Note to NIH Facilities Manager:
 
From: Kreiss, Elise (NIH/NCI) [E] 
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 4:10 PM
To: ____________(NIH/OD/ORF) [E]
Subject: Active Barn Swallow Nests Torn Down in EPN Parking Garage
 
Jim,
 
 An active Barn Swallows nest that had a sitting bird on it yesterday was on the EPN basement
 garage floor today (the corner nearest the pond) and there were still living, featherless birds on
 the garage floor.  I had noticed yesterday that a nearby nest had been taken down, but assumed
 the birds had left the nest.  With this new information, I examined the garage floor in that area,
 and found somewhat older displaced birds (one alive; one dead) also there.   These nests do not
 customarily fall down by themselves; and two in a few days appears to be the work of a vandal.   
 
 There may be no way to tell who did this; which as you know, is a violation of the Migratory Bird
 Act, and is punishable with large fines (in the thousands) per occurrence.    I honestly don't know
 what you can do, unless the maintenance staff have some information, but I thought you should
 be aware that it had taken place.  I took the 3 living birds I found to 2nd Chance Wildlife Center
 this afternoon.  
 
 Elise 
 
  -  - - End of E-mail- - -  
 
 I took the birds to the rescue facility because, while it likely they were still being fed, they were on
 a cold garage floor, at the mercy of feet and periodic "power washing."  The youngest were no
 larger than the rubble in which I found them. 
 
 Second Chance Wildlife Center in Gaithersburg (301-926-WILD) on 7101 Barcelona Drive was
 pleasant to visit.  I heard a convalescent Bob White calling as I drove up to the farmhouse door.  
 The staff was startlingly young, but seemed confident.  Cages of birds were segregated by
 species (Mockingbird, Veery, etc.) lined up on heavy duty shelving.   There was a huge cage for
 House Sparrows outside.  If it sounds depressing - it wasn't.  Everything was clean and calm,
 and the wild birds didn't display the anxiety you might expect at having people all around; nor
 were they huddled at the backs of their cages.  There were periodic calls from a variety of
 species.  Some mammals were present as well - lots of squirrels.   The birds I brought in were
 weighed, the oldest one banded, and I was assured that they all had a chance and that I can call
 up and find out the status by the band number (and the two youngest by my last name.)    Most
 surprising was a Red-shouldered Hawk which was sitting on a bookcase overseeing the office
 activity.   I saw a staff member go over and scratch its back while I was making out a donation
 check.          
 
 
 Elise Kreiss
 Baltimore City
 
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