NY Bird Rescue for Golden Eagles, American Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons,
Owls, Hawks, NYC Chickens and Pigeons, over 1200 residents and growing,
most are disabled or unwanted and will be here for the rest of their lives.
Welcome
to
Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary!
and Botanical gardensSince
1975
We just set up educational programs for schools
to visit our sanctuary Call Peter for details (518)
279-3801
Please
help! Be
part of this good work, become a member
today.
Or shop our new Amazon Bird
Store.
I thought Peter's work was important enough to donate
my time and services to design, host, maintain, and market this web
site since 1998.
Thank
you, Rolf Hansen webmaster
May
2, 2013
Author Barbara Chepaitis has publish a new book
Saving Eagle Mitch
One Good Deed in a Wicked World
Saving Eagle Mitch
This is the second book about Mitch the eagle. Her first book is Feathers
of Hope, also available on Amazon and Barns and Nobles books online.
These books are about a wounded Afghan Eagle rescued by Navy Seals
and the trials and tribulations of bringing him to Berkshire Bird Paradise,
We loved this book.
When a Navy SEAL and former Army Ranger rescue a wounded eagle in war-torn
Afghanistan, a writer learns what it can take to do one good deed in
a seemingly wicked world.
In the spring of 2010, as the world’s economy faced a potential
meltdown and the United States tried to win one war and maneuver its
way out of another, one lone Steppe Eagle, shot down on a firing range
in Afghanistan, faced problems of his own. Fortunately, help was available
from former Army Ranger Scott Hickman and his buddy, Navy SEAL Greg
Wright, who took him in and gave him the healing he needed. They named
him Mitch.
It wasn’t long, though, before they realized they had to find
Mitch a safer home than the war zone they were in. Through the strange
synchronicities of time, place, and the Internet, they got in touch
with the one man just crazy enough to try to help—Pete Dubacher,
founder of the Berkshire Bird Paradise, in upstate New York. Dubacher,
in turn, enlisted the aid of Barbara Chepaitis, who was just celebrating
the release of her book Feathers of Hope, about Pete and his bird sanctuary.
Thinking it would be an easy task, she quickly agreed to help, but she
soon found out that although saving an eagle might seem like a no-brainer,
there were plenty of people ready to tell her it couldn’t be done.
Faced with a host of bureaucratic and regulatory obstacles, Chepaitis
soon found herself cold-calling the White House and the Department of
State, while simultaneously utilizing Internet media, the press, and
social networks to try to accomplish one good deed in a world that looked
more wicked every day. Along the way, she learned a great deal about
the nature of personal power, as well as the nature of institutions
that usually present themselves as faceless and indifferent to individual
needs.
Saving Eagle Mitch offers a unique view into what happens when matters
of the heart come into conflict with rules and regulations, and offers
hope for the possibility that one person can make a difference in a
troubled and confusing world. Inspirational and full of grit and fire,
the book explores not only what needs to be done, but why such seemingly
small acts of grace are necessary to create a larger good.
“When Barbara Chepaitis contacted my office and asked for assistance
to save an eagle in Afghanistan, it was certainly unusual. But after
listening to her recount the rescue of Mitch the Eagle by US Navy SEALs,
and how much it would mean to our brave service members to ensure his
safety, I knew I had to help. And I could think of no better permanent
home for Mitch than in the Berkshire Bird Paradise in upstate New York.
From the State Department, to USDA, to the Fish and Wildlife Service,
we enlisted multiple agencies to make this happen. And like the Navy
SEALs who protected Mitch, it was teamwork that forged our success.
We know our military is brave, but Mitch reminds us of their compassion,
too.” — Senator Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Chepaitis is the Fiction Director for the Western State College
of Colorado’s graduate program in creative writing. She is the
author of many books, including Feathers of Hope: Pete Dubacher, the
Berkshire Bird Paradise, and the Human Connection with Birds, also published
by SUNY Press. She lives in Altamont, New York.
