Our world needs more people in it like April Olson.
Two years ago today wildlife rehab volunteer April Olson invited us to join her in a remote area of Box Elder County for a Burrowing Owl release. April is a veteran at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah (WRCNU) and when it comes to birds she has a heart of gold.
April remembered how disappointed Mia and I were that Galileo, the Short-eared Owl entangled in a barbed wire fence we rescued in the same area, couldn’t be released back into the wild because his wing injury was too severe so I think she wanted to show us that sometimes these kinds of episodes have happier endings. Thus the invitation.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 100mm
This is April releasing the Burrowing Owl that morning two years ago, a moment and an experience I won’t soon forget. As the owl flew off hell-bent for freedom it was chattering all the way. I hoped it was a happy chatter but more likely it was just pissed off. This little owl, not much larger than a soda can, had the same injury to the same tendon on the same wing as Galileo had so this story certainly could have had a different and more tragic ending.
When done well releases like this one aren’t as easy as they look. You have to know what you’re doing because lots of things can and do go wrong, including but not limited to opportunistic Cooper’s Hawks waiting in the wings to take advantage of the situation. But April is a veteran and an expert. I don’t think she’d mind if I shared with you the fact that she no longer spends as much time as she used to at WRCNU caring for sick and injured birds because health problems arise when she spends too much time close to birds (allergies I believe). But she still regularly makes the long trips often required to release birds in appropriate habitats. Knowing how far she had to drive for this Burrowing Owl release the round trip had to have taken her most of the day.
Rehabbers are a special breed. I couldn’t do what they do, not a chance. Many of their patients have horrific injuries and after investing your time, your resources and your heart in them you often lose them anyway. And then you go back and do it again. And again. It would be too emotionally draining for me so I simply couldn’t do it. Thankfully others can, and do.
An enthusiastic tip of the hat to all rehabbers and rehab volunteers out there. April has been one the best and most dedicated for a very long time.
Notes:
- I posted a different photo of this release two years ago but this one is new to my blog.
- I understand that April’s immune system acted up again yesterday at Bear River MBR. She was bitten by a deer fly and ended up with a badly swollen arm. Poor kid. When I’m bitten by a deer fly my only reaction is to try to swat the little bugger into kingdom come.
There are many Aprils around but they quietly go about their business of helping nature and sometimes trying to undo what humans have done. They deserve accolades as it is not easy and can be heartbreaking.
Thank you for reminding us, Ron.
I really respect and appreciate you rehabbers. As a result of Rons posts, I have begun sending mouse money to The Raptor Education Group in Wisconsin for helping with snowy owls that have run into trouble wintering here.
Thank you April and all those who care for animals. You are the best of what is human.
Thank you April. You are a hero of the birding world.
Woo Hoo and thank you to April and other rehabbers out there! You are awesomatious! Thank you for all you do!
And thank you to Ron for getting the word out!
Marty, I wonder how many folks work in wildlife rehab across the nation. There must be thousands of them and there still isn’t enough.
An addendum to DaLyn and Buz, if you read this post. In some ways I kind of miss that old leaky shack and the nights working until the early hours in the morning. We were an oddly close family. One of my favorite photos is of Buz reading a story to an imprinted, non-releasable, crow and several of the junior volunteers. Do you still have a copy of the photo? You should send it to Ron.
I’d love to see it. I’ll bet the interesting stories you guys could tell would be endless…
Woah, my jaw is still dropped! I just got online after spending my morning in Heber Utah. I saw the title and thought oh no did some one die? Then I saw ME! (but not dead) Thank you so much for the kind words Ron, and to the family of your many followers. I think the kudos mostly go to the literally “resident” staff and volunteers of WRCNU. DaLyn is unbelievable in the hours and exhaustion she works through all these years! Buz wears more hats with all his “jobs” for the organization than he has space for. They work hard and long through sickness and family tragedies. Stacy Peck has been there since day one filling in when help is needed. Amber does all the beautiful art work. Erin and Elizabeth give their all to daily man the rehab.I don’t know Dave well but I call him Dave at the Front Desk, he makes me laugh with his sense of humor. Shellie does the fund raisers and booths There are countless volunteers I have never met, Thanks goes to all their hard work. Thanks again Ron, you should do a story on DaLyn and Buz! How they met is pretty good.
My immune system over-reacts. I developed Allergic Pneumonitis to bird dander, so that was that for spending time with many birds. My bug bite is doing ok, again it is my over reactive immune system kicking in. Mia understands, it just slows us down a bit!
You all deserve the kudos, April. But it’s you I’ve watched in action so I wanted to focus on you. I’d love to hear the DaLyn/Buz story one day.
Sorry about the premature news of your demise (he says sheepishly…)
You’re one of the increasingly rare “good guys” in this world. We really do need more like you. The birds can’t thank you so those of us at Feathered Photography will. And do.
Egads, April! Hope your arm’s better soon.
Many, many thanks (and loud applause) to April and to the very special breed she belongs to. You are my heroes and yes, I do contribute ‘mouse money’ when I can.
I think the entire wildlife rehab community should consider using that “mouse money” phrase in their fundraising efforts…
Hail to rehabbers❤️❤️
You are so right that it takes special people to do this. I couldn’t but thank goodness for the ones that can.
