Golden Eagle 17-615 Update
After the second course of chelation, the eagle’s blood level dropped from 25.1 micrograms/deciliter to 8.0 micrograms/dl, and he was moved outside to a flight pen after spending three weeks in a hospital cage being treated. He took one day to get his bearings, and then was able to fly to a high perch. He is looking like a releasable bird!
Common Poorwill 17-603 Update
The Poorwill was admitted a month ago. Its humerus fracture has healed, its weight has nearly doubled (to 55 grams from 28 grams), and it now eagerly accepts mealworms from the forceps. It can fly, but not well enough to be released. Now that meal times aren’t such a stressful experience, we can focus on physical therapy to improve flight.
Swainson’s Hawk 17-494 Update
A fledgling Swainson’s Hawk was admitted on August 17 after most of the primary and secondary feathers on his left wing were pulled out as a result of his encounter with a corn harvesting machine. The feathers are growing back, but many are malformed. One secondary feather has grown in backwards. It appears that the feather follicles have been damaged. Sometimes they are able to repair themselves after multiple molts. Hopefully the feathers will look better in the spring when his friends and family return from their wintering grounds in Argentina.
The New Small Flight Pen Has Been A Busy Place
The new flight pen that Ken and Kirsti constructed has housed two Northern Saw-whet Owls and five American Kestrels prior to their releases. We have test flown a Silver-haired Bat prior to her release and test flown the Common Poorwill. It now houses a Merlin whose flight has improved significantly during the week he has been in the pen.
Stellar’s Jay 17-640
Intakes remain down, but not slow enough that we are bored. This week brought three Cooper’s Hawks, a Prairie Falcon and two Great Horned Owls. Sunday was pretty quiet until Wenix Red Elk brought a Stellar’s Jay that she had found along the road on her way to Warm Springs. It’s lower beak was fractured on both sides. Since surgery was not an option, we tried superglue to stabilize the beak. Time will tell if we are to be successful.
Thank You Volunteers And Welcome Nadiya
As always, we are so fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers. We had help this week from Mark, Shelly, Vanessa, Krista, Valerie, Nolan and Janice, Laurel, Ken and Janie and Jonathan.
Welcome to new volunteer Paul Carlyle. Paul works for the West Richland Fire District and lives in Pendleton. He delivered three birds to Pendleton this past week!
We also welcomed new intern Nadiya from Rochester, NY. She will be here until Christmas. Toni Holmberg kept Nadiya company in the intern trailer for a few days. Toni is a middle school teacher on sabbatical from her Portland teaching job. She wanted to find out more about Blue Mountain Wildlife so came to Pendleton to volunteer at the center. Thank You everyone!
