It is truly cause for celebration....the law suit is officially over!
The good news is that the public road will not go through our property. The bad news is that we are not quite finished paying off our financial obligations in order to meet the terms of the settlement. There will certainly be some changes to the feel of our property due to the proximity of the new public road, and we will try to modify that with the construction of a fence...a costly venture, especially coupled with the $8000.00 that we are required to pay the road commission towards the construction of the road. Once this is done WOW can go back to dedicating our every penny to the raptors. As with any settlement, the only way to a compromise is to give and take on important issues. We fought hard for the issues that were most important to the survival of WOW. Now we can move forward.
So, onward we go. I have been thinking of hosting a "community" day to make a party out of getting the necessary fence built. Want to help? We will find a nice day this spring and we'll all "play" in the woods. Many hands will make light work.
In other news, our soon-to-be Eagle scout, Joshua Olsen, will be shipping or delivering/installing the new raptor nest boxes this next month. I am so very proud of him and his accomplishments. If you are in the neighborhood, please give a shout of thanks to Mark Gabrick of Lake Ann Hardwoods for providing the lumber.
Eoin, our ambassador Great Horned Owl, is very "nesty" right now and begins hooting as soon as she hears my voice. She desperately wants me to crawl into the nest box with her. Each night she carries all her stuffed animals into the nest box and gently tucks them into the bed of dried pine needles. She is so cute indeed!
I am unconditionally thankful to you all, for your overwhelming support and generosity, for your kind words and hugs during this stressful time, for your eloquent letters to the editors, and for your strong belief in Wings of Wonder. I have truly "felt the love" from you during this difficult legal journey. It is now time to move on and look forward with open hearts and clear minds.
A big "Thank You" to you for your hard work, your time and effort, saving birds of prey and informing the public of these beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I had the pleasure of watching two immature American Bald Eagles, one soaring around in the air hundreds of feet above my head and one perched in a tree, near the Todd Farm Wildlife Refuge, Ganges, Michigan.
I also watched a male American Kestrel Falcon (Sparrow Hawk) there.
Again, thank you, and keep up the great work!