Yep, baby season is in full swing, and I’ve got the birds to prove it. So far this month, 18 new intakes have come through the doors, and I’m up to 82 phone calls that didn’t result in the intake of an animal. Hmmm...where to start this update??
The Carolina wren and gnatcatchers were released; the wren didn’t look back; the gnatcatchers continued to come screaming down like little feathered Cruise missiles for about a week, coming from farther away and taking less each time. I’m not seeing them anymore, and I have to admit I miss their cheerful chatter.
I had 6 more Carolina wrens come in—this is apparently the year of small birds! They were nearly ready for the flight pen, so after spending a couple of days inside, into the flight they went, and they’ve also been released. I’m still supplemental-feeding four of them, but they’re a little nervous about the camera now. I’ll try for some photos of them for the next update.
We also have a mocker, who’s in the flight pen now and will be ready for release within the next few days.
Two grackles came in; one didn’t make it. He ate well, but stayed rail-thin and just didn’t seem to grow like the other one (they weren’t sibs). We call this “failure to thrive.” There’s not a real medical reason; it could be that he was the runt of the clutch and was suffering from nutritional deficiencies because his sibs got most of the food—who knows? The other grackle, however, is in fine form and will be headed for the flight pen this week.
This gorgeous little fledgling red bellied woodpecker came in with a broken wing and seemed to be doing fine after we wrapped it; three days after he came in, I found him struggling to perch on his log. His condition worsened over the next several hours, leading to my decision to euthanize him. He was obviously suffering and again, there was no apparent medical reason; my vets and I initially had high hopes that he would be releasable, in fact.
This little white-breasted nuthatch came in starving and severely dehydrated, and I didn’t expect him to make it through the night. He was so dehydrated that when I finally got enough fluids and food in him for him to poop, it was the consistency of putty. When he made it through the night, I was cautiously optimistic, but he didn’t last through the next day.
On the other hand, this little finch came in with the same problem—starvation and dehydration—and is doing great at the moment. Keep your fingers crossed. Finches are so cute with all their “cactus” fuzz; he’s lost most of his, as he was only days away from fledging when he fell from the nest and his finder couldn’t locate the nest to put him back.
This wood duckling looks great in this photo, taken on May 9, but 4 days later, he developed some sort of neck issue. He’s got me and a couple of other rehabbers stumped, as his balance is fine and he walks, swims and runs in a straight line although he seems to be almost developing a hunchback; will update you on his progress in a couple of weeks.
Three of the possums should be released this week. Here you see a pile o’possums; it’s a bit hard to tell where one begins and another ends in the thick of the pile!
And look at the progress of this downy red shoulder! Scroll back down to the May 5 update and look at her when she came in. Now look at these photos. The one at right was taken on May 6, the one below on May 14. Talk about growing like a weed!
It’s been a weird year so far; there are several species I tend to see in larger quantities that I haven’t seen any of at all. Notice I’m not being specific, as Murphy’s Law will then kick in and I’ll be inundated with those species!
I’ll leave you with this great quote from nature writer Hal Borland that I rediscovered a while back in some of my old notes: You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.
I’ll leave you with this great quote from nature writer Hal Borland that I rediscovered a while back in some of my old notes: You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.
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