I fed the three babies, our new juvenile red squirrel, our two red squirrels (adult) outside, and also our two gray squirrels outside. The rehabber had prepared squirrel trays for me and while I was feeding outside squirrels she prepared resident food (inside and out). I took the tray and fed all of the birds outside while the other intern fed raccoons. I have a video of Eddie the Eagle eating but cannot post it here. However I will provide a link, only facebook friends can view it though thanks to my privacy settings that I am not changing. Sorry, but I just refuse to. (Link: Here)
When I returned inside I filled out all charts that I needed too while the other intern fed inside guys. This includes the turtles and hortense the turkey vulture. A volunteer fed mice while I grabbed the Snowy Owl. We removed her bandages, cleaned up her feet, and then applied bandages back. The infections in her feet are looking a lot better and hopefully progress will continue! After she was finished I put her back and we were finished with 8am feedings.
The volunteer started to grind up Thiamine tablets into powder. When fish die they loose thiamine, an important vitamin in animal (bird especially) diets so we have to supplement the thiamine back into the diet. The other intern went outside to empty, scrub, and refill Eddie the Eagle's pond with water. While they both did this I organized the lid drawer in the kitchen, cleaned the microwave, did kitchen dishes, restocked baby boxes under exam table, and bleached all the counters in the exam room, nursery, and kitchen area. I wanted to knock out as much as possible. At some point I did the 10am squirrel feeding and cleaned Hortense's cage by picking up old fish parts left over, feathers, feces, and changed out her water so it was fresh. Logged this in her chart as well. When we got donations in we bagged any dead fish then took a live fish and put it in Eddie's pond for him to eat. Not sure if he ended up eating it or not. The other intern also took a bunch of blankets down stairs while I was working on stuff too. Overall the place looked great and it was still before 12pm.
While the other intern worked on updating the patient database I tried to make progress with the Common Loon protocol. Truly I am struggling to find any information regarding loon rehabilitation and although I know exactly who to ask about birds I just feel it may be best to find my own info. Plus I am nervous about asking because I am not sure what the response would be. For the most part it looks decent; it's just minor details I may lack or miss. I was told my long-legged waders and grebe protocol was excellent once again so I hope this one follows suit. Once loons are finished then I can try to finish cormorant protocol and work on others or help edit. There's a lot that still need finished even though they are not necessarily mine. I feel like I am the only one attempting to make progress anymore but I could be wrong and who knows who is done with what. They are due before the end of the month so hopefully we can complete them all before then. If I could just bust out these last two protocols that would be great.
I worked on protocols until it was time for the 12pm feeding. I fed the red squirrels in the nursery (babies and the one juvenile) then took recycling from the kitchen outside. I virkoned the exam room table then replaced some bags. We were then ready to take lunch for an hour.
After lunch it was back to protocols until 2pm feeding. Once that was over then it was protocols again until the 4pm feeding. We cranked out the feedings (all squirrels for me) and while the other intern left to REGI in antigo I took out trash, compost, swept, mopped, finished up any remaining dishes, and then sat down with a rehabber and executive director for an hour to listen to them about ideas for Diane Chart. She was our old executive director that passed away in a car accident last year. Sadly I did not get the chance to meet her though I wish I did because by the sounds of it she was practically amazing. Very nice, caring, helpful, outgoing, friendly, wished for human involvement in education/learning, and many more good traits. A memorial is being built after her and I truly hope that it is spectacular and something Diane would want. We also tried to think up names for the Snowy Owl but so far nothing seems to stick and we truly do not wish to name her until she's placed outside.
I then head upstairs for an hour to eat, rest a little, and of course answered a few phone calls. I then had to head back down for 6pm feeding. Then back up I went until 8pm feeding. Of course there's another repeat for I am about to head back down for the 10pm feeding then hopefully bed. I surely hope to pass off the phone since I had it last night and then I may end up doing the 3am feeding but we will see how it goes since the other intern returned a while ago from REGI.
I leave this post of course with some pictures. One if a nest with two baby robins outside our facility, in back, and the other is a Belted Kingfisher that was transported to REGI as mentioned earlier.
Also, I updated my last post with pictures with me paddle boarding and kayaking so feel free to return to Day 72 to check those out! Tomorrow I am on education then the rest of the month is either me being off or working rehabilitation. It's hard to believe...but July is almost over.
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