Tuesday, March 23, 2010

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Just back from Seattle..............

Yes, I'm finally getting some time to update the blog.

Connie and I just returned from the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association conference in Seattle, Washington. After about the third day, my brain starts to say, 'I'm full, can we go home?' From early morning to the evening, we were in classes, of our choice, listening to lectures, taking notes and so on. I do this almost every year. This was Connie's first year. It makes us better rehabilitators, getting us the most update information and answering our questions with the same. There is usually 500+ rehabilitators at these things from all over the world. They are just wonderful and yes, we pay for this out of our own pockets as well.

Now onto the patient updates.

Aquila, the female golden eagle was finally released. It was a wonderful release that took place in Emery county, Utah, near where she was found. I hope she will find her mate and maybe, just maybe they can get a late start to nest making and egg laying. I've included her release pictures. The release was done by Don Russell, a young man in the army, that just got home from duty in Korea and soon will be leaving for Afghanistan. We appreciate all that he and his family has sacrificed while serving his country.














I finally got the pictures of Horizon's capture, our other female golden eagle. If you'll recall from the last post, my friend Laurie went down the mountain with Connie to capture her and Laurie, like a true photographer, had her camera with her, which I didn't know. So enjoy these pictures as well.



Connie's son Cody has been helping me a little with the blog site, so I'm finally getting things back, somewhat, to the way I'd like them.

I'll be going up to my vet's office tomorrow with Kachina, the red-tail hawk that came in a few months ago from Eagle Mountain, Utah. She is non-releasable and I think we may have found placement for her, but she has developed a problem with one of her legs so our vet needs to do some x-rays. She has been in Moab, Utah with my apprentice Dave while we have been searching for a suitable permanent home for her.



We did get another new eagle in. Not sure if this one is a male or female. I initially thought male as this bird appeared smaller than a female, but now, after a few days, I'm not sure and when we took him/her to the vet's for x-ray's, we all forgot to weigh him/her.
The birds was found near I-70 and Highway 10 in Sevier county, Utah. You know, normally when they are found right off a road, especially with broken bones, you assume hit-by-vehicle as the reason they are down. But this bird has no broken bones and is covered with puncture marks, like bite marks. Now, what would cause an eagle to be down and approachable by another large predator. I guarantee you that an experienced predator KNOWS to stay away from an eagle, even on the ground, so it makes me wonder if the eagle was unconscious for some reason and then was grabbed and came-to during the assault. A lot of this is detective work and at times, can make a difference in how we render treatment, or what kind of treatment we proceed with. At other times, it doesn't make a bit of difference, it's just interesting!
I'll get some pictures of this new bird and post them next time.

Enjoy,
Debbie


The pictures of Horizon's capture are posted above. Since I'm so computer illiterate, they somehow refused to be a part of this post and chose to be posted separately before this post.
Sorry................


Feathered brothers and sisters, you came to us broken and as you bled…….we saw you desperate, dehydrated, desiccated, diseased, distressed, emaciated, famished, frayed, frightened, helpless, hungry, ragged, ravenous, shaken, shocked, shot, sickly, stressed, stunned, tattered, thirsty, traumatized, torn, weary and wounded. Defiantly, you stood us off with your last breath as we tried to tend to you. We saw you come in as cute, naked, fuzzy, cuddly youth, as mischievous, defiant adolescents, as fierce, regal rulers of the sky and as cunning, maimed elders whose time on earth was almost done. You endeared yourselves to us, bit us, charmed us, footed us, delighted us, hissed at us, talked to us, mantled at us, and graced us with your presence.

Some of you mended and were able to go on your way, never looking back. Some of you were injured in ways that prevented you from going, so you stayed with us to teach us…….And we came to love you. Others were too far gone, and you went home - where you fly free from pain with the Great One. All of you have touched us, and we are changed because of you.

used with permission by Arlene Powers


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