Wildwoods Updates…

LOON UPDATE…
We got a call today about a loon on a roadway near Cloquet. Wet roads and parking lots look a lot like rivers and lakes to a flying loon, and they may land only to become stranded, as they can only take off again from water. After we talked, the woman caught the loon and let it go in Big Lake. She said it sure was happy to be back in the water again! …

CANADA GOOSE UPDATE
Some kids in Duluth shot a Canadian goose with a paintball gun yesterday, fracturing of one of the wings. Hurray for Dr. Deb Eskedahl of Wild and Free, who surgically pinned the wing, and for the Conservation Officer, who gave the kids what for….

HUMMINGBIRD UPDATE
This little hummingbird, Sugar, was brought down all the way from Grand Marais.

This is our miniature hummingbird feeder; it’s a modified 5cc syringe with a small hole in the side. There’s red around the hole to show our hummer where to go.

Hummer headed to Wild and Free with an injured goose. Thank you so much to Amber J. for transporting an injured grosbeak, an injured pigeon, an injured hummingbird, and an orphaned young goldfinch.

BABY FLYING SQUIRREL UPDATE
This little guy was injured and orphaned when his nest tree fell. He was brought to Dr. Kellar in Hibbing, who hydrated him, addressed his injuries, started him on formula, then sent him south to us. We’ve had lots and lots of squirrels over the years, but only a few have been fliers. This is our very first baby flier; they are so tiny! If we weren’t already versed in raising baby chippers, red squirrels, and mice, we’d be pretty intimidated.

OUTREACH
Come see Wildwoods at Art in Bayfront this weekend from 10am-5pm! There is coloring and drawing of wildlife for the kiddies and discussion of rehabilitation for mom and dad.

DONOR ALERT
No, we haven’t taken to rehabbing veggies yet! This lovely Swiss chard was donated by Dave, along with another big bag of radish tops. Our 10 little cottontails will feast tonight! Check out Dave’s luscious organic produce at the UMD Farmers’ Market every Wednesday!

We got 20 cans of Timbuktu preserved mealworms in the mail yesterday, courtesy of one of our most generous supporters (thank you so much, RK!). These preserved mealworms are great–they stay fresh for many months on the shelf if not opened, are there when you need them, and have about the same nutritional value as live mealworms. Birds love them, and these are easy to feed to our babies. Plus, they don’t require the maintenance and care that live mealworms do. Thank you so much, RK, for your generosity and support–we’re ready for our next batch of baby birds!!!

(To give you an idea of how much young birds eat–once the purple martins we rehabbed earlier this summer were well enough to add mealworms to their diet of nestling formula, they ate 4 cans of these as well as 3000 live mealworms in about a week).