NORWALK, Conn. -- The storms brought down more than tree limbs this week. On Sunday, a large, juvenile red-tail hawk was found struggling on Wolfpit Avenue. Luckily for the hawk, Lisa and Don Lupien of Wolfpit Avenue were able to stop and assist. Lisa said, There were kids on the sidewalk and then I saw what they were looking at, and I said to Don, Theres a wounded hawk. So, we turned around. When I saw it, I could tell it was young because it was spotted. And one of the kids was holding a stone.
While Don, an ex-Marine and former police officer, stood guard in the pouring rain, Lisa made phone calls and searched the Internet, finally finding Wildlife in Crisis in Weston. Peter Reid of Weston, assistant director of the 22-year-old-center, talked them through the rescue. He told them, The easiest way is to put a towel over the bird so that it cant see. Mind the talons and gently put the bird in a box or carrier. Theyre pretty helpless when theyre on the ground. With the help of passers-by George and Joanne of Newtown Avenue, Don and Lisa were able to make a successful rescue. The hawk, which Joanne promptly named Sunday, was safely delivered to the center in their dogs carrier.
Said Peter Reid, The center got about a dozen calls asking about the welfare of the young hawk. The good news is the birds damaged wing is not broken but is badly bruised. The hawk bumped into something with great velocity, perhaps it was pilot error or perhaps it was hit by a car. Birds of prey hunt along the tree line which is often the same as the road line. The birds are so focused on their prey they misjudge the proximity of the car and take a steep dive right into it.
The bird was pretty groggy when they brought it in. But by the next day, it was standing and the day after, it was perching. Now it is eating on its own, though the hawk isnt flight-ready yet. He is slightly emaciated, so were feeding it and giving it medication for a bacterial infection. But in a couple of weeks, probably by October, well release him back into the wild.
Don Lupien said, I wish I could be there for that. It was a remarkable feeling to help this hawk, and the WIC center is a beautiful place. What a resource! The Lupiens will be keeping an eagle eye peeled for Sunday, the Wolfpit Avenue hawk. Anyone who wants to donate for the food and care of the hawk, or the 5,000 other animals there, can find the information about this all-volunteer organization on www.wildlifeincrisis.org. Or contact Wildlife in Crisis, P.O. Box 1246, Weston, CT 06883.
Says Peter Reid, There isnt another place like this. Its the only place in the state that rehabilitates all species of wildlife. My wife, Dara, founded it back in 1988, and WIC subsists entirely on donations. Fairfield County is indeed fortunate to have such a worthwhile resource for the environment and its wildlife.
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