Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research

MONTHLY FLYER
A Volunteer Newsletter
December 2015

Celebrating 39 years of excellence in

wildlife rehabilitation and research
Photo by snyders/moonbeampublishing

Editor: Loretta Carlson

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER: 2015 BENEFIT FOR THE BIRDS

On Friday, November 6, more than 180 friends, volunteers, members, staff, and corporate supporters of Tri-State
banded together at Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington to raise much-needed funds for the birds.
Guests enjoyed a culinary tour of the world at four tasting
stations and the fabulous Dessert Auction, as well as the 250
Raffle, Big Card Draw, Wine Bottle Ring Toss, complimentary
caricature drawings, and the Silent HAWKtion.
Lisa Smith, executive director, presented the Corporate
Wildlife Stewardship Award to Cristina Frank from Pepco
Holdings in Newark, Delaware. Longtime Tri-Stater Dave
Mooberry presented the Lynne Frink Award to Dr. Sallie Welte,
retired clinic director. The Outstanding Wildlife Leadership
(OWL) award was presented this year to Walton Corporation.
Tri-State would like to extend its thanks to our generous
Photo by Perfect Moments Photography
corporate partners, enthusiastic guests, and so many friends
who helped make this years benefit another rousing success and whose support means so much for the
realization of Tri- States ongoing efforts to save birds lives. Information on our 40th Anniversary Benefit for the
Birds in 2016 will follow in upcoming issues.
TRI-STATE LAUNCHES 2015 HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE
For the sixth year in a row, Tri-State is sponsoring a food drive to benefit the Food Bank of Delaware. From now
until December 11, we will collect food for distribution in our community through hunger relief agencies such as
food pantries, soup kitchens, daycare centers, senior centers, homeless shelters, nursing homes, and faith-based
organizations. Items in demand include canned vegetables, canned fruits, canned meats and tuna, soups, stew
and chili, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, and rice. Holiday items that would be greatly appreciated include canned
sweet potatoes, canned gravy, canned cranberry sauce, and stuffing mix. The Food Bank also accepts donations
of pet food. Collection bins are in the Tri-State lobby. Please open your hearts and share your bounty with our
neighbors in need by cleaning out your pantries at home or by shopping for items urgently needed during this
holiday season. For more information on the Food Bank of Delaware, go to www.fbd.org.
THANK YOU, KNITTERS AND CROCHETERS!
Thanks to Betty Jane Anderson, Janice Brink, Kathi Carlozzi, Jill Constantine,
Sharyn Fagone, Rue Manning, Linda Mullin, Kathy Oliva, and Patti Root, we have
adorable, hand-made bird ornaments for sale in the lobby. These new ornaments
made their debut at a craft fair at St. John the Beloved Parish in November at
which volunteers Betty Jane Anderson and Sharyn Fagone and staff member
Rebecca Stansell represented Tri-State. Not only do these ornaments make great
holiday gifts, but all proceeds benefit Tri-State. Prices range from $5 to $15, and
you can choose from owls, vultures, and a variety of songbirds, including tufted
titmice and dark-eyed juncos. Check out the tree in the lobby and bring some
Staff Photo
Tri-State spirit into your home for the holidays.

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research

RECENT RELEASES

Staff Photo

As migrating songbirds pass through our region, many of them are injured when
they hit windows. Such was the case for the adult Hermit Thrush that came to
Tri-State on October 30. He had a large knot and deep bruising on one shoulder
and a wing droop. To help ease his way to recovery, we prescribed basket rest
and administered pain medication. He soon was perching and self-feeding
mealworms. By November 4, the bruising had resolved, and the thrush flew well
during a test flight in a playpen. We moved him outside on November 8, allowing
more time for the wing droop to resolve completely. On November 11, we
released the thrush at Tri-State. Learn more about the Hermit Thrush in this

months Featured Bird article.

A Sharp-Shinned Hawk came to us from Thornton, Pennsylvania, in mid-October suffering from injuries likely
sustained due to an impact. Although radiographs confirmed that the juvenile male had no fractures, he was
debilitated, unable to sit upright, and reluctant to self-feed. Within three days of his admission, however, the
hawk proved to be an accomplished escape artist, and he was attempting short flights. By October 26, he was
self-feeding, perching, and flying well enough for us to move him to an outside cage. With two weeks of flight
practice, this young hawk demonstrated strong flight skills and good lift and was banded and released on
November 9. We thank volunteer Jim McVoy for transporting the hawk to our clinic.
On November 9, a beached Northern Gannet tangled in fishing line
came to Tri-State from Cape May, New Jersey. Radiographs revealed
no orthopedic injuries, but the vocal adult was ataxic, dehydrated, and
suffering from soft tissue damage. We treated the bird for lice and
administered fluids and pain medications. The gannet eagerly swam
soon after arrival, but after we put him outside, the bird was reluctant
to swim. Once he was hand-feeding and volunteers observed him
swimming across the pool on one occasion, we erected barriers around
the pool to encourage the seabird to swim more often. When his
appetite and waterproofing improved we observed the gannet in the
Photo by Rich Gaudiosi
pool until we cleared him for release. With the help of our partners
from Delaware Bay and River Cooperative who gave us a lift in one of their response vessels, this bird was
released in open water off the coast on November 18.
OTHER RELEASES IN NOVEMBER
In November, we also released Bald Eagles, Coopers Hawks, a Great Horned Owl, a Fish Crow, a Canada Goose,
a Northern Flicker, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, an Eastern Phoebe, a White-throated Sparrow, a House Finch, a
Gray Catbird, a Northern Mockingbird, and Mourning Doves.
CALLING ALL THOSE WHO SCOFF AT SNOW AND ICE
The recent plunge to near-freezing temperatures reminded us that winter weather will soon be here to stay.
When the snow and ice fly, our scheduled volunteers are sometimes unable to come in for shifts. But our patients
still need care. So if you own a 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle and are willing to come in on short notice in
bad weather, please contact Julie at (302) 737-9543, extension 102, or jbartley@tristatebird.org. Thank you!
WHOS WHO AT TRI-STATE: MEET CAROL HINGER
Carol Hinger first learned of Tri-State Bird Rescue from her husband, who is a
Delaware native. We brought in a duckling that our black Lab found. Recently,
her lifelong interest in animals and her experience auditing nonprofit organizations
led her to answer Tri-States ad for a new accounting and payroll specialist.
A graduate of Franklin Pierce College with a masters degree in accounting from
Southern New Hampshire University, Carol has worked in the accounting field for
twenty years. Shes been a bookkeeper for small businesses, an auditor, and an
Staff Photo

