A very busy week, but from now on, they'll all be busy I suppose. Interesting intakes, sad injuries, updates and a flurry of orphaned owls all make for a large TW@L so let's jump right in:
A beautiful Wilson's warbler comes in.
A sad little bunny gets TLC.
The baby RTHs are "puppet-fed" daily.
The variety of animals that are in our care often is astounding. From the beautiful (like the little Wilson's warbler), the too cute for words (like the little bunny who was attacked by a cat), to the "will be awesomely impressive - someday" (like the little baby red-tails), the patient list runs a broad gamut. Personally, I think they're ALL beautiful!
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Dr. Orr and Jan check a wing wrap.
Blue is a good color, too.
A new nest, next to Libby!
The injured baby bald eagle got some more treatment this week. After his surgery, his wrap was checked by Dr. Orr and Jan since at this age, they grow so fast that even a temporary constriction can possible cause harm. He's now in a nest that we built for him across the aisle from Libby so the baby can see and listen to a real adult bald eagle! More updates as they occur...
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Box-O-barn owls!
Some ankles are too small for bands.
Hope this color stays "in"...
Why people trim their trees in the springtime is a mystery. This is when almost all birds are nesting and the tree is still growing fast. This week, a tree trimming led to the arrival of 5 baby barn owls that were driven from their nest. Hatching sequentially, the age difference from oldest to youngest can be over two weeks, which is a long time for baby owls! The littlest had legs too small for ID banding so he got a little toe-nail job to identify him in the foster clutch.
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John brings in a first year harris' hawk with canker.
Jan checks for a passage.
A little harris' hawk came in this week with canker. It's sad that he didn't make it through his first year unscathed, but stuff happens. The drug used to kill the invading growth is effective, but the animal must be "maintained" through the treatment. The protocol began immediately and hopefully he will survive long enough for the disease to be eliminated and then he can rejoin his family.
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Orphaned and injured: a tough way to start life.
Sarah and David help Jan fashion a splint.
Pink is my color!
Along with all the other dangers faced by baby birds, the long fall from the nest is also risky. A little barn owl arrived last week that fell a long way and suffered "deceleration trauma" - a broken leg. Luckily, he was rescued and since babies have bones that grow so fast that they heal fairly well if given the proper care, his prognosis is not as dark as it would seem. And he has a pretty pink splint to show off!
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A long trip in a little box.
Donna gives fluids as Missi and Michael hold.
Hangin' with my bro...!
It's a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY after all!!!!!
Two little GHOs lost their second parent to a car collision near Elfrida last weekend. A four-way relay brought them to Liberty and a second chance at life with Hogan as foster mom. At the same time, two other orphaned GHOs were being brought from Parker. In one day, four baby owls traveled a total of 420 miles to join Liberty's growing family of foster babies. (Read the complete story in this month's Nature News - to be released soon!
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Big Mo flies!
And also for Mother's day, the little baby bald eagle at the Goldfield Ranch nest with a single parent mother has soloed! Last Tuesday he took his first real flight and is doing fine!
****Thanks for the comments! Keep them coming!!***
2 comments:
Thanks for another wonderful update! These blogs make my week, they really do.
The photos are a great way to show people what is happening at Liberty. Keep up the great work!
Julia Ripps
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