JUNE IS BUSTING OUT WITH BABY BIRDS! As spring moves toward summer, our incubators, baskets, and cages have begun to swell with baby robins, grackles, finches, and other songbirds. Young waterfowl and raptors are coming through our doors as well. At the end of May, we had nearly 100 mallard ducklings in-house. Of course, we continue to admit adult birds, too, including bald eagles, an orchard oriole, and a yellow-billed cuckoo.

We need plenty of volunteers to feed the hungry babies every 15 to 20 minutes from dawn to dusk. Although it seems like we have a lot of interns (see article on page 3), the part-timers will be coming in just one or two days a week. For shifts to run smoothly, we still need seven volunteers per shift. More importantly, the interns are looking forward to working with youTri-States seasoned volunteersand learning from your years of experience.

So please check Volgistics to see where we need help most and then sign up for a shift. Our three shifts are as follows: 8 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., 1 to 6:15 p.m., and 6 to 10 p.m. The 15-minute overlap allows a smooth transition between shifts.

If you cannot work a full shift, but you find yourself with some unexpected free timeeven a couple of hourscall Julie at (302) 737-9543, extension 102, and she will let you know how you can help. Thank you!

WHO DOESNT LOVE BABY BIRDS? Tri-State is grateful for our volunteers who help return baby birds to life in the wild. We couldnt do it without you! If you would like to consider an added way of support, you can make a donation through the Baby Bird Appeal. New this year is our Sponsor a Day of Baby Bird Care to honor a special person in your life on a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or other notable occasion. Exclusive day sponsorships of Flag Day (June 14), Fathers Day (June 21), Labor Day (September 7), and 9/11 (September 11) are still available. For more details, visit www.tristatebird.org/helpbabybirds.

SUMMER ETIQUETTE AND CLINIC REMINDERS Please remember that all volunteers and staff members should park in the upper

lot. We need room in the lower lot for transporters and members of the general public bringing in baby birds and other patients. If you are working the third shift,

you may park in the lower lot. Volunteers who have difficulty walking or other health issues may park in the lower lot at any time.

When you are working in the clinic, please wear closed-toe shoes. Sandals, crocs, and other open-toe styles do not afford protection should you trip or drop something on your foot.

Please do not use your cell phone while you are working around the birds. Not only could making and responding to calls or texts distract you from your work and become a safety hazard, but the sudden ringing or pinging of the phone also could be stressful for the birds. Keep your phone in your car or the Volunteer Room. You may send and receive calls or texts in the Volunteer Room, breakout area, or any of the offices.

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research

MONTHLY FLYER A Volunteer Newsletter

June 2015

Celebrating 39 years of excellence in wildlife rehabilitation and research

Photo by snyders/moonbeampublishing Editor: Loretta Carlson

Eastern bluebird rests in its nest cup. Staff Photo

Nestling Carolina wrens beg for food. Staff Photo

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RECENT RELEASES On May 15, a member of the Delaware Shorebird Project brought in a dunlin that had previously been caught by cannon net and banded. The adult shorebird was recaptured after Shorebird Project staff noticed it struggling in the water. On its admission to Tri-State, the dunlin was in overall good condition, although its tail feathers were bent and it seemed to be missing one toe. After radiographs confirmed that the dunlin had no other injuries, we prescribed cage rest and augmented its meals of crickets, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and mealworms with a nutri-cal supplement to help the bird recover from its long migration. After a few days of rest and opportunities to regain its strength through practice flights,

the dunlin maneuvered beautifully during its final flight test on May 18. Former Tri-State veterinarian Dr. Erica Miller released the dunlin in New Jersey on May 20. Learn more about the dunlin in this months Featured Bird article.

