Releases, growing pains, surgery and the long and winding road!

All 4 of the young American Kestrels

were released, in front of a crowd of

well-wishers, Saturday July 17, at 10:30am.

They flew off with rapid wingbeats and were skyward in seconds. Everyone watched as they circled together and then flew off towards a tree line to the east. It was truly a spectacular sight to behold.

(Matt Kuhn and Laurel Durkin getting ready to release "their" kestrels)

The young great horned owl, admitted as an orphaned baby several months ago, is now learning, and hopefully perfecting, his hunting techniques in our 100 foot flight enclosure (left). Once this youngster is successfully hunting live prey, and has had enough time to learn all that he can, he will be released into the wilds.

He was recently separated from his foster mom, Sage (right), who is now enjoying total peace and quiet in her own space. We continue to be deeply appreciative of Sage's stellar mothering skills and her extreme patience!

A red shouldered hawk was admitting several weeks ago after hitting a window near Glen Arbor. This hawk suffered a fractured tibia in his left leg, which was surgically repaired byDr. Eric Peck.

The hawk currently has a splint on his leg and is recovering from this accident. Once the splint is removed the hawk will undergo some physical therapy on that leg, to improve muscle tone and flexibility.

Our goal is to release him where he was found...an area that is familiar to him and where he knows to find the best hunting and perching places.

I am leading more tours of the WOW facility this summer, probably due to the increased press about our plight with the Leelanau County Road Commission. If you are interested in a tour of Wings of Wonder, please call to set up a time. Wings of Wonder is not open to the public. The tours are by appointment only and we ask for a donation from each tour participant.

Unfortunately, the road saga continues. The question being asked by the most people is "why-why is the road commission doing this?" We do not have an answer since, to date, the road commissioners have yet to address this question. The legal process continues with depositions being taken during the end of august and the first of september. Witness lists are being drafted and we await the receipt of our discovery request from the road commissioners. Over a hundred folks have either written letters, called WOW, offered support, sent in financial pledges towards our legal defense fund, and/or made calls to the road commissioners and county commissioners. We have yet to hear or learn of any support for the road commissioners or for their actions.

Please keep up this wonderful and effective momentum!

I continue to extend my total heart-filled thanks to you all; for your strong support, your belief in Wings of Wonder and the raptors, and for your encouragement and hugs.

(an immature Saw Whet Owl, released on July 12th, 2010)

Kestrel name-and-release

The bidding has closed and the winners are as follows:

Matt Kuhn, Little boy "c"

Laurel Durkin, Little boy "b"

Anonymous donor, Little girl

Anonymous donor, Little boy "a"

The actual release will begin at 10:30am, at the end of South Gilbert Road, at the cul du sac.

Take hwy 72 west out of Traverse City, towards the village of Empire. About 6-7 miles EAST of empire, turn south on Gilbert Road, go to the very end, about 1/2 mile from Hwy 72. At this intersection of Gilbert Road and hwy 72 is a little market, called Still Point Market. After the release, stop there and buy some fresh salad greens, cukes, peas, the sweetest radishes ever, potted plants, etc. You can munch on the way home. Any questions call WOW at 326-4663

Today's top bids for the American Kestrel clan:

So far, the top bids for the naming-and-releasing of the American Kestrel kids:

Little boy "A" $125.00

Little boy "B" $120.00

Little boy "C" $250.35

Little girl $152.00

Keep the bidding momentum going. Remember, this is a unique and fun way to donate to Wings of Wonder....and you get a "prize" at the end! It is an awesome experience to hold a raptor, and to be the one to actually set it free is truly remarkable.

Bidding closes at midnight on friday, july 16, 2010

American Kestrel bidding results thus far

The Name-&-release an American Kestrel bidding results on Day 2:

little boy "A" $125.00

little boy "B" $105.00

little boy "C" $250.35

little girl $152.00

Bidding continues till midnight Friday, July 16th, 2010

Please keep in mind that this is also a fun and unique fund raiser for Wings of Wonder. Our legal expenses continue with this on going road saga. The Leelanau County Road Commissioners have now counter-sued all contiguous land owners who legally use this private easement for ingress and egress. I am constantly reminding myself that this is all part of the divine plan and that, yes, goodness will prevail. This journey is not over and there are still great learning opportunities along its way. I thank you all for your tremendous show of support and prayers! onward!

Name and Release an American Kestrel!

Wings of Wonder is offering the unique opportunity to name and release an American Kestrel.

