In our last newsletter, we told you about “Fuzzy,” the Red-tailed Hawk admitted with feathers in horrible condition, requiring nearly a year in rehab until the feathers molted out into the perfect new plumage. On September 24th we were elated to re-lease “Fuzzy” back into his home habitat in Grapeville. It was November 14th when we received a call from a Grapeville resident whose neighbor had been following a downed hawk all over the neighborhood, watching over it until it could be rescued. My heart sank - a hawk in trouble in Grape-ville? Somehow I just knew it was Fuzzy, and my fears were realized when I looked into the carrier - I would have recognized him anywhere after having him here in our care for so long. Upon examination, we were horrified and saddened beyond belief - Fuzzy had been shot! It is a state and federal offense to shoot birds of prey for any reason. Additionally, Grapeville is fairly populated, certainly not an area where shooting should be taking place. The bullet was probably a small caliber, and it had penetrated the front of the shoulder, exiting out the back. Miracu-lously, the bone was not in-volved, but it was unknown how much damage had been done to muscle, ten-dons, ligaments and nerves. Fuzzy was unable to hold the wing in a normal posi-tion, so we had to bandage the wing.

While we waited to see if Fuzzy’s injury would heal well enough for release, some of the staff decided to post signs in the area he was found, offering a reward for information on the shooter. It was our hope that some-one might have seen or heard something that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person who had fired that gun. No one ever did come forward. Despite our disappointment over that, ultimately, we have become happy and grateful that Fuzzy has now fully recovered. As soon as the trees have leafed out and the spring weather is stable, we plan to release Fuzzy here at

the refuge. We will pro-vide back-up feed-

ings until he be-comes reestab-lished to a new home where, hopefully, he will be safe from

future harm.

Wildlife Works, Inc. PO Box 113 Youngwood, PA 15697 724-925-6862 wildlifeworks@comcast.net

WORDS FROM THE WILD

Dedicated to the care of orphaned and injured wildlife since 1991.

Wildlife Works, Inc. is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of distressed wildlife and the promotion of responsible attitudes about the preservation of native species, habitat, and the environment. WWI serves Westmoreland County and surrounding areas,

WWI rehabilitates injured, ill and orphaned mammals, songbirds, and birds of prey who have been victims of h u m a n i n t e r f e r e n c e , environmental contamina-tion, or habitat destruction. Because people and their a c t i v i t i e s a r e o f t e n responsible, directly or indirectly, we believe we are obligated to help these wildlings.

WWI is not federally funded and exists entirely on d o n a t i o n s . D e d i c a t e d volunteers donate hundreds of hours assisting in the care of animals, building shelters and flight pens, transporting animals, fundraising, and helping with emergencies. If you are interested in helping, please contact us.

Notice of Non-profit Status: WWI is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. The official registration and financial info of WWI may be obtained from the PA Dept of State at800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Winter/Spring 2010

ADMISSION HOURS Mon - Fri Noon - 8 PM

Sat Noon - 4 PM Sunday - CLOSED

(Hours may change without notice due to volunteers’

availability)

MARCH 2009

SEPT 2009

APRIL 2010

Fuzzy the Miracle Hawk

Keep Cats Indoors

Page 2 Words from the Wild Winter/Spring 2010

It’s a fact, a large percentage of young ani-mals rescued by well-intentioned people do not need help. More than one hundred baby birds were ad-mitted to WWI in 2008. Many would have had a greater chance of survival if they were left alone or simply moved to a safer place. Knowing the difference between a nestling and a fledgling is a key factor in determining whether or not to intervene. A fledgling is no longer a baby. It is a young bird in the process

of learning to fly. These birds give it a go, but don’t quite get into the air. Instead, they end up on the ground, hopping and fluttering about. Nes-tlings, on the other hand, do not yet have their flight feathers. They may be un-feathered or partially feathered with some skin visible.

Fledging - If you see a baby bird on the ground that seems to have all of its feathers, but still looks a little downy, it is a fledgling. Unless you know of an immediate threat such as a dog, a cat, children, or a busy road, you should not approach the bird, but instead, watch it from a distance. Watch and wait. Make sure the parents are checking on it every few hours. If the fledgling is otherwise healthy but there is an im-mediate threat move the fledgling to the safety of a nearby dense shrub or tree. If the fledgling is wet or listless or if it is still where you placed it after several hours, call WWI for further advice. Nestling - If you find a nestling, examine it carefully. If the bird is not injured, is alert, dry and warm, carefully pick it up and return it to the nest. Touching a baby bird will not keep the parents away, but do not handle the baby a lot. Remember, their bones are fragile. If you cannot re-nest the bird, or if you are sure the parent is dead or if the bird is cold, wet, and/or listless, place the bird in a small container lined with tissue, keeping the legs and wings snug to its body. Cover a heating pad (set on low) with a folded towel, then place the substitute nest on the towel and pad. Again, do not attempt to feed or water the bird as this could be fatal. Call WWI as soon as possible.

Rescuing Baby Birds

Every year, WWI receives numerous admis-sions injured by cats. It’s estimated that out-side cats kill hundreds of millions of back-yard birds each year as well as billions of small backyard animals such as chipmunks, rabbits, squirrels, shrews and field mice. It is pet cats' instinct to hunt – not real hunger – that drives them to kill. There are two major fallacies: 1) that cats need to roam outside to be happy, and 2) that putting bells on their collars is effective in alerting wildlife to their danger. We also need to remember that when pet cats hunt backyard birds and small native mammals, they deprive other native species, such as the Great Horned Owl and Red-tailed Hawk, of food. These species are al-ready struggling for survival in our area. In fact, cat killings pose a significant threat to the diversity and health of local ecosystems. Finally, outdoor cats are exposed to disease as well as the dangers of traffic, traps, poi-sons, abuse, and attacks from other ani-mals. In fact, outside cats frequently don't live past the age of five, while indoor cats often live to be 17 or more.

