Elvis and His Quackless Buds

I'm always delighted to see my boy Elvis when I go to The Park. His world is pretty small. He swims in the long reflection pool, which is the first thing I walk past when I enter the park. Occasionally he's on the grass just across from it, as he has to eat greens, or on the shallow fountain steps that the water rushes over to pour into the pool. He is there often on hot summer nights, so his legs can be in the cooler water, while he sleeps standing up. The rest of the time he perches on the cement ledges on the sides of the pool, to groom and preen and settle his fat fluffy self down for a rest.

I think I've known Elvis for about 2 1/2 - 3 years now. It's very comforting to see him there each visit, like when you go home for the holidays and see that things haven't changed. Over that time I've seen him hanging with different pals - or should I say they hang with him, because he remains the constant, and the other players shift. For a few months last fall I saw him alone. But recently he's been hanging with two red faced Muscovy's and a teenager whose feathers were mostly irridescent green and black. That teen is now almost fully grown and red faced himself (Elvis is rare in that his facial skin is coal black, just like his pompadour)... and I noticed, as you might below, that it seems like the teen (in the middle, the bird I start the clip with) is the most anxious for food of the four.



Aaah youth. The young green former teen was amusing me to no end as he opened his mouth and did his hoarse whisper in his excitement over food. Muscovy's are actually called quacklesss ducks, as indeed, the only sound they make is the hissing noise you could hear if I weren't babbling incessantly over it while filming. Maybe if you play it back once more you can pick it up.

OK, listening back to this I hope I don't sound like the crazy duck lady or something. I'm a former big city celebrity stylist. I do not wear a bubushka and push around an abandoned grocery cart, with only birds for friends. Just sayin'

What saddened me a little was to see that Elvis seems to have been reduced to the bottom of the pecking order. While the young guy in the middle was most aggressive, the other two red faced ducks were on each side of him, getting their share... while Elvis drifted in the background. He knows I will throw some to him, in fact, I try not to obviously favor him (even though I do). I've seen this hovering behavior from ducks before... one who is interested in food but is not part of the gang I'm feeding. But there you often see the order play out as one or two in the gang will chase the hoverer away once I throw a morsel in his direction, even if there is plenty for all. And it seemed that when I threw to Elvis the young buck wasn't happy about it, and Elvis discreetly swam away a little. It made me wonder if Elvis was getting old, and losing his mojo.

I don't know how long ducks actually live. Wikipedia (which we treat as accurate but technically may not be) says 10-20 years but THIS ARTICLE says 7-8. I have also read 3-4. Certainly in this park, there is more protection than out in the wild, so he should make the higher end of estimates. The great circle of life is evident here, just like it is for us... Muscovy's are a hearty bird and have few health issues so I think he'll be around for a long time. Especially if I have anything to do with it.

More Spring Babies

I introduced an animal that I'd never seen (or heard of) before moving to Houston --though that could actually be said for a few animals. That was the Nutria. If you want to learn more about Nutrias, you can CLICK HERE for an introduction or go to the Tags at the right and click on Nutrias.

Well, for a few weeks we got a baby nutria in and he was the delight of so many volunteers. He was so responsive to humans -- definitely imprinted, which is not so great if you want to release him back into the wild. But he was just so cute, everyone wanted to pick him up. Most were reminded that it would be in his best interests and did their best to not engage too much with him, but that dear man Bill who I mentioned HERE could not resist. And we ALL love Bill so much that when it came time to feed the little nutria, we left it to him. Here's a pic of the baby on Uncle Bill's knee, having some milk via syringe.

Last time I was in, the baby was gone. There's a woman who has land with a creek running through it where there are other nutrias, and she has no problem with them nibbling on the reeds and cattails. So he could live a wild life with others of his kind, yet not risk anything because he might be unafraid of her or other human visitors. He's safe with her and is just beginning what sounds like a very happy life.

Ode to New Life

Sweet little bunny securely in my hand. Helpless but trusting, as he must be. Tiny tiny baby, full of the promise of life.

Look at the cute white marking on his head! Precious little one.

And I call this Hang Ten Bunny. Every toenail, his nostrils, whiskers, tail and ears... each soft hair, every tiny bit of this little creature illustrates utter perfection, brought to you by Mother Nature in all her mystery, majesty and power.

(Don't forget that you can click on each picture and they will open up in a larger window)

A Moment with Mr and Mrs Goose

Springtime has hit the park. I was taking a sunset walk and it was quiet. In the distance I heard the high pitched wail of a Chinese goose. My ears perked up and my feet followed the call.

Since I'd seen the newer pair a ways back, (click HERE to read about them) I figured it had to be Mr or Mrs Goose. Sure enough, as I rounded the path near the middle island where they retire at night, there he was standing guard as his Mrs. Foraged for tender green shoots among a little field of purple wildflowers. He's such a gorgeous bird, and a great mate. I just love him. You can see her bending over to the right of the screen here and there. Toward the end, I pan out so you can see the setting -- their little island in the center of the small lake -- better.




It really is a romantic spot, with the moss hanging down from tree limbs, the flowers scattered about, the water gently rippling all around. A calming sight. What a blissful stroll I had. And hopefully, this brought a little of that to you...

Today I checked on the baby owl. He's grown into his big eyes at least, but still seems fairly helpless. A little less wobbly, and very fuzzy. I took a few seconds of video and a picture...


The pic below (without the cage door between us) is a little blurry because I snapped it quickly. I had several rows of opossum babies who I wanted to give fresh milk and water to. But I could not resist the chance to document his growth. I learn so much every day that I do this work.

Right across from him were twin great horned owls, who are what the baby will grow into. As you can see from their equal fuzziness, they are still not adults, but they are strong, able to stand on their own. Aren't they just a fabulous sight? Click on the pic to enlarge.

(PS: CLICK HERE and HERE to see past pictures of the baby over the last few weeks)

Tan and A Looker

Who says you there's not something for everyone on this blog?

Oh, no one said that?

Well, insects really aren't my thing, but I've learned that, just like how in the dating world there's someone for everyone out there, there is a person for every species. If Tarantulas or snakes or alligators make your skin crawl, there are all kinds of folks who prefer them to the furry sweet faced kittens and puppies you adore. And I imagine that goes for insects as well...

