Skywatch Bird Rescue

06/17/2026

Check out the colors (or lack thereof) on this Common Loon! This loon has leucism, a genetic condition that causes a partial or total loss of pigment in a bird’s feathers. Unlike albinism, this does not impact the eyes and appears as faded color or white patches, as shown on this loon.

This loon came to us after being stranded, as most we admit do. A healthy loon has no reason to be on land, and they often become beached when they are too weak to fight the waves of the ocean due to illness or injury. If you find a loon on land, remember: it isn’t resting, it needs rescue.

If you’d like to the support the recovery of a loon, heron, duckling, or a bird in-between, we always appreciate donations of supplies off of our Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/31X78N0CIBKFM. This list is updated regularly to reflect our current clinic needs and allows you to be directly involved in a bird’s care. Donations can be dropped off or shipped to 3600 Lynn Ave., Castle Hayne, NC 28429 anytime.

06/15/2026

GRAPHIC CONTENT ⚠️

You constantly hear us tell the public that domestic ducks cannot survive in the wild; they cannot fly, they don't know how to find food or migrate, and they will eventually die from starvation, predation, or both. Most of our followers know this by now, but we also know there are people out there who say these ducks are "fine.” If you still don't believe us, take a look at this. This isn't AI. This is a real picture taken by one of our volunteers this weekend.

We received a call on our hotline about a dumped duck along Burnt Mill Creek in Wilmington, sitting alone in one spot along the bank. A volunteer who is familiar with the creek went out to try to find her. The duck was incredibly skittish of people and went right into the water. Our volunteer hid and waited for the duck to come ashore so she could net her. When the moment seemed right and the duck began to climb back up, our volunteer heard her “scream.” When she looked down, the duck was in an alligator's mouth.

We know this is upsetting to see, but we must share the realities of duck dumping. As you can imagine, this was distressing for our volunteer to witness firsthand, right in front of her. We don't know how much louder we can say it: duck dumping is not kindness, it is nothing but cruelty.

Please continue to share our flyer about duck dumping (attached in the comments) near and far. If you or someone you know has ducks that you no longer want, please post on a pet adoption website or in a rehoming group here on Facebook, or contact us or your closest rescue. Dumping them is NEVER the solution.

06/14/2026

06/13/2026

Come out and see on this sunny Saturday! The rescue is open for visits from 12-4pm, every Saturday through the summer. Entry is a $10 donation per person and they accept all payment methods. I mean, how can you say no to this face?

📍3600 Lynn Ave. in Castle Hayne

06/12/2026

This Barred Owl has the right idea! Birds cannot sweat, so they have creative ways to beat this summer heat such as panting, fluttering their throat (or gular) pouch, fluffing out their feathers, and bathing. Birds also routinely indulge in preening, often devoting a large portion of their day to it. This is not only important for keeping birds cool, but keeping their feathers in good condition and free of debris and parasites.

06/11/2026

Decorating for summer and have things you want to get rid of? Don’t toss them, donate them to benefit the birds! We are always seeking item donations for our biweekly yard sale fundraiser.

We cannot accept clothing, books/puzzles, furniture, or anything that needs repair before being sold. We gladly welcome all other gently-used household items, décor, and home goods!

Donations can be dropped off to the right of our front porch at 3600 Lynn Ave. in Castle Hayne. What we do not use this sale can be used the next, so bring your items by anytime!

📷: Reddit

06/10/2026

This Cattle Egret was rescued by construction workers in Brunswick County and is being treated for a wing break. This species spends most of its time in fields rather than streams, foraging for insects at the feet of cattle and other livestock. We see them frequently around the farmland in our area, but this isn’t a bird we admit often.

As you may already know, we are in our busiest intake time of the year, not only due to baby birds arriving by the minute, but injured adult birds, too. Nesting season can put adults at increased risk, as they are coming into contact with cars, windows, and other human activity on a daily basis as they try to find food for their families.

If you’d like to the support the recovery of an egret, hawk, duckling, or a bird in-between, we appreciate continued donations of supplies off of our Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/31X78N0CIBKFM. This list is updated regularly to reflect our current needs and allows you to be directly involved in a bird’s care. Donations can be dropped off or shipped to 3600 Lynn Ave., Castle Hayne, NC 28429 anytime.

06/08/2026

We wanted to provide an update on a popular Canada Goose pair who annually nests near the entrance of the Kohl's in Wilmington.

We have been monitoring this nesting site for the past two months and received several dozen calls from worried employees and shoppers during that time. We are aware that the typical incubation period has passed, and we understand it can be concerning to see the female still on the nest.

However, this is not unusual behavior. Not all eggs are viable, and it is common for geese to continue incubating beyond the expected hatch date. If the eggs do not hatch, the goose will eventually abandon the nest and move on. Geese may even, in some cases, attempt to nest a second time in the same season. It is also possible for a different goose to utilize the same nesting site.

We received a report over the weekend that the eggs were discolored and believed to be rotting, raising concerns about the mother's health. Our volunteer who has been monitoring this nest responded and observed that both geese appeared healthy and the eggs were warm and developing normally (as shown here).

It is important to note that us monitoring a nest does not mean we are routinely inspecting the eggs like this. We do not approach the nest or force the mother to leave it in order to examine her eggs, as doing so would cause unnecessary stress and constitute as nest disturbance. Harassing nesting birds or interfering with active nests is prohibited under federal law, even if someone thinks their reasons for doing so are valid.

Regardless of whether the eggs are viable or not, there is no circumstance under which we can intervene in normal nesting activities, nor can anyone else. Canada Geese have successfully nested around businesses, in parking lots, and near human activity for generations. These geese are well-adapted to our urban areas and instinctively know how to manage their own nests.

The best thing the public can do is give these geese their space and allow them to carry out their natural nesting behaviors. People repeatedly approaching to inspect, photograph, or otherwise interact with the nesting goose can cause significant stress and contribute to nesting failure. We appreciate everyone's care for these geese, but ask that you please continue to observe them respectfully and from a distance.

06/07/2026

Yesterday afternoon, we received reports of an ATV appearing to deliberately drive through a flock of gulls on the beach. One of the gulls was critically injured and sadly died soon after.

Reminder from our director that harming any federally-protected bird is a felony. If you witness someone doing something like this intentionally, please get proof (a picture of them and their vehicle/license plate number) and report them to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-844-397-8477 and N.C. Wildlife violation hotline at: 1-800-662-7137. If caught and prosecuted, the person can face fines as high as $250,000, per bird, plus jail time.

We do not know the full extent of this incident, but we want to take this time to remind the public that the best way to hold people who harm birds accountable is by recording evidence and reporting the crime to the authorities.