Wildlife organization is scrambling for volunteers

By Kerri Regan

June 28, 2000 Web posted at: 12:17 PM EDT (1617 GMT)

ANDERSON, California (Redding Record Searchlight) -- A squirt of gooey paste temporarily silences the insistent cries of a baby scrub jay.

But by the time volunteers have fed about 20 other birds at Shasta Wildlife Rescue, its little beak is open again.

Though it takes a lot of work, volunteers are optimistic that these birds will soon be healthy and strong enough to return to the wild.

But they need help.

The 21-year-old nonprofit, volunteer-run organization is in dire need of people willing to work one four-hour shift per week. The operation rescues, rehabilitates and releases more than 100 species of animals that are injured, ill or orphaned.

"These birds have to be fed all the time," said Susan Lack, who has volunteered at Shasta Wildlife Rescue for more than 15 years.

Ideally, the operation needs three volunteers per four-hour shift between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Lack said. Several shifts have no volunteers at all, and summer plans pull many regular volunteers away.

Shasta Wildlife Rescue cares for more than 1,500 birds and mammals each year that have been hit by cars, wounded by gunshots, mauled by house pets, poisoned by pesticides, caught in power lines or get into other types of trouble.

On Monday, Karen Scheuermann showed new volunteer Darlene Pickern how to get the food from the syringe to a begging beak.

"You have to pretend you're a mama," said Scheuermann, a veteran volunteer.

After a lesson, the phone beckoned Scheuermann to the main office, so Pickern grabbed a container of food and a bowl full of baby birds. First she obliged one that flapped its wings furiously to get her attention.

"Oh, you dropped some on your little body," Pickern told it, dabbing its feathers with toilet paper to remove the blend of dog food, turkey starter, trout pellets, egg yolks, cream of wheat, calcium and diet supplements.

Pickern said she decided to volunteer since she knew the animals needed help.

"I'd hate to see these little critters die because there are not enough people to take care of them," Pickern said. "What can you hurt if you're helping even a little bit?"

Lack said seeing positive results keeps her going. Once she treated a goose that had been knocked out by a golf ball, and "I thought it was a goner," she said.

But eventually the bird regained its health, and Lack released it back into the wild and far from a golf course.

"It's very hard work, but when you get to release one or five or 20, it feels really good," she said.

Summer is the busiest season, Lack said. Animals are raising their young, and the youngsters tend to get into trouble, she said.

Volunteers who aren't crazy about feeding birds can help answer phones, clean the building or prepare animals' meals. All must belong to Shasta Wildlife Rescue, membership in which costs $20. The minimum age for volunteers is 12 if accompanied by an adult and 16 if not.

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