It was a glorious week of releases, with 15 birds returned to the wild, and a neat first-time-at-LWR bird, as well, who was also one of the releases—even better!
Let’s start with the first-timer, as I’m sure y’all’re curious by now. We had a juvie yellow-crowned night heron come in late night, mid-week via a volunteer transporter. The finders thought it had a broken leg, as it was stumbling when they saw it. By the next morning, however, he was standing fully on both legs, no wing injuries, and highly peeved at being confined, which he announced to me every time I went near his box. As is the case with most waterfowl, he was a bit on the skinny side, so a couple of days of the LWR buffet seemed in order before releasing him. And boy, was he happy to go!
Let’s start with the first-timer, as I’m sure y’all’re curious by now. We had a juvie yellow-crowned night heron come in late night, mid-week via a volunteer transporter. The finders thought it had a broken leg, as it was stumbling when they saw it. By the next morning, however, he was standing fully on both legs, no wing injuries, and highly peeved at being confined, which he announced to me every time I went near his box. As is the case with most waterfowl, he was a bit on the skinny side, so a couple of days of the LWR buffet seemed in order before releasing him. And boy, was he happy to go!
Both juvie barred owls were also released, freeing the raptor flight for the screech twins.
The concussed adult red shoulder from two weeks ago was finally released, as well.
And we had a slew of songbirds opt for freedom when the escape hatch on the songbird flight was left open for them: 2 Eastern phoebes, 2 house finches, 4 great crested flycatchers, and 1 Eastern kingbird. And yes, I’m currently being mobbed every time I walk out the door by birds eager for a handout. Hitchcock ain’t got nothin’ on me!
For all intents and purposes, the juvie black vultures have also been released. They hang around the farm, but we never know where they’ll show up next: my roof, my mother’s roof, the toolshed roof, the top of the raptor flight, the top of the songbird flight…
However, they do know when I’m in the yard and, like the Elephant’s Child, being ‘satiably curious, they swoop in to see what I’m up to and hint that they really, really need a handout just like the songbirds…
Only four new intakes, just one of whom didn’t require euthanasia. A juvenile mocker came in with severe nerve damage; he couldn’t stand at all. Two barred owls came in with fatal injuries: one had an open wing fracture; the other’s wing was so maggot-infested that there was almost no flesh left on it.
Only four new intakes, just one of whom didn’t require euthanasia. A juvenile mocker came in with severe nerve damage; he couldn’t stand at all. Two barred owls came in with fatal injuries: one had an open wing fracture; the other’s wing was so maggot-infested that there was almost no flesh left on it.
The cat-attacked nestling brown thrasher, however, suffered only a ruptured air sac that has “deflated” already, although he is on antibiotics because of the cat saliva.
The mystery hatchling from Monday’s late update is a bluebird. He’s kinda rough looking and is up and down, surviving but not really thriving, so we’re just taking it one feeding at a time.
The wood duck continues to do well.
The red shoulder trio will be next for the raptor flight, as soon as the screeches move out.
And then the first red tail will have his chance, and....
…The second red tail, having completed his treatment for capillaria, is acting much more “red-tailish” so I’m thinking I’ll put these two youngsters together and see how they do. Steve Hicks of Bubba & Friends and I discussed it, and it’s probably in the best interest of both birds to have a buddy to be a red tail with, so…fingers crossed their introduction goes well!
Finally, today is the last day of the LWR summer fundraiser, and we’re at $1540, still $960 from our goal. A huge thanks to those who’ve donated already; to those who’ve been waiting, today’s your last chance to “help give Nature’s children a second chance.”
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