Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary Inc.
At the summer solstice, daylight stretches longest, and so do the stories that connect us across centuries. That’s why we celebrate June 21 wildlife rescue history here at Ruffled Feathers.
Every year, on June 21, we pause on the longest day of the year to turn our eyes skyward. However, for us, it’s not just about sunlight.
It’s about lives: tiny, furred, feathered, fragile, and triumphant. Over the years, we’ve documented everything from dewy-eyed fawns to parakeets mastering new words and hopeful rescues hustling through the bird house at midnight.
- In 2020, Magic the parrot delivered his famous “tickle tickle tickle,” and as a result, Tara burst into laughter and our hearts melted.
- The following year, a whiskered Brad wrangled coyotes and strays in downtown Louisville.
- Next came 2022, when a smoosh-faced fawn took center stage.
- Then 2023 soaked us in rain and back pain, yet we still raced to cradle another smoosh-faced fawn.
- Even in 2024, the drizzle didn’t stop the deer from stealing the show.
- And by 2025, wildlife proved us wrong again, chaos doesn’t take a vacation.
Each June 21st, we’ve been there. Through it all, we’ve embraced chaos, canine chases, goofy fawn vibes, and unwavering sanctuary dedication. These joyful, messy, and heartfelt memories are just a few chapters in our June 21 wildlife rescue history, a living record of compassion under the solstice sun.
As part of our ongoing June 21 wildlife rescue history, we also honor some of the biggest historical events that share this powerful date.
Back in 1788, New Hampshire ratified the Constitution, an act of governance that mirrors the sanctuary mindset. In the same spirit, that sense of stewardship, protecting rights and championing care, fuels our mission of wildlife rescue. Then it was governance, now it’s habitat, and always it’s compassion.
Meanwhile, In 1834, Cyrus McCormick’s reaper changed agriculture forever. Back then, innovation soared, but often at nature’s expense. Today, our innovations focus the other way around, how to preserve nature’s rhythms, not bulldoze them. McCormick revolutionized fields. We strive to revolutionize care.
Later, in 1945, the Battle of Okinawa came to a brutal end onthisday.com+2loc.gov+2britannica.com+2.
Unfortunately, war scars land and wildlife alike. Post-WWII conservation, a practice reborn, seeks to restore, rewild, and redeem lands ravaged by conflict. In our small way, our sanctuary is a tiny piece in that global puzzle, healing creatures so they can return home.
Then in 1982, cities erupted in spontaneous music en.wikipedia.org.
That’s us with our birds. We don’t script their songs, they sing when they’re ready. Every laughing bird, every parrot vocabulary moment, that’s our wildlife concert, and we’re the backstage crew making it happen.
Finally, in 2004, SpaceShipOne soared beyond the atmospherehistory.com+2timeanddate.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2.
Today’s astronautics inspire human heights, but Earth needs our down-to-earth compassion too. Similarly, our sanctuary missions are privately fueled, powered by grit, fragile baby animals, and the dream of a healed planet.
Greenslanders take flight: On June 21, 2009, Greenland was granted self-rule from Denmark timeanddate.com+1en.wikipedia.org+1. That’s sovereignty fueled by stewardship, reminding us how local action like ours in Louisville nurtures big-change ripples.
Humanist Day: Also on the solstice, World Humanist Day honors knowledge and community ethics en.wikipedia.org – a philosophical sibling to environmentalism, grounded in optimism and action.
- On June 21, 2023, rain poured down as we braced ourselves, and a smoosh-faced fawn stole the spotlight.
- Meanwhile, back in 2021, strays and coyotes led us on a wild midnight rescue, proving that resilience often wears fur and feathers.
- As for 2020, Magic’s laughter filled the air, reminding us that joy comes feathered and loud.
| Year | Sanctuary Moment | Historical Parallel |
| 1788 | Constitution goes live | You vote, nature votes for survival |
| 1834 | McCormick’s reaper patent | Tools can harm or heal, choose carefully |
| 1945 | Okinawa battle ends | Earth heals from scars, so do rescue animals |
| 1982 | Fête de la Musique starts | Sanctuary life is unscripted music |
| 2004 | SpaceShipOne soars | Humanity rockets, so should our compassion |
Each June 21, these threads weave us into something larger. In harmony, human institutions hold hands with wild ones. The solstice sun reflecting in shining animal eyes. Civic birthrights echoed in baby bird flights.
On this day, when daylight stretches longest, let’s stretch our hearts:
Let’s honor protodivide icons like Cyrus McCormick, reimagined not as conquerors, but as caretakers.
May battlefields continue to heal, just like the wildlife we carry from trauma to safety.
And let music rise unprompted, just like raccoon chuckles, parrot tickles, and fawn smoosh faces that fill the air with unscripted joy.
So next year, when the summer sun still lingers at 10 pm, remember: we linger too, leaning into every tiny life that needs a champion.
In the end, that’s the real revolution.
This sanctuary is an act of historical redemption, one heartbeat at a time.
Some of our related content:
- What to Do If You Find an Orphaned Baby Bird – Tips from a Wildlife Rehabilitator
- Emotional Wildlife Rescues in Kentucky: Stories from April 21
- May 10 Reflecting on Success: Celebrating Progress at Ruffled Feathers Sanctuary
- Baby Bird Rescues: Tips and Insights for Wildlife Care 04/20/2025
- May 5 Highlights: From Battles to Bird Sanctuary Tales
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