I can't speak for the textbook definition of the hierarchical scale, but I kind of think of insects as being at the far edge --- I won't say the bottom, as who am I to judge. They are, after all, living things. They may be smaller than the smallest animals, but they certainly are way above plants, as living things go.

I dearly hope you're getting that this is all quite tongue in cheek. Any one of my zoo friends who actually went to school for all of this would be moaning at my botched attempt at humor and could probably set me straight in an instant.

I got an appreciation for grasshoppers when I was sitting in our rental car in the hills near Boulder, CO and noticed this fella sitting on the wiper, checking me out.


Being a former stylist, I admired his monochromatic theme. When I zoomed in with my HD camera, I saw that even his eyes matched the rest of him.

He looks like he's prehistoric, and like he's wearing a coat of armor. And he's damn big as grasshoppers go (at least where I grew up with them, which was in a suburb near Chicago). I thought for all those reasons, he was pretty cool.

I do wonder if he is something else, as he doesn't quite exhibit the big back legs that allow for the "hop" part.... They look more like wings, but maybe his back legs are hidden? I did some research but could not come up with anything definitive. CLICK HERE to see a bit of what I found.

But maybe if you're one of those people who loves insects, dear readers, you can set me straight on this one... Does anyone know what this elegant guy is?

Bill and Ted's Nutritional Adventure

There is a lovely man named Bill who comes in several days a week to take care of the outdoor animals. There are wooden pens just outside the building that is home to a rotating list of birds, ducks, pelicans and geese. If we have any in, we let turtles sit out in the sun on the landing in water with rocks and plants, but bring them in at night. Further out there's a long row of wire pens for barnyard animals. We have baby pigs out there now, and several goats. Bill cares for them all with lots of love.

Here is Uncle Bill feeding Teddy, our baby goat, who has become a fave of the readers of this blog!




If you listen carefully, you can hear the cock a doodle do's in the background, from the rescued roosters (and chickens and chicks) that are still living next door.

More Hitchock

There's a time of year when the trees are laden with black birds, chatting up a storm. Here is a movie I took of a few trees full at night around the theater district in downtown Houston. This was taken about a month ago and I never got a chance to post it.



I don't know if these are grackles coming back from somewhere from mating time, or if it's a similar looking group of birds migrating through on their way to some other destination.

I have come to love the long tailed grackles that are so common here, which I had never seen in other cities I've lived before.
This time of year they build their nests and have babies, and they sing in a way I don't hear in the fall. It's created a Pavlovian response in me... I hear it and am filled with all kinds of pleasant memories and feelings, as they were the first animal that really caught my attention upon moving here. Previously, living in NYC, I had very little contact with nature, and if I did, it was in the form of grass and water and sunsets on the island's outer edges or from dogs passing on the city streets. The very first baby birds in their nests I've ever seen were when the grackles built them in the trees just below my apartment deck in the high rise I lived in 2 years ago. Their song woke me up at 5 AM every morning in the spring. I'd go bleary eyed into the misty gloaming before sunrise and peer down, often with binoculars, to watch the babies and their progress.... that led to the park, which led to the zoo, which led to the wildlife rehab and look at how much animal interaction I have in my life now!

And it all started with a black bird in a tree....

To read more about black birds click HERE and grackles click HERE and HERE.

Sound Asleep

OK, I am completely slain by baby squirrels.

I know some people think they are tree rats and nuisances, building nests occasionally in someone's attic or eating all the food in the feeders folks put out to attract birds. But how can your heart not just swell to bursting with love when you hold sweet little sleeping babies in your hand like this? And he is sleeping because I just fed him warm milk... don't we adore our human babies in the exact same kind of moment?



I love how they sleep, with their skinny baby tails curled up over their face like we might pull up our quilts on a chilly night. And you can see him contentedly moving his mouth, as if he's savoring little dreams of his recent meal. He's so young his ears are still bent down to his little head. His fuzzy forearms! Those too-big hands and feet! His tiny shoulder blades as he hunts for his sisters to sleep! His wobbly attempts to navigate the blanket .... (I know, somebody stop me!). Even if you're not a squirrel lover, you've gotta admit, these babies are cute.

Here's an even smaller one -- just crossing over from being what we call a pinky (no hair at all, just born). You can see me put the milk nipple into the frame for a second to get an idea of how small, if not by seeing him compared to my thumb. I have a focus problem near the end, but his little black nose and whiskers become clear so hang in there.


A face like that just makes me smile, every time!

Are you with me yet?

Bedside Manners

We have a few tanks of squirrels in, nothing like what we were dealing with after Hurricane Ike. I guess that's a good thing. It's baby time in the squirrel world, so if we don't have many in, that means plenty of babies hopefully are with their mothers, growing healthy and strong in the wild, as it should be. We come in handy when something happens in that natural order.

I notice that they let me take care of the squirrel area, which delights me to no end, as miraculously I'm not allergic to them.

I'm finding differences in how some squirrels behave when it's not a crisis situation. Post-hurricane, so many of the squirrels were docile and limp -- probably because many were coming out of shock from that long, cold storm. Shaken out of cozy nests by 110 mph winds, being chilled and pelted by a dozen hours of rain and losing their mothers had them coming to us in droves sick and scared. There were also so many volunteers at any given time, and 20 babies in a tank, I guess those squirrels became a little more used to the commotion and being handled.

We effort to not imprint ourselves on the animals. You want to play with them, hug and hold them but that only hurts them when they go back into the wild. While they can adapt, the fact that they don't fear people might cause them to approach folks, or even innocently climb up their leg or arm -- and that can result in them getting hurt or killed (or shot, depending on how far out you live).

I have two tanks of siblings who seem pretty scared when it's mealtime. I try to move slowly and quietly, pick them up and put them back gently, but I notice they stay frozen and won't open their mouths to feed. The others smell the milk and grab onto the syringe and gobble the nipple with gusto.

So I learned that if I let the scared few sit on my chest, put a piece of fuzzy blanket over their head, and let them sit there for a minute under the covers, they relax. I can then slip the syringe of milk under the edge of the blanket and they are interested. As soon as they start drinking they get what's going on, and from there I can refill it and feed them normally, without any need for cover or cajoling, til they're full.

Here is one of those guys who has just finished eating and has gone back to being a little spooked. That's good, because he remains "wild".



