Ride The Wind Wild Bird Rehab Center

09/02/2026

Would any of you like to help these little guys ?
I have 10 Hummingbirds at the moment.....here are 8 of them.
And I am getting another tomorrow.
NEKTAR - PLUS is their main diet
It is very expensive.....made in Germany....( by Nekton )
and you can not buy it in a store....you have to order it online.

Obviously the larger container that you buy...the cheaper it is.
I always buy the large green bucket.....because they go thru it so quickly.
But it comes in several different sizes....
so absolutely any size would help them and be very appreciated.

However...due to the expiration dates on the Nektar-Plus
( which is their food ) I have to be careful of the amounts that I order at a time. So monetary donations are wonderful because I can order the food when I need it...and not waste it if the expiration dates expire.

Also if you look at the second picture you can see the rubber or silicone bracelet or wristband.
( I do not know what you call them )
My Hummingbirds like to sit on them...they are their comfy chairs....and it is very good for their feet.
The color green is their preference if possible.....but any colors will work.

So if any of you want to help take care of these Hummingbirds...
as well as any others that come in....
( because the season is not over yet ) ...
it would be very much appreciated.

If so......you can mail things to :
Tracy Brewer
P.O Box 368
New Richmond, Ohio 45157

If you send a check it has to be made out to me Tracy Brewer...because I am not a non profit so if you make it out to Ride I could not cash it. Not to worry...the money still goes to the birds... :)
Thank you... :)

08/30/2026

08/25/2026

I am well beyond angry.....so sit back and enjoy an entertaining read.

Being a bird rehabber I've seen a few stupid ignorant heartless selfish apathetic and cruel people. But I think this one tops the list.

I got a phone call today from someone who has an Eastern Kingbird in her yard. She says it has been there for THREE days.... unable to fly.

She sent me a video....
Yep........it has an injured wing......nope..... it can not fly.

It can't fly and rather than pick it up you just &$^@%*! leave it there day after day after day ?????????

I told her I would take it.....but she was afraid to pick it up and refused to do so even with my suggestions on how to do it.
I even asked her to find someone else to pick it up for her.
That conversation went on and on and on.........................

She just couldn't decide and then said she would have to call me back.

So she called me back.....and eventually got her son to pick up the bird and put it in a box for her.

After our LONG phone conversation....I finally convinced her that I would take the bird and drive 35-40 minutes one way to meet her to get it.
She wasn't sure when she could do that......she had plans.

Her sister ( I think it was her sister ) finally said she would meet me with the bird.

Okee dokee....plans were made...time to meet was set....so off I went.

I had been driving for 25 minutes when my phone rang.
It was her............she said she could not do it.
I said What ???
She said it's mate was out there in a tree looking for it so she couldn't take it away from it's mate.

She already had it in the &$%@ #?! box.....
and I had already been on my way to get it.

I told her for the 20th time that it was a migratory bird and would never be able to migrate......
I kept telling her it would die if she left it on the ground because of starvation or being killed by a predator.

I practically begged her to let me take it...
Actually I think I was begging since I put a please or two in the conversation.
She refused and said she could not do it.

Once more I said....
IT IS GOING TO DIE IF YOU LEAVE IT THERE.
She said " I can't do it. "
Again I said....
LET ME TAKE IT...
IT WILL DIE.

And you know what her final response to me was ???

She said.....

" That's ok "

So I hung up and drove home.
While she obviously took the box back out and dumped the poor bird back in her yard.

So somewhere in a heartless idiot's yard there is an injured Eastern Kingbird that could have been saved from a horrendous and painful death.
And she didn't even have to lift a finger to save it.....
because her son had already put it in a box for her....
and her sister was going to drive it.....
and I was already on my way to get it.

Here's hoping she gets to witness the predator killing it....
because that's on her.
But that probably wouldn't bother her anyway....
because she said " That's ok. "

I don't understand that way of thinking....
Someone needs to explain that to me....because I just don't understand.

( By the way...the picture I posted is not the bird she has )

08/24/2026

I got yet another Hummingbird in today. The finder found him in her garage.....and when trying to get him out she injured him.

