[215 intakes this year]
This edition might better be called "Eagle surgery II - the sequel!" But we'll get to that, along with a couple of short updates along the way... We're planning a big weekend spring cleaning extravaganza this Friday and Saturday and preparations are in full swing - gotta get ready for Baby Bird Season!! In the meantime, work in every area goes on...
The California Condor being treated for lead poisoning is now in one of our 60ft. flight enclosures. She is improving slowly and she is eating a little better so she is being given a more normal diet of larger and larger pieces of carcasses including a calf donated by a local ranch. Her wingspan is almost the same as the width of the enclosure!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The osprey that came in several months ago has shown signs of further problems so several tests were recently run. Aspergillosis is suspected and treatment has begun. After a sample from the bird's throat was taken, a dosage was computed and administered. We hope to see improvement soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our bald eagle patient from up north went through yet another surgery last week as Dr. Orr removed the pin that was holding her wing bone together. The metal rod was threaded and screwed into her bone and this had to be unscrewed while the bird was under general anesthetic. The callus is forming around the healing bone and it feels strong and seems to work when flexed. Hope is rising for this beautiful bird to be replaced into the gene pool! Time will tell...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While she was there, Dr. Orr also examined a raven that came in that afternoon. It had been hanging from some sort of line (probably fishing gear) and it was feared that the leg was severely damaged. With skillful hands, Dr. Orr was able to realign the bone which popped into place without surgery and can hopefully be treated with a simple splint. The bird seemed to appreciate it's helper's efforts by not trying to bite them - too often.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liberty Education volunteers go through an exhaustive training program and must show proficiency on handling the different birds as they become more senior and become PC's (Program Coordinators). Developer of Liberty's rise into the 21st century (via some high-tech software engineering!) and current PC, John Glitsos is rising fast through the ranks and last week began working with one of our peregrine falcons.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bird transport box assembly line.
With more and more people handling more and more birds at more and more education programs, we have a need for more and more equipment to accomplish this. I have been building aluminum boxes for several years now and went into high gear last week, constructing four boxes of various sizes simultaneously. Once the structure is finished, the boxes get powder coated and the perches are installed. Look for them at Wishes for Wildlife in April!
1 comment:
Awwww I love that shot of SLEEPY EAGLE, so cute. Great work, team!! We're still praying for her absolute recovery!
Post a Comment