Yes, we are definitely in the middle of baby season! Most of our baby possums have been moved to outside cages, and just in time for the many baby birds that have come in and are still coming. Both our staff and volunteers are working hard to keep the shelter open and running smoothly twelve hours a day, seven days a week. It’s hard work, but they are a shining example of what dedication and compassion can accomplish!

            In June alone we admitted 142 animals, and out of those 142 admissions, only 52 people made donations. I hate to sound like an ogre, but every one of these people rave about what a wonderful job we do here, and how thankful they are that we provide a place for them to bring injured or orphaned animals, but they don’t seem to see the need to help us to continue to help these animals. The cost to care for the animals admitted in June alone will exceed $2000, and the total donations received during admissions was less than $1250.  Thank you to the 52 people who saw our need!!! We can’t continue to exist without you, or without the loyal support from our members who give year after year!

            My purpose for being here is not to provide animal care, I have no background in that department, my very competent staff provides excellent care. It is not to head up education programs, we have highly talented staff members in that department as well. My purpose for being here is solely to make sure we have the financial where-withal to continue to stay in business year after year. As I begin to note that straight donations seem to be on the decline, I strive to find other ways to generate ongoing revenue to keep us afloat in years to come. You, our generous members, provide so much in our times of need, that I turn to you to help us establish some ongoing revenue streams to offset declining donations. Please see the section titled “OWLS, The Next Generation of Giving” for these programs.

            Coming up on August 5^th is a great way to come out, have some fun, and show your support for OWLS. Join us for our 15^th annual “Sculpt for Wildlife”, (details below).

Trish Slape

Executive Director

Sculpt For Wildlife

It’s that time again!! For what, you ask? The Annual “Sculpt for Wildlife” hosted by the Atlantis Lodge to benefit OWLS! It is going to be bigger and better than ever this year. We are thrilled to have Sandy Feat, renowned sand sculptors from Raleigh, join us once again this year to give a demonstration, build their own awesome creation, and to judge our contest! The contest will be held August 5^th at the Atlantis Lodge.

Speaking of contests, we have some great prizes from over 30 area businesses, from Swansboro all the way to Beaufort, including a three night stay at the beach, compliments of Emerald Isle Realty. In addition to the sand sculpting, you can look forward to an appearance by one of OWLS “Education Animals.” We will have a concession stand, and also t-shirts and other fun items for sale! What a great thing for your scout troop, church group, coworkers, or family members to participate in! Whether you participate in the contest, or just come out to check out the fun, you definitely don’t want to miss this event!!

Registration will begin at 9am, with judging being held at 2pm. Lunch will be available from 12 to 2, and lemonade, t-shirts, and other items will be available throughout the day. The entry fee will be $25 the day of the contest, but you can pre-register for $20, just give us a call at 240-1200.

Thanks to some very

special people

Tom and Lutu Coffey for donating the power point projector and Jeri McConkey for donating the digital camera we requested in our last newsletter

Bill’s Pet Shop for helping us with the rehabilitation of the red-tailed hawk we released this month

Billy Williams of Forrester Smith for going beyond the call of duty to get our new t-shirts done in time for the sand sculpting contest

 
Claws and Paws, our first summer camp!

Michaeleen Farrington, Director of Education

 Kids who are regularly exposed to wildlife will grow to appreciate the natural world.  Through this interaction they develop an environmental ethic that will help shape their adult life. This can happen through outdoor exploration, watching bugs and birds, helping with environmental projects and this year at OWLS it is happening in our first ever summer camp.

 Children ages 10 – 12 are working with shelter staff to care for our summer orphans. They are feeding, cleaning, documenting and doing all the work that our staff and volunteers do.

 Each participant went through an application and interview process much like someone applying for an internship. We needed maturity, an ability to work as a team, follow instructions and gently care for the babies in their charge.

 These campers will be eligible to become Junior Volunteers when they turn 13. By attending the camp they will already have the training they need to jump right in and help with the ever increasing number of babies we get at the shelter.

 It’s great to see the excitement and commitment these campers have in helping our wildlife. We hope to get future volunteers who care about the fate of our native wildlife as much as we do and that they will get an experience to remember for a lifetime!

  
OWLS, The Next Generation of Giving

Oldies but Goodies

            Food Lion “Shop and Share” – log on to www.foodlion.com, click on the Food Lion Shop and Share under the community section, OWLS is listed under Newport.