This is the follow up video of Mango the Green Aracari
Toucanete. This is his new friend Papaya an 8 month old Toucanete She
is doing fine and is very calm and content. these birds come from Central
and South America. These birds are funny and have strange ideas about
shoe laces, Mango is just wild about them
.
April 7, 2013
Liz's Lizards
Elizabeth Dubacher and her reptile friends, some have been
rescued. Chameleons, Beared Dragon, and a Monitor Lizard that will get
to grow 3 feet long, they are just a part of the creature list she cares
for.
April 8, 2013 African Grey Parrots
This is a short video with Peter and his daughter Elizabeth
with two 6 week old African Grey Parrots.
Peter received two African Grey Parrots from an elderly
couple that could no longer care for them.They had a surprise one day
when they found these two babies in there cages.
We will be putting up three more
videos in few days of baby Emus, Hedgehogs and a pair of Tucanettes.
-------------------
January 20, 2013.
We are closed for the season and will reopen Memorial
day 2013.
We were thankful for the mild winter and not much too
snow, it is helping us get through the winter with lower heating bills.
All resident birds and plants are winterised and are snug
and warm in their enclosures.
A green Aracari Toucannete is very striking. This was photographed
under the enclosure so the colors are not as bright as they should be.
This bird is very friendly, spunky and loves people. Watch this short
video of Mango.
Funny Bird Video
------------------------------------------------
June 1, 2012
We are open for the season. We have added many new features. We now
have 3 wind turbines generating electricity. we have added many new
plants and beautiful flowers to our botanical gardens.
We
will open Memorial Day weekend until the end of October We
are open from 9:am to 5:pm seven days a week from
mid May to the end of October, depending on the weather.
See map and direction on the bottom of this page
March 13, 2012
Breaking
news
Peter is going to NYC to
be on Fox News with Gerri Willis. He is bringing a
Golden Eagle (Ross) with him and they will be taking about problems
with eagles being killed by big wind turbines.
The show will be air on the
5:PM and maybe the 7:PM and the 9:PM news.
I will try and see if I can
find an archive link if they have one so everyone can see it.
Well the winter is upon us and the birds are safe and warm from the
cold.
We have set up 3 wind turbine generators and cranking out our own electricity.
Between the wind turbines and the wood furnaces we are doing a lot better
than when we were on oil. I will be putting some photos up about that
shortly.
Our good friend Ward Stone has been ill and hospitalized. I'm waiting
for an update about his condition. We wish him a quick recovery.
.
This wind turbine is 6 feet across, it is just stuck on a pole it will
be installed on a 30 foot pole.
It onlytakes 1 mph wind to start generating electricity, we are trying
to be green as possible.
I will add some photos in May when everything is finished.
Teaser: Most stories about birds and wind turbines don’t end
in a good way. See how this isn’t the case for Peter Dubacher
and his 800 birds.
Peter Dubacher founded the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary in Petersburgh,
NY in 1972. Started, as what might have been described as a hobby, his
labor of love has grown in 40 years to become one of the largest and
best known bird sanctuaries in the United States. The Sanctuary is open
daily May through October. There are many educational opportunities
for individuals and groups, including school programs. Check out their
website www.birdparadise.com
In 1989 an injured Bald Eagle, Victoria, came from the Exxon Valdez
oil spill that killed 250 Eagles. More recently, US Navy Seals rescued
a Steppe Eagle wounded by a gunshot in Afghanistan. After 137 days of
fighting red tape, the eagle was delivered to Peter for long-term care.
Peter takes the care of his birds seriously. Several eagles have lived
at the sanctuary for over twenty years. Currently there are about 800
birds on site – eagles, hawks, tropical, pigeons and more; at
times there have been more than 1200.
The winter of 2009 caused Peter to think more about energy and his
birds’ need of it. Peter recalls, “We had an ice storm in
March. Ten days without electricity. It was a nightmare. Ten degrees
below zero.”
In the winter the birds are moved to heated quarters. Some birds, the
tropical ones, are more sensitive to cold but all the birds need heat
in the winter. It was a scary ten days that caused Peter to re-evaluate
his energy situation. He started to make plans and take action. He told
his electrician, Ed Bumbaco of E.I.B. Electric, “I Need to do
something.”
