The harvest is complete. The fields are brown. The woods quiet. The landscape is soon to be cloaked in its winter mantle. Animals and people make preparations as darkness closes in on us: and closes us in.

For many of us, these leaden skies of November are a time for reflection, and for hope.

We are living in a time of social and cultural un-certainty. We are bombarded by the clutter of the 24-hour news cycle, technology makes us expect immediate responses. Our myriad ways to keep connected too often actually make us less con-nected to others.

But this uncertainty also motivates us to look deeper for meaning; to search for timelessness; to discover values that endure; and that sustain and comfort us.

At WRC we find strength in the lives saved and the amazing stories witnessed every day. We are inspired by our role in promoting a healthy bond between people and animals. We are comforted by an animal’s life improved, a patient’s suffer-ing ended, and our role in serving these amazing animals.

People who help animals truly help all of us. The ripple effect of their good deeds spreads to all around them. Every animal we release back to the wild carries with it the mystery of its uniqueness and the mark of someone’s compassion.

As this year nears its close, I hope you will reflect on the miracles of nature and the wonders of the many unique animal species that enrich our lives, while giving us a sense of mystery and awe about the world in which we live.

We live in a wonderful part of the world, blessed with an abundance of natural resources. At WRC, we have faith that people will focus on compassion and care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

Your contribution today assures that WRC will be here to help provide medical care for many seasons to come. As our world darkens at the end of the fall season, your gift brings the promise of hope, thanksgiving and joy. And it brings new life to the stories that sustain us. Warm wishes,

Philip M. JenniExecutive DirectorNovember 28, 2018

PS: Thanks to you and thousands of other donors, WRC’s revenue has increased every year since 2008, more than doubling during that period. More than 25 percent of our total contri-butions come in December. Your support is critical NOW as we finish this year in a manner worthy of our values, of our belief in the unique bond we share with animals.Thank you for donating. Franklin’s Ground Squirrels

photo by Earl Orf

Acadian FlycatcherAmerican BeaverAmerican BitternAmerican CootAmerican CrowAmerican GoldfinchAmerican RedstartAmerican RobinAmerican ToadAmerican Tree SparrowAmerican White PelicanAmerican WoodcockBaltimore OrioleBarn SwallowBarred OwlBay-breasted WarblerBelted KingfisherBig Brown BatBlack-and-white WarblerBlack-billed CuckooBlack-capped ChickadeeBlackburnian WarblerBlanding’s TurtleBlue JayBlue-gray GnatcatcherBlue-headed VireoBlue-winged TealBlue-winged WarblerBobcatBohemian Waxwing

Bonaparte’s GullBrewer’s BlackbirdBroad-winged HawkBrown CreeperBrown SnakeBrown ThrasherBrown-headed CowbirdBullsnakeCanada GooseCanada WarblerCaspian TernCedar WaxwingChestnut-sided Warbler

Chimney SwiftChipping SparrowCliff SwallowCommon Garter SnakeCommon GrackleCommon LoonCommon NighthawkCommon RavenCommon RedpollCommon YellowthroatCooper’s HawkCoyoteDark-Eyed JuncoDouble-crested CormorantDowny WoodpeckerEared GrebeEastern BluebirdEastern ChipmunkEastern CottontailEastern Fox SquirrelEastern Gray SquirrelEastern Hognose SnakeEastern KingbirdEastern MeadowlarkEastern MoleEastern PhoebeEastern Screech-OwlEastern Spiny Softshell TurtleEurasian Collared DoveEuropean starlingFox SparrowFranklin’s Ground SquirrelFranklin’s GullGolden-crowned KingletGolden-winged WarblerGray CatbirdGray FoxGray Tree FrogGreat Blue HeronGreat Crested FlycatcherGreat EgretGreat Horned OwlGreater ScaupGreen FrogGreen HeronHairy WoodpeckerHermit ThrushHerring GullHoary BatHooded MerganserHouse FinchHouse MouseHouse SparrowHouse WrenIndigo BuntingKilldeerLapland LongspurLeast BitternLeast FlycatcherLesser ScaupLesser Snow Goose (White phase)Lesser YellowlegsLincoln’s SparrowLittle Brown MyotisMagnolia Warbler

MallardMarsh WrenMeadow VoleMinkMourning DoveMourning WarblerMuskratNashville WarblerNorthern CardinalNorthern Flicker

