Heroes

We've all got a hero, haven't we? I think most likely, yes. I have heroes, some living, some gone, but yes, I have heroes too. I'm going to post a bit about my heroes, starting with today's entry.

I went for a bike ride today. The intent was 10 miles. After less than 1 mile, I observed an injured ibis. The rule I follow with birds basically is if I see a bird where it traditionally wouldn't be, or doing something traditionally it wouldn't do, something's not right. Well, that's how I noticed today's ibis. I was pedaling down the street when a flock of ibis flew away, one was left behind. She tucked a wing under her, and sat down on the driveway. Immediately, I turned around and headed back to the inn. As soon as I got here, I announced "change of plans, get towels & the biggest animal crate we've got... bird rescue!" I then picked up the phone and called Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue on Big Pine. Two rings later the phone is answered, and plans are made for them to take the injured ibis once I capture her.

Off we go to aid the bird. She's still on the same property, but now in the mangroves. We move very slowly, birds are sensitive, and stress so easily. She's injured, so we know she's already stressed. She hops to the top of a mangrove, and then actually takes flight with her injured wing struggling. She takes a very short flight into the Coupon Bight, onto a mangrove island. We track her visually, but do not follow. She can fly. We watch her, we can still see her. She's tucking her wing, and moving it. Its not "right" but she's moving. She takes another very short flight after a few minutes around the backside of that mangrove island, and we no longer can observe her. We decide not to take a kayak out to try a water rescue. She's probably better off (we hope at least) because she can still fly.

Where does the hero come in? Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue. Maya Totman. My hero. I don't know very much about Maya outside of her professional work. Maya is our island's "bird lady." She devotes her life to assisting injured wildlife, especially birds. I have lived here several years now, and not once in these years have I ever been turned down by Maya on a rescue call. This woman works ceaselessly, often times alone, rescuing birds, and doing the best she can to help those who cannot help themselves. Maya literally works 365 days a year. She is on call 24 hours a day. She works Christmas. Thanksgiving. New Year's Day. There are no days off for Maya. She is always there when you need her. I have been with Maya on a few rescues. Its not easy work. Injured animals tend to not want to be rescued. They're terrified, and don't feel good. They retreat. You have to go to them often in very unpleasant conditions. Maya never holds back, ever, when the fate of an animal is at stake.

One time, I called Maya because there was a great white heron injured, walking on our street. Again, a bird where he didn't belong, acting in ways he normally wouldn't. I called Maya, he was too big for me to even attempt to capture on my own. Within minutes of my call, Maya was on scene, leaping out of her rescue van with a net, and a list of questions for me. The heron had waded back off the street into the swampy mangroves by the time she arrived. She instructed me where to go to attempt to flush the bird out towards her... I really didn't want to do this, there were spider webs filled with spiders everywhere in this area, not to mention whatever lurked within the murky waters. I turned to Maya and crackled "spiderwebs." (Have I mentioned my bug-phobia yet on this blog?) She must've thought I'm crazy, and properly ignored my comment. She again instructed me on my tasks, and began knocking down zillions of spiderwebs with her hands, as she crept into the swamp. I'm watching her, this is not the first rescue I've witnessed and been with her on, but I was still blown away by her "LET'S GO" attitude. I took a deep breath as I picked up a stick and I began knocking down the webs to clear a path for the direction I needed to go. I followed Maya's instructions, the heron was flushed out, captured, rehabbed and released. Its a good feeling go know positive outcomes, so often its a different story.

Maya spends her life helping others. The coconut telegraph burns with the information that Maya is now in Louisiana assisting Tri-State Bird Rescue in cleaning oiled birds (Maya took training with Tri-State over Memorial Day.... remember, BP has subcontracted the wildlife cleaning out to Tri-State). She is married to a man I've only met in passing, but is supportive of her in ways that count. He's out fishing for the food to feed the birds in rehab, answering the phone when she's on a call, and I'm sure doing countless other things to be the wind beneath her own wings. Maya organizes & performs beach cleanups in sweltering heat. She picks trash out of mangrove swamps. She rescues and aids victimized wildlife. She sees some terribly tragic things as a result of the hand of man. A carelessly discarded fishing hook ends up in bird gullet, animals entangled in line & rope, thoughtlessly tossed trash ends up wrapped around a deer leg, the scenarios go on forever. Yet, Maya is there, a passion burns so deep inside her to help animals. Its so often lonely and thankless work. She is someone I completely admire, and someone I call a hero. She's a role model both by her hands on work, and her efforts to educate people, especially children, about the need to respect animals & environment. Something particular I admire about Maya is a quality I call being fearless. Perhaps inside Maya is terrified every single moment, with every single spider, and every single unknown. But, you'd never know it, she never shows it. She all over the situation in a flash, there's no time to waste, and no time for fear. Just get the job done, that's the mission.

I wish I was a more eloquent writer, as she deserves some very poetic words. But, I write from my heart. She's one in a million, and our little island would be such a different place without a hero named Maya Totman. http://www.floridakeyswildliferescue.org/