Rescue If: • The parent is known dead, and the baby is too young to be on its own. • The animal is weak, thin, cold, or appears sick. • The animal is injured in any way, or there are flies, ants or other insects around the animal. • The animal is in danger, including problems with other animals, people, or any life-threatening situa-tion.

Leave Alone If: • The parent is nearby. Parents rarely abandon healthy offspring. It is natural for some

species, including rabbits and deer, to leave their young for a few hours while forag-ing for food.

• The animal is fat, bright-eyed, appears healthy and isn’t in apparent danger. Parent animals have strong self-preservation instincts. Watch from a distant place. Keep children and animals away so the reunion can take place.

Intervene If: • A nest has been blown from a tree. Pick it up, place it in a berry basket and tie the

basket to a limb of the tree using heavy twine, or place in a crotch of a tree. • A baby has fallen from the nest. Pick up the baby and return it to the nest. Do not

handle the baby a lot since their bones are fragile. Call WWI for more advice. Always: Use gloves and caution when handling wildlife. Wild animals normally don’t attack people, but when threatened they will defend themselves. Even small mammals can bite or scratch; birds can peck. Larger species are dangerous. Never: Never touch raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks, or foxes without using gloves. These species could be carriers of rabies. Contact a wildlife rehabber ASAP if you find any of these species in trouble. After Rescue: • Place the animal in a secure box equipped with air holes and a lid. Use a box that is

the right size - not too large or too small. Provide a clean ravel-free cloth for the ani-mal to grasp, and make certain there is nothing inside the box the animal can get caught in. The box should be placed in a warm, dark, and quiet area until transporta-tion is arranged.

• Do not feed or water the animal; good intentions can be fatal to wildlife. • NEVER house or transport a wild bird in a cage. The wire will damage their feathers.

Wildlife Rescue Tips Sony Ericsson Photo

Winter/Spring 2010 Words from the Wild Page 3

On December 4th of 2009, Wildlife Works admitted a rather un-usual bird, a rare admission at our center. It is called an American Woodcock. These birds, while common in our area, are not often seen because they are secretive and nocturnal. The bird was found in the middle of the parking lot at Hempfield High School during daylight hours, probably blown down in a storm. The Woodcock has some unusual habits and feeding require-ments. They are a very shy bird that lives in marshy areas. They use their long, thin, pointed beak to poke deep into the soft soil in order to consume their favorite food-earthworms. We needed to provide special housing to accommodate the bird’s need for pri-vacy and earthworms had to be found. We at WWI are constantly learning, and an issue we discovered though our experience with this patient was the difficulty of obtain-ing earthworms in winter time around our area. All the local bait shops were closed for the off-season. After locating a small sup-ply at a local sporting goods store, we promptly cleaned them out. Since the hungry bird consumed from 4 to 6 dozen of the squirmy creatures per day, we had to find a steady supply and quick! After some research, we found that they could be bought from out-of-state earthworm farmers via the internet. Once we had the feeding situation more or less under control, we began to think about the logistics of releasing the bird. Although the hocks and wing tips were abraded from the hard landing and the bird was slightly underweight, it would be healthy enough to release in a relatively short time. The problem then became when and where to release it. Since American Woodcocks do not nor-mally winter in western PA due to the frozen ground and snow

cover, it started looking like we would have to house it for at least another 3 months! Between the consequences to the bird’s condi-tion due to being cooped up in an unnatural indoor environment for an extended period and the cost of a constant supply of im-ported earthworms, we began to explore other options. The decision was made to try to transfer it to a rehab facility in a warmer climate so it could be released earlier. Tri-State Bird Res-cue in Newark, Delaware stepped up to assist us. They are lo-cated in a more temperate area where Woodcocks commonly spend the winter. The transfer was finally accomplished in Febru-ary and soon afterward, the Woodcock was successfully released into its natural habitat. A sigh of relief was breathed by all in-volved. We were overjoyed after all the hard work we did and the long and stressful journey endured by this beautiful creature.

American Woodcock

Late last spring, long-time WWI friend and supporter, Augie Lombardozzi, was enjoying an early morning motorcycle ride when he came upon an opos-sum lying on the road - obvi-ously hit by a car, but still alive. Augie moved the animal out of danger and immediately went home to swap his bike for his car, returned to pick up the injured animal and brought her to Wildlife Works. The opossum, an adult female, was in shock, bleeding from the nose, and suffering abra-sions to her head and face. She also had a badly fractured right rear leg. We quickly triaged the opos-sum, treating her with meds, fluids and warmth to combat shock. After she was stable, she was x-rayed at our local vet's office. The fracture to her right femur was badly dis-

placed—one we could not treat with a simple splint. Conse-quently, it was necessary to schedule the opossum for orthope-dic surgery with Dr. Robert Wagner in Pittsburgh. Surgical pins were placed into the bones and then began the waiting game to see if the surgery would be successful. Over the following 8 weeks of bandage changes and exercise, it appeared as though the healing process was progressing. Our patient was walking well without pain. Unfortunately, during the pin removal surgery, nerves to the foot were damaged, causing the foot to be clenched. We tried splints, bandages, and physical therapy, trying for many weeks to correct the problem. Despite our best efforts, the opossum was not releasable, as it takes four good legs to survive in the wild. Over the many, many weeks of rehab, our patient had become very used to being handled. We therefore decided that she might make an excellent out-reach animal—especially since opos-sums are often reviled and misunder-stood. So, we are happy to introduce the new-est member of our education animal family - ”Blossom” the AWESOME Opossum!

Blossom the Awesome Opossum

Dear “Cat”astrophy, The practice of “Trap-Neuter-Release” (TNR) is

very controversial among folks who care about

animals - wildlife or domestic.

