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Hard to believe it’s the end of the year already

12/28/2025

Where has this year gone? The days may have dragged but the months seem to’ve flown by, and here we are, heading into 2026 in just a few days. Wow…

The fundraiser ends tomorrow; no sense dragging it out when it’s obvious we’re not gonna come close to meeting the goal. Currently, we’re still at $670, meaning we have $1330 to reach the $2000 goal. Many thanks to those who donated.

The sole new intake last week was a gray-phase screech from Laurens County. She was found in the road, stunned. Nothing is broken, although she does have a dilated right pupil. She’s eating well and glaring daggers at me, though, so fingers crossed there’s no soft tissue damage and she can be released later this week, after a few days in the mini-pen—after New Year’s Eve, of course.

The barnie has a favorite perch; can y’all tell? He’s also eating well and beak-clicking and toe dusting like crazy. Now if he’d just be still for good, clear photos… No screams when I go in to feed, which I’m not complaining about. I need to slip around to the flights at night and see if he’s vocalizing any at all then. This will also allow me to see if the local barnie population is responding to his calls.

Given the upcoming New Year’s Eve fireworks, though, Sir Barnie will be moved back inside overnight Wednesday, to make sure he doesn’t panic at the noise and do something stupid. He won’t be happy, but better a healthy and slightly unhappy bird come January 1 than an injured or dead one.

Hope y’all enjoy whatever plans y’all have for New Year’s Eve, and here’s wishing everybody a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!

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Fundraiser still lagging

12/20/2025

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As of today, the LWR fundraiser has netted $670, meaning we have $1330 to go. We’ll keep it active till the end of the year, in hopes that we’ll meet the goal. If you’ve donated already, many thanks; if you’re waiting, time is running out! The link for donations is below:

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/4LRUMMCTB7RK2

The juvie barnie finally made it outside and is thriving in the main flight. With school out for the holidays, the chance that we’ll be able to place him with the Toombs County High School nest as they fledge has effectively disappeared, as there’s no one on site for the next two weeks to monitor that nest. He’s not passed a live prey test yet, though, so we have that as our next milestone for the little toe-duster.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the update is less rosy.

The Toombs barred owl ended up having a blown pupil; the pain could be managed in rehab with meds, but as soon as the meds were stopped, he stopped eating altogether due to the pain. He required euthanasia as a result.

A driver in Laurens County witnessed a great horned owl get hit by a car and stopped to pick it up. Upon intake at LWR, the bird was found to have both wings broken, one an open fracture. He was humanely euthanized.

And a barred owl flew into a driver’s grille in Laurens, as well, and when he was removed and brought to LWR, both his legs were broken, and most likely his pelvis, as well. He was also humanely euthanized.

After such a litany of woe, it seems almost inappropriate to end on an upbeat note, but I do want to take this opportunity to wish all of y’all a very Merry Christmas.

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Aaand the first intake of December was…

12/7/2025

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Yep, yet another barred owl! Honestly, LWR probably sees more barreds than any other raptor—a testament to their commonness as well as their somewhat suicidal tendency to hunt near roadsides.

This fellow had a nice little concussion going on when DNR brought him from Toombs County last week. He’s more alert and definitely much feistier now, so if the rain ever lets up, he’s most likely gonna spend a day or two in the main flight and be sent on his way, unless there’s soft tissue damage.

The first two images are from day of intake; the last two are from four days later.

The other barred was indeed blind and required euthanasia.

The weeklong sog-fest kept the barnie inside. Lacking sibs to huddle with against the cold and damp, he just needed to stay in a warmer, drier environment. And several nights this week the temps are looking downright brutally cold at night, so the poor fellow may end up inside for yet another week.

I did receive his UGA paperwork, though, so I can tell y’all he originally came from Jackson County—a bit out of LWR’s normal range, but since UGA arranged transport after they’d had him for about 10 days, it worked out.

When DNR delivered the barred earlier last week, I did mention that if we can time it right, maybe this barnie could be released about the time the Toombs High barnies fledge, as attempting to place him in or near the nest now could cause an early fledge for those babies. We’re hoping school officials will alert DNR when the babies fledge, so they can in turn alert me.

Meanwhile, he continues to vigorously toe dust and inhale mice like there’s no tomorrow. No screaming thus far, but he has hissed softly and beak-clicked a time or two during paper changes.

The fundraiser is stalled at $520, so we have $1480 to go. To those who’ve donated, thank you so much! For those who’re waiting, why procrastinate? The link to the fundraiser is below:

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/4LRUMMCTB7RK2

And there will be no update next Sunday, Dec. 14.

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Hard to believe it’s the end of the year already

Fundraiser still lagging

Aaand the first intake of December was…

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