Many finches that come into the clinic suffer from an eye disease called finch-eye syndrome, or FES, which is an avian form of conjunctivitis. Infected birds have swollen eyes that in chronic cases may also crust over, essentially blinding them. The disease itself usually does not kill the birds. Instead, if they do not receive treatment, they die of starvation or predation because they cannot see to eat or evade predators. A female American goldfinch suffering from FES came to the clinic in late March. We administered pain medications and cleaned her eyes with warm compresses, then began the treatment protocol to clear the infective agent. She was weak, thin, and slow to self-feed, but as the eye infection subsided, the goldfinch became more active and started eating and gaining weight. She also had a nodular inflammation in the thoracic inlet that required surgical intervention. Dr. Kelley debrided the site to remove the infected tissue and then cleaned and sutured the wound. On May 8, the goldfinch was ready to go outside to reacclimate to the weather and regain her strength and flight skills. By May 13, she was flying well, achieving good lift, and demonstrating that her stamina had returned. With the FES infection resolved and the thoracic wound healed, the goldfinch was ready for release on May 14 back in the area where she was found. For more information on FES and how you can help prevent its spread, visit https://tristatebird.org/faq/#eyes.

Downingtown, Pennsylvania, homeowners found a male gadwall under their porch, the apparent victim of an animal attack. Volunteer Jim McVoy transported the bird to the clinic on April 3. The duck had a deep chest wound that was several days old and partially necrotic, so its prognosis was guarded. After performing a full examination, we cleaned, sutured, and bandaged his wounds and started the duck on a course of antibiotics to fight off infection and pain medication to ease his healing. Nearly a month after his admission, he was able to move into an outdoor cage for exercise and unlimited pool time. Although it once appeared this drake might not overcome his injuries, by May 16 he was strong enough to be released in a suitable location by Jim and Sue McVoy.

OTHER RELEASES IN MAY In May, we also released the following adults: a red-tailed hawk, ospreys, a barred owl, a black vulture, Canada geese, a northern flicker, an American robin, a northern cardinal, mourning doves, a northern mockingbird, ovenbirds, and gray catbirds. We reunited the following babies with their families or placed them with foster families: bald eagles, American kestrels, red-tailed hawks, barred owls, great horned owls, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, fish crows, a Carolina chickadee, northern mockingbirds, downy woodpeckers, a blue jay, tree swallows, American robins, a northern cardinal, mourning doves, a common grackle, house finches, and a brown-headed cowbird.

Clinic supervisor examines and treats the dunlin. Staff Photo

Clinic supervisor gives the

American goldfinch a thorough examination. Staff Photo

Photo courtesy of Jim and Sue McVoy

Monthly Flyer, June 2015 3

FEATURED BIRD: DUNLIN The dunlin is a shorebird found in many places around the world. In North America, this medium-sized sandpiper breeds along the northern coasts of Alaska and western Canada. It spends its winters along parts of both the west and east coasts of the United States.

With its long black bill and a short neck that gives the bird a hunched look, the dunlin is rather easy to pick out among the many shorebirds along our Delaware beaches. The breeding male has rusty red upperparts, a rusty red cap, and a black belly patch. Females and nonbreeding males are all brown and gray with white bellies. Both sexes have black legs and feet and a short gray and white tail with a dark brown center.

When feeding, dunlins probe in the sand with their bills using a rapid up-and-down motion. They eat insects and their larvae, marine worms, and small crustaceans and fish. These sandpipers congregate in large flocks that some ornithologists have likened to swarms of insects.

On their tundra breeding grounds, the males defend their territories with wing displays to discourage other males from approaching. Dunlins form monogamous pairs and share nest-building duties, although the female makes the final choice of nest site. Dunlins make scrapes in the ground and line the area with leaves, grasses, and other plant materials. They have one brood a year with up to four young. Both parents incubate the eggs and tend the young, which leave the nest soon after they hatch. Young dunlins take their first flights when they are 19 to 23 days old.

Although the dunlin is a rather common bird throughout its breeding and wintering grounds, its populations have declined since the 1970s, and scientists have yet to determine the cause for this decline. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative placed the dunlin on its 2014 Watch List as one of the species in danger of extinction without significant action. Learn more about the dunlin 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.

