Cedar Waxwings, Hanging in There

The surviving birds, 39 of them I think, are doing well, so far. Now it's just a waiting game, to see if they can stand the stress of captivity long enough to grow their damaged feathers back.

Amber keeps them in a 6-foot-long aquarium, rather than a cage, to protect them from drafts. She puts two cat dishes in the tank, each with two bowls, and every three hours she has to refill those bowls and clean out the bottom of the tank, shoving the birds gently first to one side, then to the other, to accomplish this.

We (that is, the Area Rehabbers Klub) have been receiving some donations toward the estimated $1,000 it will take to rehabilitate these birds. Of particular interest to us is one from the State Senate, with this note:

Enclosed is a check for $200.00 from the Senate Employees Fund to assist your efforts to rehabilitate the cedar waxwings which were injured at the General Assembly Building.

Unfortunately, in our efforts to correct a health issue with the pigeons, another species suffered. This was certainly not the intention and this office deeply regrest the loss of some of the cedar waxwings.

We appreciate the good works of you and your colleagues at ARK and are encouraged by your efforts to save the surviving cedar waxwings. We know that this is a difficult and costly task and hope that this donation will be helpful.

With kind regards, I am

sincerely yours,

[Clerk of the Senate]

Very nice.

But still... it's like saying unfortunatley in my effort to posion rats, I poisoned your dog, not realizing he would get to the bait first...

Update: We have now received a $100 donation from the Governor of Virginia and his wife. Now THAT kind of recognition is cool! They also mentioned the waxwings in their kind note.