Black Moon Wildlife, Inc.

04/10/2026

As we head into busy season, some excellent advice from our friend and fellow rehabber at Nutmeg Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Why we say “Do NOT give food or water”

When you find a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal, your instinct is to help and feeding or giving water feels like the right thing to do. But in wildlife rehabilitation, this is one of the most important things to avoid.

Here’s why:

1. Their bodies may not be ready.
Many animals that come into care are in shock, severely stressed, hypothermic, or dehydrated. In these states, the digestive system slows down or even shuts down. Introducing food too soon can lead to vomiting, bloating, or life-threatening complications.

2. Risk of aspiration is high.
Weak or compromised animals often cannot swallow properly. Giving food or water, even with the best intentions, can cause it to enter the lungs instead of the stomach. This is called aspiration and can quickly lead to pneumonia or death.

3. Dehydration must be corrected properly first.
Rehydration is not as simple as giving water by mouth. Wildlife rehabilitators often use specific fluids, in controlled amounts and through appropriate routes, to safely stabilize an animal before any feeding begins.

4. Incorrect foods can cause harm.
Wild animals have very specific dietary needs. The wrong food can disrupt their gut, cause diarrhea, metabolic issues, or even organ failure, especially in young animals.

5. Stress alone can be fatal.
Handling and attempting to feed wildlife increases stress. For many species, stress can quickly become deadly, especially when combined with injury or illness.

What should you do instead?
✔ Place the animal in a secure container
✔ Keep them warm, dark, and quiet
✔ Keep away from people and pets and limit handling
✔ Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for guidance IMMEDIATELY

Helping wildlife starts with doing less, not more. Stabilization, not feeding, is the first and most critical step in saving their lives.

03/31/2026

Today is RI's annual 401Gives campaign, and we’re sharing this fundraising effort for the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island.

Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island (WCRI) supports our work here at Black Moon Wildlife and assists many Connecticut wildlife rehabilitators by providing expert veterinary care, advanced training and clinical experience, and a professional network built on collaboration, mentorship, and shared knowledge.

Their impact extends far beyond Rhode Island. When wildlife rehabilitators in Connecticut need help, guidance, or specialized care, they generously open their doors, and many animals and wildlife rehabilitators benefit from that support every year.

Wildlife rehabilitation is truly a collaborative effort, and organizations like WCRI make it possible for many of us to do this work better and help more animals.

If you’re able, please join us in supporting them today by donating or simply share their fundraiser to help spread the word.

401Gives is underway, and today every gift to the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000.

Yesterday, we shared the story of two orphaned bobcats who received months of expert care before their release, in collaboration with Rhode Island DEM, URI, and our fellow rehabilitators at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue. Their journey is a powerful example of what your support makes possible.

Every day, the Wildlife Clinic provides lifesaving medical care, rehabilitation, and release support for wild animals across Rhode Island. From emergency treatment to long-term recovery, this work takes skill, time, and resources, and it happens because people like you choose to stand with us.

A gift today goes twice as far. Please consider making your 401Gives donation now and helping us start strong. Donation link in the comments.

Thank you for making this work possible.

03/26/2026

🕊️Bird Feeder Etiquette: Clean Feeders Save Birds

Many people don’t realize that bird feeders, while wonderful, can also spread disease if not properly maintained. Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis (aka finch conjunctivitis or house finch eye disease), is a highly contagious bacterial infection that commonly affects House Finches but can spread to other songbirds as well.
This infection causes red, swollen, crusty, or closed eyes, and in severe cases birds cannot see well enough to fly or find food.

🧐How to recognize it:

~Swollen or puffy eyes
~Crusty or sealed eyelids
~Birds sitting at feeders and not flying away
~Lethargic or fluffed up birds
~Birds that allow you to approach closely

🖐️Why it spreads:

Finches are very social birds and often feed in groups. Feeders create high-density gathering areas, which makes it easy for bacteria to spread through shared perches, seed, and droppings.

😁The good news:

Finch conjunctivitis is treatable if the bird can be safely captured and brought to a wildlife rehabilitator.

🐾Bird Feeder Etiquette – How to Help Stop the Spread:

~Clean feeders regularly (10% bleach solution, rinse well, dry completely)
~Rake up seed hulls under feeders
~If you see sick birds, take feeders down for 1–2 weeks
~Spread feeders out to reduce crowding
~Keep feeders dry and clean
~Never leave moldy or wet seed

Feeding birds is a wonderful way to connect with wildlife, but if we feed them, we also have a responsibility to keep feeding areas safe.

