Although who knows for sure? In the past month I’ve had the AC and heat running on consecutive days, and then the windows open before and after that. At least “my” barn swallows are back, so when the skeeters make their appearance I’ve got Nature’s insect control in place. And while the chuck-will’s-widows haven’t arrived yet, I’ve had a whippoorwill serenade for the past several nights.
There were no new intakes over the past two weeks. Looking back at last year’s March intakes, we’re close to the same, though, so no complaints here!
The great horned finally started self-feeding and could be moved into the mini-pen, where she glares, threat displays, and beak-clicks every time her food is delivered. Great horneds have big feet as a rule, but this gal’s got gunboats and ridiculously thick legs—like columns!—hence the “she” now. She’s gonna be a big ol’ gal—remember, she’s still got growing to do!
There were no new intakes over the past two weeks. Looking back at last year’s March intakes, we’re close to the same, though, so no complaints here!
The great horned finally started self-feeding and could be moved into the mini-pen, where she glares, threat displays, and beak-clicks every time her food is delivered. Great horneds have big feet as a rule, but this gal’s got gunboats and ridiculously thick legs—like columns!—hence the “she” now. She’s gonna be a big ol’ gal—remember, she’s still got growing to do!
The black vulture did require euthanasia; his poor wing drooped more with each passing day. Y’all know I’m fond of vultures, with their lively intelligence and clownish personalities. No decision to euthanize is ever easy, but for some species it just hits a little harder when you have to make that call.
And the precious little screech—another of my favorite species—turned out to have severely compromised vision. He could sort of see just barely enough to locate his food, but watching him, I realized he was relying more on sound than sight, i.e., he’d listen to determine where I laid the mice. If he knocked them off that spot, he couldn’t relocate them to eat. With one good eye, he could have been released, but he couldn’t see from even one eye well enough to fly, which is why I initially thought he had soft tissue damage to one of his wings. He also was euthanized, and saying making that decision sucked is putting it mildly.
I know we just had a two-week break, but there will be no update next Sunday, Easter Sunday. I’ll be spending that day with family, and hope y’all do the same.
And the precious little screech—another of my favorite species—turned out to have severely compromised vision. He could sort of see just barely enough to locate his food, but watching him, I realized he was relying more on sound than sight, i.e., he’d listen to determine where I laid the mice. If he knocked them off that spot, he couldn’t relocate them to eat. With one good eye, he could have been released, but he couldn’t see from even one eye well enough to fly, which is why I initially thought he had soft tissue damage to one of his wings. He also was euthanized, and saying making that decision sucked is putting it mildly.
I know we just had a two-week break, but there will be no update next Sunday, Easter Sunday. I’ll be spending that day with family, and hope y’all do the same.
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