Same ol’ same ol’—again

No releases, a couple of intakes that didn’t end well, and continued rain delays—yep, pretty much the same ol’ same ol’...

The sharpie continues to eat well and has gotten a little more typically antsy in behavior. We’re not talking Coop-crazy...yet...but he is starting to indicate unhappiness at being confined.  Sharpies, as a rule, aren’t quite as psychotic as Coops, so that’s always a plus. The broken wing is perfectly level and folded against the body as it should be, which is good news. The “ding” at the wrist is healing, albeit slowly—right at the wrist isn’t an ideal location for a flesh wound, as every time he flexes that wing even a little, it breaks the scab.

The red shoulders are ready for release but we have another week of high rain chances, so they’re just hangin’ out and killin’ time till the weather cooperates and they can gain their freedom. Since they spend the vast majority of their time out in the uncovered part of the flight, rather than in the covered blind, meaning they’re exposed to the weather anyway, I may release them as long as the rain chances don’t include thunderstorm threats for three days or so. We’ll see...

Late last Sunday, a nestling MIKI (Mississippi kite) arrived. He’d fallen from the nest into a dog pen and by the time his finders got into the pen, the dogs had savaged him. His tail feathers, still growing and full of blood (i.e., blood feathers) were ripped loose, along with a good bit of skin, and his right leg was broken at the hip but he could still flex his foot, so there was no nerve damage. I cleaned him up, dried the wound as best I could, and applied massive amounts of styptic powder in an attempt to stop the bleeding. It didn’t work; the poor baby bled out overnight.

And an adult MIKI came in yesterday with both wings broken, one right at the elbow and the other an open fracture between the shoulder and elbow. He was humanely euthanized.

The vulture discovered the joys of perching last week. He really does have a head and fully functional neck; he’s just camera-shy, even if I only use my phone camera. The minute he sees either, he immediately drops his head/neck into this pose, the silly doofus! Another couple of weeks, and he can be allowed to roam freely about the yard as he discovers the joys of sunbathing and scavenging.