The theory of TNR is that, once reproduction

comes to a halt, the stray cat population in a

given area will eventually “disappear.” Some

researchers claim the problem never does go

away, because people keep dumping un-

neutered cats where there is an established

colony, plus many folks still allow their pet cats

to roam at large, often without the benefit of

neutering. This brings more and more unwanted

cats into existence. Shelters can’t keep up with

the numbers, so millions of surrendered or

abandoned cats are put to death in our nation’s

shelters each year. It is estimated that there are 44 million stray/

feral or free-roaming cats in the US. They are

responsible for the mutilations and deaths of

billions of wildlings yearly.

Prof Possum says: 1. Cats are NOT natural predators in our

ecosystem. 2. It is a crime in the State of Pennsylvania to

abandon any domestic animal.

3. Responsible pet owners should spay/neuter

their cats and keep them strictly indoors.

Knowing these facts you must draw your own

conclusion.

Dear Prof. Possum,

We just built a sun porch so we can

better enjoy Mother Nature’s

finest. However, we feel awful

because of the number of birds

flying into the glass! What can we

do? Helpless in Hannastown

Dear Professor Possum,

My neighbor and I are having an argument. She wants to trap the stray cats in our area, get them fixed and put them back where they came from. I say cats don’t belong “in the wild.” What do you think?

“Cat”astrophy in Carbon

Dear Helpless, The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) estimates that, in the United States, up to one billion birds are killed annually or injured by impacts with windows. The vast majority of these happen when birds collide with high-rise buildings with lots of reflective glass. Research is being done to find ways to reduce the numbers of these type collisions.

For the average homeowner, it is necessary to break up the reflection birds see of their environment on the outside of windows. Wind socks or wind chimes or metallic streamers or stickers sometimes help; covering the inside of the windows is not the ticket, as there is still reflection. Stickers shaped like the silhouette of hawks can also help deter birds from heading in the direction they perceive to be a predator. These can be purchased from www.windowalert.com.

ASK PROFESSOR 'POSSUM

Page 4 Words from the Wild Winter/Spring 2010

2010 Adopt-A-Wildling $250 Great Horned Owl, Osprey, Great Blue Heron

$150 Cooper’s Hawk, Screech Owl, American Kestrel

$100 Barred Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, Swan

$50 Gray Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Woodpecker

$25 Canada Goose, Hummingbird, Opossum

$10 Box Turtle, Songbird, Cottontail Rabbit, Mallard Duck

____ General Contribution - Daily Operations

$1,000 Eagle

Enclosed is my check for $___________________

Name_________________________________________

Address_______________________________________

City__________________________________________

State____________________ Zip__________________

Email__________________________________________

All contributions are tax deductible.

Great Horned Owl, Osprey, Great Blue Heron George & Sandy Smeltzer

Barred Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, Swan Marlene Ingraham

Judith & Wayne Silvania George & Sandy Smeltzer

Tina Thomas

Cooper’s Hawk, Screech Owl, American Kestrel

Louise Anderson Laura & David Gilbert - In Memory of Evelyn Coulson

George & Sandy Smeltzer

Gray Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Woodpecker

Daniel Cappo - In Memory of Glenn Dixon Diane Johnson

Missy Showman George & Sandy Smeltzer

Canada Goose, Hummingbird, Opossum George & Sandy Smeltzer

Luke Zajdel Bernice Bridges Grace Lincoln Billee Maier

Robert & Catherine Swickline

Box Turtle, Songbird, Cottontail Rabbit, Mallard Duck

Eulalia Buccigrossi Cathie Donohoe - In Honor of

Rob & Jackie Rabenstein’s 35th Anniversary Patti & Serena King

Judith Kline Mary Evelyn & Harry Miller

Shirley & John Newhouse (2) Nancy Rathi (2)

Cheryl Richardson George & Sandy Smeltzer

Sue Ann Vozar Robert Walthour

WWI Adopt-A-Wildling Statistics Total 2009 Adoptions - 31

Winter/Spring 2010 Words from the Wild Page 5

$1,000

$250

$50

$100

$10

Mammals Virginia Opossum 21 Eastern Cottontail 75 Chipmunk 6 Woodchuck* 3 Grey Squirrel 23 Deer Mouse 2 TOTAL MAMMALS 130

*Native mammals such as woodchucks can be triaged by WWI before transfer to rabies-vector licensed rehab facilities.

Native Birds Great Blue Heron 1 Canada Goose 5 Mallard Duck 30 Wood Duck 1 Merlin 1 Bald Eagle 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 13

Broad-wing Hawk 1 American Kestrel 2 Peregrine Falcon 1 Killdeer 1 Wild Turkey 2 American Woodcock 1 Mourning Dove 11 Rock Dove 4 Great Horned Owl 3 Eastern Screech-Owl 8 Long-eared Owl 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downey Woodpecker 2 Eastern Flycatcher 1 American Crow 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 American Robin 24 Blue Jay 1 Chimney Swift 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3 Northern Flicker 2 Carolina Wren 6 Cedar Waxwing 5 Common Yellow-Throated

Warbler 1 Eastern Bluebird 1 Northern Cardinal 7 Song Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco 1 Red-breasted Grosbeak 1 Purple Finch 1 Pine Siskin 1 American Goldfinch 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 Common Grackle 8 TOTAL NATIVE BIRDS 163

Introduced Birds European Starling 17 House Sparrow 9 House Finch 3 Ring-necked Pheasant 1 Mute Swan 2 Total Introduced Birds 32

Domestic Birds Muscovy Duck 2 TOTAL BIRDS 197

Reptiles Eastern Box Turtle 6 Painted Turtle 1 Wood Turtle 1 TOTAL HERPS 8

2009 PROGRAM STATISTICS Page 6 Words from the Wild Winter/Spring 2010

REHABILITATION

EDUCATION WWI’s “Wild Neighbors” education program is available to any group. The program may include a slide show, rescue “do’s and don’ts” and the natural history of our wild neighbors. Educational animals are sometimes included. In 2008, 13 pro-grams were presented. In 2009, 20 programs were pre-sented:

Bovard Elementary (75) Brownie Troop 22069 (16)

Cub Scout Pack 317 (70) Cub Scout Pack 418 (55)

Cub Scout Pack 480 (30) Cub Scout Pack 304 (40) Easter Seals School (10) Fort Allen Brownies (26)

Fort Allen Cub Scout Pack 464 (37) Greensburg Young Marines (20)

Kiski Area Elementary (24) Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Festival 75) Maxwell Elementary School (70) Outside In School 3x (28)

Southmoreland Elem School (160) West Point Elem School (70) Winnie Palmer Nature Center (20) Barnes & Noble (40) Yough Middle School 7th Grade Science (40)

Total 906 In addition to educating the public via our publications and press releases, WWI responds to thousands of indi-

viduals who call our facility with wildlife related con-cerns or questions.