You can see that he's a little nervous again because he's sitting so still... and it's not because he's pleasantly sleepy from a full belly. When I open my hand so you can see him, he starts just a little. But he seems to be more at ease once I swing the camera around.

I quickly put him back in his bed and watched him happily eat a few apple slices for dessert. He is getting old enough to be eating some softer fruits and nuts on his own.

Fuzzy Silly

If you CLICK HERE you can see a few pictures of the baby great horned owlet that we have been raising. That time he was being coy, and had his back to the camera. This time I saw him in his tank with his stunning eyes facing front, and he was doing goofy baby owl things. I grabbed my camera and took a quick little video.




Isn't he funny? The sparse little fluff covering him is called down. It will be weeks (45 days in all) before he begins to grow real feathers. He's so wobbly -- unlike baby ducks and chicks, owlets can't get up and walk... they must wait for their mother to bring them food for the first 5 weeks. Those babies have to be pretty darn patient to wile the hours away unable to do much but sit and wait for meals. By 10 weeks they make their first hesitant forays out of the nest.

We feed him several rat pups (not live) a day, to duplicate how his mom might return to the nest with something she'd caught. At least this little one has no competition for meals with any brothers or sisters. I bet he's going to grow up to be so handsome and graceful... though you'd never know it with the way he looks and acts now

Growin' Horns!

For those of you who fell in love with the baby goat I came back in a week and he'd already begun to grow horns!

It's in goats nature to climb, which might account for the charming and hysterical little leaps he was taking when he first arrived. CLICK HERE to see that -- you should not miss it if you haven't.

So now, less than 2 weeks later, he is able to get up on some things, and he was amusing himself and all of us by using a swivel chair. OH endless funnies... but we tear ourselves away to go back to cleaning and feeding. PS: I promise you, in real life I don't talk with the high squeaky voice you hear on these videos!

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Cute Little Soft Little Warm Little Guys

OK, I admit it. I have lived my entire life without ever seeing an opossum... My only reference was to Granny's constant mention of opossum recipes on the Beverly Hillbillies...which should give you a guess at how long I've been on the planet with nary an encounter. Tsktsk, such a city girl.

Until I started to volunteer at the Wildlife Rehab... and then I started to clean out their stinky cages. They are STINKY! But that is the only bad thing I can say about them. I find them quite amenable. They look like a big rat but they are actually marsupials; like koalas and kangaroos they have a pouch in which to carry their young.

I know they have more teeth than any other animal, but they are really quite harmless. They open their mouth to show them when a threat (in this case, US) approaches them. I totally understand that... I am always mindful that when we humans peer at or reach in for any of these creatures, it has to be akin to alien abduction for them. I'd personally be quite terrified, even if the giant hand and face was trying it's best to feed, comfort, medicate and heal me.. and make sure I have fresh sheets and that the temperature is just right, etc...

We use a baton to technically hold them back when changing the paper in their cages and putting in food, but I have never known one to snap or be aggressive. How many people call, having found one eating cat food in their garage, asking if they should shoot it! Um, no. Just take the food away, wait til they leave and shut your garage door more often. In fact, these harmless little guys eat most of the things people think are pests -- snakes, rats, even cockroaches. And they are less likely to carry rabies than you think. Only trained people should try to handle them however.

This really nice mama opossum let the vet tech pick her up so we could check on the babies, and I asked if I could quick snap a picture. The mother is only smiling that way because she's being grasped by the extra skin behind the neck (same place that cats pick up their young). It makes them look scary.

I found this fascinating: They have from 5 to 25 babies but only 13-15 teats (hopefully all working). Whomever gets there fastest wins a shot at life... survival of the fittest at work. They have to crawl about 2 inches from the birth canal to the pocket or marsupium (you can see this better below) and latch on to a teat for milk. There they stay for anywhere between 70-125 days. (See their little tails sticking out?). I expected to see a horizontal pouch slit, like kangaroos have, but the opossums is vertical. Isn't that amazing?
Once they are bigger, they stay by their mom for a while before going on their way. I got some training on how to feed the orphaned babies, which we are getting in at this time of year by the handful. I'll write about that once I actually do it. In the mean time I picked up this fella to get comfortable handling him and was amazed at how soft, warm and cute he was. (Cracks me up that he starts out holding on to his foot -watch for it below)

So remember to be kind to and not afraid of opossums. And please do look out for them when you're driving at night!

Destined to be a Great Horned Own

We got a baby great horned owl in to the Wildlife Rehab abotut a week ago. Here he is looking silly sitting around in his little enclosure.

He looks half plucked and fuzzy, unkept, bent beaked and like he might not have use of his legs. Click on the photo below to see it enlarged -- This fella's a little Benjamin Buttonesque, wouldn't you say? But he is perfectly fine.. he just doesn't have a mommy. Except us of course! We clean up after him, give him a soft place to sleep, feed him all he needs so he can grow into his beautiful eyes. Those big, golden, mezmerising eyes are the only sign of what's to come.

Because you see, when he grows up, he will be among the most handsome and mysterious birds on earth in my opinion. Here's an idea of what he'll look like:

I took a little movie of him today, doing cute things in his cage which I will upload and post in the next few days, so please come back-- this little guy is quite amusing to see in motion.

Baby chicks

I mentioned a ways back that there were a large group of chickens sitting in the large warehouse next to the rehab center, cock a doodle do-ing all day long. They really make quite a racket.

Well, we took in about 6 tanks worth of baby chicks, 8-10 a tank, and kept them warm, clean and fed. They grow so fast! I came in one Thurdsay to little yellow puff bals and the next thursday to these guys below, double in size from before, and already growing out heavier, mutli- colored feathers. To look down on the tanks from above you can appreciate how beautiful they looked much more. I wish I had taken a photo from that angle, but I was too busy scooping them out into a new tank so I could clean the one they were in.

Instead, I took this quick little snippet of them eagerly drinking some fresh water I'd put in while they were waiting for me to finish up and get to feeding them their breakfast. They are as cute, swallowing with their little beaks in motion, as the baby ducks where that I filmed HERE.

All those roosters crowing made me think twice about having chickens when I buy a home/have some land. I thought it would be a great way to have live animals, while having a source of fresh food (just the eggs!!!). I was thinking that would be even easier than trying to grow things in a garden. But do I really want to be woken up at 4 AM by a rooster crowing? And apparently they don't just do it in the morning if these guys we have are any indication. One of them goes off literally every minute.

