Releases and less pleasant events

It was a busier than usual week at LWR for November. We had two releases, one died-in-care, a GSW red tail, a DOA, and a probable HBC that came in this morning. Interestingly enough, all three new intakes were from Laurens County—a rarity!

Let’s start with the releases: The barred owl who’d been recovering from a wing fracture, having proved his flightworthiness, was released.

With his release, the peregrine could move into the main flight, where he immediately began flying laps around the pen—and with more space available, suddenly he wanted nothing to do with his feeder person (me). Instead of flying at me to snatch the food, he waited at the opposite end of the flight for me to put it down, then he’d nail it as soon as I walked away.

Given that our weather is about to drop into the freezing temps for the next several nights, it was time for this fellow to resume his trek to warmer climes for the winter. And he wasted no time hightailing it outta here—what a gorgeous release!

The up-and-down barred owl went down again, to the point I’d planned to euthanize, but he died overnight instead.

Late Monday afternoon, a first-year red tail was brought in. He had an open fracture, left wing, but the nature of the injury made me suspect gunshot: small entry wound underwing and large exit wound upper wing. Tuesday morning, Smalley’s worked me in for x-rays, and sure enough, the lead flecks were clearly visible, along with a shattered ulna. We had no option but euthanasia—and let me tell y’all in this case it sucked worse than usual. This was an alert, aggressive bird with a healthy appetite—absolutely gorgeous in every respect…as are all red tails. Vet Peggy Hobby and I spent the poor bird’s last minutes apologizing to him over and over for having to put him down because of some jerk’s stupidity.

Obviously, his injury was reported to the state and feds, and a copy of the x-ray was forwarded to them. Problem is, the finder didn’t witness the injury; his wife actually saw the grounded bird and told him about it. So, as is too often the case, the jackass who shot this bird will likely never see justice.

The week ended with a screech owl intake. He was found in the road only a few miles from LWR and brought in within less than an hour of being found. His face was basically degloved and he was lethargic and unresponsive. Given that the tear ducts on his left eye were completely gone, along with most of the flesh of the lower lid, he likely would have required eventual euthanasia, but the poor fellow died within two hours of intake.

And this morning, another barred owl came in. Apparently party-goers saw him in the road last night and moved him to the side of the road, where another teen found him and took him home to seek help. Nothing is broken, although he does favor his left wing, and his right eye is cloudy. The blood on the beak is nothing to worry about; the beak is fully functional. He’s woozy, typical of head trauma, but if there’s no brain bleed, with a little time to heal, he should be fine.