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Free Flight continues to rescue and rehabilitate birds
meriJane Deuel
Honoring the memory and carrying out the legacy of Dan Deuel, today Free Flight forges ahead under the dedication and direction of MeriJane Deuel. Though her “official” title is “Executive Director,” her role is far more diverse, and can be 24/7. Frequently her duties include the pick up and transport of injured birds, delivering to vets for assessment and medical treatment. She is the resident “nurse,” having to quickly make critical assessment of injuries and treatment, nourishing tiny chicks which have fallen from nests or been otherwise abandoned by the adult bird, and determining whether the injury/ailment is not able to be successfully treated and the bird must be euthanized. She reports to Free Flight’s Board of Directors, and is involved in education and public awareness, fundraising, recruiting and training of volunteers, and teaching new and challenging skills to volunteers advancing as raptor handlers.
In addition to the volume of birds that come in to Free Flight for rehabilitation (and ultimate release), the facility is currently the permanent home to nine birds: a Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Great-horned Owl, two Brown Pelicans, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Redshouldered Hawk, Peregrine Falcon (tiersel), and Barn Owl.
It is through MeriJane’s direction and prowess with the help of volunteers that the birds are fed, cleaned, handled, exercised, and “loved”. Volunteers not atypically remain with Free Flight for many years, both for love and enjoyment of the role and interaction with the birds, but also out of dedication to MeriJane, and the “Bird Man of Bandon.”
RESCUE AND REHABILITATION
The birds we see at Free Flight are brought in by the public, by law enforcement, and by state and federal wildlife agencies. As this is the only bird rehabilitation center on the southern Oregon coast, we not only care for raptors, but also pelicans, gulls, corvids and the occasional song bird. Birds brought to us suffer from wing and foot injuries due to impacts with cars, windows and other man-made structures, logging and construction. Other injuries include, but are not limited to, bullet wounds and emaciation, due to injuries or severe storms.
Birds are given a preliminary exam by our trained staff. If a bird is suffering from severe injuries or needs further examination, we take it to one of our local veterinarians, who are trained in the care of wild birds. The veterinarian provides services such as examinations, x-ray exams, surgical procedures and broken limb resets. Once the bird is ready to leave the watchful care of the veterinarian, it is moved to the Free Flight Bird and Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, where they reside in quiet, protected spaces. Our staff of volunteers is trained in the husbandry of the birds, including handling, feeding and weighing of individuals, and maintenance of their enclosures. Baby birds and fledglings are placed in incubators, in our baby bird room, a quiet space where the staff can provide care around the clock.
Once the birds have healed, they are moved to larger enclosures, where they can begin to strengthen their recovering limb. Within these enclosures, they are once again exposed to the sights, sounds and smells of the outside world. Birds are released when they are deemed physically healthy, and when their recovered limb can support them as it did prior to the injury. The birds are released in a safe location, in the vicinity of where they were found. If the bird cannot be released, it will become a resident bird, and eventually join the educational staff of Free Flight; or it will be moved to another rehabilitation center that will provide the bird with a safe environment to live in.