cameras. Thank you, Greg, for everything you have done to help birds return to the wild and to help make Tri-State such a great place to work!

While Greg is irreplaceable, we do need to find a successor. We are very fortunate that Greg will stay on to train his replacement and transfer his considerable Tri-State knowledge. If you or someone you know is interested in the position, please see our website for details under About > Careers.

Photo by Kyra and Mike Hamilton

Staff Photo

Monthly Flyer, August 2015 3

RECENT RELEASES A homeowner in Talbot County, Maryland, called Maryland DNR when he found an eastern screech owl sitting at the base of a tree in his front yard. After DNR alerted us to the young owls plight on July 10, Tri-State volunteers Steve Vaughn and Roger Suro joined forces to transport the bird to our clinic. Radiographs confirmed our initial assessment that the brancher had sustained no injuries, and its good weight and body condition convinced us that this young owl had been well cared for by its parents. While we checked out the area to see if the adults were still around, the owl enjoyed some Tri-State hospitalityat first accepting hand-fed mice and then, by July 12, self-feeding. Once its weight had stabilized, we were able to return the screech owl to the care of its parents on July 14 courtesy of Tri-State volunteer Ray Bryant.

Weve admitted a number of tree swallows this summer. One youngster came to us from Landenberg, Pennsylvania, when it injured a wing after falling from its nest. We cleaned the bruised wing, administered antibiotics, and hoped we could quickly return the youngster to the nest. Unfortunately, the presenters could not confirm that the adults were still in the area, so we provided supportive care and a delicious diet of mealworms, crickets, and our hand-feeding formula as we searched for a suitable foster family. On July 8, we banded the fledgling and released it at Ashland Nature Center where observers have spotted many adult tree swallows.

Each year, roughly 10 percent of our patients come to Tri-State because of a cat attack. Gray catbird 15-1364 was one such victim. A Wilmington homeowner found the injured fledgling under a tree on June 24 and quickly brought it to our clinic. The birds left shoulder felt loose, but we were able to manipulate the joint back into place. Then, as is standard with cat attacks, we started the fledgling on a course of antibiotics and administered pain medication. The catbird also had an old fracture of its right clavicle, and so we prescribed cage rest to ensure the fledgling recovered fully from that injury. Despite these issues, the young bird was in otherwise good condition, and it began hand-feeding soon after its admission. Once the fracture stabilized, we moved the bird to an outside cage to give the fledgling space to practice its flight skills. By July 15, the catbird was flying well and ready for release on-site at Tri-State.

Another common reason for admissions involves human interference or birdnapping. In such cases, well-meaning humans take healthy young birds from their parents care and bring them to the clinic. Willet 15-1168 came to Tri-State on June 12 all the way from Assateague State Park in Virginia. Tourists found the downy shorebird in a marshy area and thought it had been

abandoned. The young willet had no injuries and eagerly ate mealworms soon after admission. During its first weeks at Tri-State, with a heating pad for warmth and comfort, the shorebird progressed from an incubator to a playpen. By June 29, the willet was ready to go outside. With a bath pan to stimulate preening and help keep feathers clean, the bird continued to eat well and readily acclimated to its new surroundings. To encourage the willet to practice its flight skills, we moved it to a large cage on July 10. By July 17, with its body condition excellent, its weight stable, and its flight strong and controlled, the young willet was ready for banding and release to a secluded marshy habitat where other willets were present.

A northern mockingbird from Newark sustained clavicle fractures and a scapular fracture when it was attacked by a crow. The young fledgling was active and alert despite its injuries and responded well to supportive care. To

Staff Photo

Photo by Ray Bryant

Interns not only worked in the clinic this summer, some also had the opportunity to release birds. In cooperation with Pete McGowan of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, intern Cody Agnor released a banded juvenile osprey into a foster nest on Poplar Island, Maryland.

Photo by Pete McGowan, USFWS

Photo by Ray Bryant

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research 4

encourage healing of the fractures, we also wrapped the mockingbirds injured wing to its body. Within two weeks of admission, the youngsters injuries were healing well, allowing us to move it outside where it could practice its developing flight skills and acclimate to the weather. Eight days later, the fledgling was fully healed and flying beautifully. As we do with most young songbirds, we released the mockingbird at Tri-State. Learn more about the northern mockingbird in this months Featured Bird article.

OTHER RELEASES IN JULY In July, we released or renested 269 birds! In addition to birds listed above, we also released bald eagles, a peregrine falcon, red-tailed hawks, Coopers hawks, ospreys, a great horned owl, a turkey vulture, a herring gull, a double-crested cormorant, a great blue heron, Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, a wild turkey, fish crows, an American crow, chimney swifts, an eastern bluebird, a northern flicker, barn swallows, cedar waxwings, a Baltimore oriole, a yellow warbler, a song sparrow, gray catbirds, northern mockingbirds, Carolina wrens, house wrens, blue jays, American robins, tufted titmice, house finches, northern cardinals, common grackles, mourning doves, and brown-headed cowbirds.

