Our Pantry and Our Hearts are Overflowing!

brcsonoma
Aug 7
3 min read

August is starting off with a bang! We have a full pantry thanks to all the egg fairies out there, and the first of our influx of baby quail are heading back home to the wild where they belong.

We have great news to share from last month's Gala, while we also bid farewell to a dear friend from our past. And last, but not least, we need drivers to help transport birds so if you love driving (or have to commute) through the landscapes of Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Solano, Mendocino and Lake counties, we need you!

Eggs-actly What We Needed! Given the sky-high cost of eggs, we were blown away by your generosity! We are happy to report that just two weeks after our last message asking for egg donations, our pantry was filled to capacity.

We received more than 30 dozen eggs, both hard-boiled and uncooked, with some even arriving via Uber Eats!

Our hearts are as full as the tummies of all the baby birds in our care as we offer a huge thank you to all of you who purchased, boiled and/or delivered eggs!

We're all set for now, and with our limited storage space, ask that you not deliver any more at this time. We will let you know when our pantry needs refilling, but in the meantime—from the bottom of our hearts—THANK YOU!

Is There Anything As Cute As Baby Quail? BRC is the only rehab facility in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties caring for quail. A timid but active species, they can be difficult to treat in a rehab setting because they are so easily stressed and have very specific needs. BRC has developed a highly successful protocol for caring for this adorable species, which means we receive a lot of them, especially during Baby Bird Season.

While we sometimes receive multiple baby quail from the same covey, we also receive others who have been separated or abandoned and are all on their own. Once they arrive at BRC, we begin grouping them together to prevent imprinting on humans and provide them with a substitute covey.

July tends to be a big release month every year because many of the birds we receive in June are ready to return to the wild in July. We always wait until after the holiday fireworks to make their reintroduction to the wild as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Since July 7th, we've had over 116 releases, including a number of quail. Some were individuals heading back to their homes. Others, like many of our quail babies, were released with those they bonded with while in our hospital.

Enjoy this short video of a recent release of some of our quail patients. We love how they embrace their new lease on life.

Galas are for the Birds Update On Thursday, July 10th, we held our 2nd Annual Galas are for the Birds fundraiser. With over 85 people in attendance, we raised almost $200,000—double what we raised last year! Many in the crowd were long time supporters but we also made many new friends.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended this entertaining and informative evening—and especially to our generous donors who turned a high-energy, fun-filled night into a truly life-saving one for thousands of birds!

Remembering A Dear Friend... We were so saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Ellen Rayner, who died in June of this year. She was instrumental in guiding BRC through a challenging period of growth and change, first as a board member, then as interim executive director. Her legacy is enduring because she helped lay the groundwork that shaped BRC into the vibrant, productive organization it is today.

An Uber for Birds? Love the thrill of the open road and the thought of helping our native wild birds? If so, we need you!

We routinely receive birds from Mendocino and Lake Counties as well as need to transfer patients between sister organizations and specialists in Sonoma, Marin, Napa and Solano Counties.

As a BRC Transport Driver, you will be an integral part of the life-saving work that gives birds a second chance at life in the wild. You'll be bringing birds to our hospital for care, taking them to and from other facilities and specialists, and driving them back to their home territories after they are healthy once again to resume their important work in maintaining our environment.

If you have your own vehicle, a clean driving record and insurance, and are interested in helping transport birds to and from our facility, call today!

(707) 523-2473 Note: These are volunteer positions.