NOVEMBER 2023

As we get ready to gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving, it is always a time to reflect on what we are grateful for. We are so thankful for the opportunity we get each day to help make a difference in the lives of the animals we care for. This year alone over 1,700 animals have come through our doors, and although we cannot save every one, each one is given the care and the second chance they deserve. We cannot thank you enough for the support you give us. Your kindness and generosity make the work we do possible, and we are grateful. (Photo: White-breasted Nuthatch)



Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving,


Stephanie Ellis

Executive Director

 
 
 

What a Long Haul

this Turtle Was!


By Animal Care Coordinator Jennifer Taylor


A cold stunned Diamondback Terrapin brought to Wild Care on New Year’s Day by Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary spent seven months with us before being released. Read Animal Care Coordinator Jennifer Taylor’s strategies and determination to return this endangered turtle and others back to the wild.


Photo left is Jennifer Taylor, and

Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary's Jess Ciarcia


READ Jennifer's

story here



 
 

Ask Mike & Stephanie Your Wildlife Questions 10am til 12pm

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Meet Eastern Screech Owl Up Up

11am til 12pm

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Shop Wild Care Merchandise

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Enter to win a Dune Jewelry Necklace

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Donate $40 or more - get a piece of Wildlife Jewelry Crafted by Nauset HS students

(While supplies last)

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Bring Gift Card Donations for Wild Care



Dune Jewelry Drawing Prize

Bird Watcher's General Store Hosts Wild Care Day on Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 25th


Big things are happening on Shop Small Saturday! Head over to the Bird Watcher’s General Store in Orleans on Saturday, November 25th for some special Wild Care Shop Small Saturday fun! Dynamic duo Mike and Stephanie will be at the store to answer all of your bird and wildlife questions from 10am-12pm.


Meet Up Up, Wild Care’s Eastern Screech Owl Animal Ambassador from 11am-12pm. Pick up some great gifts for the nature lovers on your shopping list, and some awesome Wild Care shirts and hats. Take a chance to win a beautiful Dune Jewelry necklace with our in-store prize drawing. Only 36 tickets will be sold! Donate $40 or more and get a piece of wildlife jewelry designed and crafted by Nauset High School students (while supplies last). Bring a gift card from Shaw’s, Stop & Shop, Agway, Ace Hardware, Staples, and Amazon to help patients in our wildlife clinic.

Nauset High School Student Jewelry

 
 

Free ornament with $20 or more donation.

While supplies last.

Cinder + Salt Celebrates Wild Care at Shop Small (but mighty!) Event


Cinder + Salt on Main Street in Chatham will be kicking off the holidays with a Shop Small (but mighty!) event on Saturday, Nov. 25th. Wild Care will have an informational table from 10am til 2pm. Make a donation of $20 or more and receive a beautiful owl ornament while supplies last! Bring along a gift card for our wildlife clinic from Stop and Shop, Shaw’s, Ace Hardware, and Agway. Music, merry, and refreshments all day with a percentage of sales from select merchandise of their environmentally friendly, nature inspired collection to benefit Wild Care.



 
 

ANIMAL CARE AND RELEASE SPONSORSHIPS


Ruby-throated Hummingbird's Care and Release Sponsored in Honor of Sue Finnegan



This young Ruby-throated Hummingbird was brought to us in September after a window strike. The bird suffered spinal trauma and spent several weeks at Wild Care and then moved to an outdoor hummingbird aviary. Happily the bird made a full recovery and was released.


It is not unusual to find young and vagrant hummingbirds on Cape Cod into November due to our warmer climate. On fair winds and following seas, little hummingbird.




Read more about the fall hummingbird migration



This hummingbird's care and release was sponsored by Carolyn Kennedy,

in honor of Sue Finnegan. This donation continued the circle

of life for a bird in need.

Cormorant and Quahog go their Separate Ways. Care and Release Sponsored

by the Spicka Family


We received a call regarding a cormorant with a Quahog stuck on its bill at Tonset Landing, Orleans. The bird was struggling and exhausted. Wild Care Volunteer Margaret Emslie and Executive Director Stephanie Ellis retrieved the bird in waist deep water.


The bird with it's tight-gripped companion was brought to Wild Care where we removed the clam and allowed the bird some recovery time. The clam was released the same evening, and the cormorant was released the following afternoon.


Double-crested Cormorants eat fish, crustaceans and small mollusks. We are grateful that the Quahog and the cormorant get to live another day. The bird quickly flew away, while the clam dug deep and filtered on.


Thank you to the Spicka Family for sponsoring the releases of both the Cormorant and Quahog.


This unlikely pair caught the attention of WBZ News Boston. READ the story, see photos,

and watch the rescue

and release videos here

 
 

Awesome Opossum Recovers With the Generosity of Sponsor Peggy DiMauro in Memory of Poppi


This sweet little opossum was found in a flowerbed with a large wound from an animal attack. She received antibiotics, wound care, and is eating well with a diet full of fruit, veggies, egg, yogurt for digestive health, and other proteins. An exam by Dr. Morgan revealed that her vision is compromised, and we will be watching her closely and hope she will make a full recovery.