Northern Leopard FrogNorthern Map TurtleNorthern River OtterNorthern Rough-winged SwallowNorthern Saw-whet OwlNorthern ShrikeNorthern WaterthrushOvenbirdPalm WarblerPied-billed GrebePileated WoodpeckerPorcupinePurple FinchPurple MartinRaccoonRed BatRed FoxRed SquirrelRed-bellied WoodpeckerRed-breasted NuthatchRed-eyed Vireo

Red-headed WoodpeckerRed-winged BlackbirdRedbelly SnakeRing-billed GullRing-necked DuckRing-necked PheasantRock PigeonRose-breasted GrosbeakRuby-crowned KingletRuby-throated Humming-birdRuddy DuckSandhill CraneSharp-shinned HawkShort-tail Shrew

Short-tailed WeaselSilver-haired Bat

Snapping TurtleSolitary SandpiperSong SparrowSoraSouthern Flying SquirrelSpotted SandpiperSwainson’s ThrushSwamp SparrowTennessee WarblerThirteen-lined Ground SquirrelTiger SalamanderTree SwallowTrumpeter SwanTundra SwanTurkey VultureVeeryVirginia OpossumVirginia RailWestern Chorus FrogWestern Fox SnakeWestern GrebeWestern Hognose SnakeWestern Painted TurtleWhite-breasted NuthatchWhite-crowned SparrowWhite-footed MouseWhite-tailed DeerWhite-throated SparrowWild TurkeyWilson’s SnipeWood Duck Wood TurtleWoodchuckYellow WarblerYellow-bellied FlycatcherYellow-bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Rumped WarblerYellow-throated VireoYellow-throated Warbler

Collectively we had our busiest June, July, August period in history this past summer. From a high of 169 patients on June 14th, we averaged 85 patients a day those three months. Some of our species highlights include first-time admits Franklin’s Ground Squirrels, a young Bobcat kitten, several Trumpeter Swans cygnets, and a stunning Eared Grebe. We admitted nearly 800 fewer cottontail rabbits and 200 fewer Waterfowl Nursery patients than ast year, most likely due to the extreme spring weather.

Our efforts at keeping healthy wild babies with their wild families is paying off, leaving more room in the hospital for patients with medical needs. The additional benefits of this are an ongoing education with clientts and a better quality of life for the young an-imal. We’ve added two new full-time staff to our nursery rosters (mammal and avian), providing more stability during the season and in the off-season additional staff to support our extensive volunteer program.

Nursery Season at WRC

Our 2018 Species Roll Call194 Species 8,927 clients 79 counties

Bobcat kitten

Trumpeter Swan Cygnet

Two hummingbird nestlings

Dr. Schott with Red Fox kit

American Toad

For the first year, WRC has offered a paid, year-long DVM internship to a licensed veterinarian. This position benefits WRC by bringing in a fully-accredited veterinarian as well as providing world-class wildlife medicine experience to the recipient. Our 2018-19 recipient is Dr. Allison Carter. If you’re a student looking for a seasonal internship, visit our website at www.wrcmn.org.

World-class DVM Internship Offered at WRC

WRCAnnual Open House

Sunday, Feb. 10, Noon-4pm

Visit with the vets! Explore things in radio-graphs and under microscopes. Learn more

about what it means to be a busy wildlife hospital.

We rolled out a new website this fall, taking into consideration your needs during the design phase.This includes easier to find instructions on what to do with an animal; quick access buttons for phone, email and directions; and a new option to register as a sustaining donor through monthly gifts.

The old favorites are still there: the Critter Ticker, Case Studies, FAQs and information on how to join us as a volunteer or intern. Perhaps most importantly, it’s been redesigned to work well with mobile devices. More and more people are using Google to find our services. Having a mobile-friendly site is crucial to

ensuring care for injured animals. The site is still being developed so you’ll see additional changes over the next month.

As you know, patient load and demand for care is very seasonal. Having income throughout the year greatly helps us with budgeting and costs. It also helps us save money by reducing interest fees. Please consider becom-ing a monthly donor.

Client-driven Website Unveiled

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota www.wrcmn.org 2530 Dale St. Roseville Minn. 55113 651-486-9453 Open every day of the year, even the holidays.