The intake number for the year is now up to 2369.
OK, things are tapering off now a little, and although it's probably just the calm before the second wave, every slow period helps. It gave us time for the big clean-up last Saturday, and we can step back and evaluate what's working and what might need improvement. The arrivals are showing the progression for the year as we are getting in a lot of juvenile raptors now, making the mistakes from which they will hopefully learn the skills to succeed after they are again free.
Alright, bunnies breed like, well, bunnies! And in a climate like we have in Phoenix, even though we may complain about the heat, it IS conducive to mammal breeding, and the local bunny population takes full advantage. Another batch of tiny babies was brought in by Peggy at APS who found the mother dead nearby. The white (albino) bunny was brought to our window and dropped off. Normally we don't take in non-native species, but we also don't turn anything down that needs help. This little guy will be placed when it is appropriate.
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A few more tiny quail arrived this week, joining the hundreds of other we've raised this year. The difference is one of these had run through some cholla and collected some spines in his travels. Sarah donned the "big glasses" and worked for several minutes extracting the offending stickers. Then he joined his buddies in the brooder for more care.
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A lot of night hawks (and poor-wills) find their way to our facility from people who find them on the ground and assume that any bird not in a tree is in trouble. Most of the time, they are just fine since that's where they live. Note the extreme camouflage of the plumage and try to imagine it against the desert landscape...
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A very thin young red-tailed hawk came in on the weekend. Presenting no overt trauma, his only apparent problem is dehydration and emaciation. So weak he could barely stand, he was given fluids, some medicine for energy, and some food! Hopefully his condition is reversible and has not progressed too far. Sometimes when a bird gets too thin from lack of food, its body begins to digest itself and at this point, a good outcome is in doubt. Keep you fingers crossed for this little guy.
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Now she's officially 25-Z. (Photo by Toba)
The nestling/fledgling bald eagle that came in a few months ago has been released! The young bird had fallen from her nest and in her fall, she broke her pelvis. The past few months she has been recovering at Liberty under the expert care of Dr.Orr and Jan. A couple of weeks age she was placed in one of the 60ft flight enclosures and did well. Then Kyle (AZG&F) came out and measured, weighed, and banded her prior to her release last Thursday. Kyle reported that before she was freed, she had footed one of his people, bit him on his chin, and then spent about 2 minutes in the nest before launching into a long distance flight taking her along the ridge of some nearby mountains before gliding out of sight! Yeah, she's gonna make it!
1 comment:
What a wonderful blog! And the pictures were really amazing. We learned about you through Joan and Allen a long time ago. We've been receiving news about LIberty from them ever since. Thank you for all that you do.
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