Thank goodness. We need some ‘dryin’ out time.’ And our raptors in particular need some good hunting weather.
The last intake for February was a turkey vulture with a wing fracture that had already healed in the wild. Because it had not healed for flight, he required euthanasia. Vultures are among the most difficult birds for me to euthanize because of the sheer intelligence you can clearly see in their eyes.
The last intake for February was a turkey vulture with a wing fracture that had already healed in the wild. Because it had not healed for flight, he required euthanasia. Vultures are among the most difficult birds for me to euthanize because of the sheer intelligence you can clearly see in their eyes.
March began with a great horned owl pulled from a barbed wire fence. His wing was trashed and so he also required euthanasia.
A Northern flicker rescued from the roadside in a rainstorm had a fractured wrist. Had it not been an open fracture, I’d’ve been willing to see if it might have healed for flight, but open fractures on songbirds are a death sentence.
And this poor barred owl was a victim of the near-nonstop rains of February that made hunting difficult; he was rail thin and lethargic on intake and while he kept down a couple of small slurry meals, it wasn’t enough to reverse the damage. He died overnight.
Late winter/early spring tends to be a crappy time for rehabbers in terms of not being able to save wildlife. It comes in either too badly injured or too far gone from starvation or disease. This is why most of us look forward to baby season, even with its insanity—at least we can usually save the babies.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom at LWR over the past two weeks, though. Both screeches in the mini-pen were released—no videos or photos, as I simply opened the door near dusk and let them decide whether and when to leave. They were gone shortly after dark!
The red tail continues to recover nicely. He’s eating well and if I can ever see him fly, he’s good for release. Thus far, though, he shows no inclination to attempt flight. Given his miraculous improvement, from not being able to stand at all to perching, I’m willing to give him more time.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom at LWR over the past two weeks, though. Both screeches in the mini-pen were released—no videos or photos, as I simply opened the door near dusk and let them decide whether and when to leave. They were gone shortly after dark!
The red tail continues to recover nicely. He’s eating well and if I can ever see him fly, he’s good for release. Thus far, though, he shows no inclination to attempt flight. Given his miraculous improvement, from not being able to stand at all to perching, I’m willing to give him more time.
And screech 3 is now in the mini-pen and finally over his head trauma. He’s acting like a truly wild screech now and should be releasable in another couple of weeks.
Believe it or not, the chickadees have beat the bluebirds in nest building at LWR this year; the chickadee nest is nearly completed, and the bluebirds haven’t even started theirs yet!
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