Rfalconcam Forum

Shasta, the almost 25 year old redtail who lived at Wild Wings, has passed away

Free free, dear one

A beautiful tribute is:



http://www.wildwingsinc.org/store.asp?pid=29150

Oh how sad and what a beautiful tribute to Shasta. He was handsome. So sorry. :crying:

The tribute is very touching-- I love  Wild Wings-- they are so devoted to the animals they care for. 

Shasta was in the news two years ago:


News: A Love Bird's Tale

Susan Ashline
13WHAM News
(November 25, 2007) - MENDON NY - A red-tail hawk named Shasta was taken in two years ago by the Wild Wings Bird Rescue Center. He’d been caught stealing food from picnickers at Hamlin Beach.

He had been illegally raised as a pet, and is unable to care for himself in the wild.

But, things seem to be going well for Shasta when he found a girlfriend.    
 


"He's got it," said Terry Kozakiewicz, Wild Wings director.  "She just absolutely is totally in love with him."

Shasta is not the handsomest red-tail hawk on the wing.

But, Kozakiewicz said, "For whatever reason, that animal magnetism definitely said, 'OK this is my guy'. She's taken over with him."

They say love is blind.  Could it be true regarding Shasta and his girlfriend?

"We don't know what it is," Kozakiewicz said.  "But she lands here….like I said, she's bringing dinner."

It appears for the wild red-tail hawk that first spotted Shasta, it was love at first sight. 

She’s visited him every day since their first meeting, and though it goes against nature for this species, this female has been bringing dinner to the male including delicacies like snakes and red squirrels.

"She brought a gray squirrel a few weeks back," said Kozakiewicz.  "She brought it right up to the bars, and they're squawking away, making their calls."

No telling what happens after the lights go out.

"When we lock up, we're not quite sure what goes on around here," said Kozakiewicz.  "I know that we've come in and we found her on the roof."

Shasta has gathered his own pile of twigs, so when his girlfriend shows up, he can break them up to show he's a good provider.

Although there's a strapping young red-tail hawk next door, the girlfriend only has eyes for Shasta.

"Shasta's injured," said Kozakiewicz.  "He'll never go back in the wild again.  And unfortunately, she's never coming into the enclosure to be with him as well."

Ah, never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

http://www.wildwingsinc.org/store.asp?pid=19516

This Shasta story really made me cry....it's too sweet with his girl..OMG. Wonder if she still comes by?

I was at Wild Wings earlier this month to check out the peregrine and merlin and always make the rounds to say hello to all of the residents. I was kidding with Tess that Shasta looked like he was going bald.  

Not only was Shasta loved by humans, but it was great to hear the stories of his young female admirer, and how she would sneak him tasty squirrel treats. Even in the winter there was evidence of her being there - you could see tracks in the snow where she had been outside the cage.  Shasta would perk up everytime she was near. How wonderful to have a "wild" girlfriend in his senior years.  I'm glad I got to see him one last time.

Same observation-- he was losing his feathers when I saw him too.  But his caretakers delighted in him and in the wild female who was so taken by him.  I feel for the folks at Wild Wings. Even though we know these birds are with us for a limited time, as all life is, it still hurts to lose them.

Godspeed Shasta - the Angels are Singing!   :hawk: