Fellow Mortals--Compassion Changes Everything

Summer 2020 continues to surprise, and surprisingly delight in unexpected ways.

While we learn new ways to interact with the people who need our help, and how to help from a distance, we have also become more proficient at distance education and providing information in innovative ways.

Challenge really can result in opportunity once one accepts that there is only one direction--forward.

We weren't sure what to expect with the many stay-at-home orders and changes in work and school.  In the very beginning, the wild ones were less impacted by human activity and they thrived in the absence of fewer vehicles on the roads, and activity at work sites.

Once people returned to a semblance of normal, so did our work at the hospital increase.  More people were out working in the yard at home instead of on vacation, and were more likely to encounter wildlife and see behaviors they didn't understand, but which were perfectly normal--like a baby fawn lying quietly next to their porch, or a nest of baby bunnies tucked into a corner of their garden.

While we provide direct services for injured and orphaned wildlife, we return up to 100 calls a day to help an animal finder assess a situation and understand wild behavior.  Most of the education and information we provide allows young wild creatures to stay with their parents.

In the past few years, we have been concerned about a trend that sees fewer of some important bird species, like the American kestrel, or Chimney swift.  Birds that eat insects or rodents are very important to balance in the environment.  This year has been a good one for raptors and songbirds; and while that means our bird nursery and sensitive species, and indoor flights are full to bursting because the more birds out in the environment the more likely they are to be found when they need help--we couldn't be happier for the extra work.

500 animals are currently in care at the hospital.  We release nearly every day, and admit new animals just as quickly.  This evening two great horned owl returned home after recovering from fractured wings.  Yesterday the first 10 swallows were released after growing up in our care.

The birds admitted into care change as the weeks pass, and we have just admitted our first Cedar Waxwings, one of the last bird species to nest in our region.  Summer is really flying by.

THANK YOU to all who are part of Team Hope--your monthly gifts provide for the many wild ones brought to us by people who can't donate.

And thank you to all who donate when you can--your gifts are often the answer to a specific need.

Best wishes to all of you as we continue the adventure.