This Week at Liberty
July 28, 2026
Hoots, Howls, and Hollers
Megan Mosby
Executive Director
My Childhood Interest in Nature
I was asked the other day by a visitor how I got interested in nature. It just seems like I have always been pulled to the out of doors, but I gave it some thought before I answered. My earliest recollections of “nature” was my mother feeding the cardinals in our yard every morning. She knew all of the birds in her realm and paid attention to them as she worked in her garden…she loved flowers also. To me, the yard and environs were the place to be…where the action was.
Thinking back on it, the bugs weren’t safe, the lizards gave me a wide berth and although I wasn’t quick enough to grab a bird for inspection, I did give them a lot of attention. My favorite place to be in the yard was my tree… limbed and leafed it was the perfect hideout to spy on the insects, birds, and reptiles that graced the yard.
A later trip to a natural history museum attached to the University filled my curiosity with bigger and more charismatic wild things, and I was hooked. There were summer camps that some of my friends went to, but that wasn’t my fate. I had to find fulfillment in the tree, at the creek, or in the alleyways behind the house. To me it was resplendent and replete with all things wild and wonderful.
We Look to Role Models
So, when parents ask me what they can do to get their children outside and away from screens at least part of the day, my response is to model the behavior you would like to see like my mother unknowingly did. Screens weren’t a “thing”, so she didn’t need to combat that demon.
As we plan the children’s programs at Liberty Wildlife, I am keenly aware of the power of good examples. Our three programs which will soon be starting up for the fall, are all designed to introduce, pique an interest, and fulfill a need for young people to engage with nature and the natural world.
Starting with the Superheroes, grades K-3, youngsters and their parents are provided fun learning experiences designed to satisfy that basic drive in young people to engage with all things outdoorsy. We have wetlands; we have arts and crafts; we have reptiles; we have mammals and birds to demonstrate the magic of wild things. It is an opportunity for young people with a parent to explore and to become budding advocates of nature all in a safe and, yet exciting way.
Our Nature Explorer programs are month long workshops that introduce 4th -7th graders to specific concepts critical to learning and aiding nature. These young people are encouraged to explore, learn and engage in fun yet educational activities that will carry their interests and hopefully set a lifetime commitment to nature at all levels. There are four different programs throughout the school year designed to interact with a consumable natural experience that will last a lifetime…we hope!
The Teen Club for grades 8 through 12 takes the older students and provides them with an opportunity to create projects of their own interest with adult assistance and to prepare them to work as advocates at whatever level makes sense through their lives. They can be seen interpreting the reptiles in our collection and explaining other biological aspects during our Open Hour programming…budding voices for the wild.
And, voila, you now have more models for passing on a love of nature to the future explorers.
Thanks, Mom.
This Week @ Liberty
The intake total for the year is now up to 9220.
It’s crazy to think that, while this blog is out on its usual day, I’m not only writing this a week early (am I a time traveler?! The jury is out on that one), but when this posts, I’ll be traveling throughout England with one of my besties (who happens to live in Tamworth, England). She’ll be taking us around her hometown that rests 2 hours north of London and about an hour from Birmingham (which I’ve been told I botched and say quite incorrectly) and leave us on the last end of our journey to explore London for a few days on our own.
I’m grateful for so many things; the journey, a friend who’s welcoming us from such a long distance, and the freedom this job offers to be able to do it at all. There are a lot of moving parts here, and I’m happy to say our staff and volunteers are what make this trip doable.
So, while I’ll be working a tiny bit while I’m away, I’ll be mostly hanging with a friend and enjoying the time away (and I hope you’ve all had a few days here and there to get away from this heat, too!).
By: Acacia Parker | Public Outreach Coordinator
Spa Day
The title may seem misleading, but I assure you, it’s anything but, because even the animals we have here need a little primping every so often! And if you’re wondering what that entails (because no, the animals don’t paint their nails or need to get their hair done), don’t worry, I’m here to break it all down for you.
Spa day might seem like much – but it’s like your annual doctors visit for your pets, only we are doing this for all of the educational animals in our care. Our in-house veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Lamb is required to have hands-on these birds at least once a year (and often more times, based on things happening throughout said year). That means every permanent resident you see on our trail and in the flight cages needs to be grabbed and taken back for assessment, and then returned. And just as your dog or cat might get a bit suspicious when rounding them up to go the groomer or the vet, so do our Ambassadors. These assessments sometimes happen throughout the year in little sessions, but a lot of times, it’s a whole day full of fun wrangling for everyone involved.
It starts by getting everything prepped and ready to go in the classroom where stations are set up for the teams to do their work. We decide on who’s going first; great horned owls or hawks, and then our handfeed team (volunteers who work with the raptors daily by getting them out, weighing and feeding) gets the birds and brings them to us. From there, the team working inside the classroom is there to grab the bird and begin working. What are these guys doing? They’re coping beaks, trimming talons, and changing equipment (anklets and jesses), and Dr. Lamb is doing a thorough physical assessment of each one before giving each the west Nile virus vaccine to help with the onslaught of mosquitoes we get this time of year.
If you’re asking yourself why the masks, well it’s simple; birds remember, and they absolutely remember when they must be grabbed to be assessed like this. The masks and gear are (scary, yes, but effective) meant to ensure each bird doesn’t know who’s grabbing who, meaning those of us who work with these birds for education programs are still able to maintain a relationship with each bird after the annual exams. This means that our handfeed team, once we’re done with each bird, is their rightful savior, ready to take them off to be weighed and be fed.
It’s a whole process, and lasts, for the most part, a decent portion of the day. But it’s a good day – everyone works well together, the birds get their vaccines, a quick check-up and their spa day, and everyone is none the wiser. It even rained the day, which was lovely until it became horribly humid (hence the mosquitoes).
Still, despite the long day, we’re happy it’s done and the birds are happily back to doing what they do best!
By: Acacia Parker | Public Outreach Coordinator
Notable Mentions
We’re almost done with July and will be gearing to close for the entire month of August (not the intake window, that will remain open every day from 8am-6pm). Make sure you keep an eye out for when our education side reopens to public visitors, and for all the upcoming events this fall!
Without further ado, here are this week’s notable mentions:
- Bullfrogs sing us the song of their people near the wetlands (1 picture by Debbie O.)
- Lesser nighthawks are brought in and assessed; please note these guys nest on the ground, so if you find kids, they’re likely okay! (always call the hotline if unsure!) (2 pictures by Debbie O.)
- Sunsets at Liberty Wildlife are on another level (1 picture by Debbie O.)
- Lance the Harris’s Hawk during his spa day (and rainy day!) (1 picture by Doris P.)
- A resident coyote says hello on my morning walk (1 picture)
As always, thanks so much for hanging with us week in and week out and caring for all our wildlife here in Arizona.
Until next time, cheerio!
By: Acacia Parker | Public Outreach Coordinator
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