Linda Nixon, 2018 and Communications Director
Update 7/20 Message —–
Hello Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist Members,
We have received updated information about the situation with the baby egrets in McKinney to share with you.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? With the current heat/drought conditions, Egret parents are having to leave their nests for longer periods of time to search for food. With their extended absence the nestlings get restless, tend to bicker with siblings, and many are falling from their nests as a result. Egret parents DO NOT tend to fallen chicks, so the “grounded” babies only chance of survival is support at a rehabilitation care facility.
THE RESCUE EFFORTS are being led by DFW Wildlife Hotline and a couple of members from the North Texas Master Naturalist Chapter. Rescued egrets are being taken to Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Hutchins Texas.
CARE FOR RESCUED EGRETS BPTMN VH/AT Director LuAnne Ray spoke with Cathy Rogers at the Rogers Center about the situation today. The number of egrets that Rogers Center can take each day is totally dependent on available space. They received 101 egrets in the last 4 days. So, moving forward, newly rescued egret babies will be placed with whatever rehabber has room to take them.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- If you would like to participate in search/rescue efforts, contact Prudi Martin-Koeninger, President of DFW Wildlife Coalition, at koeninger@gmail.com.
- It costs $150 to care for each bird from rescue to release so the cost of this mass rescue is adding up fast. It is extremely labor intensive to feed and care for these really young birds. Translation: They eat and poop a lot!
- Rogers would love to have BPTMNs help with food prep (meat chopping) or make donations.
- The Rogers Center is located at 1430 E Cleveland Rd Hutchins TX, and is about 29 miles from Plano.
- Donations can be made on the Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation website site http://www.rogerswildlife.org/index.php
- Anyone who has questions or wants to volunteer at Rogers Center can contact Cathy Rogers at (214) 236-1761.
Linda Nixon
BPTMN Communications Director
—————- 7/16 Original Message ——————–
To BPTMN Members:
On Monday, DFW Wildlife Coalition received an urgent call for help in McKinney at an egret rookery (egret breeding colony) located in a HOA gated neighborhood. Many DFW Wildlife Volunteers have responded to the request to rescue and transport the egret babies to Rogers Wildlife Center (1430 E Cleveland Rd in Hutchins). Over 75 babies have been rescued so far. The rescue will continue for days to weeks depending on the weather.
The volume of babies is what makes this an enormous task for those searching, rescuing, and transporting. We need people to help with these tasks at the rookery. The rookery is located in an area with fairly rugged terrain so this is not an easy task.
The rookery is behind the house at 6412 Carlton Cove. Our contacts in the neighborhood are Nancy 601-672-8370 or Barbara 612-281-1026. The gentleman at the entrance gate is named Kevin; just tell him you’re with the DFW wildlife coalition and you are here to help the birds and he will let you in.
It’s suggested that we bring boxes or pet carriers with paper towels or newspaper in them. You should also bring something like a dog bowl that you could put water in – it helps rejuvenate some of the chicks if you can put them in water and splash water on them.
Don’t forget water for yourself because it is HOT!
Once the egrets are at Rogers Wildlife Center they are provided sub-Q fluids, parasites removed, and triaged. All of this before you consider chopping food and individually feeding each baby once hydrated and stable. Kathy Rogers needs volunteers to help. You must have your Covid vaccine and booster shots to volunteer at Rogers Wildlife Center
SIGN UP TO HELP:
Prudi Martin-Koeninger, President of DFW Wildlife Coalition, will coordinate volunteers for this huge effort. If you can fill one of these slots, please email Prudi at prudi.koeninger@gmail.com with the shift you can work.
This is the schedule for next week:
Search and rescue shifts are at 8AM
Shifts at Rogers are from 10a – noon.
Monday 18th
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1 Jaime Allen
Vol 2
Tuesday 19th
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1
Vol 2
Wednesday 20th
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1
Vol 2
Thursday 21st
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1
Vol 2
Friday 22nd
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1
Vol 2
Saturday 23rd
Search Rescue-
Transport-
Rogers Wildlife Vol-1
Vol 2
Additional shifts will be shared as they are scheduled.
Contact for Questions: Whitney Wolf, NTMN member and DFW Wildlife Coalition Project Lead – 214-738-2997
Logging VH: Approved for VH activities including search, rescue, transport, and feeding/care of chicks. Log volunteer time, including travel time to/from work site, to Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitation with a few words describing your service in the Description Box.
Linda Nixon
BPTMN Communications Director