Holly Vaden only joined our staff recently, but she feels right at home. Meet Holly, Our New Receptionist! Many of our clients are so friendly that “they feel like your neighbor next door,” she claims. Having lived in many locations around the country, Holly enjoys chatting with clients about the places they have lived. And she loves seeing their pets, especially the puppies. “It’s a wonderful clinic to work at. The people here are amazing,” Holly says. “I enjoy the camaraderie.” Medical Pro Stages Encore in Vet Care
If you’ve ever set up a hummingbird feeder in your yard or even seen one zoom through your garden, you know how independent they are. Hummingbirds usually fly solo and fiercely guard their feeding spots and potential mates from each other. However, a recent discovery challenges what we thought we knew about these tiny birds — some may be more social than we assumed. Are Hummingbirds Actually Solitary Animals? LITTLE BIRDS, BIG DISCOVERIES A SURPRISING DISCOVERY Ornithologist Gustavo Canas-Valle recently found multiple hummingbird nests grouped together in the same area in Ecuador’s High Andes. Researchers previously attributed this unique behavior, which had never been documented in hummingbirds, to the freezing temperatures at more than 12,000 feet. However, they’ve found several more groups of hummingbirds roosting and nesting together in the surrounding region, suggesting they choose to live together. Despite the observations, other scientists feel it’s too quick to label hummingbirds as social animals. Charles Brown, a University of Tulsa behavioral ecologist, argues that cohesive social groups work together to help each other, which they did not observe in this case. Canas-Valle admits that more research will determine whether the birds simply tolerate one another due to environmental conditions or actively cooperate as a group. However, his initial observations suggest group collaboration already exists, and he expects to find other hummingbird species engaged in the same activities. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HUMMINGBIRD RESEARCH This discovery challenges long-held beliefs about hummingbird behavior. It remains to be seen whether hummingbird nesting habits are more flexible than we initially thought or if the behavior is unique to particular species or regions. Researchers now have a new avenue to explore, and future studies will hopefully shed additional light on whether hummingbird nesting is a survival strategy or a one-off quirk. Either way, findings like these are a reminder of how surprising nature can be.
Holly’s role with us is an encore after retiring from a successful 30-year career as a registered ultrasound technologist. As our receptionist,
her tasks include answering the phone to schedule patients, checking them in and out, preparing invoices and estimates, filling prescriptions, and handling “a little bit of everything” that needs doing.
Holly has a strong sense of adventure and a willingness to explore new places. She has worked in many locations, including six years as a locum
tenens, filling staffing gaps at various medical facilities. She has a master’s degree in bioethics and experience as a college professor in that field. She also spent time studying and living with a family in Peru to
perfect her Spanish.
A common theme throughout her life has been her appreciation for animals. “I have always loved animals and there was a time when I was a teenager that I thought being a veterinarian would be fantastic,” Holly says. Before retiring, she lived and worked in Arizona, caring for her elderly mother for several years until her death. She moved to nearby Eckert in 2023 to help a friend with a 23-acre farm after her husband had passed away. There, Holly enjoys caring for the farm’s many animals, including a horse, a goat, a ewe, six cats, and two dogs. Holly’s personal favorite is a cat named Whiskey. Named for the staggering gait he acquired in the womb when his mother contracted an infection, Whiskey is afflicted by cerebellar hypoplasia. “When he was a little guy, he’d stagger all over the place and fall over,” she says. “Now, he gets around pretty doggone good, holding his tail straight up in the air as a rudder for support.” Looking for something more to do last fall, Holly noticed our clinic’s ad for a receptionist, dropped off her resume, and the rest is history. We are glad she has chosen Surface Creek for her professional encore!
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