Serenity's Place Wildlife Rehab

09/06/2026

The phone has been ringing nonstop following the recent storms and Saturday night was busy!

This Red-tailed Hawk was spotted grounded about a half hour north of me, so I headed up to contain him. He has received fluids and is now resting comfortably.

From there, I went straight to help fellow rehabbers attempt to capture a Sandhill Crane that has been walking around with a badly broken wing for weeks. He can’t fly—but boy, can he run! I was able to chase him into a backyard, get the fence closed, catch my breath, and have Mike get the net over him. Thank you Mike, Mike & Lauren - it was a team effort.

These bunnies had been doing so well until the camera showed that Mom hadn’t returned in several days. They are incredibly thin, and sadly, we lost two. The remaining two are very hungry & dehydrated.

This little flying squirrel was discovered in a home office after being brought there by the family cat. They likely have flying squirrels living in their attic.

Two fox squirrels discovered at the marina of a nearby subdivision. I cleaned flystrike, gave them fluids, and ready for transfer. Thank you both Cathy and Heidi!

Wildlife rehab is ever changing. Sometimes it’s chasing a crane, sometimes it’s sitting quietly with a bunny, and sometimes it’s feeding a tiny animal who desperately needs a second chance.

09/05/2026

While dropping off a dove at the Bird Center of Michigan I got to check in on my little Cedar Waxwing baby. He is growing up & they are doing an amazing job with him (as they always do). I love parenting with them. ❤️‍🩹 He still has a larger than life demanding personality & will soon be moving in with the big kids! He is such a late summer baby and I’m looking forward to the day he is old enough to be released.

09/05/2026

This little possum had me worried for so long. When a baby just doesn’t seem to grow like his siblings, we sometimes refer to it as “failure to thrive.” While his siblings doubled in size, this little guy remained tiny and showed very little interest in typical possum activities — climbing, hissing, growling, devouring grapes, sleeping in the hammock… you know, all the important possum things! 😂 His siblings are now in the outdoor acclimation cage, while he has remained inside in his bachelor-pad Critter Nation cage. I’ve known he will be on the smaller side, but I’m finally seeing him starting to bulk up! The mice and shrimp help I’m sure! He has striking markings and, even for a young possum, is still a little reserved.

Over the next couple of weeks, he’ll transition outdoors while I continue monitoring his weight, development and readiness for release. Hopefully, this little guy will be ready to write his own wild story soon. Sometimes the little ones just need a little more time. And I’m happy to give him that time. ❤️

09/05/2026

09/02/2026

I’m a little behind on sharing intakes and updates, and I’ll do a post soon explaining why. ❤️‍🩹 It’s been a busy day!
💔A little bunny found all alone on a sidewalk, lying on its side and flopping.
💔A flying squirrel found on a picnic table at a local campground.
💔And a beautiful (and VERY stinky) Turkey Vulture, or “TuVu,” found in a very old and very dusty barn.

Every intake comes with its own story, needs, and challenges, and there are days when social media has to take a back seat for a bit. Thank you for following my rescue, supporting Serenity’s Place, and continuing to care about our furred & feathered friends.

09/01/2026

Let’s try to help these little ones make their way safely ❤️‍🩹🤍❤️‍🩹

If you haven’t heard yet, fall migration is officially underway! Even though our nursery is still busy with late nesting species like American Goldfinches and Mourning Doves, select species around Michigan are beginning to make their trip South. With this in mind, limited use of outdoor lighting is becoming more and more important each day. An estimated 1,000,000,000+ birds die from building and window collisions in the U.S. each year, with artificial night lighting acting as a primary driver that disorients nocturnal migratory birds and lures them into fatal urban traps.

In order to protect birds during this vulnerable time, please consider taking part in Lights Out by turning off non-essential outdoor lighting from 11:00pm to 6:00am from August 15th until October 15th. In addition to mindful light usage, please keep an extra eye out for grounded songbirds in urban areas, and reach out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for further steps!

08/31/2026

NAME THAT BABY BIRD POST 🐦

One of the most beautiful little details about baby Cedar Waxwings is something you might never notice unless you get the chance to see one up close. ❤️ Baby Cedar Waxwings have an incredibly striking mouth lining, called a gape. Their mouths are a reddish-orange color with bluish-lavender to violet-blue lines along the edges. It almost looks like they were painted!

Those beautiful colors serve an important purpose. Inside a dark nest, that bright, iridescent mouth acts almost like a little bullseye, helping mom and dad quickly locate exactly where to place food when their babies are begging. The flash of vibrant color also helps trigger the parents’ instinctive feeding response. Nature has a way of making even the tiniest details incredibly purposeful. Next time you see a baby bird with its mouth wide open, take a closer look. What may look like a colorful little mouth is actually an amazing adaptation designed to help that tiny baby survive. ❤️‍🩹

08/31/2026

Name That BIRD! 😍

It doesn’t happen too often, but it just goes to show you that you can’t let your guard down! Baby season is still in effect!😳 I got my first bunny in early March, and it has been nonstop all summer. One thing I’ve done more of this year is doing songbird intakes to hold and triage overnight until they can get to the Bird Center, or a songbird rehabber. This little one is about a week old — definitely a late-summer baby! He may be young, and he may be small, but he has two things going for him: a BIG appetite and an even bigger personality! ❤️‍🩹

08/26/2026

This little groundhog found herself in a tough situation. The finder was concerned that she may be sick or injured. While I completely understand those concerns, I always ask that you reach out to a wildlife rehabilitator for guidance. We can help assess the situation & determine whether treatment can be provided or if humane euthanasia is the kindest option.

Reading the post left me concerned, & I’m so thankful to Tracy & Don (members of our transport team) for safely gathering this little one & bringing her to me.

The plan was to keep her overnight, provide supportive care, & transfer her to Howell Nature Center. I gave her sub-q fluids & a quiet place to decompress. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated overnight including small seizures, & it became clear that she was suffering. She is now at peace — with a calm passing, in a compassionate environment.

Please, if you ever find wildlife that appears sick, injured, or simply “not right,” reach out to a rehabber before making a decision. We can help you determine the best course of action for that animal.