Yeah, we got more rain this past week, enough that the local river will crest about 5 feet above flood stage this Tuesday, with more predicted beginning the middle of this week…Needless to say, this creates problems for our wildlife.
The barred owl who needed to go in the raptor flight last week remained inside, basically because I wasn’t slogging through torrential downpours to get to the flight to feed and monitor him daily. The rain predicted for this week isn’t supposed to be monsoon-quality, though, so I’m aiming at getting him in the flight later today or tomorrow.
The paperwork requesting Sisyphus the kestrel’s transfer to Beth Thomson of Blue Ridge Raptors to begin his career as an ed bird has been submitted to the feds; now we wait.
With dandelion leaf bases sprouting now—no stalks or flowers yet—I’ve added that to the food rotation for the flyers, and they love it. Just a few more weeks before they can be released…
The red tail who came in last Sunday had fractures at both the elbow and shoulder, requiring euthanasia.
The barred owl who needed to go in the raptor flight last week remained inside, basically because I wasn’t slogging through torrential downpours to get to the flight to feed and monitor him daily. The rain predicted for this week isn’t supposed to be monsoon-quality, though, so I’m aiming at getting him in the flight later today or tomorrow.
The paperwork requesting Sisyphus the kestrel’s transfer to Beth Thomson of Blue Ridge Raptors to begin his career as an ed bird has been submitted to the feds; now we wait.
With dandelion leaf bases sprouting now—no stalks or flowers yet—I’ve added that to the food rotation for the flyers, and they love it. Just a few more weeks before they can be released…
The red tail who came in last Sunday had fractures at both the elbow and shoulder, requiring euthanasia.
However…Monday morning someone hit a late first-year/early second-year female red tail and took her to Smalley’s immediately, where I picked her up when I took the male in for x-rays. Her x-rays showed wing fractures that we’re pretty confident will heal to allow flight. She was also pretty thin, as most birds I’ve seen this winter have been. It’s this weather; it’s not optimal for hunting, and all our raptors are suffering as a result. But red tails are smart birds; it took her less than 24 hours to figure out that when I walked over to her box it was to feed her; now she lunges upward with those gunboat feet to snag the mice as they drop into her box. Lightning reflexes, that gal! I’m totally in love with her. Red tails are just special birds.
Midweek a gorgeous little red-phase male screech came in with an eye injury and head trauma. It can sometimes be difficult to determine gender on screeches without having a male and female side by side for comparison, as they’re so small to begin with, but this guy’s so petite there’s no doubt he’s male. As is normal with head trauma, he wasn’t interested in food for a couple of days, but last night he devoured his mice, so that’s good. He was also on the thin side on intake and needs to put on a few ounces.
And don’t forget the Great Backyard Bird Count begins Friday, Feb. 14 and ends Monday, Feb. 17. You don’t have to be a birder; you don’t have to identify every single species you see—you can just list the birds you CAN identify, although I’d suggest a good bird guide or app to aid with those you can’t ID. Both Sibley and Audubon have user-friendly apps for your phones, and they’re not real expensive.
Even if you don’t participate in the GBBC I still recommend those two apps or the physical copies of the books as excellent resources, and most states have state-specific guides available, too, although not always as apps. The guides available for Georgia are only as physical copies—not even Kindle versions. Amazon links are provided below, and no, these aren’t affiliate links, so I get nothing from your purchase unless you have LWR as your charity of choice for Amazon Smile.
Georgia Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species (Wildlife and Nature Identification (https://smile.amazon.com/Georgia-Birds-Folding-Familiar-Naturalist/dp/1583551107/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-3). This is a folding, laminated pocket guide that’s great for a quick reference for 140 species seen in Georgia. Small color illustrations and no detailed species accounts. I have a couple of copies of it, just ‘cause.
Stan Tekiela’s Birds of Georgia Field Guide (https://smile.amazon.com/Birds-Georgia-Field-Guide-Tekiela/dp/1885061471/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-1). This one’s a bit of a classic and still easily available, unlike some of the other Georgia guides. Good reference book for 140 species common to Georgia, with color photos and good species accounts. And small—good size to have a spare copy in the car.
Birds of Georgia (https://smile.amazon.com/Birds-Georgia-John-Jr-Parrish/dp/9768200057/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-10). This is the Holy Grail of Georgia birding books, with over 300 species and color illustrations. It’s only available used now, and quite pricey, starting at about $40 (It was a little over $14 when I got my copy 12 years ago.) but if you can snag a copy, I’d highly recommend it.
Georgia Bird Watching: A Year-Round Guide (https://smile.amazon.com/Georgia-Bird-Watching-Year-Round-Guide/dp/1591860989/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-12). This one has over 100 birds and is touted as a “beginner’s guide.” Also only available used but substantially less expensive than Birds of Georgia. I honestly don’t refer to it very often; my go-tos tend to be Birds of Georgia Field Guide or Birds of Georgia.
For a raptors-only guide, Tekiela’s Birds of Prey of the South Field Guide (Bird Identification Guides) (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1591933811/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is perfect. Not Georgia-specific but still an outstanding guide to raptors commonly seen in Georgia and throughout the South.
There are a couple of others available, some still in print and some not, but these are guides I actually have on hand and so I can speak to their quality. For those not in Georgia, check out Amazon, your local bookstore, your local Wild Birds Unlimited or similar store, or even state park visitor’s centers for bird guides specific to your state.
Georgia Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species (Wildlife and Nature Identification (https://smile.amazon.com/Georgia-Birds-Folding-Familiar-Naturalist/dp/1583551107/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-3). This is a folding, laminated pocket guide that’s great for a quick reference for 140 species seen in Georgia. Small color illustrations and no detailed species accounts. I have a couple of copies of it, just ‘cause.
Stan Tekiela’s Birds of Georgia Field Guide (https://smile.amazon.com/Birds-Georgia-Field-Guide-Tekiela/dp/1885061471/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-1). This one’s a bit of a classic and still easily available, unlike some of the other Georgia guides. Good reference book for 140 species common to Georgia, with color photos and good species accounts. And small—good size to have a spare copy in the car.
Birds of Georgia (https://smile.amazon.com/Birds-Georgia-John-Jr-Parrish/dp/9768200057/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-10). This is the Holy Grail of Georgia birding books, with over 300 species and color illustrations. It’s only available used now, and quite pricey, starting at about $40 (It was a little over $14 when I got my copy 12 years ago.) but if you can snag a copy, I’d highly recommend it.
Georgia Bird Watching: A Year-Round Guide (https://smile.amazon.com/Georgia-Bird-Watching-Year-Round-Guide/dp/1591860989/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=georgia+birds&qid=1581275661&sr=8-12). This one has over 100 birds and is touted as a “beginner’s guide.” Also only available used but substantially less expensive than Birds of Georgia. I honestly don’t refer to it very often; my go-tos tend to be Birds of Georgia Field Guide or Birds of Georgia.
For a raptors-only guide, Tekiela’s Birds of Prey of the South Field Guide (Bird Identification Guides) (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1591933811/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is perfect. Not Georgia-specific but still an outstanding guide to raptors commonly seen in Georgia and throughout the South.
There are a couple of others available, some still in print and some not, but these are guides I actually have on hand and so I can speak to their quality. For those not in Georgia, check out Amazon, your local bookstore, your local Wild Birds Unlimited or similar store, or even state park visitor’s centers for bird guides specific to your state.
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