Two years ago the sanctuary and his home situated on the site required
over 5,000 gallons of heating oil. In the summer of 2010 Peter installed
two outside wood boilers. Last winter they burned nearly 60 cords of
local wood and only about 200 gallons of fuel oil.
Ed, a licensed electrician and certified wind installer, researched
a number of renewable alternatives and came back with Honeywell’s
new WT6500 Wind Turbine as a practical solution. As Peter said, “I
need energy in the winter, not the summer.” On the top of the
“hill” in Petersburg there is a lot more wind in the winter
than sun, especially at night! Also, during the day, sun is used to
passively heat the birds’ winter quarters, but at night a heating
system is required.
This summer Peter and Ed are installing three WT6500s on the top of
25 foot poles. The conditions in Petersburg are windy most times of
the year, but especially during the winter. Two of the turbines will
be hooked up to heating elements in the boilers to lessen the need for
wood. The other one will be hooked up to primarily supply electricity
to the house and boiler circulator pumps. Ed has also wired in a diesel
generator, so when there is no wind Peter will still be able to keep
his birds warm.
Ice storms are one risk, but when Peter thinks about possible power
failure, he considers other possibilities as well – grid failure,
terrorist disruption, wind storms, etc. It doesn’t matter the
cause, he feels the need to be prepared. Peter is considering the purchase
of three more wind turbines, but will wait until he collects and analyzes
the data from the first three. The goal has always been the same: “allow
the birds to live out their natural lives with dignity.”
Peter Dubacher is the Director of the Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary.
He can be reached at (518) 279-3801.
Dan Gibson is the Reporter and Chief Coordinator of Our Energy Independence
Community (www.OEIC.us). Previously
he was a participating contractor in NYSERDA’s Home Performance
program and a rater in the New York ENERGY STAR Home program. He is
currently building a 100% Solar Home. He can be reached at DanG@OEIC.us
---------------------------
Photos coming soon. These new small wind turbines are so effecient
that they start generating electricity at one mph wind speed.
Mitch the Eagle arrives at the Bird Paradise Sanctuary
Upon arrival, Peter put Mitch in with Helga a blind Bald Eagle
that Peter has been hand feeding for over 20 years.
.
Helga, a blind Eagle that has cataracts. Peter likes to let
new arrivals choose their own friends
Mitch liked Eddie better and they are comfortable
together.
I second all the thank yous. Everyone who was on the phones
on Thursday and Friday can attest to how well deserved they
are. And particularly I want to thank Craig and Scott, for giving
us an example of what it means to be a true human - taking care
of those who need our help, even when that demands an effort
beyond the call of duty, or the boundaries of normal rules.
Everyone who heard this story was moved by it and, I think,
taught by it as well.
When I saw Mitch on Friday he was lively, hopping about his
kennel, peering at me as if demanding an explanation for all
the ruckus. I'll be checking in on him throughout his quarantine
period, and will transport him to Berkshire Bird Paradise on
or around November more>>
October 12, 2010
We received a beautiful Bald Eagle from New York State. It
has a fractured wing and can fly good but not good enough to
survive in the wilds. We introduced the our new Eagle to a pair
of older Bald Eagles and as soon as we put him in he got cozy
with them. He strong and healthy. I will be putting up some
photos shortly.
I just wanted to take a quick second and thank everyone
for their
contribution to the extraordinary feat we all pulled off with
Mitch.
Starting with Scott Hickman, who cared for Mitch for the first
3 or 4 months
we had him and was really the person behind saving Mitch in the
first place.
Barbara Chepaitis, all of the coordination back in the states,
between
Berkshire, the USDA, the US Senate, the Fish and Wildlife Service,
Pilots
and Paws, and other things I probably don't know about was a near
impossible
task, and none of this would have been possible without you. Senator
Schumer
and Caroline Wekselbaum, thank you for helping get everyone on
board with
this project. Everyone from the USDA, there were always about
15 of ya'll
cc'd on every email, but that just goes to show how much everyone
from your
organization contributed to making it happen. From the Avian Flu
testing to To read more>>
-
Peter Nye congratulating Pete Dubacher on the success of raising
two baby American Bald Eagles "Nye said" they look real
healthy and strong. Please help us by adding
a link to this page or post something on your blogs. Thank you
so much.
