Raptor Cage Project

Posted by Carl Gerhardt 
on Mar 24, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Magnolia Rotary Club discussed their recently completed District Grant project of a Raptor Cage Recovery Building created on site at Friends of Texas Wildlife located at 29615 Highland Boulevard, Magnolia, Texas 77354. This project has been selected as one of 4 such projects by District 5910 to be highlighted at the upcoming District Meeting held in May 2015 in Beaumont, Texas.
 
 
The request for the Raptor Cage came from Janette Winkelmann, the President of "Friends of Texas Wildlife", a volunteer 501 (c)(3) organization. The goal of this organization is to rehabilitate injured wildlife back into the wild if possible. They needed the Raptor Cage to help small raptors (hawks, owls, eagles, etc) regain their flight and hunting skills after an injury.
 
After preliminary design research by the Magnolia Rotary Club, a request for a matching grant of $1,750 was requested from Rotary District 5910. After receiving the district grant, the club undertook the research for the design of the building by making a visit to the San Antonio Zoo Raptor Facility and visiting with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Organization. The design was approved late in 2014. The Raptor Cage was to be 12' wide x 32' long, and 12' high at the eves with a peaked roof. The design was similar to a pole barn starting with the erection of eight 6" x 6" x 18' columns set 4' into the ground and concreted in. It required a solid wall between ground level and 4' high. From 4' high to the eves required installing individual 4" x 4" x 1" slats with a 3/4" gap between each slat. The wall material was to be of Hardy Plank (cement) Board, the slats made of cedar, and the roof was to be made of corrugated galvanized sheet metal. The floor was to have 6" of pea gravel. Finally, a heavy wire screen had to be buried 1' into the ground around the entire building. All construction had to be on the inside so that no protrusion was available for a raptor to grab which might lead to further injury.
 
The project was laid out and constructed over several weeks in late February and early March 2015. Preliminary activities including the purchase of material, erection of the columns and framing which was done approximately one week prior to the actual construction. On two Saturdays (in February and March), the club members and family members as well as volunteers (Boy Scouts, Interact Club, etc.) turned out to complete the structure.
 
The following outside organizations were recruited and provided significant help:
  1. Stony Brook Animal Hospital (Site Plan).
  2. Hughes Natural Gas (Install 6" x 6" x 18' columns).
  3. My Handyman Can (Framing).
  4. W2 Constructs (Install Metal Roof).
  5. Caliche, Ltd. (Design and Project Management).
  6. Boy Scout Troop 1114 (Manpower).
  7. Magnolia West High School Interact Club (Manpower).
  8. Chick-fil-A (Food)..
Some addition photos taken during the project can be seen below:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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