On Saturday, 13 July the WERC educators were honored to take part in the annual Chitactac-Adams Heritage Park Family Day.
Santa Clara County Parks maintains the park and they offer so many opportunities for visitors to become familiar with the Chitactac people who once called this area home. Even without the vendor exhibits, visitors can follow the self-guided tour with stops along the way to read the information boards.
It was thrilling to see the very rocks carved by human hands used to prepare food; to gaze through the trees to Uvas Creek flowing by even today which provided food and water to sustain life; to glance upwards through the trees to see squirrels and birds who've called this area home for so many years.
As if that wasn't enough, many vendors including WERC set up booths on this special day for the visiting public. If you wanted to make jewelry or build your own musical instrument you had only to walk to the next exhibit. There were displays and demonstrations on everything you can imagine that would have been used for survival.
My job was simple - be part of the team setting up and maintaining a safe area to display the educational birds for the benefit of visitors. That involved the transport of tables, chairs and all of our supplies a short 1/4 mile or so. Luckily it was down hill all the way . . . until clean up time.
Our set-up area provides ample, shaded space we customize to ensure the safety of both the animals and the people in the vicinity.
Each educational animal is non-releasable and not able to survive without human assistance. Rehabilitation animals are never introduced at functions. This further increases their chance for full recovery and ultimate return to their natural habitat.
In the photo below, Wapeka the Red Tailed Hawk and Ariel the Merlin Falcon take the opportunity to exchange glances. They speak very different languages and even have different diet requirements.
Note the gloves and leashes we use to handle the wildlife. Although educational and not releasable, each is still very capable of biting and using their talons.
Caution: Do not attempt to handle wildlife without proper instruction and protective gear.
Horus the Peregrine Falcon and Barnadette the Barn Owl appear to be strange allies in this photo - almost friendly.
Funded entirely by donations you can see our collection jars placed strategically among the educational displays of nests and other materials.
Below Luna the Great Horned Owl keeps diligent watch for surrounding activity while Clarabelle the Acorn Woodpecker flits around in the background, safely tethered to her display post. As nocturnal animals, it's not uncommon to catch them taking naps while we tell people about their species in the wild.
Rounding up the staff for this event included Zorro the Turkey Vulture and Wally the Pygmy Owl. This odd couple are the largest and smallest education animals we bring out for our visits.
Like their human handlers, each animal has it's own personality and quirks. I hope you all get a chance to learn more about your local native wildlife and how much they can enhance your life. Perhaps the next time you look into a tree or up to the sky you'll see one tip you a friendly wing.
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment