Wild Wednesday: Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre shares what you need to know about bird flu and how they are coping

This year my conversation about conservation with the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre (OVWBCC) team flew me in a different direction. Wildlife rescue is serious business. It's even more so when navigating a contagious viral infection like H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly referred to as avian flu or 'bird flu.'

 Wild Wednesday: Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre is spreading its wings and flying to a new location

We wake to their song and watch their beauty paint the sky. Birds are a part of our everyday life. We may go months without seeing other wildlife, but not a day does by that we don't see several different species of birds. Injured and orphaned birds require very specific care, and when a bird is in need the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre (OVWBCC) swoops in and takes it under its wing. 

Season's Tweetings! Birds fly into your life providing majestic beauty and songs to brighten your day. During the winter months, birds need extra help finding food, shelter, and help when they are hurt. The Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre (OVWBCC) works tirelessly through the winter- and the rest of the year- to take birds under their wing. The OVWBCC team knows that one small act of kindness can help save a bird's life. Patty McLaughlin, Education and Public Engagement Coordinator at OVWBCC, and her team are working hard to raise awareness about the help birds need throughout the winter and I was fortunate enough to get expert tips about how to support the wild bird community this holiday season. I had many questions for Patty. How can you help wild birds survive the harsh winter weather? What do birds need in the winter to help them find food, shelter, and medical care? What can I do at home?

Two for Tuesday: I'm asking you to do these two things on Giving Tuesday to support local wildlife 

Giving won't be easy for some people this year. Many Ontario citizens have suffered financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-profits, charities, and organizations that support nature and wildlife have also been greatly impacted by the pandemic. Today is Giving Tuesday, a day when people make donations to support charities that mean a lot to them. I want to go two for Tuesday. I present to you two ways you can support nature and wildlife right here in Ontario that I've donated to for Giving Tuesday. I'm asking my readers who are considering which initiative to support today to consider one (or both) of these Ontario campaigns that need your help.

Thank you to Patty McLaughlin of the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre for illuminating the Raven for the Paws For Reaction readers!

Halloween's haunted animals: The truth about the ominous and dark trickster; the Raven

When I think about Halloween symbolism, things that come to mind are spirits, monsters, witches, and vampires. But what about the animals? Black cats with their backs arched, howling werewolves, slick Ravens crowing warnings, and swooping bats are all signature Halloween animals. Folklore and mythology weave their way into the spooky stories we tell and animals are the stars of these terrifying tales.