It was a normal day of camp for all the kids, or so it seemed, till all of a sudden… A bird! Not just one of the hundreds they see everyday, but an injured female summer tanager. (On a side note, speaking of tanagers, did you know that male tanagers are the only ALL red bird in North America? They are!)
All our awesome campers who took part!
Well, the kids were out exploring Hermit pond when they spotted some movement on the ground. They found the bird tangled in a green net around her neck. Two counselors, and some campers, then rushed back to the cabin to get some scissors to cut it off. But when the bird was struggling too much to have scissors by her neck, one of the counselors took it into her own hands to save her life. Crystal Morel, the brave counselor, bit the net off herself! After the bird was freed, she was extremely lethargic and hope of rehabilitation was looking grim.
Two interns, Laura Gebhart (me) and Trudie Henninger, then took the injured bird to the Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. After a couple of days of constant medical treatment, we got the call that she pulled through and was able to be released immediately! While she was in the clinic she had laid an egg and that was what called for her prompt release. The campers were so proud, as they should be, because they saved her life and helped to be a part of keeping our wildlife happy, healthy, and free!
Getting a closer look.
