Grey Jay Healing Inc.

07/01/2025

*edit, apologies the wrong post was shared earlier, this was the intended post.

06/14/2025

Stop. Spraying. Poisons. Its affects us all.

Over the weekend, we lost a baby red-tailed hawk in a truly heartbreaking and preventable way.

This young bird had just fledged and was spending time on the ground while being cared for by its parents—totally normal behavior for hawks at this age. Unfortunately, a pest control company sprayed the area where the fledgling was sheltering in some bushes. Within minutes, the hawk began showing severe neurological symptoms.

One of our incredible volunteers/board members, Mary, dropped everything to respond to the emergency and get the hawk treatment. While she was en route, we were on the phone with poison control (which, yes, costs us $99) to develop a treatment plan. The chemicals that had been sprayed—Merit 2F and Transom—were deeply concerning to the poison control veterinarian, who noted that Transom in particular is nearly always fatal to wildlife. With symptoms such as weakness, ataxia, head tilt, nystagmus, trembling, paralysis, seizures, bradycardia, suppressed respiratory function and secretions, and death. This baby was already exhibiting several of these.

Mary picked him up and monitored the hawk for seizures all the way to the University of Florida emergency vet hospital in Gainesville. Tragically, the fledgling passed away less than ten minutes from the hospital.

We’re sharing this not just in grief, but in hopes of preventing future tragedies. Baby season is here, and there are fledglings, bunnies, opossums, snakes, tortoises, and other wild neighbors tucked into our bushes, grass, and gardens. Spraying toxic chemicals on our lawns—even “just” for bugs—puts all of them at risk.

And remember: If you wouldn’t let your toddler roll in the grass while it’s being treated, then you already know what you’re using isn’t safe. These chemicals don’t stop with insects. They impact the entire food web—hawks, opossums, armadillos, birds, reptiles—and yes, even pets and people.

We can all do better. Please think twice before spraying, and help us protect the wild lives who share these spaces with us.

05/29/2025

Thank you so much for having us!!!

05/22/2025

04/06/2025

This is really important, our four-legged relations need forests, trees, native plants, and the diversity that comes with a healthy ecosystem.

Have your say, your voice is important.

We’re creating a Greenspace Plan and a Biodiversity Policy to protect and restore our city’s natural areas. These spaces provide:
🍃 Fresh air & shade
🦊 Habitat for wildlife
🚶‍♂️ Beautiful places to explore
🌎 Climate protection

We want to hear your thoughts on greenspaces and natural areas—what matters most to you and why. Take the survey at winnipeg.ca/greenspaceplan

--
Nous sommes en train d’élaborer un plan sur les espaces verts et une politique sur la biodiversité qui nous aideront à protéger et à restaurer les aires naturelles de notre ville. Ces espaces offrent :
🍃 De l’air frais et de l’ombre
🦊 Des habitats pour la faune
🚶‍♂️ Des endroits magnifiques à explorer
🌎 Une protection du climat

Nous voulons connaître votre opinion sur les espaces verts et les aires naturelles. Qu’est-ce qui vous importe le plus et pourquoi? Répondez au sondage à winnipeg.ca/plansurlesespacesverts.

04/03/2025

Keeping honey bee hives will not help the 3,600 bee species native to North America. In fact, it might do the opposite. The best solution to bee declines is to address underlying causes like habitat loss and pesticide use. Native flower gardens can support all bees.