Sky Watch Bird Rescue

Dave Glenn

Dave Glenn, a volunteer, from SkyWatch Bird Rescue in Castle Hayne, NC brought long-time resident Micro, a red shouldered hawk to visit us Tuesday morning. Dave is an avid raptor conservationist who has a passion for helping these marvelous birds recover from their injuries through a rehabilitation process at the center that aims to help these raptors return back into their native ‘wild’ environment. Unfortunately, for Micro his injuries were such that he will be a full-time resident at SkyWatch Bird Rescue and Conservation Center. However, Micro now in his seventh year at the center has become the ‘spokes-avian’ for educating the public about bird conservation. Just one look at this beautiful bird makes one want to help him and all the other animals at the center recover and return to nature.

As her website states “SkyWatch is a non-profit organization started by Amelia Mason, a reputable and licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She maintains a close working relationship with local veterinarians, animal control, humane society, and the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association (NWRA). She focuses on the rescue of injured wild birds in and around Wilmington and southeast North Carolina. She, along with a small team of dedicated volunteers, rescues all of the injured, orphaned and misplaced birds in our area.

Dave outlined how their program works. Through their ‘Hotline’ a dispatcher will arrange for a volunteer to go to the scene to recover the bird and transport it to the Sky Watch Rescue and Conservation Center. The injured bird is examined and treated upon arrival. Then the rehab process starts with Dave and other volunteers working with the raptor to help them recover use of their powers to live in their natural environment and hunt their prey. In the last few months, seven raptors have been rehabilitated and released. All told in 2020 the center rescued over 2,800 birds of all kinds and sizes from small sanderlings who roam the wet beach in search of tiny crustaceans to giant pelicans that dominate the flight line along the beach searching for their next fish dinner.

With the concern during the past couple of years with COVID in the human population, the center has been closed to the public. Also the rise of avian influenza in the bird population (including domestic herds like chickens) warrants concern over visitation. However, the center plans to reopen soon.

Dave had three take home messages for us


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