WILDLINGS ADMITTED 335

ANIMALS RELEASED - 174 NONTREATABLE - 69

RELEASE RATE FOR 2009 – 65%* AVG COST PER WILDLING - $66.07

*Calculations do not include “nontreatable” wild-lings that died within 24 hours of their admission.

Internet Photo Tufted Titmouse

Song - “peter-peter-peter”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Being a WWI animal care volunteer is hard work but very rewarding. Volunteers have up-close experiences and learn to identify many native and migratory wildlings, as well as learn about their behavior. But volunteers have both good days and bad, often depending upon the outcome of their combined rehab efforts and Mother Nature: in 2009, nearly half of WWI patients did not survive. All in all, however, it is an experience that is hard to come by in this area. The intensity of the operation and the skill required to care for the wildlings does not allow for “casual” volunteers. You must love wildlife and you must be willing to commit both your time and energy. Volunteers are asked to commit to one four-hour shift a week. Minimum age is 18 and training is provided.

Thanks to the hard work and commitment of the following WWI animal care volunteers, 174 wildlings were released back into the wilds in 2009. Many of these wildlings will reproduce, increasing the impact volunteer efforts have made on our local wildlife popu-lation. Without a doubt, WWI would not exist if it were not for these dedicated volunteers:

2009 ANIMAL CARE VOLUNTEERS

A TYPICAL VOLUNTEER SHIFT Priority is feeding, medicating, and treating all wildlings.

Read log and charts prior to any care.

Make diets and prepare food, documenting any food shortage in log. Morning shifts defrost food for raptors.

Feed, medicate and treat all inside and outside wildlings per di-rections, refreshing and cleaning cages. Log your activities, being sure to document any behavior change.

Do dishes and laundry, documenting any shortage of supplies.

At the end of the shift, if time allows, replenish food dishes for next shift.

During “baby season” (April through Sept) nearly 70% of the work is inside the facility.

Almost 50% of your time will be spent cleaning and changing cages.

There is written protocol for every facility usage - Intensive Care Unit, sinks, laundry, aviaries, cages, etc.

Novice volunteers will not be handling mammals or high risk wildlings. With demonstrated desire and aptitude, volunteers can increase hands-on skills over time.

Winter/Spring 2010 Words from the Wild Page 7

Kate Bannon David Berkey Audrey Bluhm Jennifer Blum Brooke Baldonieri Charley Calkins Bernie Cramer Linda Cramer Samantha Crawford Eric Dadey Renee Dadey Carol DaRold Alexis Dillon Carol Durco Milly Gallik Laura Grasso Sarah Hackney Stephanie King Jaime Kotok April Kovacevich Shannon Kozakiewicz Tasha Kromka Jill Leasure

Marge Markavitch Brian Martz Kristy Mathews Mary Beth Molnar Gregory Moon Tina Moore Jennilee Morrison Lori Mozina-Ogurchak Julie Novak Lori Opshinski Marcia Osborne Peggy Paulone Mary Pianko Alexis Schunck Julie Simon Sandy Sten Dean Thomas Tris Anne Thomas Pamela Valla Ron Yannacci Laura Zajdel

Julie Simon assesses the health of a 6 week old squirrel.

Napoleon watches over volunteers as they perform

their indoor duties.

$20,000 The Pittsburgh Foundation

$1,000-$5,000 Pianko, Mary & Joe Smeltzer, George & Sandy Anderson, Louise R.K. Mellon Foundation Greensburg Rotary Club

$500 - $999 Cathey, John & Catherine Gilbert, Laura & David Gould, Connie Ober, Charlotte Parra, Elena

$250-499 Bail, Ethel Gaffron, George & Nancy Jenson, Carolyn Markle, Howard Jr. VMD Russell, Rebecca Teledyne Technologies

$100 - $249 Adams, Barbara Barr, Rosann & David Bencloski, Dr. Joseph Bethune, Gregg & Dana Bolk, Amy Borland, Donna & Lawrence Brenkus, Mary Ann & John Carr, Judith Chinese on Broad, Inc Conyette, Linda Cramer, Linda & Bernie Cunningham, Pauline & Craig Dadey, Renee Davis, Carol & Len Jackson

Dominicis, Carol Downey, Jeanne & William Durco, Carol & John Fiorina Asphalt Paving Fiorina, John & Nancy Ginnevan, John Gregg, W. David Hixson, Eric Hurwitt, Mara Ingraham, Marlene Jacobs, Martha Johnson, Diane Kashin, Peggy Kreuter, Carolyn Long, Brian Lowery, Janet & Sonny Markle, Howard Jr. VMD & staff Martz, Lori & William Maxwell ElementaryPTO Metzgar Elem PTA Osborne, Marcia Pecarchik, Mary Ann & Robert Pennsylvania Physical Medicine Poole, Marilyn & Bernard Pushic, Karen Richardson, Cheryl Rohrbacher, Gail & Harry Show, Patricia Silvania, Judith & Wayne Sommer, Jean Stringer, Susan Strosko, Dawn Studley, Joy & Nick Thomas, Rebecca & Jim Thomas, Tina Tronzo, Dr. Robert Tuscano, Barry & Kitty United Way of Westmoreland Cnty West Point PTS Westmoreland Bird & Nature Club Winslow, Gerald Zajdel, Bernie & Peggy Zdrojkowski, Mary Ann

