October is usually a fairly slow month but LWR saw five intakes in this first week of the month. Sadly, the majority were DOA. But there IS good news—read on.
On the same day midweek, an adult mocker and an adult female house finch came in, brought by the same volunteer. The mocker was literally DOA; the house finch lasted about 30 minutes after intake. Later in the week, a juvie ruby-throated hummer arrived just moments after dying en route.
Adding to the week’s death toll, the cat-attacked juvie mourning dove died. He was still on meds, was starting to attempt self-feeding—everything looked promising. And he died overnight late in the week.
On the brighter side, a second mourning dove, also a juvie, came in. This one had not been cat-attacked; he’d just gotten separated from his parents somehow—his finders suspected a neighborhood hawk might have had his parents for dinner. It happens; it’s in a raptor’s job description: they eat songbirds. This little one is doing well and should be releasable as soon as he decides to self-feed.
On the same day midweek, an adult mocker and an adult female house finch came in, brought by the same volunteer. The mocker was literally DOA; the house finch lasted about 30 minutes after intake. Later in the week, a juvie ruby-throated hummer arrived just moments after dying en route.
Adding to the week’s death toll, the cat-attacked juvie mourning dove died. He was still on meds, was starting to attempt self-feeding—everything looked promising. And he died overnight late in the week.
On the brighter side, a second mourning dove, also a juvie, came in. This one had not been cat-attacked; he’d just gotten separated from his parents somehow—his finders suspected a neighborhood hawk might have had his parents for dinner. It happens; it’s in a raptor’s job description: they eat songbirds. This little one is doing well and should be releasable as soon as he decides to self-feed.
And in the “we didn’t get the memo” category, apparently some mid-state European collared doves weren’t told that breeding season for songbirds is over. This nestling collared dove was found by a lady out raking her yard.
The red tail who flew through the window and lacerated his cornea is doing very, very well. His eye looks great and he’s feisty as all get-out—and when I took these photos, he flinched at the focus assist lamp, so he can see from that eye. Great news!
In the photos below compare his eye on intake, then last week, and finally the last two were taken today. Lookin’ good!
In the photos below compare his eye on intake, then last week, and finally the last two were taken today. Lookin’ good!
Intake, 9-22-18
Last week, 9-29-18
Above and below, today, 10-17-18
And that, folks, is all the news there is for this week—short and sweet. Honestly, just knowing the red tail has vision in that eye is cause enough to break out the confetti, as far as I’m concerned.
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