Wednesday, April 21, 2010

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In this issue:
• Earth Day Members Event Reminder
• Family Nature Discovery Days
• A Slow Start ...
• "Mom and Dad Team" All Stars

Earth Day Members Event Reminder

Just a reminder that our Members-Only Earth Day/20th Anniversary Celebration is coming up this Saturday, the 24th - from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm!  Although we do regret not hosting our usual public Earth Day event, that also brings a twinge of pride, in that its very popularity was what necessitated our decision to hold five smaller events instead over the course of the summer, in an attempt to spread out the crowd.  See the list below of the upcoming Family Nature Discovery Days !

For members - this is your reminder to RSVP (feel free to phone us at 541-485-1320)!  We'd love to see you here on Saturday and have great music, food, and activities lined up, along with a short program by Dr Eric Forsman, with some guest star appearances by a spotted, barred, and even a 'sparred' owl (thank you to Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Corvallis for the sparred owl visit)!  This event is our opportunity to thank you, our members and donors, for making possible our 20 years of service to our human and natural communities. We truly cannot do what we do without your support.  This is our annual signature event and this year it's also a membership drive.  We appreciate your bringing guests who have expressed an interest in joining the CRC Family of supporters!

Also, please remember to park at Spencer Butte Middle School on 43rd, between Fox Hollow and Donald - where those arriving before 6:00 will be greeted by an avian ambassador!  Thanks to the City of Eugene's Recreation Department, we will have shuttles leaving every 15 minutes from 5:00 til the end and, thanks to Oregon State Parks, a ride UP the driveway for those not relishing the walk. The schedule is as follows: from 5:00-6:30, food, music by members of Mood Area 52, tours, raffle, silent auction, activities and lots of birds to see; Dr Forsman and The Owls from 6:30 to 7:00, with time for questions afterwards; then dessert, lots of birds, activities, and raffle from 7:00 to 9:00. The silent auction will end at 8:15. For those able to stay til dark, prepare for a candle-lit walk down the driveway listening for owls!

Come give us a full house ...

Family Nature Discovery Days

The last Sunday of every month this summer, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, bring your family and explore the natural world!  Start with a Handler Talk at noon or 2:00, tour and see all the birds, enjoy themed activities, have fun and learn lots.    Hope to see you here!

A Slow Start ...

CRC has been enjoying a slow start to the rehab year.  After last year's record number of clinic cases, it comes as a relief (though it doesn't mean it's going to be a slow year by any means!  Come see our new exhibit on the Four Seasons of Rehab.)  We've had our first babies already and several injured adult great horned owls, along with a couple of osprey. We've demolished one rehab cage - well, in all honesty, it made that decision for itself by falling apart - and have made a good start on the construction of a new set of outdoor rehabilitation enclosures, that can be five separate 8'x8'x8' cages or one long 8'x40' space, or various combinations in between. Our resident turkey vultures are now ensconced in their new Palace, and our ospreys have moved into their old digs ... thanks to the Duck Stop at the UofO we have funds in place to build an osprey palace - which we can get started on after we finish the rehab enclosures. Maybe!  I tell you, we work our volunteers hard!  They are the backbone of our organization and we cannot thank them enough for all that they do.

We've built a 'weathering yard' at the top of the driveway where we can have birds out for training or just to enjoy the sun, and visitors have a front row seat.  And we've been mounting a concerted attack on a major invasion of a non-native geranium, for the third year in a row - but his year we're doing a lot more work before it flowers ... we are also removing other plants now considered invasive, though with a bit of a pang on my part, having planted those butterfly bushes and holly myself over the last 16 years.  But replacements are still habitat enhancing, like huckleberry and mountain ash, and elderberry. 

As usual, spring means a number of our birds set up housekeeping: our spotted owls, bald eagles, barn owl, red-tailed hawks, and, for the first time, our red-shouldered hawk, have laid eggs.  Still to come, if past years are any indicator, are the burrowing owls and northern harrier.  The one year our northern goshawk tried to lay, she got egg-bound - scarey! - so no nest for her.  The crow and the magpie are taking turns trying to make a 'nest' in the corner of their aviary ... and our poor, misguided human imprints - like our male kestrel and snowy owl - are making solicitation calls to us.

