How long have you been volunteering or partnering with WRL?
I have been volunteering with WRL since 2016.
What animals do you mostly work with?
I mostly work with and specialize in raptors; however, I respond to calls for all wildlife.
How did you begin your journey in rehabilitation/volunteering?
Having a love for wildlife and nature starting at a very young age, I found a way to follow my passion and give back in 2011. On September 6th, I got a call from my brother Gabe that would change everything. He’d found an adult female red-tailed hawk lying helpless in his yard, and he didn’t know what to do. Living over an hour away from him, I couldn’t rush over immediately, but I knew I had to help somehow.
I told Gabe to hold off doing anything while I figured out our next steps. I started making calls, reaching out to anyone who might know how to help an injured hawk. Finally, I connected with
Owl Moon Raptor Center (OMRC), and they seemed like exactly what we needed.
What followed was one of the longest nights I’d had in a while. Tropical Storm Lee was dumping torrential rain across the area, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I drove for hours through the storm to get this hawk – who we’d later name Puff Mama – to the people who could save her life.
When we finally got her to OMRC, the diagnosis was grim. They suspected West Nile Virus, and she was dehydrated, severely emaciated, and hypothermic from being soaked in the rain in such a weakened state. But despite everything she’d been through, Puff Mama still had fight in her. That spunk, that strong will – I could see it was going to be key to her survival.
Over the following weeks, I watched her progress from a distance. She regained her strength and was moved to outdoor housing where she could start rebuilding her flight muscles. The flight conditioning took a few more weeks, but she was getting stronger every day.
On October 23rd, I had the incredible honor of releasing Puff Mama back into her Forest Hill territory. Watching her soar back into the wild, knowing that one phone call from my brother had led to saving this magnificent bird’s life – it was a moment I’ll never forget.
After I released that hawk back to its home, I told OMRC director, Suzanne Shoemaker, that if she ever needed any help, to call me. From that day forward, I began my tenure as a volunteer at Owl Moon Raptor Center, and after just shy of 14 years, I am one of their longest-standing volunteers.
What is a fun fact about you?
Just this year, I rescued hawks from inside a nuclear power plant reactor and also inside the courtyard at the Pentagon.
Since joining WRL in 2016, this passionate volunteer has specialized in raptor rehabilitation while responding to calls for all wildlife species. What began as one brother’s compassion for an injured hawk has evolved into over a decade of service, proving that sometimes a single phone call can change not just one life, but create a ripple effect of wildlife conservation that continues to grow.
Please note that, while VA law does not allow individuals to possess wildlife without the proper permit, the law does allow Good Samaritans to possess wildlife for the purpose of taking it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Billy is versed in how to safely capture and handle wildlife. If you see an animal that needs help, please contact our helpline at 703-440-0800.
