Melissa Edwards–Avian Hospital Director of Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, an avian rehabilitation hospital & sanctuary in Indian Shores, FL, dedicated to the care of sick, injured, & orphaned native wild birds—recalls her “spark bird,” the specific bird that first inspires a person to become interested in birdwatching or nature.
It was a kite, a medium-sized bird of prey, that Edwards spotted soaring above Jay
B. Starkey Wilderness Park, very close to her family’s New Port Richey home. Her Dad, Edwards said, was a real influence in her formative years, a true nature lover who relished pointing out particular wildlife or a specific type of tree. This helped spur Edwards’ own passion for wildlife, though pretty early on, she gravitated toward birds, partly drawn, she explained, by “the variety, the diversity” of species. She pursued that passion by landing a string of internships, including in Vancouver, where she later returned for an additional stint after completing other internships elsewhere. Edwards graduated from the University of South Florida, Tampa. In 2017, armed with that wealth of education, training, and experience, Edwards was hired as Avian Hospital Director of Seaside, which she affirmed remains her dream job. Acknowledging that I recognize that a facility treating sick or injured wild birds inherently eludes an “average day,” I ask her—in the interest of producing a specific sense of what might unfold in a given day at the Dr. Marie L. Farr Avian Hospital—what happened there yesterday. She outlines the morning routine for the care of existing patients, and practices followed as the day unfolds, noting they also accommodate new emergency patients. Edwards explains that ordinarily, this amounts to about 2-3 new 
ones per day—
but, one record-setting day, she recounted, 56 new patients (red knots; a type of shorebird) flooded into the hospital. On a regular day, the injuries Edwards and her colleagues most commonly see involve fishing line and hooks. The chief goal for all their patients, Edwards says, is for them to be released back into the wild. Some, however, don’t heal or recover sufficiently to be released, yet are deemed well enough to sustain a good quality of life in captivity. She discusses the 100 permanent residents at Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, and what criteria they apply to determine who will live there, or move to another facility. And Seaside underwrites all this—treats, feeds, and houses native wild birds—100% by donations. They receive no state or government funding. To learn more about Seaside Seabird Sanctuary or donate to assist the operation, visit: https://seasideseabirdsanctuary.org/
ALSO: I spoke with award-winning filmmaker Allison Argo, whose latest documentary, “Forever Home,” profiles Lenore Braford and Paul Drake, and the Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge they co-founded. Piedmont Farm is a highly-innovative animal sanctuary in North Carolina–each structure is uniquely tailored to the species housed there, reflecting their behavioral inclinations and preferences. Braford and Drake are a couple, and to describe them, Argo invoked the phrase “opposites attract.” Indeed, the Refuge’s singular designs are created by Drake, whom I’d characterize as a beautiful dreamer, while Braford is the more detail-oriented, practical one. Since “Forever Home” won’t air on PBS until next year, Argo decided to make it available for one week of streaming, Sept 26-Oct. 3, calling it a “Streaming Party.” And on Oct 3rd, there’ll be a live chat with Braford, Drake and Argo. Tickets for the “Streaming Party” are $12—25% of the proceeds go to the Refuge’s new pig residence—and available here: ForeverHome.love/party.
COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan’s “Whale Noises” (https://brianregan.com/)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.
AUDIO ARCHIVE:
