18 May '08
Busy, busy, busy. I promise to have some photos as soon as I find time !!!!!

The babies are starting to roll in now. Already we have two young fawns - both about 6 pounds when they came in, but have already gained several pounds.We had quite a few squirrels, but have all now been released and now have quite a few baby raccoons, bunnies and opossums.

Don't forget that there are a lot of young birds now fledging. Be sure they are not being taught to find food and fly by their parents before you rush to gather them up. If you need help deciding - don't hesitate to call and ask for advice before collecting the young bird!

20 April '08
Last week we had three beautiful baby otters comer in from some very caring folks in northern Accomack county. Their eyes are still closed but have made the transition well. They are being rehabilitated in Va. Beach by a caring rehabber with another single baby who needed somes buddies! Unfortuntately, with so many to care for and so little resources on our side of the water, we could not keep our little otters. Cost to feed a baby otter to release age has been estimated by an experienced otter replacement mom at $1000.00 for the amount of fish they eat and because they are not released until late fall or spring. We are in need of a large used freezer to store this much fish. Our one freezer is curently full of food for the raptors and other mammals we take in. We are also looking for a good source of fish that won't bankrupt us. I hope that by the time we get our next otter children, we will have the resources to keep them on our side of the Bay for rehabbing and more importantly for release!!! Hope some caring folks can lend a hand. THANKS. And a big 'thank you' for all you have done.

Several weeks ago we took in a baby great horned owl that had been blown from its nest. This was the first time we received such a small owl; only a few days old. No nest was seen or family members found. That's a shame because many times they can be replaced in the nest. Then Lisa got in her own baby G.H. Owl so we combined the two because it is better for them to be raised with siblings - they imprint on people very easily. Last week(you guessed it) another baby Owl about the same age as the first group. His wing had been broken in his fall but he is doing great now and all three are growing so fast!!!!! They are in Va. Beach now - doing well. The only sad casualty is my food processor, the one I got for Christmas. It became the aid to processing frozen mice for the owls, once they were gutted and skinned. My husband, Jack is laughing, saying he never thought I would be skinning MICE!!!!!! So my Christmas food processor is now officially for the critters. My friends tell me they won't be buying anything food related at my yard sales!!!!! <G>

Call us any time - we are always here for the wild ones!!!!

Bye for now,
Kathy

20 February '08

It's time for the babies to start rolling in. I've had word that the first baby squirrels are already showing up in Va Beach! This means it's time to renew our stock of formulas for all the incoming. FoxValley on the internet is our source for formula for squirrels, bunnies, raccoons, opossums. Its not cheap!! Anyone wanting to contact Nick and donate some formula to help with the orphans can call us for the number. Last year we used over 150 pounds of formula just on the baby deer alone. We can always use paper towels, tissues, detergent, bleach! I do a load of laundry a day in the spring and summer for babies. Please see our new 'thank you' page!

Please think about giving to our wildlife any way you can. And as always, thanks to those who take the time to rescue a sick or orphaned wild animal and then call us. Remember it's not just the rescuing, but also to ensure the animal can be returned wild and able to fend for itself in the wild. You are doing harm if the animal grows up not knowing it is wild and how to live in the wild. And take care not to be bitten with those animals who can possibly be rabid.

Call us any time - we are always here for the wild ones!!!!

Bye for now,
Kathy

Bye for now,
Kathy

25 June '07

Where to begin? Its been such a busy spring!

We had the cutest flying squirrel as you can see from the photos. Over 26 raccoons and still coming. Five baby fawns. Three of the baby deer are in their outside pen and two still inside. The smallest was six pounds and had his umbilical cord for over a week!!!!!

Jody has had quite the introduction into the rehab world but she is doing a phenominal job. I don't know how she does it with such ease!!!! 12 of our possums have been released; they grow so fast. The three small ones are now outside and it won't be long.......

We had a darling tiny baby osprey; he fit in my hand. He was knocked, along with his nest, into the Chesapeake Bay. Our wonderful Steve Garvis was kind enough to bring him down. He was immediately transported to Virginia Beach to Lisa Barlow at Wildlife Response. She's the wizard of the bird world. I often hear him loud and clear in the background when I call Lisa. He is growing strong and we hope to have him released back on the Shore. He also has a surogate parent who came from Assateague Wildlife Refuge. He has been held over to take up the parenting skills for the young osprey and then he will be coming back to Assateague.

There has to be lots more, but I am totally brain dead right now!! Thanks to all the caring folks who call with the baby birds, bunnies, etc. It's so great to know how many folks care.

Don't forget we need paper towels especially. Two baby deer can pee through a roll of paper towels in 2 days. They have to be stimulated to pee just like puppies and kittens. Terry towels also work great and some detergent is also a very much appreciated donation, thanks.