            Lowe’s Foods Rewards - green points can be donated: call the service center at 1-800-435-5674. OWLS account number is 4202 3985 5347. This can be done online by going to www.lowesfoods.com, click on Greenpoints under Specials and Rewards.

            Second Go Round Consignment Shop on Hwy 70 Newport – you can take all that spring cleaning to Elaine Huneycutt to benefit OWLS.  Please call for an appointment, 223-2998.

The New Trend

Ways to help without donating a dime:

            Does your office have a soda machine? Ask your boss (if you are the boss, this is an easy one!!) if you can place a can collection bin next to the soda machine for OWLS recycling program. If they would like to participate, simply fill out the attached form and we will get the ball rolling!

                If you shop at Lowe’s Foods, we have gift cards at OWLS. Just think, for every dollar you spend on groceries, you can earn money for OWLS.  If you would like to start receiving your gift cards, simply fill out the form on page 4 of this newsletter and mail with payment to OWLS, 100 Wildlife Way, Newport, NC 28570.

Watch the next OWLSLETTER for more on the New Trend!

Come visit OWLS’ gift shop

 For the convenience of our

visitors we can now take credit cards for purchases in the gift shop.

 News from the AP (Animal Patients)

by Maria Rush

On May 17 of this year, a concerned woman brought a nest containing five baby birds to OWLS. She explained that her son had found the nest on the ground after a storm. Hurriedly, we placed the wet and cold babies in the incubator and they were soon gaping for food. Amid the activity in the nursery that day, a milestone passed us by. In that nest of babies was our twenty thousandth admission!  Of course, no one noticed because all were caring for and trying to identify the babies. Four of them were obviously orchard orioles, but the fifth one looked different! A baby with brownish feathers and a different style beak was nestled in with the four yellowish orioles. 

What we had was a classic case of Brood Parasitism. It was, indeed, a brown-headed cowbird, widely known as a brood parasite, which means that the female cowbird lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species. The host parents then raise the chick as their own.

This adaptation was due to the nomadic lifestyle of the cowbird, as they followed the herds of bison that once roamed the Great Plains. A major adaptation for parasitism seen in cowbird babies is their rapid development. Cowbird eggs usually hatch a day or two ahead of the host’s eggs and, in addition, cowbird babies are larger and grow faster than the host’s young. Thus, they are able to garner more than their share of the food brought to the nest. Smaller species, such as warblers, often do not fare well in competition with these interlopers but larger species of cowbird size such as cardinals and orioles can survive well in spite of the presence of the stranger in the nest. Once limited to the Great Plains, the cowbird range has expanded as livestock replaced the bison and deforestation has reshaped the environment.

 When fledged, young cowbirds join cowbird flocks. How they recognize their own kind after being raised with another species is one of the great mysteries of nature.

As the changes in the environment, whether pollution, vehicular collisions, power lines, pesticides, etc., alter the lives of wild animals, OWLS’ dedicated staff and volunteers will be there to assist those helpless creatures that are fortunate enough to be brought to us by a caring human.

 (All five baby birds thrived and were released back into the wild.)

20,000

Twenty thousand is a pretty big number. It is hard to believe, but that is the number of animals cared for at the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter (actually more than that as we go to press).

            Over the years OWLS’ volunteers and staff have handled myriad species of birds, mammals, and reptiles.

            Every year seems to bring more than usual of some species into the shelter. This year we have treated more turtles, from box to snapping, and more sooty terns than in other years.

            Patients have ranged from full-grown otters to field mice; from the occasional endangered animal to the many opossums and squirrels and birds; from docile babies to adult animals that need to be handled very carefully!

            Whatever the animal, OWLS staff and volunteers have always been there to give it appropriate care and, whenever possible, to send it back into the wild.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

 Thanks to Amy Lea of Copeland Real Estate for committing to donate 5% of future real estate earnings to OWLS (or other animal/wildlife organizations if specifically requested by client). OWLS has already been the recipient of this commitment, and we thank her for making this life changing decision, many animals will survive because of her and people like her.

MORE “THANK YOU”s

Thanks to Sam Bland and Justin Barnes from Hammocks Beach State Park for spending a day at the shelter assisting in the installation of our new flooring. We really appreciate the time and effort they put in.

 It’s a fact…

The jackrabbit can cover more than 12 feet in one hop-and can clear a five-foot-tall obstacle in its path of escape from coyotes, foxes, or eagles.