I am not going to tell the name of the finder because even though she caused the injury she obviously did not mean to do so.

However....I do need to talk about this situation.

When you are trying to get a Hummingbird out of a garage you need to be as careful and gentle and patient as you can possibly be.

It can be very difficult to do.........but it can be done.
It takes time..........so you have to make time.

Might as well add this to the post here.

Putting a feeder in front of the door is always my first suggestion to people....as well as covering the windows ( so that they do not hit them )
And also turning garage lights out so that the only light they see is day light coming from the open door.

Also if there are two garage doors be sure to close one because unfortunately when they are flying back and forth up at the ceiling of the garage they have trouble getting out because they are above the open garage door kind of trapped between the door and ceiling.
So you really have to plan for a couple different things when putting the feeder in the doorway. 🙂

They are delicate and fragile....and can be easily injured....but you should already know that.

This makes me really sad because this little one's life is over.

Please be careful.....and please think before you act.

08/24/2026

I got this little one in today...( the one eating on the right )
A very nice gentleman ( Chris Radderko ) found him and rescued him. Thank you Chris.

The little brat you see on the left decided he could fly today....but refuses to eat on his own....which makes him a royal pain.

I am getting tons of Hummingbirds in right now.
All the youngins' are out now and finding all kinds of trouble to get into.

So keep careful watch for them.....because they are out there and needing help.

Chris found this one on his patio....so probably a window strike.
And Chris...I know I spelled your name wrong....but I could not read your writing...LOL.......so what is your last name ???

08/20/2026

I'm growin' up...and I am way too cute.
( The baby Holly Collins brought me April 3rd..see post below )

08/04/2026

I just admitted this tiny cutie in tonight.
A very nice lady ( Holly Collins )
was cutting tree limbs and she found him.
He apparently took a fall but seems ok.

August is always busy with baby Hummingbirds....so please be careful when cutting down trees or shrubs...because there could be a Hummingbird nest with babies in there.
And they are so tiny you could very easily miss them.

And also....very important here...............
Ruby-throats always have TWO babies.......so if you found one......please keep looking....because chances are there is another baby close to where you found the first baby.

I had asked Holly to look for the other baby but sadly she never found it.

One other really important thing here.....

And I can not say this enough :

NEVER...EVER...EVER...EVER ...try to take a baby Hummingbird out of it's nest.
You will absolutely break it's legs.
The nest is lined with very soft material....which the babies will cling to.... so if you try to pick them up.... that just makes them grasp with their toes/nails even more ....and you are not going to get them loose without seriously hurting them.
Leave them in the nest.

I have had people bring me babies that had broken legs many times beause the people tried to take them out of their nest.

There was a wildlife rehabilitation center that brought me two baby Hummingbirds that they had tried to take out of their nest.
BOTH babies had broken legs....BOTH of them.
And it wasn't the first time that particular center had done that.

And yes... you can see from the photos that I took the baby out of it's nest... but that is because I know how to do it....because I have done it a million times before.
That is not a pat on my back....that's just many years of experience.
So please be careful with these little ones....and leave them in the nest.

And Hummingbird mothers do not desert their babies.....so if you find one you can always attempt to get it back with Mom.
Because unless something happened to her...chances are she is close by.......you can bet on it.
But there is a correct way to do this......and a wrong way.

08/02/2026

HIVE QUEEN INSECTS
https://hivequeeninsects.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopaiwt221z1HMHHMGXBw1jfkGFQHAldXsf-2HeWD9HylEq8VQIq
If you use insects for rehab or for your pets...check this place out. Nice people....family owned and their products are wonderful.
All the places that I buy from never come close to the quality of their products.
Added bonus.... if you are local they allow pick up..so you can avoid shipping. Check them out.... you won't be sorry. :)

We're a locally owned feeder insect farm - we raise our insects as naturally and sustainably as possible to provide healthy, safe nutrition for your beloved animals. We are based in Cincinnati, Ohio and offer both shipping and local pickup. We NEVER use hormones or chemicals - just happy and healthy...

