Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
2220 Irwin Lake Rd B0N1C0 Brookfield, NS, Canada

As of Monday, Feb 15, we are at number 39! The top 20 win a grant! Vote for free once a week from anywhere in the world, and be sure to tell your friends! Click here - https://mygivingcircle.org//cobequid-wildlife-rehabilitat/ - to vote now! Thank you for your support!

Whatever this day means to you, a day to celebrate family and friends, a day to grieve and remember loved ones lost, or just a normal day, we want to make sure to let you know that we appreciate you and your care and compassion for wildlife.

We are getting closer to the top 20 every day! Top 20 charities world wide will win a grant! Vote for free once weekly from anywhere in the world! https://mygivingcircle.org//cobequid-wildlife-rehabilita/

Sunday has joined our patients in care. Sunday had soft tissue injuries on both wings and feet on intake, along with mild dehydration, and a whole lot of stress. A blood test showed that Sunday had mildly elevated blood lead levels. Wound management and supportive treatment is going well so far, and Sunday is currently in stable condition. Belle is continuing to recover as well and we are hopeful that Belle and Sunday can both make the move out into the Jeezley rooms soon! ...From there, Sunday and Belle will be able to see Stuart, Walter, Julius and the other eagles in the fly way stretching their muscles and building their endurance in the final stage of their rehabilitation journeys! We thought you would enjoy this comparison of the three birds as they are all in various stages of the push toward the iconic outfit of the mature bald eagle! #wildliferehab #baldeagle #novascotia

A big thank you to Ann H, California, for your gift from our Amazon wishlist. Many babies and critical care patients will have the best gross smoothies and slurries ever!

Our first Bald Eagle patient of the year, Stuart is ready for her update! Earlier this year, Stuart was featured on CTV news to help raise awareness about lead poisoning in wildlife. With treatment for poisoning completed, Stuart is now working out in the flyway to build up her flight muscles and cardiovascular strength in preparation for release into the wild! We have really appreciated your messages of support for Stuart and are very excited to bring you this positive update! Thank you all for your interest wildlife! Please enjoy a couple of photos that were captured by our friends.

While we are all hunkered down for this Maritime snow-storm, how about a round of... "Hoo's Feathers Are These" Put your guesses in the comments and we will reveal the three species later tonight! Feel free to share and tag your friends! ***** Don't forget to cast your vote for CWRC to help us have a chance to win a grant! Voting is free and you can vote from anywhere in the world once a week! A vote for us is a vote for the animals these feathers belong to!... https://mygivingcircle.org//cobequid-wildlife-rehabilitat/ See more

Thank you so much for your support on our 2021 CWRC Calendar! You can still get yours if you order today! E-transfers to [email protected] . Please be sure to fill in the online form, this is how we are getting our order counts and preparing your mailing envelopes! Payments must be received today, Nov 2, at 6pm Atlantic Standard Time - if you have sent a cheque or money order, please contact us asap at either [email protected] or [email protected] .

Every year we see an influx of owls in the weeks following the winter time change. Many owls like this Barred Owl like to hunt along the roadsides at dusk and dawn; as the days are getting shorter the time change lines up the busiest traffic times with the busiest mouse'n times. You can help! Spread the word to let people know that daylight savings is a risky time to be an owl, then drive safely and watch for wildlife! For more groovy wildlife photos, animal stories, and holiday gift ideas, check out our newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/ae09d7b1aeba/october #watchforwildlife #wildliferehab #owl #daylightsavings #drivesafe

Our third release on the weekend was this handsome nearly-mature bald eagle. The stripes on some of his tail feathers earned him the nickname Striper. Striper came into the CWRC after being found laying on his back. A physical exam by a veterinarian and blood work confirmed he was suffering from lead poisoning. Striper has another chance of a full life in the wild. Please help keep him and other scavenging wildlife stay safe by sharing his story and choosing lead-free alternatives for your outdoor activities this fall. #baldeagle #wildliferehab #leadpoisoning

Did you know that leaf litter does a lot more than sound satisfying under foot? Countless insects and small animals rely on leaf litter to survive the winter, this includes essential pollinators like bees and butterflies. Amphibians like toads and salamanders rely on leaf litter for habitat, food and shelter. All of the insects emerging in the spring are essential for feeding hungry baby songbirds! Young plants are protected by leaf litter, which insulates them aga...inst spring freezing and spring frost. Consider leaving areas of leaf litter and scrub for wildlife to utilize throughout the winter and spring, and start planning now to incorporate more native plants into your gardens next year! See more

Tips and Rosie are two of the bald eagles who returned to the wilderness this weekend! They were released in their home territory on Oct 4. 2020. Your support helps make moments like these possible. #wildliferehab #domoreforwildlife #baldeagle #nonlead