Sorry we don't get updates to you more often, but its really hard to find time with so many babies to feed and a full time job as well. Someday maybe we will have someone to cover the updates that is better than me. <G> At least more regular. <G>

Again a special thanks to Eastern Shore Animal Hosital -They are all the greatest, with their help for our wildlife!!and we even have Dr Nuno's wife coming to help care for some of the babies! A big thanks to her! (*Hope I have their name spelled right) They have just arrived from Colorado and are good folks!

Bye for now,
Kathy

22 April '07
Here it is spring and babies galore!!!!
(Raccoon in last update's photo has now brought her babies back for a short visit.)

We sucessfully rescued a juvenile Bald Eagle last week who had a combination of things making him less than successful living in the wild. He was so beautiful. He was immediately checked out by our local vet and then transported to The Wildlife Center of Va for treatment. He is doing very well, we were told, and will be returned to the Shore for release when he is fully recovered.!!!! Of course, it was the nastiest day we could have to capture him and Jody and I spent several hours stuck in the farmers field before we were pulled out!!! But it was all very worth it knowing we had helped our National Representative!!!

Several babies brought in already. Joan has her hands full with baby squirrels. Hopefully she will write something in the near future.Jody currently has half of my Possum litter. She is 'rehabbing' 6 and I have 6. As you can see in the current photo, they are doing super ,over 300 grams each now (they were under 100 when we received them). They are enjoying the larger quartersand hopefully wlll go outside as the nights warm up a little more. I now have 4 litters, three in each litter. They are a week old and doing great in this new picture. The other three came in yesterday and also have eyes still closed.

There are also three bunnies just adapting to outside life. They will be released probably next week or so.
(Raccoon in last update's photo has now brought her babies back for a short visit.)

Don't forget! Don't feed those babies! Please call us for help first !!!

Kathy at Shore Wildlife

(picture is one of last year's releases back for a snack)

01 April '07

Another new year of babies starting to roll in. IMPORTANT: Don't forget to please, if at all possible, call first when in doubt about whether babies have been abandoned. We are always glad to assist you when it comes to wildife, and remember, babies need the right formula, the right amount of heat, and fluids, so please call before giving any aid!!!! it can mean the difference between a live or dead baby. NEVER give food or water (or milk) to a cold baby. It will kill them!!!!!! If you want to know how to help-please give us a call !!!!!! 757-442-7665 or 757-709-1840

We just got 6 wee little opossums- 2 boys and four girls-about 7 weeks old. All eating well and gaining weight steadily.
A HUGE welcome to new members of the rehabbing community - Joan Bryon-the 'squirrel princess'<g> who has been rehabbing across the Bay and has finally moved to our wonderful shore. And also to Jodie Sokel who has decided she just HAD to rehab - she is so gung ho!!!!!! Both Joan and Jodie both have some baby squirrels at the moment they are fostering. They are all different ages but all doing super so far!!!!!. I hope both will be sending some photos shortly and maybe a little biography-but we are now the three musketeers - excited for the coming rehab year coming up!!!

A special thanks from me to Kyle Harris again for his wonderful and generous donations to my little wildlife home. The lumber will be put to great use with some new release cages and much, much needed nesting boxes for when they are released. AND also to Jerry and Bonnie Gavard at Gavard Construction for a trailer full of lumber - all different pieces-cannot wait to get these cages built. I know my dear husband will not be thanking you both<G> BUT I REALLY DO!!!!!!

20 August '06
ALL baby Opossums doing well. Got in more raccoons and a baby rabbit and they are doing well.

Here are some photos of the new baby deer. Peter is the oldest (Peter Pan). He's now a sort of big brother to Tink (Tinkerbell - because she was so small) They have been fine together-of course right now supervised until Tink is older. Both are eating well and Peter is old enough to start on grasses, good hay and feed.

Tink came when she was about a week old and only six pounds. Some well intentioned person found her on the road and took her away from where her mom could find her. Two days later, he put her under someone else's tree. Those folks found her and called me. But 2 hours later when they went to get her to bring her to me, she was no longer there. Several hours later after hunting in the rain, in the wrong places, of course, she decided to answer my pityfull attempts at mimmicking her mom's call. I was able to follow the cries and about ten minutes later I had one wet, pitiful, limp baby. She has been on a round of antibiotics for the sniffles and her appetite was good from the start. Pedialyte helped her dehydration immediately before she even got a bottle of milk. Tink is having a great time romping around the X-pen now-and in a few weeks will be able to go outside with Peter.

And, of course, we still have a boat load of raccoons.