Tag: werc

The south Bay Area is abounding with an astounding variety of avian life. The fascinating hobby of bird-watching allows you to discover and appreciate the marvelous diversity of wildlife all around us. At water's edge you may see a majestic great blue heron or a reclusive American bittern; you will learn how to tell the difference between great and snowy egrets; you might be surprised by a crested blue-and-white belted kingfisher suddenly diving into the water and emerging with a fish. Paddling on a creek or pond, you may see buffleheads (striking black and white ducks) or an elusive, gorgeous, multi-colored wood duck.

Full disclosure: I love cats. My family had pet cats for much of my childhood. However, there are far too many feral cats - cats that were once domesticated but have returned to the wild, or ones born in the wild - out there.

Say hello to our little friend … a tiny northern saw-whet owl who has just joined the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center's educational animal ambassador team. It's true that the best presents come in small packages!

The Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center in Morgan Hill introduces the newest member of its educational team: A female saw-whet owl rescued in July in Aptos after suffering a fractured left wing and nerve damage that makes her permanently unable to fly.

Residents of Almaden Valley have recently been suffering from an invasion of wild pigs. These creatures have severely damaged a local golf course and many private yards, leaving lawns looking like a rototiller was set loose upon them. Needless to say, golfers and homeowners are dismayed, angry and frustrated at the extensive damage.

Thanksgiving feast: Succulent turkey and savory pumpkin pie are a wonderful holiday treat for human celebrants, but this turkey vulture prefers his pumpkin au naturale, no whipped cream necessary. Because vultures are not vegetarians, the pumpkin was given to Zorro (WERC's non-releasable animal ambassador) for mental, rather than nutritional, enrichment. Just like most of us probably wouldn't enjoy eating meatloaf day after day or watching the same television show over and over, the educational animals at WERC also get bored without variety.

The South County is growing by leaps and bounds. Many residents commute to jobs in San Jose and parts north. Why not build new homes and businesses in the Coyote Valley, that empty stretch of U.S. 101 between here and there?

Halloween seems to bring out the creativity in pet owners who make the cutest, cleverest and funniest costumes for their dogs, big and small, to parade around in. There are even costumes for feline pets, but I wouldn't try putting one on my own cats unless I planned to look like a flesh-torn zombie afterward.

Every September I look for the white-crowned sparrows to arrive. A small flock takes up residence each fall in an overgrown Lady Banks rose that covers the side of my neighbor's garage. They join the house finches, chestnut-backed chickadees and lesser goldfinches at my feeders. White-crowned sparrows are distinctive, with a narrow white stripe on the top of their heads, black stripes on either side of the white “crown” and broad white eyebrows.

School's out! At least it is for seven barn owls that attended the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center's “summer school” this year.