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OWLS PATIENT OF THE MONTH: WILLET
A ranger at Hammocks Beach State Park observed a willet nest, and saw all the eggs
but one hatch, and the parents lead their young away. Three days later the remaining
egg hatched, but alas, the adults could not be found. So the 7-hour old baby was
brought to us, and we fell in love with the sandpiper, who looked like a puffball perched
on stilts!
Like ducks, willets are precocial - they start picking up their own food as soon
as they are born. They usually start pecking by watching and imitating an adult; this
baby had no adult to watch, and we could not get him to peck. In desperation, I tried
putting our bobwhite chick in with him, and watched to make sure that the willet didn't
hurt the guail [guail: iV tall, willet; 5" tall!]. To our amazement, the two little
birds formed an instand bond!! The quail decided the willet must be his mother, and
the willet, after carefully watching the quail pick up a mealworm, ran over and ate one,
too. Soon games started; the quail would grab a worm and run like crazy, with the
willet in hot pursuit. Or, the willet would pick up a worm, and in a flash, the quail
would run between his long legs and snatch it from his bill. We especially love . to
watch them sleep; the willet lies down, and his buddy jumps on this back to snuggle down
into his down feathers.
Because all our birds are raised to release, and because willet and quail habitats
are very different, half of their enclosure contains sand and driftwood, and half has
dirt, grass, and leaves. The quail turns up his beak at the fish and small crabs, and
the willet stares in disgust as the quail eats seed.
It is a month later now, and "Dan Quail" is fully feathered and flying. It is
almost time for him to go. "Willet Scott" will be with us another month. We do not
like to think of separating them, but each must join his own species in the wild. We
will find other quail to accept Dan into their flock, and Willet will join a colony of
tall, gray-legged sandpipers who will take him South with them. We don't know if each
will remember his strange childhood friend who provided comfort and instruction but
we like to think so.
OWLS NEEDS: DURING SUMMER MONTHS, WE USE $35.00 WORTH OF MEALWORMS PER WEEK! CAN YOU
HELP? CALL 240-1200.
SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. MARGARET HARKER, WHO IS DONATING HER TIME TO ADMINISTER RABIES
VACCINATIONS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS.
HURRICANE AWARENESS
Besides our Civil Preparedness program, the N. C.Aquarium is also having Hurricane
Awareness Week, August 6-10. There will be films shown at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Monday through Saturday. The titles:
There will also be slide programs and talks by guest speakers taking place at 3
p.m. The subjects:
The Aquarium will have many other programs throughout the summer. Watch for them!
S. GOETZINGER
August 6 "In the Path of Destruction"
August 7 "Hurricane Decision"
August 8 "Eye of the Hurricane"
August 9 "Eye of the Storm"
August 10 "Ready or Not?"
August 5 "Hurricane History"
August 7 "Hurricane Preparedness"
August 8 "Hurricane Hugo"
August 9 "Carteret Coimty Preparedness"
August 10 "Hurricane Awareness"