By Stan Hill

“Quick, I think there’s a cormorant in the pond with a plastic bag over its head,” I hear my wife saying
urgently.

Using binoculars, we determined that was exactly the case. Thinking the bird was going to pass
out and I’d have to jump in the water and give some mouth to beak resuscitation, I watched it dive and
come up with its head free but body wrapped in plastic. My wife called ARK Wildlife and Rehabilitation
Center but they couldn’t come out for a couple of hours; however, more effort by the bird got its wings
free. Finally, after much diving and flapping, the hardy bird was able to fly off albeit with a plastic necklace.

As new residents, we’ve fallen in love with the nature preserve we now call home. To learn more and
contribute to our environment’s well-being, I recently joined a group of residents assisting Chad Hansen,
MCCC course superintendent, to obtain Audubon certification for the Golf Club. While Audubon is primarily associated with birds, the certification process (6-12 months) emphasizes related aspects such as water quality and conservation, reduced chemical usage and enhanced habitat.

For example, our group will construct bat and bird houses – bats consume nearly 30,000 mosquitos a night and pollinate more than 300 fruit plants.
We’ll also be planting native milkweed and exploring ways we can educate our community about how they can help in this effort.
To that end, any carpenters or DIY folks who’d like to join us would be most welcome – please text Stan
Hill (303/748-0937).

Our feathered friends bring much joy to all of us, even the opportunity to attempt a rescue, or at least cheer them on.