While I realize increased numbers of bald eagles in rehab means their numbers are truly on the rebound, which is excellent, I also kinda miss the days when LWR might see an eagle every 7 years or so, instead of every few months...Our first for the year arrived yesterday. And because I’m still recovering from an upper respiratory virus making its merry way through my neck of the woods, I’m pretty basically copying and pasting the email I sent to DNR and FWS regarding the eagle intake yesterday—every bit of saved effort is good when it feels like you’re hacking up a lung every time you cough...
At app. 2:30pm Feb. 5, 2022, I received a call from DNR Region 3 about a downed bald eagle; the eagle was actually in Reg. 4 but the call center misdirected the call, so kudos to Reg. 3 for being proactive in seeking help for an out-of-region bird. The bird was just over the Dodge/Telfair line right off Hwy 117 and was reported to be reluctant to fly and mostly sitting with its head tucked.
I talked to the finders, who were unable to transport the bird, so at app. 2:34pm I called DNR Game Tech Chris Mimbs, who agreed to pick up the bird on his day off. He arrived with the eagle around 5pm, and it was obviously neurologic and randomly “honking” when it tried to breathe. Chris said the finders had seen an eagle and several vultures eating from a gut pile earlier in the week where the landowner had apparently killed some wild hogs; he and I figured then it had lead poisoning.
I called Auburn for their advice as to transport or treatment, given that it was a weekend and I was unlikely to be able to reach either of the vets who work with me on wildlife. The Raptor Clinic recommended making sure the bird was stable and getting both rads and a lead test before transport, as high enough lead levels were grounds for euthanasia rather than treatment and there would be no point in transporting a bird to them just for euthanasia.
I then left a message with the vet that I considered most likely to return a weekend call and called Bob Sargent, head of GA DNR’s Eagles Program, to alert him to the eagle intake. In my message to him, I indicated the bird seemed more stable than on intake, but shortly afterward the bird suffered a massive seizure.
At 7:30pm he was resting quietly but was unable to lift his head and his eyes looked glazed; I didn’t expect him to make it through the night. I placed the bird in a donut to ease his breathing and informed DNR and FWS I’d update them Sunday and, of course, keep the carcass on ice until DNR could retrieve it should he die overnight...which, sadly, I felt would be the case.
Sometime between midnight and 8:30 this morning, the eagle died. Given the level of rigor mortis, I’d guess it was around 3-4am—it’s almost a dark joke among rehabbers that deaths nearly always seem to occur around 3 or 4 in the morning. Both agencies were notified and the carcass is on ice awaiting retrieval by DNR, probably tomorrow morning.
At app. 2:30pm Feb. 5, 2022, I received a call from DNR Region 3 about a downed bald eagle; the eagle was actually in Reg. 4 but the call center misdirected the call, so kudos to Reg. 3 for being proactive in seeking help for an out-of-region bird. The bird was just over the Dodge/Telfair line right off Hwy 117 and was reported to be reluctant to fly and mostly sitting with its head tucked.
I talked to the finders, who were unable to transport the bird, so at app. 2:34pm I called DNR Game Tech Chris Mimbs, who agreed to pick up the bird on his day off. He arrived with the eagle around 5pm, and it was obviously neurologic and randomly “honking” when it tried to breathe. Chris said the finders had seen an eagle and several vultures eating from a gut pile earlier in the week where the landowner had apparently killed some wild hogs; he and I figured then it had lead poisoning.
I called Auburn for their advice as to transport or treatment, given that it was a weekend and I was unlikely to be able to reach either of the vets who work with me on wildlife. The Raptor Clinic recommended making sure the bird was stable and getting both rads and a lead test before transport, as high enough lead levels were grounds for euthanasia rather than treatment and there would be no point in transporting a bird to them just for euthanasia.
I then left a message with the vet that I considered most likely to return a weekend call and called Bob Sargent, head of GA DNR’s Eagles Program, to alert him to the eagle intake. In my message to him, I indicated the bird seemed more stable than on intake, but shortly afterward the bird suffered a massive seizure.
At 7:30pm he was resting quietly but was unable to lift his head and his eyes looked glazed; I didn’t expect him to make it through the night. I placed the bird in a donut to ease his breathing and informed DNR and FWS I’d update them Sunday and, of course, keep the carcass on ice until DNR could retrieve it should he die overnight...which, sadly, I felt would be the case.
Sometime between midnight and 8:30 this morning, the eagle died. Given the level of rigor mortis, I’d guess it was around 3-4am—it’s almost a dark joke among rehabbers that deaths nearly always seem to occur around 3 or 4 in the morning. Both agencies were notified and the carcass is on ice awaiting retrieval by DNR, probably tomorrow morning.
Because Weebly still refuses to correct its issues with directly linking to YouTube videos, the best I can do is provide you the links; click on them to see the videos of the eagle's neurologic symptoms on intake and his later seizure: https://youtu.be/WbBn7Qol1oU and https://youtu.be/vovO-fU5uqU
In other news, two additional barreds came in the last full week of January—a full 60% of LWR’s intakes for January were barreds. One of these was totally blind in one eye, in addition to having a shoulder fracture; he was euthanized.
The other is still recovering from head trauma and is spotty with his eating, so he’s still inside until I’m convinced he can hold his own with the barreds in the mini-pen.
The trio in the mini-pen reduced itself to a duo when one of the UGA barreds self-released Friday evening. I would’ve preferred to give them all additional time in the main raptor flight after releasing the red tails, but all releases and movements were put on hold while I was sick. Again, click on the link to see the self-released barred owl: https://youtu.be/At0jLbwDdkg
The red tails remain antsy; hopefully this week I’ll be able to get them released. They’re so ready to go; I hate their release was delayed but about the only time I was vertical last week was to feed birds, then I’d crawl back to bed, move the electric blanket dial from “high” to “electrocute” and try not to hack up a lung...
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