This year we admitted a total of 4 pre-fledgling Kestrels, which are our smallest falcons in North America. All 4 of these youngsters have just about completed their rehabilitation and will soon be ready for release. As a fun and unique sort of fund raiser for Wings of Wonder we decided to offer the opportunity to name-and-release a Kestrel as a silent auction item. Each top bidder will be able to name "their" bird and then do the actual release. The young falcon will be placed in the winners gloved hands (gloves provided by Wings of Wonder) and then there will be a group release, with accompanying pictures, of course. The release date will be on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 10:30am in an open field in Leelanau County (exact location to be determined by Wings of Wonder). Bidding will take place by email and daily updates will be posted on the Wings of Wonder blog. Opening bids begin at $100.00. Bidding begins now for each falcon and will end at midnight on friday, july 16th.

little boy "A"

little girl

little boy "B"

little boy "C"

Let the bidding begin by emailing Wings of Wonder and placing your bid, make sure you include which falcon you want to "win"

Summer Solstice Open House at the Glenn Wolff Studio

The Glenn Wolff Studio Summer Solstice Open House

Sunday, June 20 from 1 - 5 p.m

230 East 14th Street, Traverse City, Mich.

The unveiling of "Bella, The Peregrine Palimpsest", a mixed media painting on wood by Glenn Wolff and the Platte River Elementary sixth grade classes of Sarah Slade and Wendy Kalush. (The raptor "canvas" is a 36" x 72" redwood door donated by Bruce Odom/Odom Reuseable Building Supplies in Traverse City.

AND from 3:30 - 5:00pm there will be a guest raptor or two in the studio accompanied by Wings of Wonder founder and director Rebecca Lessard.

As in past years Platte River students have spent part of their spring studying "Raptors in Our Watershed" in class, with visits from Rebecca and a host of raptors. Based on their research, journal notes, observations of artifacts, and sketches of live birds they have made brochures, and collaborated with Glenn on the artwork that they think is best described as a palimpsest. This year's subject was Bella the resident Peregrine Falcon at Wings of Wonder. The painting is being offered for sale in a silent auction that will benefit Wings of Wonder and next year's raptors project at Platte River Elementary. A print edition of the work will also be released at the open house.

For a peek at the palimpsest process (and to find out what that word means) click here: http://web.mac.com/glennwolff/iWeb/Site-wow/

babies, roads, lawsuits and rainbows

The baby screech owls and the baby great horned owl are all growing up quickly. The screech owlets are now hunting live prey and practicing those vitally important hunting skills. Gilda and Arlo have been stellar foster parents! We hope to release these two in early July, so stayed tuned for the release date and times. If you have not yet sent us your email addy please do so immediately so you won't miss the important invitations! In this picture you can see the two youngsters atop the nest box, while papa Arlo looks on. He may look like he is snoozing but, rest assured, he is actually watching me "like a hawk". Arlo has become extremely protective of these youngsters and will swoop at me and hit my head if I appear to be getting too close. This poses quite the adventure when I have to venture inside the flight pen to replenish the bathing water or clean a bit....yikes!

The young great horned owl is now flying and

practicing early hunting skills in our 100 foot flight pen, under the direct care and supervision of Sage, his foster mom. He is getting in his new long flight feathers, but still has quite a bit of downy feathers as well. Sage has been a great mom to this orphan. She adopted him right away and kept him warm during the chilly nights and now watches over him, making sure he is safe and well fed. If all goes to "plan" we hope to release this youngster in mid to late summer, so again, make sure we have your email address so we can send you a "release announcement".

Updates regarding our continuing road saga with the Leelanau County Road Commissioners; the road commissioners have just recently filed a lawsuit against us as well as all contiguous land owners along this privat

e easement. We are scheduled for a "settlement conference" on January 19, 2011 with a 3-day court date scheduled for February 8-10, 2011. The Leelanau County Road Commissioners are continuing to state that Greenway is a public right of way, and that this status is defined public-by-use. They have yet to produce a single shred of evidence or legal documentation supporting this opinion of theirs. We ask that you continue to submit letters to the editors to the Leelanau Enterprise, the Record Eagle and the Northern Express and also copy these letters to the Leelanau County Road Commissioners, the County Commissioners and the Empire and Kasson Township offices. In August the Leelanau County Road Commissioners will be asking for a millage renewal.....based upon their actions thus far, it appears to me that they already have way too much time and money to be asking for more. One of the road commissioners will have a challenger at these August elections as well. (The road commissione

rs may not want to have a whole lot of negative press leading up to this election and millage request, if you get my hint.)

I must extend a huge thanks, with all of my heart, to all of you who have written letters and emails, sent pledges towards our legal defense fund and given me warm hugs of encouragement and support. Just when I begin to experience a wave of worry or road-related stress, one of you sends the perfect card, makes the perfect phone call and/or sends me the perfect words of encouragement. You have helped me through some pretty dark and scary times.....I am forever and deeply appreciative.

(a rainbow over the Wings of Wonder hospital)