This Is How We Learn

If Laura M is coming here to visit, please scroll down and don't miss the bunny video in the two posts below this one.

We have a variety of raptors and owls who come to the Rehab Center with concussions, broken wings etc. If it was awhile before someone found them they may be dehydrated too. Injuries often happens as a result of man, though not always. It's man who brings them in and man -- woman in our case -- who tries to save them, so I supposed there is some balance in the world.

See this nice, but REALLY BIG bird -- with the sharp beak? And the intense claws?

Well I had to administer a tube feeding of one just like it the other day.



Oh yea, that's right -- I was just finishing up with the squirrels and one of the women who run the place came over to me with a big syringe (about 6" high and 1/2" circumference) filled with a formula of Pedialyte + nutrition. Instead of a needle it had a long, very skinny tube on the end of it. She handed it to me and within seconds was back holding a bird much like the one above. There is a special way to grip these birds so you can care for their injuries. With ultra-thick gloves on you must grasp them between the ankles with your thumb and two fingers to protect you from the talons and hold them still (If they are very distressed, it helps to cover their eyes while doing an inspection).

She sat down while I stood and told me: You are going to see a hole in the middle of his throat and pockets on either side. You are to stick this tube down either pocket and inject the fluid slowly. Be sure to not go to fast.

If I either put the tube down the hold or any liquid came backing up too fast and went in there I'd kill him... no pressure! Apparently that is like his windpipe. I was both terrified and eager to become capable. I was thinking how squeamish we all feel at the thought of them putting a tube down our throat in the hospital, let alone being the one to DO it. But, focusing on my desire to help, I overrode my fear.

She opened his beak with her other hand and extended his neck at the same time. Sure enough, things were as described, but it was awfully dark down his throat. I marshalled every bit of my over-40 eyesight and gently aimed for the left pocket and smoothly as possible threaded the tube in. At this point she told me when I hit some resistance I'd know it was his stomach and to stop there. The concept gave me a shiver but I did just fine. Then she told me to push the plunger, but to make sure that none of the liquid would back up... which I did and it didn't. Got through the whole giant syringe, and I pulled the tube out, and the bird went back into the comfort of his dark cage with a little mouse for dessert.

It was one of those things that's terrifying but with a life in hand, you reach new heights of ability and concentration. In truth, once this is done a few times, it probably is a no-brainer. But having no prior warning or experience, it was a big deal for me. She had no one else on hand who could do it, and the bird needed lifesaving fluids. This is why I love the Center so much. I watch, I ask questions, I study, I am careful, and because these lives depend on you, you learn to do things quickly and correctly.

Who needs to climb mountains or sky dive for a thrill? I'm kept on my toes by the feathered and furry every day.

Early Easter Part Two

As promised, here is the next part of feeding the baby bunnies this week at the Wildlife Rehab Center (If you're wondering what I'm talking about just scroll down past this to see the previous post -- caution: video to make you swoon is included).

The women who run the center, who are experts, taught me how to do this. You hold the baby's head gently between thumb and forefinger and go in with the milk at the side of the mouth at first, because even at this stage the bunnies have front teeth! They squiggle more than any squirrel, rambunctious as they are. I was amazed at how strong their arms and legs were as they pushed against the inside of my hand. The babies are just so small!

Did I mention how humbling it is to have this little life squirming around in your hand? This was my last feeding of the day with the last of the three bunnies so I asked another volunteer to take a little footage... For that reason, held him a bit loosely, allowed his head to move. It takes a minute for him to get it right and then my coworker zoomed so you can see a little better.



(if you listen closely you can hear both me saying it's a bad hair day and the constant cock a doodle do's of a large bunch of chickens who are being held in an ajacent building. They were confiscated by the SPCA -- maybe it will be on a future Animal Planet show)

Even at this age they chew with that cute wrinkly nose action instead of suckling. It's a trick to get it into their mouths. I tried to start out with a drop of milk on his lips (do bunnies have lips?), hoping he would just open up, but apparently that's not how bunnies work. Baby squirrels smell the milk on your hands from the second you pick them up and even with their eyes still closed they start hunting for the source.

I know that was short but again, they are the priority. I just wanted to have a little of this on film to let people know of the wonderful work that is being done out there, by the people who set up places like this and work tirelessly for the well being of animals. I just get the privilege to make a tiny contribution. The joy I get in return is immeasurable.

Easter Arrived Early

As promised, here are some videos of what I did yesterday. There were some newborn bunnies, to add to the larger babies we have been caring for. I have never seen baby bunnies, and certainly none this small. Their eyes open in about 8 days, so we figure these might be anywhere from 3-6 days old.

How to describe. SOFT. Little folded back ears. REALLY squiggly and strong. Not so easy to feed. Here's how I first saw the squiggling little bunch of three. They are all curled together inside a small kleenex box. They have a little flannel in there and look how much room there still is with THREE bunnies.



I took one out to feed, which is a trick because my hand was larger than the hole on the kleenex box they were kept in. And it is a humbling sense of responsibility to handle something so tiny that is a living being. I put him on my lap for a moment while the milk was warming up.




Ooooh I just keep pressing play to watch these again and again. They're just too short but I don't want to take away from the job I have to do. I will post the video of me feeding this little one tomorrow. For better or worse, I've largely been a city girl so I have never seen bunnies like this. Have any of you seen bunnies this small in your yard?

What a Treat.

Oh, yes it was. The day after I posted that there was a new baby giraffe born at the zoo (click here to read) I got to go in and say hello up close. Really, how lucky can a Naturegirrrl get?

At the start of the little vid below you can see him standing in his little pen, part from the adults, who you can clearly see a are quite a bit larger than he is. His dad is 17 feet tall, and the baby is only 5'9 (STILL, that's a few inches taller than me!).  The giraffes you see behind him are not the tallest ones in the group.

Keep in mind, that I was able to get this close by virtue of what I do with the zoo.  They are very careful to protect these animals as well as the people that visit them. 

I had an amazing day today at the Wildlife Rehab Center feeding the tiniest baby .... well, I don't want to spoil it. Please stop back tomorrow and see.

If you could visit up close with a baby animal, which would it be?