If you haven't visited in awhile, I hope you can make it up sometime this summer to see our growth and changes.  See the spotted owl sidebar article below for a project on which you can make a difference today!

"Mom and Dad Team" All Stars

Our new "Mom and Dad" team is off to a great start!  Phyllis Fisher has taken a proprietary interest in our gardens (and, boy does she make great cookies and brownies...), and has rounded up some extra help in the form of John Coggins (native plant conoisseur), and Alan and Janet Butler.  Weeding, removing invasives, and providing and planting new wildlife-friendly plants - thank you, all! 

Max and his mom, Elizabeth Day, come weekly (sometimes with great scones!) to fill the bird feeders, do some weeding or raking, clean up the laundry room (Max is an excellent cat-cuddler on the side), sweep the driveway or whatever else might be on the list.  We SO look forward to their visits (even without goodies.  Seriously!).  Won't you join the dance?  Contact Laurin, at 541-485-1320 or Laurin@eRaptors.org.

And we will be creating a full deck of our very own cards sometime this summer!  Stay tuned.

Spotted Owls and Memories

On January 11, 2010 a little 3 year-old girl, Elari Schiffgens, was killed in a car accident. Her family, close friends, and community are raising funds, soliciting materials donations, and organizing volunteers to build a new cage for CRC's Spotted Owls in her memory. Not only is this a wonderful way to remember an all-too-short life, it's a much needed project for the owls, whose existing enclosure was made with used materials 16 years ago!  If you care to become involved in Elari's memorial and help give our owls a new home, contact Diana Hoffman at bdsrefuge@gmail.com.  If you would like to make a financial contribution, please send a check made out to CRC - with a note saying it's designated for the Spotted Owl Cage - to us at PO Box 5386, Eugene OR 97405.  Like any donation to CRC, these contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.  Thank you.

Have Your Bird-Day Party ...

Just a reminder that our facility is available for your birthday party!  We've hosted both children and adult birthdays ... what could be better than a few spring/summer hours in the woods, with birds, activities, and fun?! 

Review Our Work

Dear Friends - We need your help to get increased visibility among corporate and other donors, through the Green Choice Campaign.  Hosted by GreatNonprofits, Global Exchange, EcoFlight, Sustainable Northwest, the Conservation Lands Foundation, the Sonoran Institute, and GuideStar, the Green Choice Campaign will recognize the best charities supporting, conserving, and protecting our environment.

Benefits to Us:

• Increased exposure to donors:  If we have at least 10 positive reviews (4 or 5 stars) by April 30 we will receive exposure to potential donors via the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Environmental Nonprofits list and via Guidestar, the premier site for philanthropic research on the Web.
• Increased PR exposure: The top-rated nonprofit will receive additional promotion via GreatNonprofits and the campaign partners online and in the media.
• Improved community loyalty:  This is an opportunity to for YOU to be involved! If you have visited us, brought us an injured bird, invited us to your classroom, come to a release, or just love our native wildlife, you are a stakeholder in our successful future.  This is an easy way to help us.
• Gain powerful, authentic stories of our impact that we can use in our internal and external communication.  You, our community, will be sharing with the public your best experiences with us.
• Plus, all organizations with 10 or more reviews in the campaign may have a chance to win one of 10 prizes of $500 from GuideStar.

Won’t you help us participate in the campaign by posting a review of your experience with us? All reviews will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes! Go to:

Be sure to choose "Green Choice Campaign" from the drop down menu of campaigns when writing your review.

With your help, we can gain greater visibility in the community and increase our exposure to donors.  And we love to hear your stories.  THANK YOU!

Click here to write your review ...

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www.eRaptors.org
Cascades Raptor Center
32275 Fox Hollow Rd
Eugene OR 97405 USA

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