Thanks April and get well😍
Yup.
Than you, Ron, for the tip of the hat to us rehabbers! I released a Cooper’s Hawk yesterday, so now I’m down to “only” 19 raptors in care. I can actually drink a cup of coffee while catching up on email including your post. For all the heartbreak, this is still the most rewarding work I’ve ever undertaken. It is a privilege to get to know these fellow creatures so intimately. It puts life in general and our own species in particular in a different perspective. OK, now back to feeding, medicating, cleaning. Help is always welcome! We cannot do the work alone. If you can’t volunteer, send MOUSE MONEY!
“If you can’t volunteer, send MOUSE MONEY!”
Mikal, I loved your plea for support for rehabbers. I thought it had the perfect balance between lighthearted and serious.
“Rehabbers are a special breed.”
How very true. It really takes a unique sort of dedication to help wildlife day in and day out knowing some will make it, some won’t, some will live with an injury the rest of their life. What an emotional roller coaster! Yet, all the rehabbers I’ve know wouldn’t have it any other way. They always answer the next call.
Great tribute, Ron!
Emotional roller coaster indeed! Thanks, Wally.
Hi Ron,
IMHO, rehabbers are wildlife lovers’ heroes. Like you, I support their efforts (even WRCNU, a couple of states away – I am a longtime follower of “Phoenix”, the Golden Eagle), but your term “emotionally draining” describes my thinking/feeling on the subject exactly. I tear up when I visit rehab facilities. Sometimes just reading their blog posts…Thank you for posting this, and thanks to all our rehabber heroes.
Cheers,
Dick
I know how you feel, Dick. I support an out of state rehab center too – the Montana Raptor Resource Center. It was MRCC that rehabbed the Barn Owl I cut out of barbed wire in the Centennial Valley and then months later MRRC released it back to the Centennial.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ron and April! Rehabbing can be emotionally exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding! Knowing that you can make a difference in one birds life helps to keep the fire burning. And we always need more volunteers! Every rehab organization needs people to answer the phones, maintain the files, wash the dishes, clean the cages, release the birds, educate the public at community events and help with fundraising. Some of our volunteers never even see an injured bird, but we couldn’t exist without them! Thanks again, Ron!
I hope everyone who sees this post reads your comment, Diane. Very well said.
Thank you for the wonderful tribute to April and other rehabbers. Wildlife rehabilitation is very costly mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. Many work 24/7 devoting almost every moment to the animals. Most rehabilitators are underfunded adding to their burden. Since retiring from rehab I have several wildlife rehab groups and individuals that I donate to as often as possible.
Melanie, your “24/7” comment very well describes the devotion of Dalyn and Buz (and others) to their patients at WRCNU.
YES! Wonderful, well deserved, tribute to April tho you scared the hell out of me thinking someone had passed! Has to be VERY trying to want to work rehabbing and have allergies or whatever shut you down…….. 🙁 All the rehabbers deserve more accolades than they ever get. 🙂 Hope the reaction quits soon! On a happier note a first for me this morning watching a waxwing feed a newly fledged chick. They are a challenge to see in summer let alone with young. 🙂
Geez, I didn’t even think about the possibility that my title might make viewers think that someone had died, Judy. I’ve gotta be a little more careful in the future…
I spent many hours watching a waxwing nest last summer and I could only briefly see portions of the chicks when they raised their heads to be fed.
Cheers for April and all of the good people who do this demanding( physically AND emotionally ) work…….this is my notion of doing “God’s Work”–and I’m agnostic.
The last part of your comment fits my own view very well, Kris.
And mine.
Very well deserved tribute I am sure. We too have a very dedicated team of rehabbers at Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene, OR led by Louise Schimmel. She faces each new patient with as much professionalism and dedication and trains her team to do so as well. They consider it an honor to work there. They all do good things for the raptors.(and others on occasion!)
Ginny, CRC has a great reputation, as does Louise. Louise occasionally comments here and she really knows her stuff.
What a special person! My hats off to April and all who do whatever they can to help wildlife!!
Great post!
Thank you, Dick.
Nice tribute Ron and a nice way to start off the new week. Rehabbers are special people and deserve much more praise than I am sure they get. Our long time male eagle at Lynx Lake was badly mauled and severely injured by a younger, larger, and much stronger eagle earlier this year and has been at Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix now for many months. Fortunately someone found him and called Fish and Game who came and took him. I just recently learned that his injuries were too severe for him to ever be released into the wild again. Thanks for sharing this.
“I just recently learned that his injuries were too severe for him to ever be released into the wild again.”
Then I hope he becomes an education bird and lives a long, pampered life. Thanks, Everett.
Ouch on her arm. I do that with ants. UGH. But yes! Huzzah for rehabbers. I can’t even imagine the heartbreak that happens. The rewards are mighty, but praise is few and far between. So here’s to April and all that she and other rehabbers do for our world.
Arwen, as you can imagine there’s lots of burnout among rehabbers. For good reason.
Yes. As a girl, I tried to raise a lot of baby birds. Was about 60% successful. So very hard. Now I know we should have found a rehab person…if there was such a thing then.