This might be a little short this week, as I got finished with a program a lot later tonight than I had planned, and I'm also a little short on photos as I was out sick a couple days, but here we go! We're up to 160 intakes for the year, and lo and behold, the orphan season seems to be upon us. In addition, we might call this "I singe the body electric" (with apologies to Walt Whitman) as a number of electrical injuries are involved...
The little HaHA from Paradise Valley is slowly improving, although his chances of release are miniscule. The good news is he will keep most of his wing and his leg appears better than we had the right to hope. He has a future in some capacity at Liberty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A couple more injured bunnies arrived and as always, Ruth Scott was called and came right over. The great love and compassion she shows for these gentle creatures is awe inspiring, as no matter how badly they are injured, they get loving care and effort to make them whole. She even gave one tiny little baby bunny mouth-to-nose resuscitation in our parking lot in an extraordinary attempt to save it's life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A large female red tailed hawk came in last week with a remarkably beautiful tail. This bird, obviously an adult, has the barring that normally adorns the grayish tails of juveniles. It is otherwise doing very well and hopefully will be released soon to join the battle to deepen the gene pool!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A very pretty ferruginous hawk arrived with evidence of an electrical injury. A large open wound was found in her neck with the tell-tale burn odor and singeing the accompanies such an occurrence. The opening was cleaned and then expertly sutured shut by Jan as Toba and Joanie assisted. Now, observation is in order to see if any more damage was done by the arc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of our previous patients is on the mend, and getting feisty along the way. This is actually a good thing as aggression is desirable in birds that are top-of-the-foodchain predators. However, sometimes the handlers suffer from the applied intensity of even the smallest of falcons, such as this little male kestrel. He will do well upon release!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly, two great horned owls were brought in tonight, both electrocuted simultaneously. This happens more frequently than one would expect, but usually occurs when two birds touch when passing food to each other. Our Research and Conservation investigative unit, headed by Alison, quickly examined the birds and confirmed the cause of death and made inquiries as to where the event occurred in order to possibly mitigate future impact from the same equipment, and also to determine if any eggs or babies might be involved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mamma Hogan settles in for the incubation.
This season's foster season began last week as two freshly laid GHO eggs were brought in. The mother had been frightened off from a construction site and the eggs were rescued and brought to Liberty. They were candled, labeled, and placed with Hogan, our "Ace" foster mom who immediately began to arrange them and two infertile surrogate eggs to her liking, and then gently positioned herself for the incubation task she has assumed. We'll keep you posted on the progress of the first orphans of 2010!
4 comments:
Wow what a nice post!!!! Really its amazing. The photos are very beautiful and how could you do it. The way you are nursing the bird is fantastic.
Hogan Rocks! What a cool mama!!
This is essentially a good thing as violence is popular in birds that are above the food chain predators. Nevertheless, sometimes the trainers suffer from the functional intensity of even the smallest of falcons.
AHH! Such a cute picture of Hogan!! <3
Post a Comment