博客存档 - Laurens Wildlife Rescue

It’s officially fall, y’all!

9/22/2024

For them whut’s experiencing fall-like weather, anyway; daytime temps are still in the 90s in Georgia.

Last week LWR had two intakes, both barred owls, both found in the road. One had only a mild concussion and is alert and ready for release now.

The other may have a right wrist fracture; he’ll need x-rays to confirm.

The x-rays on the red shoulder did indeed show a pelvic fracture, so he’s on “cage rest,” supposedly in a donut (when he cooperates) while we wait for it to heal. If only we could convince him to go on “vocal rest,” as well…

The second-year red tail is doing well and really ready to go, so we’ll see how things work out this week.

And the goofy juvie is still, well, goofy. He alternates between food aggression and “just leave it over there, slave, and I’ll eat it later.” But there are never leftovers!

There will be no update next Sunday, Sept. 29.

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Fall fever

9/15/2024

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Your intrepid rehabber has a bad case of fall fever and would rather be outside at the moment, so this update will be short and sweet!

LWR had only one new intake last week, an adult male red shoulder who came in Saturday afternoon. His finder witnessed the bird get sucked into the draft of the car in front of him and slammed to the road. Nothing feels broken but he can’t stand, leading me to think we have a pelvic fracture. He’ll be going in for x-rays next week so we can plan a course of action for him.

The rail-thin red tail from last Sunday’s update didn’t make it through Sunday night. As I’d indicated last week, I was hopeful but not optimistic for him.

The other two red tails, however, are doing great. The second-year bird is more regal-looking every day.

The juvie—well, he’s gorgeous, of course, but still the goofiest bird…I’d still prefer to place him with a falconer for a couple of years, but so far no candidates have panned out, so we may have to reluctantly aim at release instead.

And now, if it’s not rainy where y’all are, join me in getting outside for a while. Heck, even if it is rainy, grab a brolly, as the Brits say, and get outside anyway. Fall’s in the air!

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A trio of red tails

9/8/2024

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Nothing like havin’ three of one of your favorite species!

The sole intake last week was a first-year red tail who came in rail-thin and with a possible shoulder fracture. He came in near dark Friday, so it will be Monday at the earliest before we can get x-rays…if he makes it till Monday. His appetite and energy levels are up and down, even with small, frequent meals, so we’ll see.

He joins the other two red tails at LWR, who are biding their time awaiting release.

The second-year bird is moving from perch to perch and from the ground to the perches beautifully now in the mini-pen, but his level of aggression means I can’t put him in the main flight with a goofy juvie bird.

Said goofy juvie is flying well and has daily “show-downs” with the net I keep propped under the blind in the main flight. Apparently it insults him or something; he has to “kill” it daily. I walk into the pen to place his food in and check his water, and the net has been knocked down and dragged to the middle of the flight. I prop it back up; next feeding the net, having not learned its lesson, is again in the middle of the flight. And the juvie always has this innocent “butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth” look on his face: “Who, me? I haven’t touched that old thing.” Yeah, right, buddy…

Sometimes goofy juvie has a regal moment, though, that just takes my breath...

And because last week was a truly slow wildlife week, I offer you photos of some of the fall wildflowers around the property. Enjoy!

Star glory

Morning glory

Asian dayflower

Spider lilies

Hairy clustervine

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The eagles have…umm…flown(ish)

9/1/2024

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The last Thursday of August, DNR head biologist Bob Sargent and I met to transfer the eagles from my possession to his for transport to the Avian Conservation Center in Awendaw, SC, just outside Charleston. Center president Jim Elliott informed us within 24 hours of the birds’ arrival that Swimmer appeared to have compromised vision, which is something I’d suggested after her second failed release attempt. Most likely this will mean she’s also a candidate for ed bird status. Thus far, we have no word on their verdict for Wing-wrap but hope to know something soon.

As Bob said, it truly does take a village in wildlife rehab, something I’ve pointed out to y’all on numerous occasions. Individually, rehabbers tend to be independent, often ornery and cantankerous, but we know when and how to call on and cooperate with colleagues and official resources to ensure the best outcomes for the critters in our care.

Below are a few of the last photos I took of these two juvie eagles prior to their transfer. Enjoy—if previous trends hold true, these are probably the last eagles LWR will see for 2024 (and I probably just jinxed myself…).

LWR had only two new intakes for the past two weeks, both of which had life-ending injuries. The first was an utterly gorgeous first-year red tail with an open wing fracture. He was humanely euthanized.

The second was an adult barred owl who died en route to LWR from a nasty open fracture.

With the eagles out of the main flight, the juvie red tail went in—after the flight had been cleaned up a bit. He was utterly delighted to have room to actually fly; the first thing he did was fly strongly from one end to the other and back. He’s since discovered the joys of the fake-stone water dish, a radical departure from the stainless steel one he had in the mini-pen, and found himself a discarded eagle feather that I missed during post-eagle cleanup. That’s been his favorite enrichment item thus far!

The second-year red tail moved into the mini-pen, where he is moving from perch to perch and from the ground to the perches with no problems. Given his failed release in early August, this is good news indeed; his chances for release are now looking better and better!

Y’all enjoy what’s left of the Labor Day weekend; predicted temps in Georgia for the next week or so are beginning to look almost fallish…or at least less heat-of-Hell summerish…

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It’s officially fall, y’all!

Fall fever

A trio of red tails

The eagles have…umm…flown(ish)

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