Beginning with the fundraiser, most of y’all know by now that the link in last week’s update is basically useless because PetFundr/Fundrazr’s “new and improved” platform is lovely until you actually attempt to donate, at which point it declines the transaction. A week of increasingly less polite communications with them has failed to resolve this issue, so while the fundraiser is ongoing, it will be through PayPal directly (link to the side of this page), or mailed checks. As of today, we’ve raised $525 of the $1500 goal—just $975 to go! Thanks to all who’ve donated, and I apologize for the problems with the online platform. I’ll be exploring other options before the next fundraiser.
On to releases: we had three releases last week, only one of which I managed to get a decent video of. I would’ve preferred to give the barnie extended time in a flight, but she needed to go, so she was release #1. Instead of flying down the open footpath where I released her, she opted to go sideways into the woods and get tangled in branches before landing on the ground. The good news is that when I laid down the camera and grabbed my gloves and net, she had gotten her bearings and disappeared before I could turn around.
On to releases: we had three releases last week, only one of which I managed to get a decent video of. I would’ve preferred to give the barnie extended time in a flight, but she needed to go, so she was release #1. Instead of flying down the open footpath where I released her, she opted to go sideways into the woods and get tangled in branches before landing on the ground. The good news is that when I laid down the camera and grabbed my gloves and net, she had gotten her bearings and disappeared before I could turn around.
The broadie took off before I could even hit “record” and disappeared into the brush. The Mississippi kite’s (MIKI) release video would have been gorgeous had the camera focused on the bird instead of the surrounding trees. There was this small out-of-focus blurred blob flying away…Fortunately, I did see where he landed and was able to get one photo before he took off again, so there’s that.
A second MIKI came in early last week; the finders had kept a juvenile bird for FOUR DAYS with no food. The result was a severe case of wryneck, or stargazing. As y’all know from previous experience, sometimes this can be addressed with proper nutrition, and the bird recovers fully. This poor fellow did not; his stargazing got progressively worse throughout the week. He was humanely euthanized.
A man from a neighboring county witnessed a barred owl being hit by a car and stopped to pick it up. Sadly, upon arrival at LWR, the bird was found to have an open wrist fracture. He also was humanely euthanized.
We attempted a release for the second-year red tail, but he bolted from the box and sat on the ground, wings flared, but made no attempt to fly. He’s back in a box at LWR.
The juvie red tail alternates between majestic bird and goofy juvie, which makes every trip to the mini-pen for feeding interesting. I never know whether I’m gonna see a bird worthy of a sculpture or a clown…
And we hope to have the eagle sorted within the week. The current plan is to get him back to Smalley’s to unwrap his wing for follow-up x-rays and see where things stand, and then get him transferred to CNC ASAP. Everything right now hinges on our weather; we’re under a tropical storm watch for Monday and Tuesday, so our “best-laid plans” might “gang aft agley” this week!
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