The intake total for the year is now at 3079.
We were able to place a few birds last week, four going to the Phoenix Zoo. The Education season is beginning, and along with previous volunteers, a class for new educators has also begun. Their training takes several weeks. This all takes place along with the normal rehab process for new arrivals and continuing patients. Plus, we got a nice donation from a generous some benefactors that will help our educational activities...
Four of our non-releasable birds got a new home last week and they didn't have to make a long trip to get there! Two kestrels, a GHO, and a barn owl all were placed at the Phoenix Zoo. The birds posed for pictures before the zoo staff picked them up. A fine long life awaits them as future educators!
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The first meeting of the Education Team was held recently and it coincided with a training class for new Ed volunteers. The turnout for this event is always large and this year was no exception. It's always gratifying to see nearly the entire time-tracker screen filled with names of dedicated volunteers.
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It was confirmed that this big RTH was indeed the victim of a gunshot. She continues to make progress in her recovery and was checked last week to monitor her wound and the wrapping. Now we need to wait to see how well she heals and how her bones tolerate the immobilization from the wrap. If the proper articulation is maintained, her prognosis will be good.
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A little female kestrel was brought in last week with a broken wing. The bruising around the break was very evident as Denise examined the damage. A small wooden splint (fashioned from a piece of tongue depressor) was applied as the wing was wrapped in hopes that the bones will remained aligned and grow back into usable structures.
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Carl Price made another long-distance trip up north last week to rescue what was reported to be a great blue heron. It turned out to be a western grebe. Grebes really need to be in (or above!) the water at all times as they have no means of locomotion on land. If one happens to find itself on solid ground, it can be in big trouble. This little guy was in someone's back yard and needed to be removed and transported to a more hospitable habitat. When he arrived, he was given an opportunity to get in some "swim time" in one of Liberty's sinks, and after passing an assessment exam, he was taken to a local lake and released.
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A glued-in gecko arrives from the same trap.
Denise and Sara work carefully on the little gecko.
He's finally free from the goo.
We got a call from a local animal clinic about a bird found in a glue trap. This is like flypaper only much worse. It seems like a large cricket had gotten stuck on the sticky trap and a small gecko then tried to get to it and have it for lunch. He became stuck in the process. Now enter the cactus wren, looking to eat the gecko. He was the next thing to get stuck. The cricket was a loss, but the gecko and the cactus wren were both still alive and with great care from the gentle hands of Sara and Denise, they were both extricated from their entrapment. Both are now recovering from their ordeal.
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Elliott likes the new enclosure.
As I fabricate new transport boxes from aluminum, I am always searching for new, innovative ways to make them more useful and easy for the volunteers to handle. Since not all birds like the sliding "guillotine" doors, I began to install hinged doors a few years ago. In my attempts to keep anything from intruding into the profile of the boxes that might scratch other boxes or get caught on anything, I have used several types of latching mechanisms, many salvaged from aircraft use. One type seemed perfectly adapted for our use and I asked Naomi if she might contact the manufacturer, Alcoa, to see if they could provide a few for our use. Since they are usually used for aircraft applications, they are quite expensive. Alcoa proved they care and came through by providing 20 of the parts so our birds will have the benefit of quiet, positive latching for their travel boxes. Thanks to Dave Satow and Alcoa Fastening Systems!!
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