The term waterfowl includes ducks, geese, and swans and make no mistake, this is a very interesting group of birds! Waterfowl are beautifully varied and range from low-key generalists to finely-tuned specialists. Wild waterfowl have all the tools they need to dabble, dive, and forage their way to optimal health! As a group, waterfowl eat a surprising variety of foods; algea, various types and parts of plants (aquatic and terrestrial, roots, shoots, leaves, seeds), c...rustaceans, insects and other invertebrates, and fish. What each bird eats depends on what species it is and if that species is a generalist or a specialist. Ducks and geese are common patients at CWRC and feeding them properly is critical not only for growing orphans like this one, but also for injured adults who are preparing for a long migration. Providing the right diet for waterfowl in care can make for some pretty interesting food offerings and is essential for a successful rehabilitation! See more

We think turtles have the nicest smiles and this beautiful youngster is no exception. Common Snapping Turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in Canada; this one has a lot of growing left to do! They are long-lived species and it can take 15-20 years for a female to be ready to lay her first clutch of eggs! ** Turtles are protected in Nova Scotia Is there a local species who you think has the coolest features? Feel welcome to share your thoughts in the comments!

On Sunday Oct 4, World Animal Day, we were pleased to release 3 Bald Eagles back into the wild! Please enjoy these photos from behind the scenes and stay tuned for more photos and videos of these three birds!

We are trying something new with our Calendars this year! Calendars will be available to order online Oct 19 - Nov 2 for PRE-SALE ONLY! Calendars will not be available for purchase in local businesses, instead we will mail your calendar right to your door or PO box. The calendar features wildlife images by our own Murdo Messer and 100% of proceeds will go toward the rehabilitation of wildlife at the CWRC. Order yours today: https://cwrc.net/?p=1375

Happy World Animal Day! For a little summary of the issues affecting wildlife around the world, and how you can help, please visit our facebook page and check out the World Animal Day post that is pinned to the top of our news feed! **Update: several animals in care at CWRC are celebrating World Animal Day by being released back home into the wild! Stay tuned this week for their story!

October 4th is World Animal Day! Did you know that most of the animals we see at CWRC are affected by issues which are not only local, but global? Wildlife around the world suffer from human activities such as being struck by cars and boats, colliding with buildings and powerlines, the use of insecticides, rodenticides and lead, as well as other human interactions like becoming entangled in abandoned fishing gear, poaching, interactions with domestic animals, and habitat dest...ruction. By interacting with posts, sharing animal stories, and spreading the word about wildlife issues you are helping animals both near and far who are affected by these global concerns! If you are able, donations of skills, services, or money are also big help! If you would like to help wild animals near you, supporting your local licensed wildlife rehabilitation center is a great way to make a big difference! #wildliferehabilitation #worldanimalday #wildliferescue See more

This weekend is the first ever Global Bird Weekend! October 17 is also the October Big Day, a global citizen science effort hosted by Cornell and eBird. So turn your eyes to the backyard or go for a walk in nature this weekend to watch birds as part of the Global Bird Weekend and report your sightings for October Big Day! Two-in-One weekend fun! Check out the link for more information on how you can participate: https://ebird.org/news/october-big-day-2020-bigger-than-ever #bigday #birdsofprey #songbird #birdwatching #birds #birdphotography

With hurricane Teddy on the way, we are likely to see wayward birds blown ashore. If you see strange looking birds after the storm it's very likely they need help! Many birds who live at sea or in large bodies of water can't take off from land, and they may also be injured, exhausted, or contaminated from their ordeal. These birds' lives depend on their natural waterproofing so it is very important if you find one that you do not touch with your bare hands. Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre 902 893 0253 or fb msg or text 902 986 2130

Did you know... Birds see reflections as the real thing. We see a tree reflected in a window. Birds see a tree. Even though a bird might look ok after it hits a window, there are several types of internal injuries which may not be apparent right away, such as concussions, injuries inside the eye, or internal hemorrhage. A bird who flies away after a strike will be more prone to predation while it recovers from the impact. You can help! There are many ways to reduce... window strikes; from DIY applications to glass that has been designed to minimize bird strikes! DIY options for the range from hand application of paints, decals, UV films/coatings, or tapes, right up to professional installations of engineered glass. Remember, applications must be on the outdoor surface of the window to be effective. See more

Last month we released 25 animals back into the wild! BIRDS - common nighthawk, 2 bald eagles, northern goshawk, red tailed hawk, great horned owl, merlin, catbird, 2 robins, herring gull, common grouse, 6 starlings, pigeon MAMMALS - 4 fox kits, 2 groundhogs That's a lot of vet visits, treatments, feeding, cage cleaning, maintenance, conditioning, and driving!

