This year’s first (and maybe only?) bald eagle

Yup, what used to be an every three or four year occurrence now is a nearly-every-year event—and sometimes a couple of times a year.  This one came from Burke County and was seen hitting a power line. His wing was pretty messed up. I got the call about him from DNR late Wednesday, and they told me they’d have him to me early Thursday morning, so I immediately contacted vet Peggy Hobby of Smalley’s Animal Hospital to alert her to an incoming bald eagle. I then contacted volunteer transporters Joy and Doug Daniels; Doug was available to transport the bird to Auburn’s Southeastern Raptor Center.

DNR arrived right on time with the eagle. I didn’t even do a cursory exam; loaded him up in the car and let Peggy know I was en route. Once at Smalley’s we examined the wing more closely and x-rayed it. There were no fractures but extensive soft tissue damage...and maggots. Peggy treated for the maggots, we weighed him—7 lb, 15 oz—and then boxed him back up and I took him back home for Doug to pick him up and head to Auburn. They’ve not updated their website to include him yet, so no updates since his arrival there.

The same day the eagle came in, a fish crow came in with a massively bruised and swollen wing. I was pretty sure it was broken but it was still such a fresh wound that I couldn’t tell how badly. At the moment, it’s looking like a joint fracture, or pretty close to the joint. He’ll need x-rays early in the week to confirm.

And that night, Joy and Doug once again proved they’re worth their weight in gold by picking up a nestling red shoulder and delivering him to LWR. He quickly let me know the next morning that he was around and hungry. Red shoulders are...ummm...quite vocal. About everything.

And then this sweet little nestling of as-yet undetermined species came in after his nest was blown from a tree in high winds and his three sibs killed. Unfortunately he was covered with the inappropriate diet his finders fed him all night.

Three things here, y’all:

1. Most birds don’t eat at night.
2. DON’T feed birds unless under the direction of a rehabber.
3. IF you feed birds, clean them up! Would you allow a human baby to have food all over its head, eyes and mouth? Then WHY would you allow a baby of any other species to marinate in its food?

We’re still in the cleanup phase; it has to be done a little at a time so the poor baby doesn’t get stressed or chilled. But he does look somewhat better now and is gaping and eating well for the moment.

As for older guests at the LWR B&B, the great horneds are pretty much ready for release as soon as they pass the live prey test.

The barred quartet all finally started perching and with the red shoulder intake, the two younger barreds had to go into the min-pen, as well, where the smaller of the two hid behind his larger sib, who gave a pretty impressive little threat display before settling down a bit. They're still not perching.

The woodpeckers and house finch are pretty much good to go; no photos of the finch this week, as she won’t be still long enough these days.

Also no new pix of the screeches, as they’re doing nothing but sulking after being brought back inside to allow the barreds to go into the mini-pen.

The vultures, however, are just as cute as ever!