07/25/2026

This little one came in yesterday... A super nice lady ( Sara Pratt )
drove about 2 hours ( one way ) to get him to me.
And I think she actually drove an additional hour before coming to me just to get him from the finder.

The finder was using Tanglefoot on her property....which the Hummingbird got into. Then the finder used olive oil to try to get the Tanglefoot off. Which was a huge mistake.

Result :
You are looking at it in the first picture.
What do you see ?
Oil everywhere....missing and ripped out feathers...raw skin....pain...and Tanglefoot still present on parts of the bird.
And a bird unable to regulate it's body temperature...
be it cold or hot...he can not deal with it properly right now.

The second photo is after I had given him three different baths.
Two yesterday when I got him...and one so far this morning.

Have you ever tried to give a Hummingbird a bath ?
It ain't no fun for them.....and ain't no fun for me either.

It stresses the bird big time...which just adds to the fear and panic and terror that the bird is already experiencing from getting caught in the Tanglefoot and being pulled off by the finder etc..etc.

The suds can and many times does get in it's eyes and mouth so you have to be extremely careful....which is difficult to do with such a tiny target. And not only that.....the bird is always terrified during this process and I am sure he thinks he is going to die.

Now.....what is Tanglefoot ? A VERY sticky substance that people use on outside surfaces...trees ..roofs etc. to deter and/or catch insects.
Bugs that are bugging them.

I once got two birds in at the same time which had both landed on a roof that some BOZO had intentionally put Tanglefoot on to keep the birds off of it.
Bozo's kind neighbor got a ladder and climbed up on that roof to rescue the birds and brought the birds to me.
Both of those birds.. ( Nighthawks ) had to be euthanized.

This crap is disgusting and many times fatal to birds...and to beneficial insects such as Butterflies as well.

It's yet another ignorant and arrogant human invention that never should have been invented in the first place.

I have gotten many birds in thru the years that got into this crap and also glue traps.

Puts me in a really bad mood.... can you tell ?????

What about this little one....is he going to be ok ?
Don't know yet.

Thank you for rescuing and bringing this little one to me Sara.

07/23/2026

Need something to make you smile and feel real good ?
I think we all do.
Try this...........

Stay with me now.....
Keep reading....

This first picture is an Eastern Phoebe that I got on June 30....
( almost a month ago )

Let's call him " Lucky "

Connie O'Connor called me about this guy that was found hanging by a leg at The Cincinnati Nature Center.

The people at The Cincinnati Nature Center rescued Lucky.....
they got a ladder and climbed up and got him down.

Connie.....please tell me if I got the details correct.
I don't remember where you said Lucky was hanging from.

Now look at the second photo......
It's the same Eastern Phoebe... ( Lucky )
and also the 3 Barn Swallows that I got on July 8.
( the ones in the previous post that were not in good shape )

The 3 Barn Swallows are doing much better now though.

But here is the best part......

Lucky has trouble perching with the leg that he was hanging by....
so he was spending much of the time alone sitting on the floor of the cage.

Well....one of the Swallows ( Let's call him " Buddy " )
noticed Lucky and decided to keep him company.

When any of the other Swallows come near Lucky....
Buddy will get between them and get real close to Lucky.

Buddy has apparently decided that Lucky needs a friend....
so he decided to be one.

The other two Swallows will sometimes try to push Lucky away from the food bowl.....but that is short lived because Buddy jumps to the rescue.
He will peck at the other two and chase them away from Lucky.
And then he will sit next to Lucky until Lucky has finished eating.

They sleep together and simply hang out next to each other.
Buddy will go up on a perch for awhile....but then always comes back down to Lucky.

No one can ever convince me that birds are not intelligent....or have emotions or show compassion or try to help and protect some of their own kind.....because they are.... and they do.

Lucky has some security and company....because Buddy decided he needed it.....so he stepped up to help.

We should all have a Buddy in our life.....and we should all be one to others.
Thank you Connie O'Connor and
The Cincinnati Nature Center for rescuing Lucky. :)