$50 - $99 Allen, Norine Anderson, Danielle Andritz, Evelyn ARC Technologies Botanical Society of WC Botti, Bill & Barb Brightwell, Marie Hustek & Mary Alice Buccigrossi, Eulalia Cappo, Daniel Christopher, Deborah Cochran, Marsha Cooper, Herbert & Julia Cox, Marlane Dillon, Lexi Eade, Janyce & Barbara Faix, Donna Fidel, Robert Furiga, Brenda Gaebel, Barbara Gardner, Rebecca & George Socher Gosser, Elizabeth & Robert Gratchic, William Haberstock, Michelle Haun, Linda Haywood, Sally & Don Jones, Rob & Laurie Jordon, Brittany King, Patti & Serena Kozubal, John Kubacky, Joseph Law, Dennis & Mary Lepsesty, Kelly Lombardozzi, Augustine Metz, Dora & William Myers, Jeanne & Ray Nelson, Candy Newhouse,Shirley & John Nicholson, Herb & Charlene OBlack, Lara Prytulak, Bonnie Richardson, Priscilla Rossi, Lynne & Randy Ryan, Sandra & Harry Sarson, Marcella Sartori, Clair & Nathan Schenone, David & Gail Shaver, Sue Schoaf, Clay Showman, Missy Smearcheck, Lorrie & Thomas Smith, John H. Staff of Dr. Jerald Lowry DMD Thoms, Deborah & Gary Tinkey, Tracy Toal, Raymond & Susan Trent, Joyce Vitek, Danita & Jim Vozar, Sue Ann Warmbrodt, James & Mary Hays Wiseman, Sue & Dale

$25-49 Adamson, Bruce Altman, Sharon Arblaster, Cindy Bankosk, Anissa Barth, Herb & Brenda Bien, Shirley & John Boronky, Michele Bridges, Bernice Byers, Diane & Ronald

Clausner, Ernest Clawson, Milton Danser, Patty Diez, Tom & Lee DiPietro, Diana Donohoe, Cathie Downey, Robert Federer, Katie Fieldson, Keri Frost Benzo, Susan Gaffney, John Ganguly, Anna Gladys, Robert & Kathy Goodman, Jim & Mitzi Greene, David & Pat Greensburg Sewage Authority GSCW Troop 21814 Haber, David & Sheryl Hand, Robert & Janice Havadich, Joy & Thomas Hess, Len & Linda Hixson, Eric Horvitz, Adriane & Morris Hostetler Jr., Ronald Jackson, Janet Jartin, Diane Jones, Rosemary Jurkovic, Karen Karavlan, Judith Kaylor Family King, Ricarda Kline, Judith Kriger, Richard Krivacsy, Teresa LaFace, Raymond Lawrence, Paula & George Lee, Terrance Lincoln, Grace Loughran, Sally Luterman, DeDe Lyons, Mary Maier, Billee Maines, Patricia & James Manclark, Hazel Matuza, Dale, Xina & Ryan Maxwell Elementary Grade 5 Miedel, Cheryl Monyok, Carol Murphy, Daniel & Barbara Neurohr, Linda Nicholson, Connie & David Nied, Peter Plummer MD, L.G. Polan, Jay Quick, Alyce Quinn, Gerald & Anna Richardson, Anne Ridinger, Dr. John C Rubino, Stephanie Schaller, Pixie Schmida, Linda & Jim Schuck, Ann & James Schwarzkopf, Nancy Scully, Eleanor Shermar, Pauline Shirland, Mary Sloboda, Chris Smetak, Darlene Smith, George Smith, Jerry & Sandi Splendore, Margie St. Vincent College Staney, LaVonne & John Stoner, Richard & Eileen

Streussnig, Jen Swickline, Robert & Catherine Thompson, Stuart & Nora Walton, Tom Werkman, Peggy, Jim & Jim Widowed Persons Service Org Wynn, Denise Yandrick, Cheryl Zajdel, Luke Zuckerman, Edward & Joan Byrne

Less than $25

Adamczyk, Michelle Addison, Tammy Allegra, Debbie Allegro, Emilia Bandemer, Les & Karen Barnhart, Alisa Battistella, Suzanne Beck, Elizabeth Bowden, Joann & Jim Boyle, Eileen Bozek, Helen Brown, Jack & Shoko Butler, Eric Cantalupo, Melissa Carroll, M.L. Cassidy, Jean & George Cazden, Marisa Cipriani, Rogene Coddington, Nancy & Jack Coffen, Robin Crelli, Annamarie Cub Scout Pack 304 Cub Scout Pack 480 Cub Scout Pack 613 Damico, Carol DeFrance, Mike Degrazia, Beth Dell, Jim & Mary Ellen Dickinson, Donna Diorio, Patricia Dixon, Cheryl Dunn, Michelle Estrada, Nancy Felice, Sandy Fierle, Diane Fisher, Lee Fisher, Vera Gardner, Warren Giacchino, Laura Giles, Mildred Good, Anna Mae Gordon, George Graham, Dr. Eric Gregory, Sean Groba, Rosella Guzik, Frank & Marg Hall, Jason Harris, Don Heasley, Charlene Henry, Dorothy Hillwig, Carole & John Hixson, Jill Holliday, Steve Horwat, Joy Hudak, Debrow Jackson, Len Keller, Donny Kern, Tatiyana Kiefer, Kerry Kierski, Michele Kopczak, Tom Krich, Faye

