A spring message from Karen McCall

Happy Spring Equinox, Piedmont Wildlife Center community! Today marks the first day of the new season. From the perspective of the weather, spring seemed to start around March 1st here in Durham. We've enjoyed a lot of warmer weather over the last month, even if the last few nights have dropped down around freezing! Certainly the plants have been blooming, leafing out, and dropping pollen even earlier this year.

Still, we celebrate the first day of spring on the Spring Equinox, which falls on or around March 20th here in the northern hemisphere. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin for "equal" and "night," and marks the astronomical change in seasons from winter to spring and summer to fall. It is the day we can look due east at sunrise (or due west at sunset) and be perfectly in line with the sun.

For us here in the North Carolina Piedmont, the spring equinox occurred today at 5:24 PM EST. That is the time when the sun crosses over our celestial equator (an imaginary line in the sky directly above our planet's equator) from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. Because of this, we'll get almost exactly the same amount of daylight and nighttime today: 12 hours of day, 12 hours of night.
 

Either way, spring is here. It is a time of growth, energy, change, and new beginnings. Birds are singing and zipping through the sky, showing off their moves. Squirrels are building nests and squawking at anyone in close proximity. The colors of green are more electric each day. 

Did you set new goals during the winter season to change habits, learn something new, or push your boundaries this year? Now is the time to pick up the pace and work on those goals! Growing is not easy. All of us, human and nonhuman, face daily obstacles: uncomfortable temperatures, unexpected dangers, dark mornings, and the fear of taking that first step toward change. Facing these challenges is what makes us feel alive and strive to be better.

So this Spring Equinox, welcome the new season by listening to the birds! Watch the plants grow, the days lengthen, and the sun race across the sky. Take the energy they share with you to rise to the challenges on the path to becoming all you are to be.
 

Happy spring,
Karen McCall, Executive Director

Community Spotlight: Kyra Thurow Bartow

From leading tours and birthday parties to visiting Title 1 classrooms with our Ambassador Animals, our conservation educators play a hugely important role in our mission of connecting people and nature. Our Conservation Team reached more than 7,000 people in 2021-22 - in no small part because of amazing educators like Kyra Thurow Bartow!

Kyra grew up in the woods of North Carolina and quickly fell in love with birds, wildlife, and the outdoors. She attended Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, where she received a degree in Environmental Education with a minor in Religion. Since graduating in 2013, she has worked at Osprey Wilds Nature Center, Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium of North Carolina, Greenville Zoo of South Carolina, and Marbles Kids Museum. She joined PWC as an educator in February 2022 - which means she's officially been with us for a year now!

An avid birder, Kyra loves all things bird! She also enjoys board games, crafting, and desserts, as well as playing outside in the woods and teaching everyone about the wonders of the natural world.

Who's Kyra's favorite Ambassador Animal at PWC? "Choosing my favorite is super tough," Kyra says, "but right now, it is Willow the red-shouldered hawk because I love her feisty spirit! I love working at PWC because the mission to connect people to nature is really lived out in our daily activities, programs, and way of life. I also love getting to be a part of the Raptor Care Team to connect with such incredible avian ambassadors."

Kyra brings her experience, professionalism, sense of fun, and passion for wildlife to every program she leads at PWC, whether it's for a family of three or a full classroom. We feel so, so lucky to have her on our team. Thank you, Kyra, for a year of connecting people with nature. Here's to many more!

Meet Garnet the corn snake!

Give a warm Piedmont welcome to our newest Ambassador Animal, Garnet the corn snake!

Garnet came to us in December from BeWild Reptile Rescue in Durham. He was surrendered to BeWild along with two other snakes, all of whom had stunted growth from poor care. He's estimated to be 2-3 years old but is much smaller than he should be at his age.

Captive-bred corn snakes are often considered good "beginner" snakes for new pet owners. But as Garnet's story shows, even "easy" pets require a LOT of specialized care to remain happy and healthy. Always do your research before welcoming a new animal into your family!

See Garnet in action on our latest YouTube Short… then show your support for our new friend by sponsoring him through our Adopt-an-Ambassador program!

New year, new Adopt-an-Ambassador experience!

Our Conservation Team has been hard at work putting together brand-new sponsorship levels for any budget, with new perks to match. Plus, for the first time ever, you can now sponsor ANY of our 26 Ambassador Animals, including fan favorites like Edgar the raven!

All Adopt-an-Ambassador sponsorships directly support the non-releasable animals in our care and make it possible for us to educate thousands of people each year about native wildlife.

Learn more about these updates by watching the video above or on YouTube. Then hit the link below to support wildlife education by sponsoring your favorite PWC Ambassador Animal!

Announcing our 2023 t-shirt design contest!

Share your love for wildlife, outdoor education, and nature connection this Valentine's Day - and all year long. It's time for Piedmont Wildlife Center's annual t-shirt design contest!

Read on for contest rules, guidelines, and prizes:

• Designs must be nature-themed and reflect what you love most about Piedmont Wildlife Center. Creative interpretations highly encouraged!

• No color images, please. Line art works best on our screen-printed shirts.

• Be original! Please do not use another artist's work, or submit a design that has been used elsewhere.

• Designs must be submitted as a PDF or vector file (.AI or .EPS) to admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org no later than 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, February 28th.

All members of the Piedmont Wildlife Center community are eligible to enter - including YOU! The winning design will be clear, creative, appropriate for all ages, and capture the spirit of Piedmont Wildlife Center's camps, citizen science, and conservation programs.

Need some inspiration? View past t-shirt designs on our online Nature Store.
 

The first-place winner will have their design featured on our 2023 summer camp t-shirts. They will also receive a free shirt (with their design, of course) and a $50 cash prize! One runner-up will receive a Nature Store coupon and $25 cash prize.

Will your design be the perfect Valentine's Day match for this year's camp t-shirts? We can't wait to see what you come up with!