[NatureNS] Our Visit with Ralph the Pelican

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Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 09:43:16 -0400
From: Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Tuma, thanks for the report. We too are having a busy year with birds of
prey at the Cobequid wildlife rehab. In nov we had a stretch where we
admitted 5 bald eagles in a 3 week period. I can also sympathize with the
paperwork to send a bird to the states. About 7 years ago the wildlife park
sent us a cattle egret found in yarmouth with a broken wing. We were able to
pin the wing and take care of the bird's rehab needs quite easily; however,
the paperwork to get him back to florida was another matter entirely.
Whoknew that cattle egrets are endangered in ghana? Once an animal has
special status anywhere it is flagged on the CITES list and exponentially
multiplies the number of permits necessary to move them across borders. The
canadian permits were quite straight forward, but the usa permits took
forever! The story had a great ending though, at that time I was on the
board of directors for the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and
coincidentally had a meeting in florida 2 months after we sent our egret to
a rehab centre in key largo. I was able to visit my egret right before it
was released, see it fly with its newly repaired wing, and also retrieve the
custom carrrier my husband had to build for the airlines to ship the egret
to florida.Quite the adventure!
Helene

On 2010-12-05 12:19 AM, "Tuma Young" <tumayoung@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Kwe Msit Wen:
(Greetings All)

Our visit with Ralph, the Pelican, was a success.  Allison, one of the
volunteers, showed us around the farm and presented Ralph to a very
appreciative group of 12 folks.  Ralph stood in the doorway to his little
cozy pen (with a window, bath, perch and lamp) and posed for pictures for
everyone.  I heard ooohs and ahhhhs when Allison opened the door and Ralph
was standing there.    I think he was a bit perplexed that we did not arrive
with any herring for him.

Allison informed us that the paperwork for exporting Ralph to a Pelican
Rehab in Miami, FL is completed and just awaiting the final ok from the
Americans.  Once this is done, Ralph will be put on a plane to Miami,
Florida where he will be eventually released into the warm Atlantic waters.
 I believe this is the same Pelican Rehab that has been working with the
birds rescued from the Gulf oil spill.

We also heard about how how Hope For Wildlife has a local veterinary clinic
on site, saw a peahen and peacock roaming the place (along with a chicken),
couple racoons, Muscovy ducks, Mallards, domestic geese, a fisher, two
junvenile Bald Eagles, two Barred Owls, a Crow, Hermit Thrushes,
American Robin, Northern Cardinal, a dark-eyed Junco, Blue Jays, gulls,
flying squirrels, red squirrels and a single Gray squirrel  There were also
two Saw-whet Owls.  Allison told us that a gull came in this morning after
it been hit by a car and when we looked at it, it died in front of all of us
reminding all of us that despite the best efforts of the volunteers, some of
the birds and animals do not make it.

There was a hawk that Allison was not sure but thought it was potentially a
Red-tailed but the birders in the group were not sure.  After consulting
with our birding books, it was declared to be an unknown hawk with the tail
of a red-tail but the head and body size of a broad-winged.  Pictures have
been taken and posted to my web gallery:

http://gallery.me.com/tumayoung

I would appreciate any help with id'ing this bird.  This year a bit of a
busy year for birds of prey and Allison expects the winter to remain busy
with Owls.

As we thanked Allison for the tour, she also thanked the members of the NS
Bird Society for all of the work we do and in working together with rehabs
such as Hope and with the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Truro.

To the folks who attended, please chime in with your thoughts as I will be
doing a guest blog about our visit to Nature Canada but I need your
thoughts.

Ian-we did not see any Horned Larks!

Tuma Young
Halifax


Koqwaqja'tekaq'tinej.
(Let Us Choose The Correct Behaviour)

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<p>Hi Tuma, thanks for the report. We too are having a busy year with birds=
 of prey at the Cobequid wildlife rehab. In nov we had a stretch where we a=
dmitted 5 bald eagles in a 3 week period. I can also sympathize with the pa=
perwork to send a bird to the states. About 7 years ago the wildlife park s=
ent us a cattle egret found in yarmouth with a broken wing. We were able to=
 pin the wing and take care of the bird&#39;s rehab needs quite easily; how=
ever, the paperwork to get him back to florida was another matter entirely.=
 Whoknew that cattle egrets are endangered in ghana? Once an animal has spe=
cial status anywhere it is flagged on the CITES list and exponentially mult=
iplies the number of permits necessary to move them across borders. The can=
adian permits were quite straight forward, but the usa permits took forever=
! The story had a great ending though, at that time I was on the board of d=
irectors for the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and coincide=
ntally had a meeting in florida 2 months after we sent our egret to a rehab=
 centre in key largo. I was able to visit my egret right before it was rele=
ased, see it fly with its newly repaired wing, and also retrieve the custom=
 carrrier my husband had to build for the airlines to ship the egret to flo=
rida.Quite the adventure!<br>

Helene</p>
<p><blockquote type=3D"cite">On 2010-12-05 12:19 AM, &quot;Tuma Young&quot;=
 &lt;tumayoung@yahoo.ca&gt; wrote=
:<br><br><div><div style=3D"font-family:&#39;times new roman&#39;, &#39;new=
 york&#39;, times, serif;font-size:12pt">
<div></div><div>Kwe Msit Wen:</div><div>(Greetings All)</div><div><br></div=
><div>Our visit with Ralph, the Pelican, was a success. =A0Allison, one of =
the volunteers, showed us around the farm and presented Ralph to a very app=
reciative group of 12 folks. =A0Ralph stood in the doorway to his little co=
zy pen (with a window, bath, perch and lamp) and posed for pictures for eve=
ryone. =A0I heard ooohs and ahhhhs when Allison opened the door and Ralph w=
as standing there. =A0 =A0I think he was a bit perplexed that we did not ar=
rive with any herring for him.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Allison informed us that the paperwork for exporting Ra=
lph to a Pelican Rehab in Miami, FL is completed and just awaiting the fina=
l ok from the Americans. =A0Once this is done, Ralph will be put on a
 plane to Miami, Florida where he will be eventually released into the warm=
 Atlantic waters. =A0I believe this is the same Pelican Rehab