Three baby American bald Eagles born in May 2007
Peter Dubacher and Ward Stone in 2005 with two
young American Bald Eagles Born at the sanctuary
They were released at a facility in Vermont. Read
the Berkshire Eagle article
Injured
American Bald Eagle living active productive lives. Very productive!
This is the father of the baby Bald Eagles.
Mission
Statement
The Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary for disabled
and injured birds. We strive to give them a safe haven to live thrive
and rehabilitate as best they can. We are dedicated to educating people
to recognize the beauty of Nature's world which surrounds our busy
lives. We are all part of the web of life and all life is precious.
We are one of the largest
Bird Sanctuaries in the country with over 1000 birds and almost 100
different species. About 40% are permanently disabled and will be here
for the rest of their lives
We
like to challenge our disabled friends by designing their habitat
to be as natural as possible and to make them work and climb and be
productive. We custom design each habitat for their abilities.
New,
We just received some Victorian Crown Pigeons, They are almost as
big as turkeys
Photo by:Saul Aronson
Photo by Rolf Hansen
This looks like a giant Emus, they are not that big
I took the photo with the camera on the ground.
Admission:
Adults: $8, Children: $5
We do have a group rate of $5 per person
We don't have funding just our admission fee to
help feed and care for our birds
> educational programs for
schools <
Hours:
We will open Memorial Day weekend
until the end of October We
are open from 9:am to 5:pm seven days a week from
mid May to the end of October, depending on the weather.
Directions: Take
Rt2 east or west, until you get to Grafton, NY
Just 3 miles east of Grafton State Park, turn on Babcock Lake Road
by the elementary school. take Babcock Lake road a mile of so, then
turn right on to Red Pond Road follow the signs and you're there.
Please
help!
We have taken in so many injured and unwanted birds
100% of the funding goes to food heating and care of our birds.
There are no paid employees, just volunteers.
We get so many requests for
help everyday, but very little support.
We would appreciate Any suggestions?
Please
bookmark this page and
tell a friend about this site!
(It's a great way to help support us)
Even better put a link on your site or My Space to
birdparadise.org
<a href="http://www.birdparadise.org/">Bird
Paradise,
Bird Rescue and Sanctuary</a>
________________________
We
are located in Grafton, NY
Mailing
Address
Berkshire Bird Paradise
43 Red Pond Road
Petersburgh, New York 12138
(518) 279-3801
Peter Dubacher,
Director,: Email
us
Peter does not have a computer, a volunteer will answer your email.
If
it's urgent, Please call Peter direct.
Come Visit!
This is a very unique
and wonderful place
for the whole family.
Please
visit our Friends This
site donated and maintained by Surfwiz.com
Fun, Photography
and unique gifts.
Save the Date Wedding Magnets. click here!
We have 16 Bald Eagles
and Golden Eagles, all disabled but doing fine,
We even released a young Golden Eagle into the wilds from 2 disabled
adults
Our bird sanctuary has golden eagles, bald eagles, peregrine falcons,
raptors, owls, hawks, seagulls, emu, and NYC chickens.We have
over 1200 residents and growing, some are on the endangered species
list.
Be part of this good work, become a member
today.
I thought Peter's work was important enough
to donate my time and services to design, host, maintain, and market
this web site since 1998..
Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook LLP
28 North St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Phone (413) 443 9399 Pittsfield MA Attorneys
We are business attorneys focused on your company’s success.
Let our expertise add value to your business in the areas of capital
formation, banking and finance, professional practice employment law
counseling and intellectual property law.
Thank you
Please
bookmark this page and tell a
friend about this site! or visit our Bird
Store (It's a great way to help support us)
Thank you for visiting Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary. We hope to see
you soon.
