Hi [NAME],

April has brought more than showers for Bird on the Rocks!
We opened our totally revamped E-commerce website this month. This is a whole new look for us and should make ordering your bird accessories much simpler for you. Please take some time to peruse the new site and check out all that we have to offer. We will be adding new products as we go along this year as well, so check back often. Make sure to register on the website to get email promotions and register to get our newsletter as well.

This month we have added an awesome new product just on the market! A Certified Organic Bird Treat! This product is made here in the US and made from products that are all Certified Organic. Birds love this special treat plus it is very healthy for them. Check out our website to order some for your bird today!

We currently have a special going on our ceramic crocks. They are reduced greatly to move fast. We have also reduced the price temporarily on our Crushed Walnut Shell. This is such a great product to put in the bottom of your birds play gym or tree stand. All you do is sift it to clean out debris and you’re done cleaning the bottom of their play gym or tree stand! No washing or scrubbing! That’s right, NO WASHING or SCRUBBING!!!
Just sift the poop away!
There is a limited quantity on hand so don’t delay, get yours today!

Each month we will be hosting a special someone or someplace. Like a rescue or a rehab center or a bird trainer ect.
This month I would like to introduce you to a customer of Bird on the Rocks. I got to know Melissa Mince through our website, emails and phone calls between us.
Melissa needed some custom perches and perch holders that we made for her for her cages. She is a wonderful person and is doing great things for wild birds. Here is a bit on Melissa….

"My name is Melissa Mince. I have been a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator dealing with songbirds since May 2007. I belong to an amazing organization called Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition. TWRC is a 501c (3) non-profit organization located in Houston, Texas, which was founded in 1979 in response to an oil spill. TWRC is an emergency care wildlife shelter which is primarily a volunteer organization operating for the most part on donations from the public. Rehabilitators operate out of their own homes and pocket-books."

"I became familiar with TWRC in the fall of 2004 when my dog discovered a wounded squirrel under a car near my home. Not knowing what to do, my husband and I called TWRC. The volunteer who answered the phone directed us to one of their rehabilitators who lived in our area. This incredible woman named Sue immediately stopped what she was doing and came to our aid. The squirrel, which she named Rocky, put up a fight, but she was able to catch him and get him the medical attention he needed. "

"Although Rocky was unable to overcome his injuries and had to be euthanized, he was able to change my life. Throughout his time in rehab, I developed a friendship with Sue, and one day she mentioned the Baby Bird Program operated by the shelter. So in April 2005 my husband, Jim, and I volunteered to be part of TWRC’s Baby Bird Program. The program, started in 2001, is an on-site operation dealing with the heavy influx of baby birds admitted during the months of April through August."

"After only one season in the Baby Bird Program, Jim and I decided to become wildlife rehabilitators. It was actually his idea, but he will never admit it. I was only too happy to go along with it. In September of 2005 we began working on our rehabilitation skills under the guidance of our mentor, also a rehabilitator, who is undeniably the most patient and knowledgeable person in the bird world. In 2006, Jim and I took our Basic Skills class, and in May of 2007 I got licensed with Jim as my sub-permittee. With only one facility (our home) the state would only allow one license."

"Over the years I have developed a great fondness and respect for what has become my favorite songbird, the blue jay. Blue jays often get a bad rap because of their sometimes aggressive behavior, but I have found them to be some of the sweetest, most accommodating patients in rehab. Blue jays are best described as lovable rascals. They are slow to mature, but have an unbelievable capacity to learn. They need lots of mental stimulation and enjoy challenging enrichment activities. "

"Becoming a wildlife rehabilitator changes your life. Jim and I both hold full-time jobs and stay incredibly busy. Our home is quiet only when we turn out the lights to go to bed, and extra pennies in the bank account are rare. There is cleaning every day as well as food and enrichment preparation. It’s worth it all. Watching the birds I have cared for be released is an amazing feeling. Although I do become attached, I must remind myself that they are only on loan from God. They are wild and must be free to bring grace and beauty to the world."