And none too soon, as LWR was about to hit critical mass. We had a total of 19 songbird and raptor releases last week, and there are still 20 birds in care!
Certainly the most impressive was the red tail release. He kindly perched afterward long enough for great photos, then flew to another tree near the water, scoped out his surroundings a bit more, and headed straight for the water. I was hopeful, given his slight wing ruffling while he waded in and took a sip or two, that he might bathe, and after forty-friggin’-forevers while I melted in 100-degree heat, standing stock-still so as not to startle him, he did! He bathed! And I got it on video for your viewing pleasure!
Certainly the most impressive was the red tail release. He kindly perched afterward long enough for great photos, then flew to another tree near the water, scoped out his surroundings a bit more, and headed straight for the water. I was hopeful, given his slight wing ruffling while he waded in and took a sip or two, that he might bathe, and after forty-friggin’-forevers while I melted in 100-degree heat, standing stock-still so as not to startle him, he did! He bathed! And I got it on video for your viewing pleasure!
Of course, the songbird releases aren’t as impressive, as I just open their escape hatch. The scene afterwards as they come demanding a handout can be pretty funny, though. This video was after five of the 10 released songbirds had gotten said handout.
Six mockers, a brown thrasher, and three house finches were released, along with an adult Carolina wren who apparently was either a windowstrike or just plain heat-exhausted; she came in lethargic and pretty pathetic-looking but had perked up by the next morning and was sent on her merry way.
And the two barn swallows from my mother’s resident population were reunited with their sibs. I watched till the remaining sibs fledged, just a day or two after these two fledged prematurely (i.e., they overreached for food and fell from the nest), and took them back up to see if they’d rejoin their family. They did!
And a barred owl that came in with a black eye—really; the eyelid was swollen and bruised—was also released after a few days for the swelling to go down so he could see normally from that eye.
And the two barn swallows from my mother’s resident population were reunited with their sibs. I watched till the remaining sibs fledged, just a day or two after these two fledged prematurely (i.e., they overreached for food and fell from the nest), and took them back up to see if they’d rejoin their family. They did!
And a barred owl that came in with a black eye—really; the eyelid was swollen and bruised—was also released after a few days for the swelling to go down so he could see normally from that eye.
But wait—there’s more!
The adult great horned owl who’d been at LWR for several months recovering from a wing facture was released—no photos or video of his release; he shot out of the box and headed deep into the woods. I looked but couldn’t locate him for a post-release photo.
The three red shoulders who’d been in the raptor flight for a couple of weeks were also released and while they scattered so I couldn’t get post-release photos, they did leave the box one at a time, so I was able to get short videos of their releases. The box was tipped on its side, so they all flew out low.
The adult great horned owl who’d been at LWR for several months recovering from a wing facture was released—no photos or video of his release; he shot out of the box and headed deep into the woods. I looked but couldn’t locate him for a post-release photo.
The three red shoulders who’d been in the raptor flight for a couple of weeks were also released and while they scattered so I couldn’t get post-release photos, they did leave the box one at a time, so I was able to get short videos of their releases. The box was tipped on its side, so they all flew out low.
Of course, it’s not all good news; never is. A juvenile barred owl came in severely emaciated, with bruising in his ear indicating a concussion and massive swelling in his beak. He died overnight.
A juvenile mourning dove with a broken wing, also severely emaciated, died overnight.
A nestling Carolina wren, found cold and weak with its dead sibs, put up a valiant fight but only managed to survive 18 hours after intake.
A nestling Carolina wren, found cold and weak with its dead sibs, put up a valiant fight but only managed to survive 18 hours after intake.
Last Sunday night’s chipping sparrow appeared to be thriving and was about ready for the songbird flight when he just died in his sleep overnight, and the house finch runt actually made it to the songbird flight with his sibs but died his first night in the pen. A fledgling blue jay did great for two days and then dropped dead on Day 3.
And an adult barred owl with a nasty fracture right in the wrist required euthanasia.
Two additional fledgling blue jays came in from different locations, both with foot injuries. Both look to be nest injuries, so we’ll just give them time to see how they adapt.
And an adult barred owl with a nasty fracture right in the wrist required euthanasia.
Two additional fledgling blue jays came in from different locations, both with foot injuries. Both look to be nest injuries, so we’ll just give them time to see how they adapt.
The trailer hitch babies I thought might be phoebes turned out to be bluebirds. It wasn’t until they finally started vocalizing and their feathers started breaking through that their species was confirmed. But I’ll be honest, they’re the rattiest looking little bluebirds I’ve ever seen—like miniatures, almost. I don’t know if the nearly 24 hours they went without food or heat adversely affected their development or if they were exposed to some sort of chemicals or what, but they’re just kinda pathetic looking little babies right now. However, they’re alert and eating well, so time will tell.
The two juvie great horned owls are now in the raptor flight.
The juvie barred owls will probably be next…
…And then maybe the screech twins.
The new red shoulder trio will more than likely be the last of the current crop of raptors to go in the raptor flight.
“But wait,” you exclaim, “what about the juvie black vultures?”
HAH.
I moved them into the old duck pen, as they’d outgrown the rehab room and the front porch. They stayed there for three days. Then I found them on the roof over the back of the old duck pen. Then I found them wandering the yard…Now they do their own thing all day and follow me like Mary’s little lamb back into the duck pen for the night but are already in the yard come daybreak. Brats…
HAH.
I moved them into the old duck pen, as they’d outgrown the rehab room and the front porch. They stayed there for three days. Then I found them on the roof over the back of the old duck pen. Then I found them wandering the yard…Now they do their own thing all day and follow me like Mary’s little lamb back into the duck pen for the night but are already in the yard come daybreak. Brats…
And finally as you may have guessed, given the oh-so-subtle header for this update, it’s that fundraising time of year again. With raptors out the wazoo this year—LWR has maintained a steady ratio of about 3:1 raptors to songbirds thus far—the mouse bill is through the roof, as you might well imagine. The goal this year is modest, just $2500, and I believe we can meet that in under a month, but the fundraiser will remain active through the month of June.
RSS Feed
