Many people think baby birds need green grass and bring them to me in a box lined with it. Not true. Keep them in dry materials. Green grass pulls body heat from them, cooling them off. It is not suitable nesting material. Nests are constructed of dry materials because they help keep a baby warm. […]
I find a common misconception exists about Wildlife Rehab and Release. Most people think I get paid to do this job. I do not. They also think the state gives me money to feed the wildlife. It does not. Although the State of Wisconsin approves my license, I receive absolutely no funds from either the […]
Thank you to the Eau Claire Community Foundation, the Foundation of Dunn County, and Dunn Energy Cooperative for grant monies that will enable us to rebuild and repair cages that badly need attention. Many are twenty-five years old. As we are in the process of getting these cages planned and constructed, we are handling a […]
When something happens to Mom that she does not return to the nest, baby squirrels look for help. They will come up to a person, a dog, or a cat. The last two get them in trouble. If a baby squirrel approaches you or your pet, the best action you can take is to call […]
A few years ago we took in eleven fawns in a short time period during spring. We lost eight, partly I strongly suspect, because they were chased. While I never know exactly what happened to wildlife I take in prior to my getting them, I can make pretty good guesses, especially with fawns. You see, […]
Baby bunnies are not like the Easter bunny. They are the highest stress wildlife and can literally die in your hands if you pick them up. They look so cute and vulnerable that handling them and protecting them comes naturally to many of us. What we ought to do is just the opposite. They don’t […]
I can tell that baby season has started because the number of calls I am receiving is averaging over thirty per day, and many are about babies. I picked up two baby squirrels a couple days ago whose mother was killed by a tree that was being taken down crushing her. The babies were found […]
Among all the dangers to birds in the spring, one of the worst is fertilizer on lawns. Since most of our birds are ground feeders, they ingest the fertilizer directly or through insects and seeds that have gotten the fertilizer on them. Birds may also have contact with lawn fertilizer by touching it, drinking water […]
I’m excited to share with you that Sunday evening I released the great horned owl which had been discovered hanging from a branch over the Red Cedar River in Menomonie. To avoid a group of crows attacking the owl, I released it close to sundown. You may recall that the owl was recovering from getting […]
A lady called me last week frantically asking advice on handling skunks that had taken up residence underneath her cabin. “Skunks,” I informed her, “not only are a smelly problem, they also can carry many diseases including rabies. The best way to get rid of them is to play the worst music you can find […]