As of mid-week, LWR had received $2715 in donations, slightly over the original goal of $2500. Heartfelt thanks to the 25 generous donors! Since the campaign was slated to run through the end of August, I’ll leave it active for those of you who might be waiting on that long-overdue inheritance or expecting to win the lottery any day now…
Baby season continues to wind down slowly. LWR received two fledgling mockers and two fledgling house finches last week. All four are in the flight pen, and the finches should be releasable next week. The mockers are a little younger and will be around a bit longer. No photos of any of the four little rascals because they were totally uncooperative whenever I had the camera in the flight pen last week.
Both the red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers were released and are still coming down for handouts; however, it’s difficult to get photos of them, as well, as the crow likes to swoop in, demanding HIS handout, as I’m feeding them. This means both hands are occupied feeding, because I don’t want him harassing them, which crows are prone to do to smaller birds. I did manage this shot of the red-head, though, such as it is.
Both the red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers were released and are still coming down for handouts; however, it’s difficult to get photos of them, as well, as the crow likes to swoop in, demanding HIS handout, as I’m feeding them. This means both hands are occupied feeding, because I don’t want him harassing them, which crows are prone to do to smaller birds. I did manage this shot of the red-head, though, such as it is.
We had two more barred owls come in, with the same mixed results as last week. The one who came in earlier in the week was lucky to have only a concussion and was released later in the week.
The one who came in later in the week had an open wing fracture and the bone had already turned black. Open wing fractures in themselves are pretty much a death sentence; when the bone is already black, it means those exposed ends have died. There was nothing to do for the poor owl other than make sure he didn’t suffer any longer.
This red-shouldered hawk—a normally colored one!—came in with a concussion and possible soft tissue damage that thus far has left him flightless. Given his reluctance to eat in captivity, this is not a good situation, but we’ll keep working on both flight and appetite.
When the caller said she had a young sparrow hawk, even though I knew it was past time for baby kestrels, I started thinking, Maybe the first nest was destroyed and this is a late nest—who knows? Fact is, I see so few kestrels I was thrilled at the thought of getting one in, so I have to admit to some slight disappointment when I opened the box and found a brancher Mississippi kite. I do love kites, as well, but my heart was kinda set on that kestrel…
Since Steve Hicks of Bubba & Friends already had a kite that I’d transferred to him earlier, this guy went to him as well. He’s more in their migration path than I am, and this will save them precious energy when they join the migration next month.
Of course, as is typical for most weeks in a rehabber’s life, last week was a mixture of “release highs” and “euthanasia lows”. In addition to the open-fracture barred owl, LWR received an adult Canada goose who was described as limping around a parking lot biting at his own foot—and with good reason, as it quickly became obvious on intake. Most of his foot was missing and a good half-inch of the bone exposed. There was only one humane option for this poor goose. The foot photo was taken after euthanasia.
Of course, as is typical for most weeks in a rehabber’s life, last week was a mixture of “release highs” and “euthanasia lows”. In addition to the open-fracture barred owl, LWR received an adult Canada goose who was described as limping around a parking lot biting at his own foot—and with good reason, as it quickly became obvious on intake. Most of his foot was missing and a good half-inch of the bone exposed. There was only one humane option for this poor goose. The foot photo was taken after euthanasia.
And this young turkey vulture was found by the road unable to stand or use his legs at all. The finder wondered why he could still use his wings if he had spinal damage, and the answer is that just like humans, paralysis from spinal damage can occur at various points for birds. In his case, it was the equivalent of paralysis below the waist in a human. He, too, was euthanized.
When the caller said she had a hummer that had been caught on flypaper, I cringed. Flypaper, glue traps, etc., all too often trap more than their intended victims, and usually with deadly results. This poor little ruby-throat is missing all the feathers on his chest and belly and most of his tail feathers. His wings are frayed. His legs are swollen and irritated and his feet are so balled and covered with goo that he can’t even perch. In short, I’m honestly not sure what his chances are. I did manage to remove most of the goo on his feet but it hasn’t helped a whole lot. Still, he is managing to get to the feeder in his cage and eat, so I’m willing to keep cleaning and give him time to see what happens, but he faces a time crunch as far as regrowing those feathers, with migration looming.
Don’t use flypaper or glue traps or snap-traps outdoors where birds can also be victims. Just don’t.
Don’t use flypaper or glue traps or snap-traps outdoors where birds can also be victims. Just don’t.
The barred owl recovering from the wing fracture continues to do well. No photos this week ‘cause, well, he just perches there in his box and eats—not a lot to take pictures of!
The mallard is growing like a weed and remains paranoid about the camera. He managed to knock the stopper loose in the tub last week and all the water drained out, so I took advantage to get a shot of those legs and feet. I love duck feet!
The mallard is growing like a weed and remains paranoid about the camera. He managed to knock the stopper loose in the tub last week and all the water drained out, so I took advantage to get a shot of those legs and feet. I love duck feet!
And the screech’s ungainly molt continues, poor ragged-looking little fellow…
Bonus shots: this gray squirrel, not one of my rehabs, was checking out the bird feeder earlier today.
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