Kudrick, Jennifer Kuhns, William Lackie, Patricia Lasko, Chris Levandosky, Sandy Lizza, Jodie Loya-Karoffa, Bernadette Majhan, Frank Mancini, Dawnette Maurer, G. J. McCreedy, Terri McGinnis, Martha McKeel, Walter Miller, Mary Evelyn & Harry Minor, Denise Moore, James & Shannon Moore, Janice Moorey, Paul Murrman, Carol Myers, Autumn Rae Naggy, Erin Nebel, Sharon Newill, Kathleen Nindel, Jackie O'Black, Marge Panetta, Harriet Paraska, Steve & Jennifer Parker, Sara Peffer, Pete Petrovich, Rita Poholsky, Pamela Polansky, Lukas Presley, Justin Rathi, Nancy Romansky, Linda Ronczka, Pam Sager, Tim Salamone, Eleanor Sandor, Amanda Sarocky, Ronald Scalzott, Dan & Sherry Schafer, Judy Shrader, M. Charlotte Siard, Andrea Smearcheck, Alexis Smith, Lynette Smith, Natalie Smith, Patricia & Don Smith,Kathy Spoonhoward, Mary & Ray Sposato, Sally & John Robert Svec, Barbara & Richard Swartz, Letha Syrek, Rebecca Taylor, Mildred Thomas, Betty Toth, Audrey Truxal, Lauren & Catelyn United Way of SE PA Wagner, Elaine Walthour, Robert Ward, Heather Washko, Janice Yasurek, Linda Yeager, Corday Young, George & Laurel

Our apologies for any errors or omissions in our donor lists. If you

donated to WWI in 2009 and your name is not listed on these pages, please call so we can update our records.

$PECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2009 FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS

Page 8 Words from the Wild Winter/Spring 2010

WWI “Wild Neighbors” Educational Bird American Kestrel “Napoleon”

Individual Allegro, Emilia Battistella, Suzanne Bien, Shirley & John Boyle, Eileen Bozek, Helen Buccigrossi, Eulalia Carr, Judith Cassidy, Jean & George Cazden, Marisa Cipriani, Rogene Clausner, Ernest Clawson, Milton Cochran, Marsha Colditz, Barbara Diorio, Patricia Estrada, Nancy Federer, Katie Frost Benzo, Susan Gilbert, Laura & David Giles, Mildred Good, Anna Mae Gordon, George Henry, Dorothy Hillwig, Carole & John Hudak, Debrow Jacobs, Martha Jartin, Diane Johnson, Mary Virginia Jones, Rosemary Kalinowski, Arlene Karpoff, Michele Keller, Donny Kiefer, Kerry Kline, Judith

Lincoln, Grace Loya-Karoffa, Bernadette Mason, C. Russell Maurer, G. J. McGinnis, Martha Moore, Janice Newhouse, Shirley & John Newill, Kathleen Nicholson, Connie & David Panetta, Harriet Penney, Rachel Petrovich, Rita Puc, Karen Quast, Nancy Romansky, Linda Ronczka, Pam Russell, Rosemary Salamone, Eleanor Sandor, Amanda Schaller, Pixie Shermar, Pauline Shrader, M. Charlotte Siard, Andrea Smearcheck, Alexis Spoonhoward, Mary & Ray Sposato, Sally Twigger, Isabelle Vozar, Sue Ann Yeager, Corday

Family/Classroom Arblaster, Cindy Barth, Herb & Brenda Belczyk, Mona & Stan Bradish, Wendy & Gerald Brenkus, Mary Ann & John

Brightwell, Mary Alice & MarieHustek Cooper, Herbert & Julia Curry, James Denitti, Shannon Diez, Tom & Lee Downey, Robert Einsporn, Ann & Jim Gaebel, Barbara Gilbert, Laura & David Gladys, Robert & Kathy Glass Jr., John Goodman, Jim & Mitzi Greene, David & Pat Haber, David & Sheryl Haberstock, Michelle Hixson, Eric Jartin, Diane Johnson, Mary Etta Jurkovic, Karen Kaylor Family King, Ricarda Kuehl, Tom & Janet Kustra, Mike Law, Dennis & Mary Lawrence, John & Carol Lawrence, Paula & George Lowery, Janet & Sonny Luterman, DeDe Maines, Patricia & James Majorsky, Lori & Andy Maxwell Elementary Grade 5 Metz, Dora & William Meyers, Ray & Jeanne Morgan, Patti Murphy, Daniel & Barbara Myers, Jeanne & Ray Nicholson, Connie & David Plummer MD, L.G. Polczynski, Lou Richardson, Anne

Ridinger, Dr. John C Schaller, Pixie Schmida, Linda & Jim Smearcheck, Lorrie & Thomas Smetak, Darlene Smith, Jerry & Sandi Staney, LaVonne & John Streussnig, Jen Swickline, Robert & Catherine Thompson, Stuart & Nora Tkacs, Dennis Vitek, Danita & Jim Walton, Tom Watkoski, Kate Werkman, Peggy, Jim & Jim

Sponsor Barr, Rosann & David Bertera, Suzanne Bolk, Amy Christopher, Deborah Cox, Marlane Dinsel, Lorraine Eade, Janyce & Barbara Faix, Donna Gaebel, Barbara Ginnevan, John Gosser, Elizabeth & Robert Haywood, Sally & Don Johnson, Diane Jones, Rob & Laurie Pechan, Janice Pushic, Karen Richardson, Cheryl Richardson, Priscilla Rothrauff, Karen & Ron Sasso, Linda & Gene Schenone, David & Gail Shaver, Sue Silvania, Judith & Wayne

Stringer, Susan Wiseman, Sue & Dale Zajdel, Bernie & Peggy

Associate Bail, Ethel Barr, Rosann & David Bencloski, Dr. Joseph Bethune, Gregg & Dana Bricker, William Gilbert, Laura & David Kreuter, Carolyn Long, Brian Martz, Lori & William Nature's Way Market Osborne, Marcia Pianko, Mary & Joe Poole, Marilyn & Bernard Rohrbacher, Gail & Harry Silvania, Judith & Wayne Stasiak DMD, Thaddeus Studley, Joy & Nick Thomas, Tina Urban, Caryl

