Volunteer position: Rehabilitation support, occasional driver and patroller
How did you first get involved with Safe Wings Ottawa? When work opportunities led me from small town to big city, I was determined to keep connected to nature and my passion for wildlife conservation. Through a fortunate bit of networking for volunteer opportunities, I learned about Safe Wings Ottawa and immediately knew they had a mission I could get behind.
What are some activities you’ve done as a Safe Wings volunteer? Helping with the day-to-day care of birds being rehabilitated, picking up window collision fatalities, facilitating planning workshop and looking forward to soon adding more activities to the list!
What has been one of your most memorable experiences so far? Rather than one moment, I’d say it’s the exceptional dedication and knowledge of those I’ve worked with so far that sticks with me. I learn so much being a part of Safe Wings! Learning what flat flies were when a concussed hawk came in with several plaguing it was definitely memorable too though – and trying to remove and kill the flat flies. They were so hard to crush (ew). It was worth it though to alleviate some discomfort for the majestic hawk.
Why do you volunteer with Safe Wings? As I mentioned, I got involved because of my lifelong passion for wildlife conservation. My background is with wild cats, which inevitably led to me learning about the impact that domestic cats have on songbird populations. From there, I’ve fostered a growing appreciation for the birds we share this world with. Also, from a practical point of view, I truly appreciate that Safe Wings is flexible and offered me a supportive environment with a variety of ways I could get involved to match my interests, skills and fluctuating levels of availability while I balance volunteering with working full-time.
What do you find most rewarding? Knowing I’m contributing to the education, rehab, and prevention work necessary to help save birds from window collisions is rewarding in itself. Safe Wings is making a noticeable difference on the ground and systemically. Yet, beyond that, I am constantly learning from, and inspired by, the more experienced volunteers that run Safe Wings and feel honoured to get to work with them.
