By Nikki Buxton | Managing Director
I had to smile reading through my May report. Back then it was Covid and fires. Now it’s Covid and hurricanes. Because things are not tough enough, right? We are watching approaching storm Nana and will likely have to pull in the vulnerable birds and then hunker down until this predicated hurricane passes over, misses us, or fizzles out. I always worry about the released birds, the ones we can’t help or protect, but you know they always manage to find somewhere safe to hide out. Smart birds.
We have been so, so fortunate to have had your support. Since May there’s been 115 rescues, 59 of which are parrots, 7 waterbirds, 17 songbirds and 15 raptors. We released 21 of those birds and 78 are still with us undergoing long-term rehabilitation, bringing our total in care right now to 225.
I cannot stress this enough – there is no way at all that we could have helped any of them without your loyal support. You are incredible. Thank you!
Some of our highlights were 10 gorgeous barn owl releases and the release of Touca the bent-beaked toucan. She’s doing well, visiting about once a week to let us know she’s still alive. We also managed to free our 6 parakeets that had been clipped as young birds and their regrowth had taken what felt like forever. We transferred another 7 ex-captive yellow-heads to our release site on a private reserve. The manager of the reserve does the most amazing job of successfully soft-releasing all of these oddities. He’s given a second chance to 42 ex-captive yellow-heads at this site. Thank you David!
We finally raised 18 endangered yellow-headed amazon chicks that are now weaned and out in the ‘bush’ aviary where they stay until their release in May 2021. We’ve had some roller-coaster cases too. I’ve never had to deal with so many sick and debilitated confiscated parrots, and of course this would be the year with no vets or interns on site. The other challenge has been lack of hand-feeding formula. Usually I get visitors and interns to bring them in their suitcases, but there have been no suitcases this year either. Old-school with the blender!
Covid has finally hit Belize, as we all knew it would, and so our borders remain closed and the end seems to be nowhere in sight. We really hope that you are staying safe and well in this ongoing pandemic. I guess in the end everything else is secondary.
Finally, I want to say once more, we are unbelievably grateful for your generosity and support. Please, if you have the time, share our Facebook page or other social media, and our GlobalGiving fundraising pages. If we are to continue as Belize's only multi-species, avian rescue organisation then we need you now more than ever. The birds need you, now more than ever. Consider yourselves their savior, as without you the 198 birds that have come through our doors this year would have been left to die.
Bless you, and remain safe
Warm regards,
Nikki & all at BBR
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
