Reflecting, recollecting, and reuniting all seem fitting at this time of year. Perhaps this was what Robert Burns contemplated when he wrote the poem "Auld Lang Syne" in 1788. These well-known lines would soon evolve into a now widely recognized New Year's Eve anthem heard globally on December 31st.
As we reflect on 2024, we remember and express gratitude for friends and family. We are thankful to our volunteers who assisted us in launching Wild Bird Adventures in the Brazos Valley. We appreciate our bird ambassadors who inspire and bring us closer to nature every day.
Throughout the past year, we have bid farewell to four of our remarkable ambassadors. Together, they helped convey the message of bird conservation for over 32 years. Collectively they represent 93 years of avian ambassadorship. They led extraordinary lives as representatives of their species, and we witnessed firsthand how they touched so many lives.
Though they are gone, they are not forgotten. Today, we honor Spirit, Skeeter, Geddy, and Alex. Spirit, the Red-tailed Hawk, served as an ambassador for over 30 years after being illegally shot on a ranch in Montana. Skeeter, the Mississippi Kite, spent 20 years inspiring after sustaining a critical shoulder injury during her first migration south through Corpus Christi. Geddy and Alex, brother and sister Barn Owls, were raised in captivity in Cincinnati in 2002 to become ambassadors. They supported educators at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago for many years before joining us at Wild Bird Adventures. We were grateful to offer them a semi-retirement over the past six years.
Birds experience aging in much the same way humans do, facing challenges like arthritis, vision loss, organ failure and various aches and pains. We deeply appreciate the dedicated efforts of our exceptional veterinarians at Gulf Coast Avian and Exotics for maintaining our birds' health and providing support and guidance during their final stages of life.
So to all our supporters and our feathered friends we raise a glass to you this New Year's Eve!
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
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