Update

Now that my schedule has a lull, I am very much looking forward to getting in some regular hours at the Wildlife Rehab Center and at the Zoo.

I don't work at these places, I'm a volunteer, and the hours are left up to me. When I go, I could stay all day. Time flies. I'm completely present and fully absorbed in whatever I'm doing. There is always something new going on, something to learn, something I haven't seen, or if something is becoming familiar, I'm pleased -- as means I'm gaining real knowledge and useful skills.

At the Wildlife Center they'd told us to rest up over the holidays because once spring comes, they take in up to 1000 critters each month and need us to come in as much as we can. Many are babies.... spring is the time for all things to be born, and so it is in the animal world. We'll get lots of baby birds in, which I've never worked with before. Various species of birds have their young at different times, so you can almost tell what month it is by what comes in when ie: raptors or finches or songbirds. Some species have only one brood, and a few have several over the spring and summer. I look forward to seeing the procession to learn more about birds in general, and their mating habits, and how their babies need to be fed, and grow. I learned that about squirrels after Hurricane Ike had us trying to feed 1200 darling, squiggling, sleepy, vulnerable little ones. CLICK HERE to read about that.

There will be baby squirrels but of course a more manageble amount. We have about 10 we've been nursing the last few weeks. They are my favorite (along with baby ducklings and geese). I'm told we'll get as many opossums as birds (I'll post on opossums a little later).

WRC occasionally gets a baby deer or GOAT or sheep, or chickens too. There were at least 5 tanks with a dozen chicks in each when I went in on Saturday, with god knows how many roosters crowing from the large warehouse attached to our building. Since the wildlife center is part of the SPCA (yes, the one you see on Animal Planet) I guess this was a confiscation, and we always get the babies, who need the most care.

The Wildlife Center is really a hospital/nursery, and we take care to keep everything clean and organized. Various vets also volunteer their time to come by and give us their much valued talents, in addition to the ones at the SPCA. In April, I'm looking forward to an all day training on how to clean birds up after an oil spill. Apparently there is a season for that too, and the women who run the Wildlife Rehab Center go wherever they are needed -- mainly along the Gulf coast -- to set up and work tireless days and nights rescuing birds from tragic and hard deaths. They can be there for weeks, stumbling back to meager accommodations to get some sleep. I am always amazed and inspired by the patience of these three women, their focus on the well being of the whatever animal that is put in their care, no matter what the conditions are for themselves. They set a great example.

I'm going this morning, as I have been every Thursday morning recently, but will begin to fill in for afternoon feedings during the week as needed. I will bring my camera and return to my desk, with lots of stories to tell!

For now, a familiar scene: Can't wait to get there to these little ones. I just love their furry forearms!

I'm Sweet on This One

I haven't seen him so far this spring but my favorite duck in The Park, besides Elvis of course, is this one:

He's a stand out from all the others in my mind, a truly special guy. His little chest is narrow, his beak is orange (not the usual yellow or brown or black), and his slim, rubbery feet match. His feathers are a nice caramel and white color, so he's quite well dressed overall.

When he sees that I have food he runs faster than any of the other ducks; his little webbed feet carry him impossibly fast to my side. He even swims faster than the rest, as you can see below.

His head darts in all directions, as if he's had one too many coffees. I think he'd just a very excited little duck!

I was standing above him on a bridge dropping bread with one hand, taking movies with the other. He comes swimming up at lightening speed and you can even see how his funny feet paddle madly to keep him in place. It's so comical! He amuses me to no end!

(that high pitched honking in the background signals the approach of Mr and Mrs Goose - click on this or on Elvis to read about them. The three that swim up are Black Bellied whistling ducks, but I call them Squeaky Beaks, for the high twittering little noise that they make)

It was no surprise then that when I got home to research what he was, I learned that he's called a RUNNING Duck! No lie. He is the only one in all the waterfowl that are at the park, and at the several other little lakes where ducks and geese collect themselves, I have never seen another.

He's truly one of a kind.

Spring Babies

Sometimes it's hard to get comfortable... and you just need to find the right spot.

Lunchtime in the Park

I'm just amazed at how close these squirrels let me get to them. Perhaps it's a small price for a tender, succulent cashew nut. Does that make me guilty of bribes?

Baby Luv!

Twenty five days ago, a new baby giraffe was born at the zoo. Hmmph! Apparently, My BOYFRIEND has been busy reproducing! Actually it was suspected that one of the females was pregnant for months but until the keepers could get a good ultrasound no one could be sure.

The full gestation period is about 14-15 months. Ladies, can you imagine? I visited the mother around Thanksgiving time and looked at her tummy up close. Though the baby she was carrying had indeed been conceived close to a year before, she just didn't look like it. I tried to picture a that long baby neck and 4 even longer, delicate legs and how they could possibly be folded up inside of her. It just didn't look much different than the soon-to-be-auntie's figure who stood beside her back then. So I was amazed as well as delighted to see this little one enjoying the sun for the first time yesterday morning.

I offer you this rather fuzzy picture, as I was just a little too far... but I saw this perfect profile shot and snapped it.

This is the baby with his keeper, so you can get an idea of just how tall he is... I'd say she is at least 5'7". (I just looked it up and he's 5' 9 1/2 and 110 lbs -- the stats of a supermodel to be sure!)






At the same time, he is just so small compared to the one year old baby from last year, let alone the grown ups! He doesn't even match the full length of the legs of the giraffe's surrounding him.



Here's a little better view of the size difference between the new baby and an adult female on the right.

How adorable is that???


WELCOME TO THE WORLD!!!!!

Getting Busier

Tomorrow I start and intense 4 day class taught by the woman who trained me to be a docent over the last 8 months at the zoo.  This class will actually get me a certification in interpretation and few, authoritative initials after my name, if I were to make up a card.  Interpretation can be applied to any kind of thing, so while it's taking place at the zoo, it does not have to mean I will go on to interpret wildlife or animals (which is what I tend to do a bit of on this blog)... but certainly it could be.

We go from 8AM -5PM and by Wednesday I have to have a 10 minute presentation prepared on any topic. Thursday we do a big exam, which we have to have pretty high marks on to pass and get the certification.  It just adds something more official to what I have been doing and learning to do better due to their excellent educators and opportunities I've enjoyed this year at both the zoo and Wildlife Center.