The care of this beautiful, and beneficial animal is being sponsored by Peggy DiMauro  in memory of Poppi, the precious opossum who taught her so much about the species. Peggy is an opossum specialist and Wildlife Rehabilitator that has dedicated her life to the rehabilitation of Virginia Opossums. This generous donation helped give this animal the care she needed to live a healthy life.


To learn more about these incredible animals, WATCH Stephanie Ellis on our Growing Up Wild Series, Awesome Opossum.


READ Stephanie’s article from the Fall 2023 WRAM Newsletter: Why Wildlife Matters: The Awesome Opossum


A Grand Day for a Great Egret


This stunning Great Egret took two attempts by Kimberly Wordell Robbins before it was rescued. The bird was weak, neurologic and spent several weeks in our care before returning to good health. We were thrilled to get this beauty back into the wild.


We are so thankful to the generous sponsors of this incredible bird’s care and release.

Margaret Emslie has sponsored the care and release of this egret in loving memory

of her sister Meredith Johnston.

Kimberly Wordell Robbins, who rescued the bird, has sponsored it's care and release

in honor of Steve and Sarah Swain.

The care and release of this bird was sponsored by Andrea Niewenhous,

in loving memory of her husband

Charles Niewenhous.

 
 

Giving Tuesday Donations to Help Winter Seabirds and Replenish Supplies After a Busy Spring and Summer Season


Wild Care has been helping Cape Cod’s wildlife since 1993. We receive no local, state, or federal funding, and rely only on donations and grants to do the work we do. Our staff Wildlife Rehabilitators' have carefully thought of a list of things that would help with the treatment of our animal patients, and replenish supplies that were used this spring and summer treating over 1,700 wildlife patients in our emergency clinic and nursery. At this giving time, we hope you will consider making a donation towards the purchase of these items. We couldn’t do what we do without your generosity!

Donte to Wild Care for Giving Tuesday
 
 

Nancy Carroll winner of Best Costume

Rachel Wojciak- Most Creative Costume

Wild Care's Owl-o-Ween Party was a Wild Success!


A Snowy Owl danced with a Fisher, Crows sat on top of a pumpkin head of the judge of the wildlife costume contest, an Osprey, Northern Flicker, and Bighorn Sheep danced and sang the night away to the live music of the band Doctor Bombay. This was the scene at Wild Care’s Owl-o-Ween party at Hog Island.


Congratulations to Best Costume winner Nancy Carroll for her amazing Osprey nest costume complete with sound! Rachel Wojciak won Most Creative Costume as a beautiful Northern Flicker, and Janis McGrory was the lucky winner of the fall basket!


This wildly fun fundraiser helped raise $1,700 for Wild Care! Thank you to everyone that came out and had danced the night away with us! A big thanks to Tanya Johnson and everyone at Hog Island Beer Co. for hosting us, and Sweet Rose Cafe for the delicious sandwiches!

 
 

Gifts That Save Wildlife for the Holidays

 

Give Chocolate and Help Save

Wildlife this Holiday Season

Make this holiday season wildly sweet with a special collection of milk and dark chocolates made by hand on Cape Cod by Stage Stop Candy and beautifully wrapped exclusively for Wild Care. Boxes will be available online via Stage Stop, and in-store for a limited time.


Give a gift that gives back. For each box sold Stage Stop Candy will donate $5 to Wild Care. If you are looking for a reason to eat more chocolate, this is it! Your friends and family will thank you, and you will be supporting local business and helping Cape Cod’s native wildlife.


Join Wild Care's Executive Director Stephanie Ellis and Stage Stop Candy Owner Mandi Fedele for a special Facebook live from Stage Stop Candy on Friday, November 24th at 2pm.

PURCHASE Wild Care's Chocolate
 

Shop Wild Care Gifts for the Holidays


We have a wonderful selection of holiday gifts for wildlife fans in beautiful designs by Kerry Reid. We have long-sleeve shirts and soft tees in great colors in sizes small to XXL. Hats, and bumper stickers available too. There's something for everyone. Visit our online merchandise page to see what's new.


Contact Kerry for more information. Look great, and show your love of wildlife and support of Wild Care this holiday season!

SHOP Wild Care
 

Eastern Screech Owl Before and After Rehab at Wild Care

Sponsor a Rescued Animal's Care and

Release for a Special Holiday Gift


Sponsor the care and release of a rescued animal for a unique and meaningful holiday gift that will always be remembered as a thoughtful way to celebrate someone special, or honor the memory of a loved one.

EMAIL Stephanie for requests
 
 
 
Check out our Amazon and Chewy WISH LISTS and donate much
needed supplies to help the animals being cared for at Wild Care.
DONATE TO WILD CARE
 

10 Smith Lane, Eastham, MA 02642 

Email Us I. WildCareCapeCod.org

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When in Doubt Please Call Us 508-240-2255

We Are Here To Help!


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