SUMMER STAFF SUPPORTS FULL-TIME STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS Each year, with the return of summer residents and the beginning of nesting bird season, Tri-State also welcomes our summer staff. Dont be surprised to see familiar faces wearing more than one hat.

Seasonal Supervisor Lakshmi Sastry is a second-year student at the University of Delaware majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and double minoring in wildlife conservation and biology. Her dream is to one day own her own practice, but she has fallen in love with wildlife medicine after her experiences at Tri-State Bird Rescue.

Senior Intern Born in Newark, Dan Wilson is currently a junior at the University of Delaware, majoring in wildlife conservation. He expects to graduate in 2017. In the winter of 2016, Dan will study abroad in Tanzania, and he hopes to have the opportunity to hunt with the Maasai. Last summer Dan was a part-time volunteer intern at Tri-State and is returning this year as a full-time intern.

Seasonal Clinic Staff and Trainers John Grodzicki will assist with oversight of the outside caseload through direct care and by mentoring interns and volunteers working with these birds.

Rachel Bishop and Karen Wenner-Pedersen will assist with the training and mentoring of interns.

A flock of dunlins gathers at Bombay Hook. Photos by Kim Steininger

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Nursery Interns Kristin Johanson received her first degree in 2008 in theatre production. After working in the theatre and a local aquatics department, she returned to the University of Delaware to major in wildlife conservation in order to fulfill her dream of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator. Kristin was a part time intern at Tri-State last summer and will be a nursery intern this year.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Stefanie Paeg graduated from Wright State University in 2013 with a degree in environmental science. She first became fascinated with wildlife rehabilitation during her last year of college when a ten-week internship at a local nature center led her to make a life-changing decision. Stefanie will be one of our nursery interns this season.

Clinic Interns Cody Agnor recently transferred to the University of Delaware so he can begin pre-veterinary studies in the fall. He was born in Newark, Delaware, but grew up in Maine. Cody graduated high school in only three semesters and attended a local community college in Maine from fall 2013 to spring 2015.

Dan Gomez is currently a wildlife ecology and conservation major enrolled at the University of Delaware with plans to graduate in 2018. Originally from Wilmington, Dan has always been fascinated by nature and the outdoors, and he spent his childhood watching shows about the natural world on the Nature Channel, Discovery Channel, and other networks. His dream is to visit the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica.

A rising sophomore at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, Mike Hudson is planning to declare a major in biology and a minor in English in the fall. Mike grew up in Baltimore where he lived just a few minutes walk from downtown. Hes an avid birder who competed eight times in the Delaware Bird-a-thon and twice in the World Series of Birding. Hes also an artist, working in oil paints, pencil, and charcoal.

A rising junior at the Pennsylvania State University, James McNew is also an eagle scout. He is majoring in veterinary and biomedical science and intends to apply to vet school upon graduation from Penn State.

Michelle Carrera graduated from the University of Delaware with degree in animal food and science. She has a passion for working with animals and has worked at various sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and AZA-accredited zoos. A New Jersey native, Michelle also loves to travel and has lived in five different states in the past two years.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Carly Costello graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2014 with a bachelor degree in animal sciences and minors in wildlife conservation and psychology. She was lucky enough to embark on two study abroad trips while she was a student, one to Vietnam and Cambodia and the other to Tanzania in Africa.

Maggie Curran is a junior at the University of Delaware pursuing a major in wildlife conservation and a minor in animal science. Originally from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, she is a captain of UD's Equestrian Team and a lover of all animals.

Hailing from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, Jenna Diehl recently graduated from Garden Spot High School and will attend Penn State University this fall. She loves the Appalachian Trail and has hiked many sections of it over the last five years.

Caitlin Duffy, a resident of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, recently graduated from Avon Grove Charter School and will major in wildlife conservation at the University of Delaware this fall. Caitlin has been volunteering at Tri-State Bird Rescue for six summers and is looking forward to learning much more through this internship. She takes guitar and art lessons, and her favorite birds are raptors.