It seems I've been doing some kind of study non-stop in the last two years, and I'm so ready for a little break, but I am going to get a little breathing room come March 1 -- just 6 days from now.  I do love walking into our beautiful zoo early in the morning, before the people are there, when the sunlight is slanting through the treetops and the air is fresh and still a little crisp. The birds are all singing and the animals are perky and sharp, looking forward to seeing their humans and getting some breakfast. It reminds me of Disney's tag line -- I feel like it's the happiest place on earth.

Yodelhe Yodlehe Yodle-le he Hooooooo

Here we have the little goat from the zoo that I mentioned in this last post. He was born last spring (I've had these photos sitting around!).  By now his little horns must have come in and he's grown big and strong. They named him Domino, a fitting choice, indeed.

He was taken home each evening by the keepers and bottle fed all through the night. They said they were tired, as all new mom's are -- but it's clear that they wouldn't trade the work in for the world! Domino just charmed the heart of everyone he met... mine included.

Isn't he just adorable? I totally envied this keeper who could pick him up like this and take him to her house to sleep! He'd come back in to work with her at the zoo all day, so she could be near to feed him as often as his own mother would.  While he got to follow her on some of her rounds, he got more and more time in the hoofstock pen to become acclimated to his real home -- the large yard where the other goats and sheep live.  There he'd make friends and learn how to do goat things.

At the time I was fairly new to the zoo and aching to be able to hold him and feed him a bottle. But that is the job of the staff caregivers. Little did I know that I would get the chance at the Wildlife Center almost a year later.  A good lesson in life.  When you really want something, wait a little.  It often is just around the corner, and will happen in it's own time and it's own way.  

If A Pelican, We All Can

OK, I don't have anything witty to go with that title, but there it is... It's just an excuse to show you the comical little vid of three pelicans we're getting nice and strong at the Wildlife Rehab and Education Center.

There's a lovely, gentle man who comes in on morning I volunteer there (which soon will become morningS because it's mating time... and soon there will be many baby birds, squirrels, opossum, owls etc that have fallen from their nest or lost their mother).

I'll call him Bob. While all of us pitch in on whatever needs to be done, Bob loves to do the outdoor stalls, which these days hold mostly waterfowl. The 19 baby ducklings are all growing wildly, and run around when he comes to feed them and refresh their water. The other pens hold larger ducks in groups, a lone egret, a new pelican and at the very end are these fellas below.

He has befriended the big one with the yellow head, and they have a ritual where he waits for Bob to toss him a snack. The others hide behind the big one, though the middle one has personality and occasionally tries to show he can snap the air with his big bill. Take a peek:




What's particularly endearing to me is that to look at you straight on, they have to bow their bills straight down and it gives them a whole different appearance -- rather streamlined.

The last pelican we had in there had a goofy walk, which, though I caught only a snippet of it (CLICK HERE to see) and posted it cracks me up every time.

I WANT ONE!!!!

Thursday at the Wildlife Center, a woman in a business suit and heels brought in a baby goat, who we figure was no more than 2 days old. She told of how it sat on her lap as she drove all the way in, snoozing peacefully.

She cooed as she handed him over to the two women who run the Center. The goat had lipstick on his nose, and everyone laughed, not sure if it was from the lady who brought him to us or those who had received him. I figured it was a normal drop off, as we get them all through the day from folks who find hurt or abandoned wildlife. But I heard that she had already adopted the little guy and we were to care for him during the day. Clearly not the norm, I couldn't quite figure that part out.

She'd also brought him in an animal crate, like someone might use to carry their small dog on a plane, and had a bottle and formula all ready for us to feed him. I later learned that she is the head of the SPCA and had found the baby goat in the middle of the road when she was driving home the night before! The guess is that he was being transported with other livestock (including his mother) and had somehow fallen off the truck or through the slats (apparently such transportation has wooden slats -- oh this city girl has much to learn about country life).

She named him Teddy. Forget the term lucky duck... What a LUCKY GOAT to be found by her of all people! So, we will babysit until he's big enough to live at her farm. He needs lots of love, attention, room to play and multiple feedings -- and he's gotten it.

I took four little movies of this darling boy, and could barely decide which to show. This first one is of him playing as I kneeled to take a video. You can hear the tiniest little bleat at one point in the middle.



What surprised me was how acclimated to people Teddy is. In the movie below you might be able to make out that his umbilical cord is attached. He prances around and follows you like a puppy. This was also true of a baby goat born at the zoo who was rejected by the mother, that 2 young caregivers were raising. From day one, baby goats come when you call, scurry after you when you walk to another room, love to sit in your arms or in your lap and let you pet them. They even wag their tail in response when you talk to them. And they seem very happy indoors as if it were totally natural. WHO KNEW???


(WARNING: Goat leaps WILL cause your vocal chords squeeze out impossibly high notes)
I KNOW you want one too!


CLICK HERE and HERE for Teddy updates

Only In Memphis

If you've ever been to Memphis, then you must have heard of the Peabody Hotel. It's an old beauty, kept polished and lush and is the place in town to stay.

If you're not staying there, then you can always eat at it's restaurants, browse it's shops and have a drink in it's famous lobby.

Over the many years I was involved with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, I had the pleasure of staying there. Twice a day there's an amazing crowd, pressing forward, camera's poised, that gathers to see a one-of-a-kind sight: The March of the Peabody Ducks.

In the lobby there is a small but beautiful stone fountain in the center of the room. At 11:00 AM people enmass line a carpet rolled out from the elevator to the fountain and marching music begins to play (loudly!). The elevator opens up and a man -- The Duckmaster -- steps out, dressed in a red uniform jacket with pressed black pants and shiny black shoes. Everyone's eyes have to drop to see who he is escorting... a group of ducks! Calm and confident, they waddle out one by one and follow each other to the fountain. They hop up a little step or two and jump into the water. There they stay all day, enjoying cracked corn, naps and play until 5:00 PM when the whole shebang is done in reverse.



Their website tells the story behind this best:
"Back in 1933 Frank Schutt, General Manager of The Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Jack Daniel's Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and thought it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain.

Three small English call ducks were selected as "guinea pigs," and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic. Soon, five North American Mallard ducks would replace the original ducks.

In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity for 50 years until his retirement in 1991. Today, The Peabody Ducks are led by Duckmaster Jason Sensat.

