Total animals so far this year: 679
Lots of activity last week, with 3 fledgling bald eagles arriving, lots more baby birds, new volunteers, and all this with the normal adult injury intakes as well. I added a couple shots from Wishes for Wildlife 2010, and word of farewell to a little friend we'll all miss...
We also wish to thank Mike of Mike's Falconry for donating a super pair of handling gloves to Liberty! It's nice that people think enough of what we do to help!
Wishes for Wildlife, our annual fundraising dinner event, was held a couple of weeks ago, but I just got the pictures from SRP. The totals are not yet in, but everyone had a wonderful time, in a wonderful setting, on a wonderful evening, and all for a wonderful cause!
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A swarm of Africanized wild bees took up temporary residence in one of the trees in our parking lot last week, settling in just over the area where some of our education birds are fed and socialized. Since it is believed all wild bee colonies in Arizona are now of the dangerously aggressive africanized type, a professional was called in who took care of the situation in an environmentally friendly manner.
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Baby bird season is now in full swing and the new Orphan Care volunteers are jumping in with both feet. All get some great training from seasoned veterans, and it looks like it will be another banner year for orphaned birds in the Phoenix area.
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Sedona and Igor are making us proud and nicely taking over for Hamlet and Ophelia who left us after last season. At last count, they had 14 foster children who are all doing well and will certainly be released in the coming months.
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Recently a great egret arrived with a wing injury. Despite his blue wrap, he is sporting the gorgeous yet delicate wispy feathers of the breeding plumage displayed by an adult male. Not rare, but certainly infrequently seen in this area, he is a truly magnificent bird. We hope he can be returned to the wild as soon as possible.
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Every spring, our Research and Conservation team helps to relocate several nests that have been constructed in dangerous locations on or near electrical equipment. Sometimes, if either the parents don't return or the nest is destroyed, Liberty has to salvage it's contents, that being eggs or baby ravens - or both! The little ones are fed by our volunteers until they are old enough to fend for themselves and can be placed outside with adults of that species.
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Along with the great influx of baby birds, we also still get in adults who have encountered problems along life's rough road. Each Tuesday afternoon is "Vet Night" (it used to be done at night...!) and Jan, Dr. Wyman, and Dr. Orr are assisted by the volunteer Medical Service volunteers who check on each and every animal who is in the ICU that week. Some birds are here for a long time, possibly even in preparation for joining our staff permanently as education animals or foster parents. Others, like the little barn owl, only stay for a day or two and are quickly released to go about the business for which they were designed.
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Big sis is in the middle.
Last Tuesday evening, a fledgling bald eagle was brought in by Az Game & Fish. On Wednesday afternoon, her two siblings also arrived at Liberty. The mother of the three had disappeared about a week earlier and the father was trying to complete the rearing task. He was getting help in the form of supplemental food from AZG&F and since they were all within days of fledging, it was thought he would be successful. Then he too vanished over night. A rogue eagle had pulled the first youngster (the female) from the nest on that Tuesday and was threatening the other two on Wednesday. The decision was made to step in and bring the birds to Liberty for maintenance until suitable foster accommodations could be arranged. After a quick check up, they all were pronounced healthy and for the weekend, Liberty had 9 eagles on property! (More on this story next week.)
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Maverick
We lost a good friend today. Maverick came to us as an adult peregrine falcon a few years ago. He had some wing and body trauma but was very well behaved and when the injury turned out to include nerve damage which ended his career as a hunter, he joined our education team and was an instant favorite. He died peacefully in his enclosure this morning and although we don't know exactly how old he was or what caused his departure, it was apparent he had places to go where we cannot follow. Peregrine, after all, means "Wanderer." Fly fast and free, Mav. Do some of that falcon stuff...
4 comments:
Fly free and strong, Mav -- you will be greatly missed.
So sad, but he is in a better place. Free of pain and free to spread his wings to fly. His spirit will always be with us.
I'm very sorry to hear that Maverick has passed on. He was a great bird and we will miss him!
Awww so sad about Maverick! Those bald eagles were great though, so neat to see them!
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