A recent graduate of Delaware State University with a degree in wildlife management, Alexis Foxx was a member of Delaware States Wildlife Society and studied abroad in Panama in 2015. She plans to pursue a career focusing on wildlife conservation and rescue in the United States and around the globe.

Monthly Flyer, June 2015 5

Barbara Hahn is a senior and an animal science major at the University of Delaware with a double minor in biology and equine science. Shes interned at the Nashville Zoo and worked with the Clydesdales of the New Castle County Mounted Patrol Unit. She went to New Zealand with the study abroad program and was inspired by the beautiful scenery and wildlife.

To help her reach her goal of becoming a wildlife veterinarian, Caitlyn Hamill has enrolled at the University of Delaware as a pre-vet major with a minor in wildlife conservation. Her dream is to travel around the world to help with conservation efforts while healing wildlife.

Jessica Hicken is a junior at the University of Delaware studying wildlife ecology and conservation and agriculture and natural resources. Born in Bear, Delaware, she is considering attending graduate school to study animal behavior.

Rachel Kaplan graduated from Drexel University in 2014 with a bachelor degree in interior design and a minor in sustainable building design. She is now a post-baccalaureate student at Oregon State University studying fisheries and wildlife sciences with a concentration in wildlife conservation.

Sara Locker is a junior wildlife conservation and ecology major at the University of Delaware and hopes to continue her education and go on to graduate school in the future. She is part of the University of Delawares Wildlife Conservation Club and the Students of the Environment Club.

Currently a sophomore at the University of Delaware, Nicole Nelson hails from Delaware, Ohio. She is double majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences and wildlife conservation. During freshman year, Nicole studied in New Zealand where she learned about international agriculture and crossed skydiving off her bucket list.

Leah Szczepanski graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2015 with a bachelor degree in natural sciences. She has interned at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the aquarium of the Pittsburgh Zoo, and the PPG Aquarium. Leah is from Kemblesville, Pennsylvania, and enjoys visiting zoos around the country.

Steven Winter is a wildlife ecology and conservation major at the University of Delaware. A native of Westminster, Maryland, he worked with birds for the first time at a nature center in his hometown. Steven hopes to work with carnivores for a living, specifically big cats. After graduation, he would like to join the National Park Service and gain field experience before applying for his master's degree in wildlife biology.

PROVIDE ROOTS AND WINGS IN AVIAN ARBOR Tri-State now has a brand-new Tree of Life growing in the Avian Arbor in our lobby. You can purchase commemorative brass leaves to honor or recognize that special someone in the Tri-State family. The Early Bird special pricing, running from now until Labor Day, September 7, 2015, is one leaf for $200, two for $375. On September 8, 2015, the regular leaf price will be $225. As a kickoff incentive, the first 50 leaves sold will provide all the food for our baby birds this summer! You can visit www.tristatebird.org/treeoflife to make your payment 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.

VOLUNTEER ANNIVERSARIES FOR JUNE 27 years: Lisa Robinson 22 years: Fran Peterson 19 years: Helene Harris and Karen Wenner-Pedersen 12 years: Anne Kisielewski 11 years: Jan McCullough 10 years: Betty Jane Anderson 9 years: Katie Bartling and Patti Root 7 years: Cheryl and John Zimmerman 6 years: Rebecca Saville 4 years: Christine Perkins and Hinda Smith 3 years: George Christopher

Welcome to the new clinic and clinic support volunteers who joined us in May. Youve come at a time when we need you most. Please introduce yourself and dont be afraid to ask questions. We all learn from one another.

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UPCOMING EVENTS Volunteer Information Sessions Done for the Spring. Once the busy baby bird season is behind us, we will schedule sessions for new volunteers in the fall. 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.

Giant Yard Sale. Saturday, October 3. Details to come in future issues of The Flyer. The trailer will be in the upper parking lot in June. Start cleaning out your basements and attics now.

Benefit for the Birds. Friday, November 6. For information, contact Duke Doblick in the Development office at (302) 737-9543, extension 108, or via e-mail at ddoblick@tristatebird.org.