Posts by jbird24
World Turtle Day (and a baby wood frog)
by Calah Beckwith, Lead Wildlife Keeperphotos by Linda Conrad, Guest Services Manager Hatchling Painted Turtle Turtles! They’re ancient and fearless and amazingly built. They carry a mighty defense system on their backs; they make precarious journeys through forests and neighborhoods and across roads to mate and lay eggs; and….they have ridiculously adorable and heroic babies. For…
Read MoreBaby Bird Blues
by Calah BeckwithLead Wildlife Keeper Each spring, we anxiously await the arrival of our first baby birds. Caring for baby birds is very difficult, delicate work, and it requires a lot of time and experience; but baby birds are also some of the most rewarding patients in avian rehab. There is nothing more fulfilling than…
Read MoreBald Eagle….Freedom for A Special Patient
by Calah BeckwithLead Wildlife KeeperA bald eagle is a rare and special patient at the VINS Wild Bird Hospital. Recently, we had the privilege of providing care for an injured juvenile eagle. He was found on March 21 in Danby, VT by game warden Justin Stedman. He was sitting on the side of a road,…
Read MoreRoughed-up Ruffed Grouse
by VINS Staff Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus Have you ever wondered where birds sleep? Birds sleep, or roost, in any number of places – in trees and cavities, on the ground; some even roost under the snow. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), a common New England ground-feeding bird related to the chicken and turkey, has…
Read MoreEmpty Nest Syndrome
Nestling American Robin (1) and Cedar Waxwings (4) by Katharine BrittonVINS Volunteer I’m feeling the pang of an empty nest. Not because of a last child about to fly off to college or into her own first home. No, these are actual empty nests I’m grieving. Real nests. Real birds. For the past three months…
Read MoreSomething to Crow About
by Brittany Redelico Wildlife Services Intern photo by Sara Eisenhauer Remember the nestling American Crow we had in our care earlier this summer? Well, I am happy to report that this (not so) little crow has moved on to bigger and better things. When admitting a young crow (or corvid or raptor) at a rehabilitation…
Read MoreBye-bye, Bittern
by Alyssa Womer Wildlife Services Intern What did you do this past fourth of July? Have a barbeque with friends and family? Set off some fireworks? Whatever you did, I’m sure you enjoyed your holiday more than the American Bittern recently released from our care here at VINS. On July 6th, a member of the…
Read MorePhantom of the Forest
by Sara Eisenhauer Wildlife Services Manager VINS Wildlife Services Dept received a mystery bird earlier this month. When the patient arrived, we knew right away that it was a baby raptor – it had a sharp curved tip to its beak, and very sharp talons – but what species of raptor?? Here in our rehab…
Read MoreA Rosie Result
by Calah BeckwithWildlife KeeperRemember the Hairy Woodpecker who needed some VINS TLC after hitting a window? Well, unfortunately, that’s an all too common cause of admission for avian rehab patients. Striking a window at full speed can cause bone fractures, head or spinal trauma, internal bleeding, and often death. We recently admitted a male Rose-breasted…
Read MoreSchool is Out, Nature Camp is in!
by Kelly Beerman Nature Camp Coordinator It is that time of year again for VINS Natures Camps! It was certainly a wet and muggy couple of weeks, but the campers were having too much fun to even care about the weather. Despite the rain and humidity, all six camp sessions had many adventures, with campers…
Read More