Patron Bail, Ethel Hurwitt, Mara

Youth Butler, Eric Sposato, John Robert

Sustaining Gould, Connie

Lifetime Anderson, Louise Cramer, Linda & Bernie Mateer, Charlotte Smeltzer, George & Sandy

Board of Directors Beth Shoaf, President Jim Vaughan, Sec/Treas. Shannon Kozakiewicz Marcia Osborne Sue Wiseman

Advisory Board Ted Janicki, CPA Dr. Kathleen Revelt, DVM Frank Rudnik Thaddeus Stasiak, DMD Dr. Robert Wagner, VMD

Fundraising Volunteers Lori Bell Mary Alice Brightwell Marsha Cochran Linda Conyette Patty Danser Mike DiFranco Nancy Gaffron Ernie Genetin MJ Hargnett Rob Jones Anna & Bob Kashin Paula Lesseski Duane Molnar

Peggy Kashin Stacy Ryan Amanda Sandor Mary Lou Shoaf Paula Weiss Jack & Claudia Zaharia Plus all of our volunteers who sold calendars.

Special Projects Jonathan Keenan & Family Dan Mularski & Outside In Frank Rudnik

In-Kind Service Donors Paula Mattey of Janicki & Associates Joseph Mozina Dr. Kathleen Revelt Frank Rudnik Dean Thomas Todd Vezzani Dr. Robert Wagner

In-Kind Goods Donors Allegheny Hyde Park Elem Mike Baldich Barb Barnhill Suzanne Bertera

Bovard Elementary Brownie Troop 22069 Burton’s Total Pet Audrey Cook Linda & Bernie Cramer Cub Scout Pack, Greensburg Cub Scout Pack 304 Cub Scout Pack 317 Cub Scout Pack 464 Cub Scout Pack 480 Kate Darroch Lorrie Dinsel Carol Durco Easter Seals School Fort Allen Brownies Sandy Friesell Milly Gallik Annie Ginnevan Greensburg College Club Greensburg Sewage Authority Greensburg Young Marines Bill Gratchic Michelle Haberstock Linda Henderson Mary Beth Karchella-MacCumbie Cindy Koshinski

Shannon Kozakiewicz Tasha Kromka Maggie’s Mercantile Moon Veterinary Clinic New Stanton Veterinary Service Marcia Osborne The Pennysaver Dr. Jeffrey Pope DVM Jaimie Provident Frank Rudnik Robert Simone Dan & Elaine Smartnick Southmoreland Elementary Carol Swords Walmart Delmont West Point Elementary Widowed Persons’ Service Organization

Winter/Spring 2010 Words from the Wild Page 9

2009 Members Paid between 10/1/08 - 12/31/09

Other 2009 Friends

2009 Financial Report (Unaudited)

INCOME Animal Admissions 2,423 General 7,106 Memorials & Honoriums 750 United Way 570 Education Programs 917 Fund Raising Adopt-A-Wildling 1,580 Appeal Letters 5,480 Donation Cans 226 GoodSearch.com 83 Recycling Ink Cartridges 79 Calendar Sales 22,021 Dance 5,232 Note Cards 15 Raffles 3,952 Grants 26,000 Interest/Investment/Misc 778 Membership Dues 4,560 TOTAL INCOME $81,771

EXPENSE Dues, Subscriptions, Fees, Misc 431 Continuing Education 85 Fund Raising Expense 18,180 Insurance 1,260 Investment Expense 283 Office 539 Payroll 25,816 Postage and Delivery 1,609 Program Animal Care 19,544 Public Education 2,592 Telephone 1,024 Toilet Service 1,309 Trash Service 470 Travel 2,066 Volunteer Recognition 31 TOTAL EXPENSE $75,239

MEMORIALS THEODORE ANKENEY

George & Barbara Thompson Hong-Yin & Linda Wy

Jeanne Reiff Marylue Getz

FRANK BUCCIGROSSI “In loving memory of my

husband of 50 beautiful years.” Eulalia Buccigrossi

EVELYN COULSON Laura & David Gilbert

GLENN DIXSON Daniel Cappo

ELAINE GOWER

Carol & John Durco

DOROTHY HAUBERK Pauline & Craig Cunningham

POLLY HILLSTROM Carol Dominicis

BRUCE JAFFRE JR. Deborah & Gary Thoms

Jay Polan Linda Conyette (mother)

Family & Friends Annual Memorial Fundraiser

CHUCK LOWERY Janey & Sonny Lowery

MARY JO PHILLIPS

Denise Minor Judith Karavlan Karen Pushic

BARBARA DINSMORE

Brenda Furiga

HONORARIUMS MARCIA OSBORNE

Maxwell Elementary School Grade 5

DR. BETSY KENNON

& STAFF OF HART’S RUN VET HOSPITAL

Nancy Schwartzkopf

LAURA ZAJDEL Bernie & Peggy Zajdel

ROB & JACKIE RABENSTEIN

“In honor of their 35th anniversary.” Cathie Donohoe

exÅxÅuxÜ|Çz ‹ Page 10 Words from the Wild Winter/Spring 2010

C H Q L M V Y C J I Z Q C C E N G O L D F I N C H F U U R M M G N M D D T P H I K V Z U S J E N D E K U J I B I V R I K I V S I V R N G P U L T E N R U O I O W Y L D M R L N H T O K D S N N X M I U H D E C C W X K U I X G A Z N T E O T Y E O C G K P C S W K Z E O A U F S O K S U A M P R E R Y C J I S R Q I K R H E A A G F Y A L Z O E S U D U L O R D D L Y D J A G E F I I G Z P R E F B L P S E N H N I A R J I O C B I Q B H I U A E E N E R H W C W C W N P S L L E M C C D E M P J T Z A K T B C B T Q P H K L K 

