It was a busy but fairly non-eventful week, which is not nearly the non sequitur it seems.
First, the red shoulder and barred owl recovering from fractures were given “flight clearance.” While the barred’s x-rays didn’t show the prettiest of calluses, after two months with his wing wrapped, it was the best we were gonna get and he was getting antsy, so vet Peggy Hobby of Smalley’s Animal Hospital and I agreed that time in the raptor flight would be the determining factor in the bird’s ultimate fate.
First, the red shoulder and barred owl recovering from fractures were given “flight clearance.” While the barred’s x-rays didn’t show the prettiest of calluses, after two months with his wing wrapped, it was the best we were gonna get and he was getting antsy, so vet Peggy Hobby of Smalley’s Animal Hospital and I agreed that time in the raptor flight would be the determining factor in the bird’s ultimate fate.
The red shoulder’s x-ray showed a lovely callus on his “hand,” meaning he was also cleared for the raptor flight.
The news wasn’t as good for the screech with the bad eye. Upon closer examination, we discovered that his eyelid had recently ruptured and the eyeball itself had actually “migrated” to the point that it was almost in his ear. The eyeball was also marble-hard. Peggy said it was trauma-induced glaucoma; we agreed—reluctantly, as we both adore screeches—that the most humane option was euthanasia, given the continued deterioration of the eye.
The Screech Who Wouldn’t Leave finally decided it was time to go. Initially, I had my doubts, as he started out with the same reluctance he’d shown previously; however, when I cut off the camera and started to lower him back into the box, he decided he’d had enough of that, thanks very much, and hightailed it into the trees.
While Miss Feisty the red-tail flew well in the raptor flight, she refused to eat well. Since I needed the raptor flight for the barreds, I opted to bring her sassy arse back in, where she immediately started eating well again. Go figure…I had a photo of her ready to post but Weebly is being stupid today and suddenly won't let me rotate photos. And technology was supposed to make our lives easier...yeah, right...
With her back in, we did some fruit basket turnover and put both barreds in the raptor flight. Remember, in addition to the one recovering from a wing fracture, we had the fellow recovering from a dislocated wing. Honestly, at the moment, neither is impressing me with their flight skills, but the raptor flight is theirs for the next week. I also had a photo of Barred 1 on a perch in the raptor flight but again, after allowing me to rotate the screech photo above, the rotate function suddenly decided to elongate and pixelate my photos instead of rotating...Hey, it's free website hosting, so I can't really complain...much...about free.
After that, the red shoulder gets his turn, which he’s quite eagerly awaiting, I assure you. I suspect his turn in the raptor flight will be more impressive from the get-go!
The oriole is showing little to no improvement in wing use. Sometimes coracoid fractures don’t heal for flight, and I’m afraid that may be what we’re seeing here. He’s got another week or so before I make a call on him.
And the flyers, with the return to cooler temps, are rarely seen outside their nest box during the day. I’m hoping conditions are favorable for their release by mid-month.
And the flyers, with the return to cooler temps, are rarely seen outside their nest box during the day. I’m hoping conditions are favorable for their release by mid-month.
RSS Feed
