My son and his wife founded a company called Window to the Wild a few years ago.
They educate anyone who’ll listen, about the habits of the native birds they are responsible for.
Their birds are unable to survive in the wild for one reason or another and Simon and Lindsey use their donations (and much of their hard earned money) to feed and house a variety of avian friends at their tiny house parked on Roger’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
This year they had a booth at Fair Park in Dallas and participated in a three day event celebrating Earth Day.
We found out about it when Simon asked to borrow our iPad in order to download the means to take credit cards so they could sell their brand new t-shirts.
“We should go!” I said to Hubs not imagining for a moment that those three, casually uttered, words would sign us up for the whole week-end.
130,669 people passed through the fairground gates and thousands of them milled around our booth to learn about,
Hermes, a Great Horned Owl,
Fiernan, a Harris’ Hawk,
Smaug, an American Kestrel and…
Pigwidgeon, an Eastern Screech Owl,
Far and away the Star of the Show.
Even when he was looking the wrong way!
Pig, as he is affectionally known by his trainers, sat patiently on his perch, framed and ready for pictures to be taken of him and with him. The latter for a small donation since it involved getting up close and personal on the other side of the photo booth.
Most folk who passed by thought he was stuffed, or…
…when he moved…a baby!
They were amazed to learn he was fully grown.
Some told us they had a nest of screechers in their red-tipped Photinia bushes,
Others thought what they had been seeing were owlets.
When we told his story,
that he had fallen out of his nest when he was about the size of a cottonball and
sustained a head injury that affected his flying ability making it impossible for him to survive in the wild,
they went all gooey and wanted to pet him!
That’s Pig for you!
He lives comfortably with Simon and Lindsey in their tiny house, eats baby chicks and beef heart and sits calmly in one of their windows enjoying the sun.
Apart from the streams of people filing by his perch the week-end routine wasn’t so very different from normal life for this show stopper.
He ate,
tucked up one leg and let his eyes grow heavy,
displaying behavior that told his keepers he was very comfortable.
Before you rush out to acquire one of these most pleasant of raptors,
that elicits squeals of delight and requests to touch,
consider this:
None of the birds held by Window to the Wild are pets, they are wild animals whose natural behaviors are preserved and respected.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it illegal to hold or collect live native birds, bird feathers, nests, eggs, or even road killed birds without a permit.
Injured birds should be taken to a licensed, trained, wildlife rehabilitation centre.
My son and his wife worked hard to obtain their non-profit status.
They had to construct the proper facilities and obtain federal and state permits before taking possession of any of their birds.
Their education permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department authorizes them to display their birds for educational purposes as a non-profit organization.
Earth Day gave them the opportunity to reach thousands of people who had no idea these lovely feathered friends were local to the area.
The public got to see them up close, take photos and talk to the founders and owners of Window to the Wild.
Hopefully all those who interacted with us at the booth this past weekend will be more aware of the wildlife sharing their back yards and have their spirits lifted by their presence.
I know Hubs and I were enlightened by the experience and as an added bonus were able to spend valuable time with our children.
Pop over to Window to the Wild and show your support.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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