Once upon a time—no, it’s not a fairy tale—LWR actually DID experience a truly slow season, with few or no intakes in a given month. Those days are apparently long past, as we had five new intakes last week alone—during so-called slow season.
The cutest by far was this downy barn owl. Now, before you exclaim, “But wait, baby season is over,” let me explain that barnies don’t have a set breeding season. They breed whenever the food supply is sufficient. This not-so-wee one was found on the ground in an ag center, but no parents or siblings were in sight, smell or earshot—and believe me, with barnies, even if you don’t SEE them, you’ll likely HEAR them, especially the babies, who like to hiss. A lot. It sounds like a massive gas leak—see the video below.
The cutest by far was this downy barn owl. Now, before you exclaim, “But wait, baby season is over,” let me explain that barnies don’t have a set breeding season. They breed whenever the food supply is sufficient. This not-so-wee one was found on the ground in an ag center, but no parents or siblings were in sight, smell or earshot—and believe me, with barnies, even if you don’t SEE them, you’ll likely HEAR them, especially the babies, who like to hiss. A lot. It sounds like a massive gas leak—see the video below.
Despite having fallen around 20 feet, according to his finder, he had no injuries that I could find. We made a trip to Smalley’s just to confirm, where he was hailed as the ugliest thing ever, the cutest thing ever, and so ugly he was cute. I fall firmly in the cutest thing ever camp. There’s just something about a barnie…
Of course, the Thanksgiving fish crow also required x-rays, which revealed pellets in both the left wing and left eye. Yeah, what I thought was an eye infection was actually inflammation from a pellet. Luckily, the eyeball itself is intact; the pellet seems to’ve missed it somehow and lodged in the eye socket. Talk about miracles…
Of course, the Thanksgiving fish crow also required x-rays, which revealed pellets in both the left wing and left eye. Yeah, what I thought was an eye infection was actually inflammation from a pellet. Luckily, the eyeball itself is intact; the pellet seems to’ve missed it somehow and lodged in the eye socket. Talk about miracles…
It was vet Jim Hobby who suspected we might find a pellet in the eye. Thankfully, the wing should heal for flight and we’ll have to wait and see on the eye, but vision will probably be impaired.
And what REALLY infuriates me about this is that right now, it’s crow season in Georgia (every state has a different period designated for crow hunting), so it’s legal to shoot them from early November till late February—with no bag limit.
Yeah.
You read that correctly: crow season lasts for nearly FOUR months with NO bag limit, so idiots who get their jollies killing wildlife for “sport” can decimate entire populations of crows with no penalty. Nah, West Nile didn’t nearly wipe out crows in some areas; let’s just let “hunters” (and I use the term loosely in this instance) finish what West Nile started.
Understand, I have no issue with hunters who eat what they kill. They’re putting food on their table. That’s fine. But to kill a bird just for the hell of it? I have MAJOR issues with that. It sends my blood pressure soaring and reduces my vocabulary to semi-coherent obscenities. Rest assured, I’ll be seeing what we can do to at least reduce if not eliminate crow season in Georgia altogether.
And what REALLY infuriates me about this is that right now, it’s crow season in Georgia (every state has a different period designated for crow hunting), so it’s legal to shoot them from early November till late February—with no bag limit.
Yeah.
You read that correctly: crow season lasts for nearly FOUR months with NO bag limit, so idiots who get their jollies killing wildlife for “sport” can decimate entire populations of crows with no penalty. Nah, West Nile didn’t nearly wipe out crows in some areas; let’s just let “hunters” (and I use the term loosely in this instance) finish what West Nile started.
Understand, I have no issue with hunters who eat what they kill. They’re putting food on their table. That’s fine. But to kill a bird just for the hell of it? I have MAJOR issues with that. It sends my blood pressure soaring and reduces my vocabulary to semi-coherent obscenities. Rest assured, I’ll be seeing what we can do to at least reduce if not eliminate crow season in Georgia altogether.
LWR had two barred owls come in this week. One had a leg fracture so close to the joint that it couldn’t be repaired; he was euthanized. The other had what felt like a wing fracture right in the shoulder joint but died overnight, before we made it to Smalley’s for x-rays to confirm the fracture.
This adult male red-shouldered hawk was seen struggling to perch; on intake, he didn’t seem to have any fractures but his left leg looked a bloody mess. X-rays at Smalley’s confirmed no breaks but vet Jim Hobby confirmed that the tissue on the left leg was already necrotic and, based on the bird’s smell and general demeanor—I didn’t expect him to survive the trip to Smalley’s, honestly—it appeared the necrosis was internal as well. We agreed euthanasia was the kindest option.
When this utterly gorgeous second-year female red tail came in, I initially thought the break might be in her wrist, although it didn’t feel “crunchy.” I could feel nothing else, and the wing just “wasn’t right.” X-rays, however, showed a fractured ulna and metacarpal (hand). Neither was badly displaced, making it hard to feel them. Vet Richie Hatcher agreed that both should heal to allow flight, so this lady will be a guest at LWR for a while.
The GSW male red tail who’s been here a couple of months will go back in next week for Richie and Jim to assess the possibility of surgery to remove that embedded pellet and see if doing so will allow the bird to regain full use of that wing. Fingers crossed!
And, of course, we have the flyers, who’ve decided blueberries are their second-favorite treat—first would be acorns!
And, of course, we have the flyers, who’ve decided blueberries are their second-favorite treat—first would be acorns!
Thanks to those who donated to the Giving Tuesday fundraiser through Facebook; we raised $620—$120 over the goal. And just in time, too, with a bottomless pit barnie to feed: that young rascal’s putting away SIX large mice a day!
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