EARLY BIRD OFFER: BENEFIT FOR THE BIRDS You can band together with us for a fun-filled evening at Tri-States Benefit for the Birds and save money with our Early Bird offer from now until September 15. To purchase tickets online, visit www.tristatebird.org/benefit. You may also purchase tickets by sending an e-mail to Duke Doblick at ddoblick@tristatebird.org or by calling him at (302) 737-9543, extension 108. Dont miss this opportunity to help save birds lives while enjoying delicious food and desserts, raffles, the Silent Hawktion, and more.

TRI-STATE TO MARK 40TH ANNIVERSARY It hardly seems possible, but 2016 will mark Tri-State Bird Rescue & Researchs 40th anniversary. In anticipation of this event, the anniversary committee has selected a logo and theme: 40 Years and Flying Strong: Soaring to New Heights Together. Since the traditional anniversary color is ruby red, the ruby-throated hummingbird was selected as Tri-States 40th anniversary species. The committee chose a logo designed by Duke Doblick and featuring a photograph taken by Hank Davis. Look for more information about 40th anniversary events in future issues of The Flyer.

VOLUNTEER ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 24 years: Dottie Colburn 23 years: Mary Birney 22 years: Elaine Smith 14 years: Sara Hutchinson 13 years: Catherine Feher-Renzetti 12 years: Jill Constantine 6 years: Marie McKee 5 years: Denise Dee 4 years: Gary Patterson

VOLUNTEER REMINDERS AND REQUESTS Please DRIVE SLOWLY along Possum Hollow Road, especially through the single-lane stretch that leads directly onto Tri-States grounds. We've released a lot of young birds, and they are practicing their flight skills and exploring their worldwhich includes the road. They arent street smart, so we need to give them a brake.

If you are planting cool-season lettuce, please consider donating some to Tri-State. Once the waterfowl start migrating and hunting season begins, well be admitting quite a few patients that require greens as part of their diet.

Finally, thank you for taking part in our volunteer survey. We appreciate your feedback. Please contact Julie Bartley at jbartley@tristatebird.org if you indicated you would be interested in helping at the front desk.

FEATURED BIRD: NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD A handsome gray bird with a long slender tail, two white wingbars, and large white wing patches that flash conspicuously when the bird is in flight, the northern mockingbird is a familiar visitor to local backyards. Once considered a bird of the South, the mockingbird has spread northward and adapted to a wide variety of habitats. To supplement their favored diet of insects and fruit, mockingbirds will visit backyard-feeding stations for suet and raisins.

Monthly Flyer, August 2015 5

Typically seen alone or in pairs, mockingbirds are monogamous and form long-term pair bonds. Males perform a display designed to keep other males out of their territory. The female incubates two to six eggs for twelve to thirteen days. During that time, the pairs become very defensive, especially if an animal or human ventures too close to their nests or young. Both parents feed the young until they leave the nest after eleven to thirteen days. Mockingbirds have two or three broods each year.

A talented mimic, the mockingbird has been known to imitate not only the songs of other birds but also the sounds of animals, insects, machinery, and musical instruments. You can distinguish the mockingbirds song from its cousins the brown thrasher by the number of notes the birds sing. Mockingbirds typically repeat their phrases three to five or more times; brown thrashers repeat phrases two, and sometimes three, times.

Learn more about the northern mockingbird at the Cornell Lab of Ornithologys All About Birds Web site, www.allaboutbirds.org, as well as in Birds of North America, published by the Smithsonian Institution, or your own favorite birding book.

UPCOMING EVENTS Giant Yard Sale. Saturday, October 3. Were looking for your help! See the article above for more details.

Adult Bird Care Upgrades. Beginning in late August/early September, we will schedule bird care upgrade workshops for volunteers trained in April and May who so far have worked primarily with baby birds. If you would like to continue to volunteer with us through the fall and winter (and we hope you do!), you will need to attend one of the two-hour Adult Bird Care Upgrade sessions to learn about adult bird care, which is very different from baby bird care. Sign-up sheets will be posted in the Volunteer Room. Experienced volunteers who would like to refresh their adult bird care skills are welcome to attend.

Information Sessions and Adult Bird Care Workshop. All those interested in volunteering at Tri-State must attend an information session before they can register for a bird care workshop. These one-hour information sessions give prospective volunteers a good overview of our operations and expectations.

August information sessions: Thursday, August 20, 6 p.m.; Thursday, August 27, 6 p.m.

September information sessions: Thursday, September 3, 6 p.m.; Saturday, September 5, 11 a.m.

Adult Bird Care Training: Saturday, September 12, 9 a.m.1 p.m.

Benefit for the Birds. Friday, November 6. See article above and announcement below for details on the Early Bird Special. Contact Duke Doblick in the Development office at (302) 737-9543, extension 108, or via e-mail at ddoblick@tristatebird.org if you would like to help with this important annual fund-raiser.

Photo by snyders/moonbeampublishing