Monthly Flyer, December 2015

accountant for small businesses. She has also prepared business and personal tax forms for certified public
accountants and accounting firms.
Carol grew up on a farm in rural New Hampshire and says her family raised chickens as a way to feed Carol and
her nine siblings. An animal lover who supports the SPCA and Humane Society, Carol says she has rescued many
animals over the years, including dwarf hamsters, guinea pigs, an iguana, a pony, rabbits, parakeets, and lots of
cats and dogs. The mother of two sons, she and her husband currently have three dogs and three cats, all of
which are rescue animals.
FEATURED BIRD: HERMIT THRUSH
A chunky thrush with a spotted breast, the Hermit Thrush is a fairly common songbird that can be distinguished
from the reddish-brown Wood Thrush and Veery by its smaller size, rich brown plumage, and reddish tail. This
thrush also has a distinct white eye ring and a black-tipped beak.
Curious and approachable, the Hermit Thrush is
nonetheless difficult to spot if you confine your birding to
your own backyard. It lives along the edges of coniferous
and deciduous forests either alone or in pairs. For most
of the year, its diet consists of insects, earthworms, and
snails, which it finds by foraging through leaf litter on the
forest floor. During autumn migration and on its
wintering grounds, the Hermit Thrush also eats berries
and fruit. Hermit Thrushes can be found in Delaware and
the surrounding area throughout the winter.
Forming monogamous pairs, Hermit Thrushes have two
to three broods a year. During courtship, the male
Photo by snyders/moonbeampublishing
chases the female in circles, then the pair adopts a
slower flying pattern after one or two days. The female
incubates three to six eggs for twelve or thirteen days. Both parents feed the young until they leave the nest at
twelve days old.
Like the Wood Thrush and Veery, the Hermit Thrush sings a beautiful but melancholy song. Listen for the long,
low introductory note followed by a series of high-pitched phrases. Learn more about the Hermit Thrush at the
Cornell Lab of Ornithologys All About Birds Web site, www.allaboutbirds.org, as well as in Birds of North America,
published by the Smithsonian Institution, or your own favorite birding book.
STILL LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT GIFT?
You still have time to purchase commemorative brass leaves to honor or recognize
a loved one or special friend. You can visit www.tristatebird.org/treeoflife to make
your payment of $225 for each leaf securely online or call (302) 737-9543,
extension 108. Tri-State appreciates your help with our new Avian Arbor initiative,
which enables us to maintain our strong roots and give wings to natures
compromised wildlife.
CLINIC REMINDERS
As 2015 comes to a close, this seems like the perfect time for some year-end
reminders:
Photo by Russ Carlson

Please leave your cell phone in the volunteer office and do not use your cell
phones anywhere but in the volunteer office, out front, or in the upper lot.

If you have any problems using Volgistics, dont hesitate to ask Julie Bartley for help.

Dont forget to add your photograph to your Volgistics profile. Its always nice to be able to put names
and faces together!

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research

ITS A BOY!
The Tri-State Family just got a little bigger. Weighing in at 10 pounds, 6 ounces,
Wesley James was born on Monday, November 30. Please join us in welcoming
Wesley and sending congratulations to his proud parents, Andrea and Steve.
REMEMBER OUR SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS
We want to send out an early reminder about the clinics holiday hours.
Christmas Eve: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Christmas Day: Open to the public from 8 to 10 a.m. Morning shift: 8 to 10 a.m.
Afternoon shift: 3 to 5 p.m.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Oil Spill Training, Saturday, December 12, 8:30 a.m.4 p.m. Registration is required. Please contact
Michelle Neef at (302) 737-9543.
Information Sessions. All those interested in volunteering at Tri-State must attend an information session
before they can register for a bird care workshop. These one-hour information sessions give prospective
volunteers a good overview of our operations and expectations.
February Session: Saturday, February 27, 11 a.m.
March Sessions: Saturdays, March 5, 12, and 19, 11 a.m.
Adult Bird Care Workshop: Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m.1 p.m.
Open House. Sunday, May 1, 2016. Its not too early to start
thinking about the 2016 Open House. Our new lead sponsor for
this free, community-focused event is WSFS Bank. Well have the
Frink Center and Wildlife Response Annex open for tours. Stop
by and see Duke Doblick in the Development office or call him at
(302) 737-9543, extension 108, to learn how you can help us plan this important community event.