It's Still Hot!!!
The last of the nestling hawks admitted the end of June during the unprecedented heat wave have been released. Of the 136 nestling hawks admitted, 82 Cooper’s Hawks and 21 Swainson’s Hawks were successfully released. The Cooper’s Hawks were released from BMW’s Tri-Cities center. The Swainson’s Hawks were released from the Pendleton center. It’s still hot (100 degrees at this writing)! In the photo below, five Swainson’s Hawks are keeping cool in or near a sprinkler that is on a platform between two flight pens. The gray sky is the result of multiple forest fires burning throughout the Pacific Northwest (and beyond).
Black-headed Grosbeak 21-649
I believe this is a new species for BMW. The Grosbeak was found on a patio in Richland, WA unable to fly. It has a shoulder injury. The cause of the injury is unknown, but a collision with a sliding glass door or a window is likely. Hopefully, immobilizing the wing for a week or so will give the shoulder time to heal. Below is a photo of the underside of the bird’s wings - such a beautiful brilliant yellow!
American Crow 21-651
Also found in Richland was a young crow. It was not casually obvious why the Crow could not fly, but it was quite apparent it could not extend its toes normally. The Crow is now wearing a pair of leather sandals, (Crow Birkenstocks!) to remind its toes what direction they are supposed to point.
Deer Mouse 21-641
As many of you know, we rarely admit mammals at BMW. This past week was an exception. A tiny baby Deer Mouse was found near Echo, OR and brought to the center. The mouse weighed 4 grams (there are 28 grams in one ounce) and had no fur. Four days later it is looking like a mouse. Some might think it strange that a wildlife center where most of the patients are raptors would consider rehabilitating a mouse. Consider the bigger picture. Whether a predator or prey species, all are potentially prey for someone… and we love a challenge here at BMW.