For more information, check out this great resource from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
https://feederwatch.org/house-finch-eye-disease/

Small actions can make a big difference! Let's help our avian neighbors thrive. 🕊️

Help us monitor House Finch eye disease through Project FeederWatch Birds infected with House Finch eye disease (also called Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) have red, swollen, runny, or crusty eyes. In extreme cases the eyes become swollen shut and the bird becomes blind. You might observe an infected b...

03/19/2026

🦆 A month ago, he couldn’t stand. Today, he flew.

This male mallard came into care on February 28 - weak, starving, and barely holding on after a brutal winter for our native waterfowl.

That first week was uncertain. But with supportive care tailored to his condition, and adjusted as he improved, he turned a corner.

Little by little, he came back. Stronger. Steadier. Ready.

Today, the person who found him returned to release him. 🌿

That part never feels small - one person (Kellie Fisher!) choosing to help, and then becoming part of the moment it all comes full circle.

This is what a second chance looks like. Fly free, friend - onward and upward 💚

—
✨ Follow along - baby season is just getting started, and there are more stories like this ahead.

03/18/2026

🌿 Waterfowl Nesting Season is Here in Connecticut 🦆

The shift has begun. The earth is waking. Baby season is upon us and wildlife is answering the call.

As things change, pairs break off, and behavior shifts. Movements slow and become deliberate, as animals begin shaping quiet, intentional spaces for the next generation - and if you’re paying attention, you’ll start to notice these spaces everywhere: nests.

Across Connecticut right now, Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, mergansers, and so many others are beginning this next chapter.

• Geese are often the most visible, nesting right out in the open - fields, shorelines, even parking lot islands.

• Mallards are a little more subtle, tucked into tall grasses, gardens, and brush.

• Wood ducks and mergansers nest high in tree cavities - nowhere near where you’d expect to see baby ducks. They’ll
even mix nests, and it’s not uncommon for us to intake a clutch of wood ducklings with a few mergansers sprinkled in. And when they hatch? They don’t climb down… they jump - a literal leap of faith into the world below.

What they all have in common is this:
They are choosing these places because, to them, they are safe.

This is one of the most extraordinary times of year to witness wildlife – if you slow down enough to see it.

A goose holding her ground on a roadside nest.
A mallard tucked quietly into a backyard garden.
Ducklings appearing where there was nothing the day before.

These aren’t necessarily problems to solve - they’re moments to notice.

🟢 If you come across a nest:
Give it space. Watch from a distance. Let the story unfold.

🟢 If you find eggs or babies:
Pause before acting—what looks unusual is often part of a much bigger, natural process.

🟢 If you’re unsure:
Reach out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator - we’re here to help guide, not just intervene, but we can when appropriate.

Spring isn’t just a season. It’s an experience. And if you’re paying attention - you get to be part of it.💚

03/04/2026

We took advantage of today’s beautiful spring weather to say “Farewell and fly free” to the 3 geese that have been in our care for the past month. All three arrived severely underweight after the prolonged snow and harsh weather made it difficult for them to find food.

Thankfully, they all made a full recovery and the forecast is finally looking more promising here. We’re hopeful that with open water, emerging vegetation, and warmer days ahead, they’ll have everything they need to continue thriving in the wild.

*Please do excuse my video quality. I’m a much better wildlife rehabilitator than I am a videographer 🙃 and you’ll hear my kiddo in the background as well. Life as a wildlife rehabber means constantly balancing my humans and my animals.

02/16/2026

We’re technically closed right now. After several years of intensive waterfowl rehabilitation, we paused operations to rebuild.

If you know anything about waterfowl, you know they love nothing more than turning everything into mud. To accommodate their finest desires, we need better infrastructure, better space, and better systems to serve them - and the other wildlife who need us.

Our work is focused on waterfowl, and in Connecticut there are only a handful of licensed rehabilitators and facilities equipped to care these species. Winters like this one are especially hard on them. Extended snow and ice limit access to food, and we’re seeing many birds struggling as a result.

While we are mindful of HPAI risks and take them seriously, this is work we know how to do and do well. When space is limited and animals are in need, we make the space. So even while officially closed, we are answering some calls, because that’s what wildlife rehabilitation demands when conditions get hard.

This photo shows a small, temporary setup. It isn’t pretty or ideal, but it’s warm, quiet, and safe, and sometimes that’s all they need. These three Canada Geese came to us starving, dehydrated, and emaciated. They’re now in recovery and looking forward to freedom in the coming weeks, once they’ve put some weight back on and the snow and ice have eased.

More soon, as we continue rebuilding and responding to the season as it unfolds.