Yep, still wet at LWR, with more rain predicted tonight, so no releases yet…Looks like we might end the year with birds anxiously awaiting release. And boy, are they anxious…as am I. The poor birds are SO ready to go, and it’s too wet to get to my release sites and there hasn’t been a three-day period with low-to-no rain chances…Welcome to life in a humid subtropical climate zone!
Since the week before Christmas, there’ve only been three new intakes at LWR: a red shoulder, a screech and a great blue heron.
The red shoulder was found during a slight lull in the nearly nonstop rain we’ve been having; his leg was shattered right at the joint. I mean, the multiple shards were easily felt—no x-rays needed. His leg was trashed. He was humanely euthanized.
Since the week before Christmas, there’ve only been three new intakes at LWR: a red shoulder, a screech and a great blue heron.
The red shoulder was found during a slight lull in the nearly nonstop rain we’ve been having; his leg was shattered right at the joint. I mean, the multiple shards were easily felt—no x-rays needed. His leg was trashed. He was humanely euthanized.
The screech hit the side of a vehicle and the drivers stopped and located him. Luckily, he was just concussed and is not a happy camper at the moment, as it’s been too wet for release…see above for that discussion!
The great blue heron had a nasty wrist fracture that looked as if he’d gotten snagged in barbed wire and struggled loose, trashing his wrist in the process. He was also humanely euthanized.
After six weeks of struggling with the blind kestrel, I reluctantly made the decision to euthanize him. He couldn’t see to locate his own food, and it was causing him undue stress when I had to restrain him to feed him, which is what I’d had to start doing. I won’t lie; it hurt like hell to euthanize such a gorgeous, sweet bird, but it was in his best interest in the long term.
Sisyphus the kestrel remains a vicious little snot; the photo below was in the box he goes into while I change his paper in his “regular” box. I started to move him back to his regular box and the expression on his face made me start laughing as I grabbed the camera.
Sisyphus the kestrel remains a vicious little snot; the photo below was in the box he goes into while I change his paper in his “regular” box. I started to move him back to his regular box and the expression on his face made me start laughing as I grabbed the camera.
The screech who came in Dec. 15 is still here, of course, and has decided to “sull up” to express her displeasure at being an unwilling guest. I really wish these poor birds could understand when I tell ‘em, “Just hang in there; we’ll have some dry days soon!”
The red shoulder in the raptor flight is antsy…
The barred owl in the mini-pen is bored…
And the Coop inside would really like to be in the raptor flight to show me he’s ready for release…
About the only happy campers at LWR at the moment are the flyers, who’re having a blast at night. As promised before Christmas, here’s a red light video of their nighttime shenanigans.
Hopefully next week we can start 2020 with a slew of release videos, weather permitting!
RSS Feed