CEDAR WAXWING CARDINAL JUNCO HOUSE FINCH MERLIN FLYCATCHER

EAGLE WILDLIFE WORKS BLUEJAY CHIPMUNK GREY SQUIRREL KILLDEER

ROCK DOVE GOLDFINCH PINE SISKIN SONG SPARROW

WWI Admissions Word Search

We here at WWI would like to take this opportunity to acknowl-edge and honor our friend, Elaine Gower, who passed away on November 29 of 2009. For many years, Elaine and her family opened their home, prop-erty and hearts to a no-kill shelter, providing space to give a sec-ond chance to the stray, rescued and homeless pets in our area. Elaine also became a Licensed Humane Officer and her work being an advocate for suffering animals was well-known and much appreciated. Elaine continued to fight tirelessly for many years to help animals in need, whether it was an orphaned baby robin or a horse left to starve in a pasture - even while battling the illness that eventually took her life. I can honestly say that Elaine Gower did more single-handedly for animal welfare in SW PA than any other person I’ve ever known. Our hearts go out to her children and her husband, Kip. We hope that they may take some comfort in the knowledge of how much Elaine was loved and respected and how much she will be sorely missed.

Farewell To A Special Friend

MORE WAYSTO HELP

USE INTERNET GOODSEARCH -GoodSearch, a search en-gine powered by Yahoo.com, donates approximately one cent to a registered charity for every search you make. Simply go to www.goodsearch.com, select

Wildlife Works, and check it out. You can even see how much WWI has earned to date - nearly $240. Don’t forget to make GoodSearch your default search engine by selecting Tools then Internet Options then typing http://www.goodsearch.com.

LEAVE A LEGACY - Consider protecting future generations of local wildlife by contributing to WWI’s Wildlife Endowment Fund.

SHARE WWI WITH A FRIEND - Our primary source of support is from individual donors. Please pass this newsletter on to a friend or family member who loves nature.

FIND A HOME FOR A WWI DONATION Can - Donation cans on the counters of local businesses and at community events allow the public to conveniently donate to worthy causes. In 2009, $200 was collected from WWI cans at Nature’s Way, New Stanton Veterinary Service, Craftique, Earth Day at St. Vincent College, and Lewis & Clark Trail Festival. If you know a business or an event that would support WWI in this way, please let us know. Small change adds up !!!

DONATE SUPPLIES - WWI needs many items, including: bath towels, flannel baby blankets, heating pads (new), laundry deter-gent, bleach, paper towels, tissues, canned corn, sunflower seeds, and yard work tools. All donations are appreciated.

BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS GIFTS - If friends and family in-sist on buying you gifts you really don’t need suggest they make a donation to WWI in your name instead. We will send them a card announcing your gift. MEMORIALS AND HONORIUMS - Remember and honor those you love through a gift to wildlife. Families and individuals will be sent an acknowledgement card and individuals and donors will be recognized in our Spring newsletter.

NOTE - Due to a drop in value and the time required to pre-pare and ship, WWI is no longer recycling ink cartridges.

To become a member of WWI, complete this form and send it with your check or money order, payable to Wildlife Works, Inc., PO Box 113, Youngwood, PA 15697. Membership status is listed on mailing label.

� Youth - $5

� Individual - $15

� Family or Classroom - $25

� Sponsor - $50

� Associate - $100 Memberships paid after Oct. 1 are good for the next year. All contributions are tax deductible. Thank you for your support!!!!

Name______________________________

Address____________________________

City________________________________

State________ Zip___________________

Phone______________________________

Email______________________________

� Patron - $250

� Sustaining - $500

� Lifetime - $1,000

___ Additional donation

Please Become a WWI Member Winter/Spring 2010 Words from the Wild Page 11

Raptor Pen Update

Thanks to 188 generous individuals and businesses and a sizeable grant from an anonymous foundation, our dream of a new state-of-the-art continuous raptor flight pen will soon be a reality. And none too soon as our existing pen is aging rapidly. We are now seeking bids from local contractors to construct the pen itself. Because the building is unique we are looking for a contractor with experience in cus-tom projects. We are also seeking professional assis-tance to address a serious storm water runoff problem before we can begin construction of the pen. If you know of a contractor or professional that would be interested in submitting bids for both or either phase, please encourage them to contact us.

Existing raptor pen built in 2000 with used materials.ial

WILDLIFE WORKS’ MISSION is to rehabilitate injured, ill and orphaned wildlife and educate the public on how to better co-exist with wildlife. WWI primarily serves Westmoreland County but also accepts raptors from sur-r o u n d i n g c o u n -ties.

VOLUNTEERS - There are 60-75 WWI volunteers, over half of whom are animal care volunteers. Animal care volunteers are active every day of the year. In peak baby season, volunteers contribute approximately 50 hours daily!!!! WWI’s volunteer rehabilitator, Beth Shoaf, is licensed by the PA Game Commission and US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The volunteer base also includes several veterinarians and other professionals greatly adding to the high level of professionalism of the organization. In addition to caring for animals, educating the public and managing the organizat ion, volunteers also raise a significant portion of the budget through events, sales, solicitations and program income. Without the dedication of these individuals WWI would not exist.

STAFF - There are currently two part-time paid positions at WWI: an ad-ministrative assistant and an animal care technician. These positions provide essential support for year-round operations. FACILITY - WWI operates from the Youngwood home-based facility of Beth Shoaf and several satellites in Westmoreland County.

Wildlife Works, Inc. P.O. Box 113

Youngwood, PA 15697

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage PAID

Greensburg, PA Permit # 1091

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list,

please call 724 925-6862.

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ABOUT WILDLIFE WORKS

WWI Admission 3/09 Red-tailed Hawk admitted

with gunshot wound.

WWI Admission 8/09 Bald Eagle admitted with Fishing Line Entanglement

WWI Statistics

Treated since 12/93 8,125 Released since 12/93 4,423 Avg Release Rate 54.5% Avg Cost/wildling ‘08 $58.34 Total Est Vol Hrs ‘09 4,200