The original ducks have long since gone, but after 75 years, the marble fountain in the hotel lobby is still graced with ducks. "

There are even a few delightful books written on the subject. So the next time you're in the mood to visit Graceland, Beale Street, the home of the old Sun Records, BB King and some damn good Barbecue, stop by the Peabody and see for yourself. Or maybe you already have. Please tell us if you did!

Would YOU like to be a Duckmaster? I know I would.

A Wood Duck Pair

Isn't he stunning? Like tropical fish, these are the most painted of common ducks. When I was a little girl my dad had all kinds of wooden decoys on the shelves and his desk in his den. I'd seen one like this in his collection but didn't realize then that it wasn't all from the imagination of the artist.


As it often is in the animal kingdom, the female isn't as colorful. I don't know if this still picture quite captures it, but she does appear soft and feminine and pretty in person.


These two showed up at the park about a year and a half ago. Before then I had never seen one up close. At first I only saw the male but within a few months I saw her with him. I don't know if they came from somewhere to nest and she was busy with that during that time or if they met through E-Harmony and she moved to be with him...

I've read that they're the only ducks that nest in trees, near or over water. The mother hatches anywhere between 6 and 15 or more eggs, then gets on the ground and calls her babies to jump. The little ones can drop up to 290 feet and apparently be OK! Amazing isn't it? They then make their way to water.

Last spring I saw her in a sheltered little side pool where many smart mothers have their babies (it's off the beaten path -- free of people and predators -- and it's a small, quiet, shallow cove). Sticking close to her side were three gray fuzzy ducklings. I was delighted to see that they had indeed mated with success, but after a week or two I never saw the little ones again. Wood Ducks usually produce two broods a year so maybe they'll have better luck this coming spring.

A Little Snack (literally)

I got to feed this fine feathered fella his noon-time treat... a few little meeces.

I don't mean to freak anyone out, but this is what happens in the wild, part of the old food chain. Hopefully instead the focus will be curiosity in seeing an animal like this up close doing what it naturally does, something we would probably not often have a chance to see. He's not in a cage, but quite happy to sit on this perch and watch everything going on. He's a very good bird.

He came in to the wildlife rehab center hurt and was lovingly nursed back to health. Though his wing was damaged so he could not be released into the wild, he's alive and well cared for. While he doesn't spend his days in the forest, he also doesn't have to worry about predators or injury, extreme heat or cold and he never goes hungry... His meals come to him, fresh, without risk of disease. Not so bad, when I think about it...

Squeaky Beaks: West Side Story

Below is a family of what I call Squeaky Beaks (You'll know why once you hear their little sounds they make). I learned they're actually black bellied whistling ducks. I was close enough, right?

Unlike lots of waterfowl I've observed, where the mother is on her own with a brood up to 21 ducklings, these ducks seem to only have one or two... but TWO adults guard themm and fiercely. There is always an adult (orange beak) on either side of the baby (grey beak) which you'll see in the movie below. They let the baby eat while they watch the perimeters, like secret service parents. One adult may eat with the baby, but the other one always keeps watch for a threat. As a result, their population has grown to outnumber the previously dominant Muscovys at the park. And they travel in groups of 7 and 12, so the familial bond remains long after they're all grown.

Here I am throwing bread to a typical family, adolescent in the middle. A hungry party approaches, and you'll be as astonished as I was to see what happens.




Sing along with me: We're gonna have a rumble tonight!

It seems like the parents decided to try to let their offspring try it's hand at self protection for the first minute, but obviously it went too far for the adults comfort and they began to fight (I've never seen 2 birds fight, in the water on top of it). Then back up arrives, then more and more.

Amazing that the group flies in and then just before it ends you see another group of 7 or so floating in formation on the right. I've seen gangs of up to 30 (each side) fight each other. Just makes me wamt to learn more about their society. That's what's so great about taking time to be in nature. It makes you want to learn and by doing so, you GROW.

Where are The Velvet Ropes?

When we were in New Zealand we rented a little camper van and drove from the north island to the south, stopping wherever we felt like it, for 11 days. We saw a little sign on one of the many long, deserted roads. It may have even been handwritten, with alittle arrow. Well, we parked and walked a short distance and saw this...



I can't possibly describe in words just how palpable the energy created by this water was. I could FEEL the power as much as I felt the fine cool mist rising up from the spray on my cheek and eyelids.The water was the clearest I'd ever seen, sparkling, icy blue, fresh as if we'd literally happened upon Eden.

It was a magnificent experience, one that makes you want to do whatever is necessary to protect this beautiful planet. It looks amazing in the pic above but you have no iea how big it really was. To give you a better idea, here's a picture I took of my husband, standing in the same place as I was.



My husband joked (though he's right) that in America this would be roped off basically as far back as the street and we'd only be able to view it through a thick plexiglass wall. Not far from the truth. We're such a litigious society, we can't let people do things due to the small percent of the population who'd do something stoopid of their own free will then sue for it. At least in NZ, you're allowed to stay safe or mess up according to your own level... Natural selection at its finest

Can you see the Blue Jay in this picture?

The one who is waiting on the branch, looking at me, wanting me to throw him or her some bread or a piece of a nut?

I've joked about feeling like Snow White when I walk in the park near my house, as all the animals come out to me and take food from my hand. When other animals are getting fed, some kind of word goes out because before long, layer upon layer of the animal kindgom shows up to get theirs. If I'm feeding ducks the geese come, then the squirrels, then Grackles, then Blue Jays and then, if I'm really lucky, the red headed woodpeckers show up. The Grackles are smart, as I wrote about HERE, and they eye you and wait for that bread and go after it. But the Blue Jays bomb dive from the branches and nab their own.


Here is a close up.
His head is tilted slightly so he can eye me... I will hold up the bit of bread (or morsel of an almond I've cracked to size with my teeth if that's all I have on me) and he will do the amazing thing of letting me know quite clearly that he sees it. I toss it in the air and he flies off the perch at the right time to get it.

I've had the rare treat of having red headed woodpeckers do this too. Woodpeckers one up the Blue Jays though.

