Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Please bear with me ......

The Bird TLC Education Committee has just notified me that I am having a new addition to the family. No, not the pretty blonde on the left. That's Cindy Palmatier, our Rehab Director. Her husband Todd and my wife Ruth would probably have something to say about that. However, the snowy she's holding will be moving to our house as soon as I get a new mew built in the backyard. At that time I become it's caretaker. Here's a link to more images.

The mew must be built before the snow flies, which will probably be in a few weeks. It will be 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and 8 feet tall. So, I need to get busy.

Most of Bird TLC's Education Birds live with their caretaker. The caretaker takes on most of the birds expenses like housing, food, etc. After the mew is built, I'll be in training with the bird until I prove to our Education Committee that I can handle the bird under any situation and am very knowledgeable of it's species. Then I'm required to do 15 hours of educational presentations a year with it. I'm going to be busy.

This all started 4 1/2 years ago when I took my wife Ruthie to the Bird TLC Clinic to do "her bird thing" after we had a bad snow and her car wouldn't make it through the unplowed roads.

If you would like to read a female version, visit Susan Get's Native in Ohio. She does a lot of the same bird stuff we do here in Alaska. It's great to read someone else's stories on the same topic but from a little different view.

6 comments:

Duncan said...

You've got a wonderful time ahead of you with that beautiful blonde bird Dave, looking forward to hearing all about it.

robin andrea said...

A snowy in your backyard? That's about as close to heaven as I'd ever get! I can't wait to see your future pics. Good luck with it. That bird is a beaut.

Susan Gets Native said...

Oh, what I wouldn't GIVE to just LOOK at a snowy owl, much less hold one! The last snowy seen in Ohio was back in 2004, and it hung out in Wilmington and was probably the most photographed bird ever in the state! Your ED birds live with the presenters? Wow! I probably wouldn't mind that.
***thinking about it***
Well, if I had the room for the quail and rats and mice...maybe not.
:)
Thanks for the link, Dave!
I am doing a marathon 4-hour presentation series tomorrow at Miami U and hopefully I will have nice photos to share.

Dave Dorsey said...

Duncan - I'm excited and am looking forward to getting started.

Robin - He is a beaut.

Susan - Bring the family on up and we'll share notes. Yup, Mice and rats in the freezer next to the Eggo's. Let me know how Miami U goes.

Susan Gets Native said...

Update for ya, Dave:

Miami U was awesome! I had a classroom all to myself and classes came and went, four presentations in all. I had never been to the Hamilton campus of Miami before. It is very nice, very collegiate.

Dave Dorsey said...

Susan, I wish I was in your audience.