by Bea Peterson
The entryway to the Berkshire Bird Paradise will soon be beautified and enhanced, an elaborate cage will be constructed and a barn will become a bird museum. This will all happen as a result of a New York City woman who loved a Rock Dove/Pigeon named Puffy. When Puffy died his owner wanted a memorial built in his name. Peter Dubacher, owner and operator of the Berkshire Bird Paradise in Grafton said the woman is a frequent contributor to the Paradise and she generously donated $100,000 to make the Puffy Memorial Aviary a realty.
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The world has a love/hate relationship with pigeons. The Paradise website notes, “A common sight in cities around the world, Rock Pigeons crowd streets and public squares, living on discarded food and offerings of birdseed. In addition to the typical blue-gray bird with two dark wingbars, you’ll often see flocks with plain, spotted, pale, or rusty-red birds in them. Introduced to North America from Europe in the early 1600s, city pigeons nest on buildings and window ledges. In the countryside they also nest on barns and grain towers, under bridges, and on natural cliffs.” For Dubacher, Rock Doves have always been as welcome at the Bird Paradise as any other bird. “Pigeons have been around since the beginning of time,” he said. “Noah sent out a pigeon, which returned with an olive branch in its beak.” Dubacher is sure the bird wanted that branch to start a nest. Egyptian hieroglyphics indicate Rock Doves were raised 5,000 years ago. According to Dubacher the Queen of England has a Royal Flock. Carrier pigeons, he said, were essential for communication during the Civil War and World Wars I and II. Racing pigeons are pets across the country. Other pigeons are raised for food. In many countries squab, young pigeon, is cooked and savored as a delicious meat. However pigeons are looked at, pest or pet, they will have a special place at the Berkshire Bird Paradise.
The plan for the Aviary was designed by Dave Sadowsky Architect of Petersburgh. The spherical form of the Aviary will allow visitors to conceptually occupy the same space as the birds. It will have a retractable enclosure, passive solar thermal control with trombe wall and wind powered electricity. The Aviary will include a waterfall and a Koi pond. Dubacher said stone has already been excavated in the area to create a habitat. The stonework will be done by Alan Webster of Petersburgh. Dan Sherman will use locally cut lumber in form work and to create park benches throughout the area. Adjacent to the Aviary is a gambrel roof barn which will be turned into a museum with information on birds. “We want to educate people on birds and their history,” said Dubacher. “We’re not just housing birds here,” he added. “We’re educating the public.”
Eagles
For many years Dubacher ran a very successful Bald Eagle breeding program in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Conservation. He’s very proud of the fact that all of the adult breeders were permanently disabled birds. If they weren’t at the Bird Paradise, they would have been destroyed. “We have an eagle here from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. That happened in March 1989 and she produced babies,” he said. DEC terminated Dubacher’s breeding program several years ago. However he knows many of his released eagles have survived. The nesting couple on Route 22 in Petersburgh are “my birds,” he said. Two others were released on Lake Champlain, another one has been spotted on Pontoosuc Lake in Pittsfield. Interestingly, one eagle, brought to the Paradise because it couldn’t survive in the wild, escaped. Dubacher said it couldn’t fly for long distances. However, it has managed to make its way to the Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown, MA, where it has been spotted.
Mitch
Mitch, a Steppe Eagle is another wounded bird that found its way to Grafton. The bird was shot in Afghanistan in 2010 and rescued by US military personnel. He lost part of his right wing and is unable to fly, though he tries. The paperwork to get him to Grafton was horrendous and documented in a book by author Barbara Chepaitis entitled “Saving Eagle Mitch.” Mitch is doing well in his new environment. He shares a habitat with a Golden Eagle and a Red Tailed Hawk.
Always Changing, Always Improving
The Berkshire Bird Paradise has existed in Grafton since 1972. Today it is home to about 1,000 birds. The upkeep of such a place is horrendous. There is constant maintenance and heat, of course, as many of the birds are from warmer climates. About four years ago Dubacher installed two outdoor wood furnaces that heat his home, the greenhouse and all the bird shelters. “I use about 100 cord of wood a year,” he said. He’s not complaining. That cost is less than one third of what he would have had to pay were he still heating everything with oil. He has also installed three wind generators. Volunteers and interns help care for the birds. “Every bird has a story,” said Dubacher.
“I’m 65 years old,” said Dubacher. “How many years do I have left? This is my passion. I want to turn the Bird Paradise into something that can sustain itself after I’m gone.”
The Berkshire Bird Paradise wed site is a work of art. There are several professional videos that can be viewed. The longest one shows Dubacher on a typical day. They are all worth seeing and enjoying. There is a possibility of the videos being turned into docudramas and possibly being picked up by wildlife television channels. Perhaps such exposure, if it were to happen, would help the Bird Paradise sustain itself.
Mission Statement:
Caring for wounded birds is not a selfless act, it restores our sense of purpose. The Berkshire Bird Paradise is as much a refuge for its human visitors as itÕs animal counterparts. Many of the inhabitants living at the Berkshire Bird Paradise are brought by people who understand the satisfaction and gratification of helping a creature in need. Rock Doves in particular have always been welcomed at the Berkshire Bird Paradise, they take their place alongside eagles and other rare birds as part of the natural world of flight. [/private]