Forced to perch parallel on a tree trunk, their beaks pointing at the tree itself, it's a trick to look at me at all. But they too fix their sights on what I hold up... but when I toss it to them, they soar off the tree, catch it in the air and sail off like a streak of lightening to land on the closest trunk with it. Once they gulp it down, they're back staring me down for another. Again, catch my offering in mid air. I was absolutely stunned when this first happened... and honestly, I'm stunned every time it does.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Beauty in The Eye of the Beholder

I love watching birds take their baths. They find water anywhere and turn it into their own personal spa. Here is a perfect example. A little grassy pool, where several grackles are at play....

But when I broaden the view you'll find it's actually roadside ditch, astride broken pavement and wire fencing. What you don't see is that this area is under a bunch of toxic electrical wires and across the road is a recycling plant filled with overflowing dumpsters...

The secret to life is to find the beauty and screen out the rest when you can.

Dainty-poo

On the streets of New York, the police do their job by car, on foot, via bicycle and helicopter... and on horseback. Adding to the endless paradoxes found in this city, on occasion one sees, smells or steps in things that one would expect in a farm field but certainly not in a wildly opposite place like the neon and LED laden Times Square.

What drew me to take this pic was not so much that, but the subtler contrast of these dainty stances among the muck.

Never in my life have I seen a hedgehog. Have you?

On my morning feeding/cleaning rounds at the Wildlife Rehab Center, the last thing left was a glass tank covered entirely with a sheet, with a sign saying "Hedgehog -- Wear gloves!" Rather ominous compared to 19 darling, tweeting baby ducklings.

I put on thick gloves and advanced with trepidation, having no idea what I would find. Gingerly I lifted the lid, and saw a large lump under a roll of newspapers, covered with a navy hand- towel. I had no idea where to grab if I were to pick it up, so I started by slowly sliding the towel, pulling by it's furthest end. The thing burrowed beneath the papers started making a low, constant hissing type of noise like some kind of alien. I didn't know if it would have fangs or lash out to bite me or have long claws...

You gotta to be tough if you're going to mess with the animal kingdom, so I figured I'd pick up the papers with him in it, deliver the whole thing to the temporary tank and then see what I had... which I managed to do. I whipped off the papers and this was what I saw.


A white spiky ball, slighlty quivering. I didn't even know if this was IT -- it looked like some kind of spiny, poisonous sea urchin --or if this was it's back. IF it had a head or anything else, I had no idea where to look. I stood there for about 45 seconds, perplexed and suddenly, slowly the thing began to unfold.



The lady that runs the rehab place came over, having no idea I was in the dark and said, now how did he get stuck on his back. Looking at the footage now, I guess he was stuck, and his little motions were not just part of coming out of the ball, but to turn himself over.

Later, I saw him in his relaxes state, still like nothing I've ever seen but with a face, feet apparent and up right, doing something cute.



Hey, I'd never seen a opossum before last month either. It's funny how out of place a city girl can feel.

The Tell Tale Tongue

As I wrote about HERE, and HERE, owls fascinate me, and I'm quite certain I'm not alone in that. The other day the head of the wildlife rehab shocked me when she told me I could pet the owl. This is one that is used for educational purposes, so getting used to different people is part of his or her life (She said you generally can't tell if owls and hawks and such are male or female -- unless there is a major size difference -- without it being determined surgically. Females would possibly be bigger, to better cover and protect her nest).


Anyway she told me to scratch with my nails behind the head, as owls do that to each other. She also scratches them under the wings. I tried these as you will see below. He got something in his eye when we brought him over to the perch, some feather fluff or something, so he keeps it closed. Would not do that normally. Too bad, as you can see from one eye how intense it would be if (s)he had both open!


This was the second time I did it. The first time, the owl's mouth was open a little, but the tongue was not so obvious. This time I didn't feel right when that was happening, so I tried a few calmer strokes and wrapped it up quickly. Didn't want to upset the bird. I'm just now wondering if my holding the little silver camera was the problem. Maybe it looks like something a vet would use!

Getting the chance to see these birds without a cage and up close is a magnificent thrill. To touch one was utterly surreal.I can't get over how lucky I am. My life has been enriched beyond measure to be able to be near, help, love and share the world with all of these animals.

This is my 108th post. 108 is a significant number in many spiritual teachings. Since I missed my hundredth, I thought the 108th would be something to mention. One hundred and eight stories about animals. I look forward to ten times more.

This morning I arrived at the WIldlife Rehab center to find someone had brought in 19 baby ducks. While I've known them to be quite afraid of people, I was surprised to see all of them running right up to me. It was time for fresh food and water... but not before I cleaned out their lodgings.

Once I got all their tanks clean with fresh newspaper down and a soft towel covering half of it, I put in shallow dishes of chick feed and water and put the babies back in. They came running over to have a drink and their delicate little sips, and the long time that they helped the drop of water get down their throat cracked me up... Here is a little clip of that... It's the guy on the left that made me grab my camera.

And Now, A Moment of Hitchcock

I have come to love Grackles, and am amazed at their numbers in certain areas -- most notably by Kroger stores come to think of it -- when they alight in trees and on electrical lines at sunset.

At certain times of year there are flocks of some kind black birds that fly together in what looks like a dark cloud (they could be grackles but seem smaller). I will have to ask someone at the wildlife center or the zoo who knows what they are and what the cause for this pattern is. The cloud morphs in front of your eyes as the birds change direction in unison. A few days ago I saw a group who had come to rest and had to pull over and shoot it. I bought a fancy high def movie camera but so far only shoot the little movies you see here with my digital camera...



I love how the tight black lines criss cross against the canvas of blue and pink sky while black dots become black bodies with wings. Very arty of the gods to juxtapose such elements, to delight the souls who notice. If only there was a way for you to view these videos full screen...

For their number, the birds were relatively quiet -- much quieter than the wind and traffic. But there is a deafening chirp-fest that goes on in the trees at dusk that clearly reveals that the branches are full of birds, though it's really hard to see any. It always makes me smile, and I often stop to marvel at it. I have come to call it Grackle Happy Hour. I managed to snag an example of it for you.

Today I was driving home with frozen yogurt and went by a tree in the middle of the road where you could really hear them. I had to capture it for you. I did a U-turn, flicked my camera on and hung my arm out the window (I wasn't seeing what I got, just hoped for the best as it was about sound anyway) and drove slowly by this tree. I think I've got it (turn up the volume) and the ice cream didn't melt too badly in the process.



And notice --- you don't see ONE bird, do you???? Has anyone else observed this phenomenon?