Suz and I didn't have much time on our last morning in Florida and thought we would visit a bird rescue non-profit called Save our Seabirds or S.O.S. that was close by our hotel. Seabirds in the Florida peninsula face many new and evolving challenges since mankind has made his imprint so firmly in the last one hundred and fifty years. What happens to a bird that is hit by a car or becomes tangled in mono-filament fishing line? Maybe a bird is clobbered by a golf ball and its leg is shattered. The scenarios are endless and the threat of oil spill disasters seems to be an event that must be preplanned for even while we hope it never occurs again. S.O.S. is a organization that rescues injured birds and rehabilitates them back into the wild if that becomes possible. They also train volunteers in the skill of cleaning oil saturated water fowl.
Picture taking was an odd experience here because their confines were built from fencing that had a small grid. You'll notice the patterned shadows often. I was able to step back a couple of paces and focus sharply on the subjects and make the fencing disappear. It was either that or jam my lens up to the fence. This group of Red shouldered Hawks sun themselves as they rehab.
This Black Vulture was hit by a car and can not fly well enough to survive in the wild.
"Unfortunately," the sign reads,"Sandhill Cranes inhabit areas which used to be open meadows but which are now golf courses and shopping centers. They are frequently hit by golf balls and cars resulting in leg and wing fractures. SOS developed leg prostheses for these birds and is presently working with a world renowned prosthetic designer, Kevin Carroll, to improve the prostheses so they are more comfortable and don't require replacement as often." 
Suzanne and I made a donation on behalf of World Bird Wednesday and a brick will be inscribed and used in the construction of a donor wall. Many praises to the good hearted people of SOS!
Incredible effort being done. The prosthesis is quite amazing to see on that crane.
ReplyDeleteMy niece did an internship last fall with a wildlife rehab facility in Wisconsin. She got to work with mammals and fowl of all types. It is amazing the work they do to help these poor injured beauties.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we did not miss that visit. Gabby the "cockatoo" sang Happy Birthday for us, she had become extemely possessive of her male owner.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. We have a wildlife rehab facility here in my little town, and at the moment, they are taking in lots of waterfowl from the Lake Erie shore--some weird, as-yet-unknown thing is making them fall over over and down, they loose head control, all very odd and scary. Thanks for your help with the FL SOS.
ReplyDeleteWildlife has so many strikes against it these days...I worked in a Bird of Prey Rehab center as a volunteer 1999-2000, but sadly he had to close his center which had been around for many years when his wife sued for Divorce! (long story) all the unreleasable birds got new homes across the country. Rehab centers NEED funding a very worthy charity to support. Thanks for bringing this center into the limelight with your Great photos!!
ReplyDeleteAn excelent post! My children and I have been following you for only a couple of weeks and we make your site a daily stop! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteSo sad to see all those injured birds; but good to know there are people and places like this to help them.
ReplyDeleteFantastic work done by all these places.
So glad you got to visit the place. They do great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments!
ReplyDeleteI just read on the SOS web site that they recently released 10 pelicans and a gull! How much fun would that have been to experience? This place just gets you excited about being involved.
Leschornmom, So glad to have you and your 8 kids visiting. Yeah, Read your bio, thanks for following. I got a kick out of your group and your desire for sustainability at your farm. Cool stuff.
Dina, Florida is quite a place. You Floridians have a heck of a responsibility keeping track of and protecting your unique ecosystem. Visiting your state was incredible.
Hello and thanks to my favorite wildlife gunslinger!
Ranger Anna, Thank you for the important work you do. I hope you get that perplexing mystery solved!
Marcia and texwisgirl, Agreed, this is a very important work. I hope more folk get involved with wild life projects. It really changes ones perspective about Mother Earth!
Sondra, Given your phenomenal energy level I'll bet you were a top volunteer. It a crime that these institutions are run on such a shoestring.
A beautiful post good sir. The black vulture, hit by a car, particularly poignant.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid my thoughts about the human race in general are not always the most charitable when seeing things like this, except towards the people who run a rescue place.
Nice to hear the injured birds are well looked after if possible. Great work by all the volunteers at this bvird centre.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding photos- I especially LOVE the vulture. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteGreat subject matter Springman.
ReplyDeleteIts good to know that there are great people volunteering to such good causes. Its fascinating to see first hand what goes on to get our feathered friends back up and flying again.
I know taking images in a place like this is a tad easier than out on a field trip, but you did it very sensitevly and with great composition.
Fav image is possibly the Black Vulture for dof and the complimentry background, however the first image is stunning and non of the others are shoddy...lol
Great work Sm
Dave
My heart is breaking. I bless those who can help and do what I can...which isn't enough.:(
ReplyDeleteLove your new header photo !!!
ReplyDeleteGreat, informative post! The photo of the Black Vulture is amazing!
ReplyDelete