Whispering Willow Wild Care

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Another successful release! This young barred owl needed some tlc, but was eager to go back home, and we were happy to help! Between all our education ambassadors and Xen’s rehabilitation, we are spending more than $17,000 a year on food! Without our events last year, its been tight, and we appreciate everyone that had the ability to step up and assist us in keeping our feathered friends full and healthy.

We don’t typically take waterfowl, but always get a few during the winter, like our happily released little merganser here. Don’t let their size fool you though, they are hearty eaters! This little guy ate 50 fish a day!! And since he wanted to be picky, he would only accept live fish.

Xen released a little Red Breasted Merganser yesterday! These are diving ducks (the word Merganser comes from Latin and roughly translates to plunging goose), with long thin bills, unlike the wider, flatter bills most people link with ducks. Cool little factoid: these guys nest in tree cavities and their young take a leaping tumble out of the nest within a day or hatching! The mother will protect them, but the hatchlings catch all their own food.

Noel’s 3 yr anniversary with us was last night. Our Christmas Snowy owl found injured sitting next to the railroad tracks. The vet had to amputate small part of wing to save her life and she is a wonderful ambassador, teaching audiences ho importance owls are to our ecosystem. Noel eats about 7 mice every day. We no longer receive donations of mice so we must purchase frozen mice rats and chicks to feed our resident birds. We spend about $17,500. a year on food to keep our birds well nourished. I know this has been a tough time for everyone but any donation will help us continue our programs. 3 years ago until recently

Locals: If you are being bombarded with tree nuts and want to remove them from your property, our rehabber Xen is in need! She has lots of hungry squirrel juveniles to keep fed all winter!

Has anyone lost a peacock? He is hanging out with a flock of turkeys and homeowner is feeding him. Please pm joyce perry or call 518 339-4164

Harvest Day on Jay Join us for a kid safe Halloween activity and meet our education ambassadors Sat Oct 31 2020 at 12:15 pm Jay Street Marketplace, Schenectady, NY 12305,

Our rehabber has 2 whip-poor-wills, also known as nightjars or nighthawks, in her care. These neat birds are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dusk and dawn. Though they have tiny beaks, they have huge mouths! They use them to catch bugs on the fly ( ), much like a blue whale will open its mouth wide and swim to catch krill. They migrate all the way to Central America this time of year! Unfortunately, as with many bird species, these birds are declining in numbers due to habitat destruction and human use of pesticides, which are killing off the whip-poor-will food supply.

Borrowed from The Nature of Things, check out all the cool information on our favorite feisty owl! #thenatureofthings #greathornedowl #owl #owlfacts #wildlife #wildlifefacts #animals #wildanimals #birds #birdfacts #wildlifeeducation

Join us at the annual Harvest Fest in schaghticoke on Saturday Sept 26 from 11 to 3. Visit our awesome our owls and hawks and take home a chicken barbecue dinner. Mask and social distancing please.

Today is World Gorilla Day! There are less than 1,100 mountain gorillas living in the wild. Lowland gorillas are more populous but have declining numbers due to hunting and habitat loss.... We share 98% of our DNA with gorillas.

Its World Rhino Day! There are five rhinoceros species and all of them face danger from humans. The Javan and Sumatran species have so few members left in the wild that they are under immediate danger of extinction. And roughly 7,100 African rhinos have been killed by poachers in the last 10 years.

Please join us and our precious owls and hawks and of course our talking crow Vincent Van Crow at the Upcoming Outdoor event at the schenectady trading company at 609 Union Street on Saturday Sept 19 from 12 to 2. Please wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines!. We really need your support this year because all our money making programs and festivals have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.We are struggling to keep our doors open. Come meet our birds and check out the interesting finds at the Schenectady Trading Company

Vincent VanCrow with volunteer Doreen! It’s been a hard year for everyone, even if we’ve been fortunate enough up to this point to not let our birds know that! Unfortunately, due to our lack of public events and programs because of Covid, which generate most of our donations, we are struggling along with many others. We are very low on food funds at the moment, and would greatly appreciate any assistance from anyone able to donate. All funds are being used to feed our wonderful education ambassadors!

Please check out our etsy site. All sales benefit our wildlife sanctuary. https://www.etsy.com/shop/willowraccoon

Please check out our etsy site at https://www.etsy.com/shop/willowraccoon

i Hope you find your beautiful cat