Good morning! I hope you all had a good week!
Linking up today, and every Tuesday, over at Amy's for Virtual Coffee.
Can you believe it is August already?? I'm in complete shock and denial.
Time is flying by, but I guess that indicates that we are having a fun summer.
Linking up today, and every Tuesday, over at Amy's for Virtual Coffee.
Can you believe it is August already?? I'm in complete shock and denial.
Time is flying by, but I guess that indicates that we are having a fun summer.
I'm sipping on a new blend of coffee today. I ran out of my usual Starbucks Caffe Verona bold blend and purchased this at Whole Foods this week:
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| I love the name! |
(Of course, don't forget that I do half decaf with it as well, because otherwise I'd be off the wall).
What's in your mug (or glass, as the case may be) this morning?
I have an exciting tale with a happy ending to share today. It's about this little guy (or gal-- hard to tell at this age):
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| immature Broad-winged hawk |
About two weeks ago, I was driving the kids to camp, and saw an injured hawk on the side of the road. I didn't know if it was dead or alive, but I knew it wasn't going to last very long where it was. So I turned around, pulled off to the side behind it and put on my hazards.
I studied environmental education in graduate school, and one of my internships included wildlife rehabilitation. Obviously, you cannot pick up a bird of prey with its sharp pointy beak and powerful set of talons with your bare hands-- but you can use a towel, which I just so happened to have in my son's backpack. The bird was alive, so I swiftly wrapped it in the towel, which calms the bird and prevents it from struggling. It was an immature hawk, and the parents were calling (in protest) nearby. It didn't seem t be too badly injured-- but it was stunned for sure. After a number of phone calls, I was able to bring it to a wildlife rehabilitator.
I studied environmental education in graduate school, and one of my internships included wildlife rehabilitation. Obviously, you cannot pick up a bird of prey with its sharp pointy beak and powerful set of talons with your bare hands-- but you can use a towel, which I just so happened to have in my son's backpack. The bird was alive, so I swiftly wrapped it in the towel, which calms the bird and prevents it from struggling. It was an immature hawk, and the parents were calling (in protest) nearby. It didn't seem t be too badly injured-- but it was stunned for sure. After a number of phone calls, I was able to bring it to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Fast forward to yesterday: Release Day. I met the rehabilitator and we drove to a slightly safer side road directly across from the main road where the little guy was injured. I took a few shots of our friend before we released him/her.
No sooner did she step out on the lawn with the bird, than we heard the adults calling nearby!!
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| Freedom! Off you go little fella, back to your family. |
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| The adults nearby came out and flew around. |
I'm so happy that it was reunited with its family! Broad-winged hawks are in the Buteo family, which includes Red-tailed hawks and Red-shouldered hawks. What distinguishes the Broad-wingeds is that they are slightly smaller in size and they migrate to South America for the winter and return again in the spring to nest.
Good luck, little guy!! It was amazing to meet you!
At this point in the summer, both of my kids have finished camp and we have three weeks until school resumes, Will I go insane?? Will I come up with enough fun activities and playdates? Will I manage any quilting? I always wonder about those stay-at-home Moms with 3+ kids do it all-- and especially those that home school. It perpetually amazes me.
What's happening in your world this week?
And my daughter is turning nine on Friday! Eight is still young (at least in my mind, but nine is so grown up!
We are still fully enjoying our new guy, Buddy. He is just the sweetest and we have all fallen in love.
We took Buddy to the vet this week for a check-up and he tested positive for heartworm. The good news is that there are no outward signs (like coughing), which means it is not too advanced, but he will have to be treated. I'm waiting to hear from the vet.
Well its onward and upward with the day now! Looking forward to visiting you Virtual Coffee linkers and reading about your week! Have a good one!
8 comments:
What a lovely story! You were the right person to have discovered him. What was it about E.Ed that attracted you? Hope your next 3 weeks aren't too stressful. Jxo
Lucky Hawk that you came by! That must have been an amazing feeling seeing it take off like that. Hope little buddy is okay :-)
It is late afternoon, nearly time to start dinner. Only one coffee to go, than I will be going to bed. What an amazing discovery find the hawk and reuniting it with his/her family. I don't think we would have many wildlife rehabilitators here :) Hope you find some spare moments to continue with your quilting. Can't wait till next week to have my next vitual coffee.
My oldest 'baby' just turned 12 so I hear what you're saying about them getting older but still seeming so 'child-like'! And I'm wishing your furry baby a speedy recovery.
Loved this post. I'm going to have to visit whole foods! I love the name of that coffee! Enjoy the remaining days of summer=) and happy birthday to your lil' princess.
Oh wow, what an exciting story! That's so amazing to be that close to a bird of prey - and great that you knew exactly what to do! I'm so happy he was reunited with his family.
Happy Birthday to your little one! And I hope the vet is able to cure that heartworm right up without too much difficulty.
oh, wow...how cool is that story about the rescue! you were exactly the right person to come along at precisely the right time, love that!
I LOVED the part of your story about the hawk. We are birders in this family - what an amazing thing to have been a part of, and to get so close! You were very brave picking him up. I bet the parents were thrilled to have him released too, what a fine example of human/animal communication. And your daughter is turning 9? My son will turn 9 in February and I, too, feel like it is too grown up, only one digit away from double digits *sigh*. I wouldn't worry too much about the heartworm since it seems to have been caught early. One of our dogs was diagnosed with that as well 8 years ago and she's still alive and very much kicking! Thanks for the morning "buzz"!
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