On February 6, 2020, Zeus, our Great Horned Owl, died. We are grateful for the gift of time that Zeus gave us, and we will miss him always. Below are the thoughts of one of the many humans who had the honor of knowing and working with this wonderful, special owl.
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Zeus, Soarin’ Hawk’s beloved Great Horned Owl, died on Thursday, February 6. He had been with Soarin’ Hawk for 5 years. He passed on a day when four of his handlers were at the bird pens, and many tears were shed by all within Soarin’ Hawk. Zeus touched many of us, whether we were one of his handlers or not. His big, golden eyes were so expressive and beautiful; it was impossible not to be in awe of such an enchanting creature.
When I think of Great Horned Owls, I think of their position at the top of the food chain - as mighty and fierce hunters. I was lucky to be one of Zeus’ handlers and, knowing the intense power of great horned owls, having such a magnificent predator trust me enough to allow me to be his handler was an indescribable gift. Once Zeus got to know someone as his handler, he was the sweetest bird imaginable.
About six months ago, we lost Zeus’ mew-mate, Apollo. Zeus and Apollo were a bonded pair, always sitting next to each other on a perch. I like to think that Zeus and Apollo are together again.
Fly high and free, sweet Zeus! We thank you, and will always love and miss you.
-Gigi Stewart
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU
Soarin’ Hawk is very grateful to the folks at
Pet Rest
,
a family-owned and -operated business that
donates dignified cremations for our rescued and education birds that have died. The birds’ ashes are interred on their beautiful property in Ossian, Indiana, where they “help flowers bloom and make the earth more beautiful.” Pet Rest’s services are a choice offered by many veterinarians in the area.
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"
In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
"
-
Aristotle
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SOMETHING FISHY THIS WAY COMES
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Thanks to several generous fishermen, Jefferson has fish to eat!
Matt Parr
,
John Grimm
,
Kevin Hodge
,
Steve,
John
,
Dan Glock,
Rick Rodgers
, and
Jim Polka
, you guys are the greatest! The eight of you have given Jefferson over 60 pounds of fish! That's amazing!
Jefferson eats about a pound of fish each day, so if you like to fish, and would like to share your catch, call us at 260-241-0134, and we'll arrange a meet.
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PEREGRINE IN PROSE
From
Off the Grid
by C.J. Box
"There is a moment when a peregrine falcon, hundreds of feet in the sky, identifies a target below. The raptor stalls for a moment in the thermal current, draws in its wings, and gracefully does a 180-degree rotation to its back.
"Now bullet-shaped and sleekly aerodynamic, the peregrine falls through the sky, gaining more and more velocity until its speed reaches more than two hundred miles an hour. It is the fastest creature on earth, and as it shrieks through layers of changing crosscurrents and atmosphere, it subtly keeps a perfect bead on its prey by slightly shifting a wing or moving its head a degree. As it drops, the falcon's focus narrows until the target - whether an unsuspecting duck rising from a pond or a rabbit foraging for young shoots of grass - becomes the
one true thing
to the exclusion of everything else
.
"As the peregrine closes in on its target at tremendous speed, its talons descend like the landing gear of an airplane on final approach. The talons are balled into fists. It is known as the state of
yarak
to falconers, and the end result is a concussion of blood and tissue from the target as the peregrine strikes home."
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PEREGRINE IN FORT WAYNE
She's back!
Moxie, the female of Fort Wayne's pair of Peregrine Falcons, has returned to the nesting box high atop the Indiana Michigan Power Center Building in downtown Fort Wayne. (Photo shows the small "bowl" in the stones (called a "scrape") where she will lay her eggs.)
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For several years, fans from all over the world have been watching this nontraditional family through a webcam as the three eagles deal with the trials and tribulations of parenting.
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WE GET LETTERS
We love reading your feedback!
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A SPECIAL NOTE FROM GIGI,
OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Would you like to be a Soarin’ Hawk volunteer? Come to our next Volunteer Orientation and learn all about the different opportunities within Soarin’ Hawk. There's something for everyone! Our next orientation will be Saturday, March 28 at 1:00pm at the Dupont Public Library (536 E. Dupont Rd., Fort Wayne). C
heck our volunteer page
to read about the opportunities available.
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On February 20, we received a call from Doug, a truck driver on his way home from Indianapolis. He had found an injured hawk in the median of I-69, and wondered what he should do with it. Doug said he lives near Leo, IN, so we asked if he would deliver the bird to Pine Valley Vet, and he agreed. (Thanks, Doug!)
Dr. Funnell's exam revealed an ulcer on the bird's right cornea and injuries to his right wing and leg. He was transferred to our ICU, where his injuries are being treated.
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WHAT HAPPENED TO FEBRUARY'S "RESCUES OF THE MONTH?"
The
Cooper's Hawk
's recovery is progressing. His keel is healing nicely. Because Cooper's Hawks do not do well in captivity, we sent this bird to a local falconer, who will work with him to help him regain flight strength in a quieter environment.
Sadly, the
Great Horned Owl
died. Often, when a bird is as emaciated as this owl was, they have used all of their energy reserves just to stay alive, and they have no energy left to recover. We are grateful to Melissa M. and Gary C. for all they did to give this bird a chance.
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CELEBRATING YOUR GENEROSITY
Thanks to February donors!
Amazon Smile, B. Courts, C. Graves, J. Hosteller, K. Joness, Network for Good, E. Pliett
Thanks to this month's fishers for Jefferson!
D. Glock, M. Parr, J. Polka, R. Rodgers
Adoption!
Midwest Veterinary Supply staff has adopted Frankie for 2020!
Thanks to the donors who give each and every month!
L. Dearing,
Bob Rohrman Subaru of Ft Wayne
, S. McInnis
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What Makes a Raptor "a Raptor?"
Do you know what characteristic make a bird a "raptor?" Are vultures considered to be raptors?
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Illustration: Joe Ciardiello
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We were able to rescue this beautiful red-tailed hawk, thanks to donations from folks like you. Won't you make a donation now so we can help others like this hawk? No contribution is too small!
Your donation is tax deductible.
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