A beautiful tribute in memory of our co-founder Dr. Helene Van Doninck. If you're in the area the Wetland Centre and Wildlife Park and a great place to visit and learn about wildlife in Nova Scotia.

Are you ready for another fabulous foot? These webbed toes belongs to a bird known for its precision fishing skills! Any guesses who owns these periwinkle blue lined twinkle toes? This patient came in because it was tangled in fishing line and couldn’t move. A veterinary examination and an extended layover for supportive care and juicy meals saw this beauty back out to the wild!

The dazzling DannaDuck earned her nick-name because her funny personality reminds us of one of our volunteers! DannaDuck joined a crew of other lady-ducks on a beautiful late summer day after 2 weeks in care. Check out her release video!

Truro seniors rescue of bird of prey The quick action and compassion for four women at a Truro seniors’ residence recently saved the life of a distressed merlin. Ethel Matthews, Pat Burridge, Caroline Connors and Joan Allen knew there was something wrong as soon as they spotted the bird, on Aug. 5 When we went out, he was on a post, said Connors. When I saw the little round face, I thought it was an owl first. I didn’t know what kind of bird he was, but he stared at us lik...e he was asking for help. When the women stepped toward the post, the bird went onto the ground and into the bushes. There were five crows around, cawing, said Burridge. They stayed around the whole time, but the bushes were thick and this bird knew enough to stay in there. The women decided to call the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where they spoke to operations manager, Brenda Boates. Boates alerted the Bible Hill office of the Department of Lands and Forests who dispatched a pair of wildlife officers; the DLF officers safely caught caught the bird and took him to the CWRC for assessment. The bird was with us for more than a couple of hours, and it was exciting to be so close to him for that length of time, said Allen. Matthews said it was the first time they’d seen the bird around their building. We felt really bad for him and we’re so thankful we were able to help, she added. Dr. Jessica Rock, a veterinarian who volunteers at the CWRC, said the merlin, who was found following several hot days, was suffering from heat exhaustion and, because he hadn’t been feeding much, his energy levels were very low. He was given fluid therapy for a couple of days, and then refed slowly. He’s doing well now, she said. He doesn’t want anything to do with us, which is good, so he will be going back to the wild soon. There are more of these around than people realize, but they’re very shy. You could be very close to one and not know it’s there. These small falcons eat birds, as well as some small rodents, large insects and reptiles. They don’t build their own nest, but take over the old nests of other birds, such as crows. During the 1960s, the number of merlins dropped because of pesticide contamination, but the ban on DDT resulted in a boost in population. The experience with the merlin was the first bird rescue any of the women had been involved in and Rock said they did the right things. They protected the bird without trying to handle or disturb him, and I’m delighted they took an interest and kept him safe. Because he was found near Kiwanis Pond, this bird is being called Kiwanis. The CWRC is currently caring for many birds, including several eagles, and any donations to help with their care are greatly appreciated. More information can be found on the CWRC website at https://cwrc.net/ Story by Lynn Curwin See more

This little eagle doesn't have dirt on his face, he's just got a groovy flair as he trades in the mottled plumage of youth for the elegant attire of Bald Eagle adulthood. Even through that's not dirt on his face, this was one dirty bird which has earned him the nickname of "Oscar". We do not talk to the birds in care, so Oscar will never know his name, but it is useful for talking among ourselves, and with you, to use nicknames between us! So, our friend Oscar here had been ...spending a lot of time on the ground while he was suffering from clinical lead poisoning. Can you imagine walking on a tightrope while you had vertigo? Oscar couldn't imagine flying with his vertigo either, and since bald eagles aren't meant to spend long periods of time staggering on the ground, this fashionable fellow did a lot of damage to his feathers while he was struggling to survive. Today marks the first day following his initial medical therapy to remove the lead from his body. During this therapy, Oscar is blossoming from a depressed and weak bird to a proud sub-adult but he is not out of the woods yet. Any bird who requires treatment for lead poisoning will require 2-5 lead tests over the course of it's care, along with a period of intensive care and a customized feeding programme. Many of these birds also require additional tests (such as x-rays and additional bloodwork), as well as additional treatments (such as bathing to remove contamination from the feathers). Once the lead is out of their bodies and any other injuries have been tended to, recovering bald eagles will finally have time in the Big Jeezley to build up flight strength and stamina for release. In other words, in order to successfully rehabilitate a lead poisoned bald eagle for release into the wild it takes a considerable about of physical and human resources! If you would like to contribute to the care and rehabilitation of Oscar and his fellow wildlife please consider helping out within your means, whether that is sharing this post or making a donation, you can make a difference for wildlife! See more