Fighting to Save the Wild Birds

Our Resident Brown Booby

2007-10-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

While we always try to rehabilitate birds, we do provide a home for birds too injured to return to the wild. One of our unique residents is a Brown Booby that schoolchildren in the Keys have come to know as Byron the Booby.

The Booby is a pelagic bird. Pelagic is a term that, according to Wikipedia, refers to the open sea or ocean not near the coast. In other words, they seldom touch land. They are sea birds in the most pure sense of the word.

When we received this bird, it was wrapped in fishline and very weak. The line had severely injured its right wing and leg and the infirmary staff did not think it would live. But, although he can't soar any longer above the sea, this bird recovered and is healthy.

Byron is part of our education outreach program. The bird seems to enjoy trips to schools and libraries to help everyone learn about this wonderful free-flying species. Here is link to the page on the Brown Booby at the Cornell Ornithology Website.

Our new Willet

2007-10-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

We recently welcomed a species of bird we don't see very often in the Keys: a Willet. The Eastern Willet is a shore nesting bird. We have a lot of shoreline in the Keys, but it isn't great for nesting unless you are a bird who likes mangroves.

This Willet came in with a broken wing and the wing has been treated in our infirmary. Our goal, as always, is to rehabilitate the bird back into the wild so it can reproduce and strengthen the species.

You can find out more about the Willet at this link in Wikipedia and you can hear the call of the Willet at this link from the excellent Cornell Ornithology Website.

Our Friends: Pirates on the Water

2007-09-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Pirates on the Water is a very interesting social and service organization here in the Keys. There is no greater group of friends of the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. They recently held a benefit for us that was superb! Bird Bash 2007 featured a live auction, local luminaries, and a lot of fun!

The Piates have a great Website. Click right here to see the pictures of the Bird Bash 2007 and read the narrative. If you are looking for a fun bunch to join... here they are!

Thanks much to the Pirates on the Water!

Why We Need Old Towels and Linens

2007-09-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

This peahen was hit by a car on old US1. Usually, drivers in this area know to watch for and work with the several flocks of pea fowl that wander the highway, but an unfortunate driver hit this hen and her sister were hit. The sister died.

Technically, pea fowl are "barnyard" animals, but around here they are "free range" and we take them in at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center if they need help. Our goal will be to get this girl back out with the flock. But, as we nurse her in our ICU, note that we go through a lot of sheets and towels. Your contributions of old bed linens and towels are very useful and welcome.

The Challenges of Infrastructure

2007-09-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Most of our biggest challenges revolve around maintaining our infrastructure. Combine salt water, mud, leaves, and bird input/output and you have a challenge. We have to keep things washed down and ship shape, but that mean moving a lot of water around. Salt water and pumps have a hard time co-existing.

This photo shows a 2HP washdown pump that been in service for a little over a year. It's time for a overhaul (if possible) or replacement of the motor.

We talk about the wonder and rewards of helping wild creatures stay strong and build their flocks... but much of the work has to do with things as prosiac as pumps. That's why it costs us over $1000 a day to keep it running!

UPDATE: Slash Prospers!

2007-09-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to report that the wild Great White Heron we named "Slash" (because of the terrible wound in his neck) has recovered and is healthy. Please see the movie below!

For more information about the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, please see our Website http://www.fkwbc.org/

The Story of a Bird We Call Slash

2007-08-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is all about rehabilitation of birds so they can return to the environment and strengthen the species. The attached video tells the story of a seriously injured Great White Heron that is probably smarter than we are in his environment. Please view the video below that tells the story of "Slash the Wonder Bird".

Developers Populate the Fish and Wildlife Commission

2007-08-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

A meeting that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission held in the Keys a few years ago was an eye-opening experience. The purpose of the meeting was to review the lobster mini-season. This is the two day debacle when visitors come from the North with a full tank of gas and a car full of groceries, don't buy anything for two days, jam the roads and water, and terrorize the wildlife. Fortunately, in the Keys the local municipalities have taken actions to block the worst eco-terrorism. Local towns did things to protect and conserve the wildlife that the "Conservation" commissioners would not.

At that meeting it became clear that the commissioners had no concerns about the conservation of wildlife. Their only concern was about conducting business and commerce. They wanted to continue to squeeze the poor crustaceans for the last pennies.

It comes as no surprise, but it is a disappointment, that our new governor has followed the same course. "To fill three seats on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission earlier this month, Crist picked Broward County developer Ron Bergeron, Orlando development lawyer Ken Wright and Jacksonville construction company executive Kathy Barco." Read it all here.

Our Hopes and Prayers -- Moving Across the Road

2007-08-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Right now, the Center is in a lowland wooded area labeled FKWBC in this picture. The major problems with this area are that it floods and it has very limited parking. The limitations on parking impact our entire operation from the delivery of fish (frozen in a big truck) to parking school buses. Tourists are often discouraged from turning in because of the crowded parking conditions. The inability to park school buses limits our education program which could be important for the communities from South Miami to Key West.

Interestingly, just South of us, across the highway, is a piece of land owned by the State of Florida that would be perfect for our operation. Originally a quarry, it has invasive trees that the state has sporadically spent almost $100,000 trying to eradicate, and it has a deep and dangerous unfenced borrow pit full of water.

We would like to work a deal with the State to trade land or to lease this otherwise useless proerty, but so far the bureaucrats have their heads in the sand. We would get rid of the exotic plants, turn the property to good use, and do a lot of good for the environment. We need support, in this case political support, from the community.

Would you please email or call Rodney Barreto, the Chairman of the State Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission at 850-487-3796 or rodney@thebarretogroup.com
And Michael Sole, the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection at 850-245-2011 michael.sole@dep.state.fl.us

In both cases, tell them that you support the need for the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center to relocate to the state owned property on Dove Sound. We appreciate your help.

Save the Environment-- For What?

2007-08-15T15:31:00.001-07:00

It's fashionable to want to "do something" to save the environment. We hear of people buying "carbon credits" and we hear of massive projects to "Restore the Everglades". That's all fine, but what creatures will be living on the "saved" and "restored" planet?

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan calls for $12 Billion to restore the environment for wildlife, but not one penny of that money is committed to saving the lives of the residents of that environment. You can preserve the environment, but the law of exponents says you do a lot more right now by saving one bird who can reproduce for generations.

About 800 birds pass through our facility a year. Right now we are getting ready for the busy migratory season in November and December. During those months we'll get an average of eight newly injured birds a day. Our job is the rehabilitation and release of those birds back into the wild so they can grow strong, reproduce, and bring us all joy.