I will try to write updates more often now since the weather is getting better and more wildlife is been admitted to our facility. The Great Horned Owl fledgling (chick getting ready to leave the nest) that I picked up Monday after school from Kelli-(with an i), is doing great. For a little guy he certainly eats a lot. Now I know why he must have gotten tossed out of the nest early. He snaps his beak and puffs up when he sees me coming to check on him. That is a great reaction, I am definately not worried about imprinting. He makes me smile when I see him and helps me forget about the cool Osprey that we couldnt save. I love releasing wildlife back into the wild. Last night before bed, I fed and then released a brown bat I've been working on for several weeks. It took him a few minutes to prepare for take off but watching him sail off made everything I do seem worthwhile.
Falconer friend Derrick and wife Alicia brought me a really neat little Cooper's Hawk that appears to have nothing wrong with it except starvation. It gives the Great Horned Owl chick a run for its money in how many defrosted pinky mice they can eat. I look forward to fattening both of them up and releasing them sucessfully back to where they came from.
The llamas are lovin' life in the front paddock. We have lost a couple more llamas over the last couple of weeks which always puts me in a bad mood. Now since the weather is getting better and they have access to grass Im hoping to see their weight continue to improve. We still have a couple with bad jaw abcess issues that I am not optimisitic about but we will do our best. Everyone that has submitted an adoption application, I will be contacting you shortly. Next weekend they will be sheared and will be ready to be adopted out.
How next weekend will work is for those of you hauling your own llamas. You may bring your truck/trailers. I will have everyone park in order of arrival down below on the road. One truck and trailer at a time, due to limited space up by the barn, you will be asked to bring the truck and trailer up. We will shear, trim toenails, worm and finish vaccinations on your animals and help you get them loaded. You will sign the adoption contract agreeing to provide care, etc for them. If they are ever unwanted or uncared for they MUST be returned to us, no questions asked and your adoption donation will be refunded 100%.
We will gladly put any volunteers to work on May 7th and/or 8th (Mothers Day). Not that we don't put our volunteers to work any day they show up. :) I've reflected a lot lately on the several llamas that have died in the last 3 months. I take a lot personal and would have loved to have kept all 100 alive but that was impossible to do when they arrived with one casualty. I've reflected on what we could do different or better, I dont see much that I would have done differently. For the 30-40 llamas that were lucky enough to be adopted, I am thrilled. For the rest that will be living with me I am thrilled. The expense of doing this llama rescue has been huge. I have no regrets but I want to remind everyone that the press coverage has disappeared. The donations have trickled down to a couple a week. The llamas that will be living on with me until new homes can be found will still be a lot of expense.
We will also have thousands of dollars of building expenses this year as we get ready to break ground on our new Bear and Mtn. Lion rehab. building. I need donations for this also. I would love someone that has the concrete forms and experience to do concrete work to step forward and donate some time and equipment. I need to put in a 40-50 foot square concrete pad with 12 foot walls surrounding it. Let me know if you want to take a look at the plans. With the completion of this building, we will be set up to basically take in any wild, domestic or exotic animal. To do this building right will cost around 40-50 thousand with our labor. I would gladly put a Corporate Logo or "In Name of" Sign on the building. I appreciate your help with the llamas, we did right by them. Now I'm asking for your help to finish the construction that we should have already started.
Enjoy Spring, it is finally here. If you value what "we" do, take a serious look at how we can get the next phase accomplished. What can you contribute? Thanks, WES
Photo courtesy of Kelli Grogan
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