I sure love this time of year..........

Don't you just love Fall?  The colors are spectacular, animals are on the move and preparing for winter.  The coolness in the air feels wonderful.  It's my favorite time of year.  There is also a sense of urgency in the air with all the changes happening.  So too, our animals in rehab feel that as well.  It's difficult to watch those that cannot go with their urges, natures call to move.  We move those that we can, but some, will have to spend the winter with us.  This is the way it is for all rehabbers working with migratory species.  We do what's right for the patient, regardless.  At least that's what a good rehabber does.

We have been able to release a few of our patients;  a Swainsons hawk  that became orphaned after a wildfire.  She hung out here, with other Swainsons' hawks until she was ready and proved to be a proficient killer.  We also released an American Kestrel that had a head injury and trauma to a wing.  We took him back to Moab, Utah and let him go. 

Male American Kestrel from Moab, Utah
 

Our Short-eared owl and Saw-whet owl were also successfully released. 

Saw-Whet owl release at Jeremy Ranch, Utah
 

We have a Swainsons hawk that had a broken leg and his cast has now been removed and he is doing quite well.  I have a volunteer checking a spot that is a staging area for other Swainson hawks to see if another group has come through and is resting there for a few days.  If so, I may drive him down there so he can migrate with the group.

Male Swainsons hawk with only one eye.

 

 I've determined our Swainsons hawk that came in missing an eye, cannot go back to the wild as he occassionally misses his perches.  This wouldn't be good for survival out there.  It's hard enough and when you've got a problem like that, well, it just isn't good.

We are anticipating release of one of our Golden eagles,
 Mesa.  He has now been banded with a Federal band and is currently kill-testing.  So far, so good.  He's very strong and tenacious.  Just what I like to see in an eagle.  We are still working on a transfer for Cisco, another of our Golden eagles that surgery couldn't help.  The surgery was done, but calcification around the injury prevents the elbow joint from moving properly, now grounding him.  He will be going to live in Oklahoma with the Iowa Nation.  Check out their wonderful website.  http://www.iowanation.org/

They have several of our non-releasable eagles, both Goldens and Balds. 

We had another little Saw-whet owl come in, but that little angel did not survive.  He had a traumatic brain injury and died as a result.  These little angels are so delicate, yet hardy at the same time.  There is hardly anything to them, weighing less than 100 grams.  Our little male weighed just 60 grams, females weighing more of course.









We also had another Ferruginous hawk come in from the same area our other Ferruginous came from, around the Four-corners area of Utah.  The second one had secondary lead poisoning.  My God, why can't people get with the program.  These deaths are totally preventable.  These hayseeds around here continue to use lead based ammunition.  They go out shooting animals, just to kill something and then, they leave their poor bodies, now filled with lead, just laying there, not attempting to bury them at all, so any predator that comes by, now has an easy meal, that will most certainly kill them.  It takes anywhere from a couple of days to a few days, depending on the species eating the remains and how much they have eaten.  It's one of the most horrific deaths you can imaging.  There are many different types of ammunition that they could use that won't cause this, since they feel they MUST kill things, but they don't buy this alternative since it's a few pennies more.  It's disgusting. It doesn't matter the repercussions, because for these idiots, there are none.  We rehabilitators are the ones who deal with the aftermath and see the pain and suffering and death.  This Ferruginous did not survive.  We started the treatment immediately, even before blood was pulled to run a lead level, but it was not enough to save him.  The damage was too extensive.  He fought a good fight but in the end, the lead won.  This species is listed as a species of concern in Utah, so you would think  our wildlife agency would have an interest in these cases, but, not really.  It's not something you can hunt in Utah and therefore, not sell a permit for killing it, so it's not really a concern.  Sad, but true.

Debbie
 

Busy Time of Year and the weather is pushing us along

Fall is certainly upon us.  It's early, like everything this year.  Rehab has been very effected by this from double and triple clutches of birds and strange storms and many, many fires this year.  Utah already has had it's first snow of the year and the winds are giving us grief.  The pics below are of a release of two American Kestrels and two Barn owls.  My grandson Joshua was finally able to release his first 'big' bird.

We have been able to release a few of our patients with a particular focus

on getting out one of our Swainsons' hawks in time for their migration.


  Thankfully, one of my volunteers found a staging area and she was welcomed into the group.  We still have two more Swainsons, but I don't know if/when they will be released.  One has a missing eye, well, there is something there, but he is non-visual and the other came in with a broken right leg.   The pic says RTHA, but he is a Swainsons.   He will get his cast off in about a week or so.  Those two may be wintering over with us.






We are trying to get our Saw-Whet owl in the mood to kill, but for now, she's content with 'Club Debbie' and the in-room-services we provide.














We have a Golden Eagle, Mesa, that is ready to kill-test and hopefully will soon be ready to be released.









 

We also released a Sharp-Shinned hawk that came in injured and emaciated.  Once the fracture healed, we determined that this bird could fly well enough to be set-free, so we taught her that mice are also a good food source and she learned that well and quickly.  Sharpies generally are bird eaters, so the added food source and ability to kill it will most certainly increase her chances in the wild.  We hope she does well.









We are kill-testing our Short-eared owl as well.  Apparently she is not as thrilled at this prospect as our little Sharpie was.  Oh well, time will tell. 


We took in another Kestrel, this one from Moab, Utah after being struck by a man riding a dirt bike there.  He's doing well and should be released soon.  He came in with a concussion and a slight wing droop in his left wing, although I can't find a fracture anywhere in that wing.  Hoping it may be a tissue injury.

Enjoy the pic's.  Remember everyone that every donation made up until the 1st of  November will be doubled when going to our veterinarian in Utah county, Dr. Jay Ipsen.  Donations during this time will be particularly beneficial since they will be doubled and the bill we still have for the year 2011 is quite large and will be applied to it.  Thank God he's a patient man.  I can't imagine not being able to provide the necessary medical care that Dr. Ipsen provides, such as complex surgeries and x-rays for our patients.  These things take money and while we rehabilitators work for free, taking no money at all, our vets are providing these services and a great deal is donated, but not all so these bills pile up without donations to cover them.  Please go to our PayPal button and help the wildlife if you can.
Thanks,


Debbie

Very busy for this time of year....................

This post is going to be about our little Night Hawk.  We get several of these little guys in each year, most are hit by vehicles at dusk and night while they are chasing insects that are attracted to the headlights from our cars.  These little predators are amazing creatures.  They nest on the ground, so they have what is referred to as 'cryptic plumage'.  They blend very well.  They hunt in groups of other Night Hawks and bats as they are after the same food source.  If you have ever gone to a business at night that has a large parking lot with those hideously bright lights, no doubt you've seen these guys and their cousins hunting.  You may have thought they were bats, but these are larger than are most common bats and the wings are totally different.  The Night Hawks, members of the Night Jar family which includes Poor Will's and Whippoorwill's, have a white band on each wing that can be seen in flight.  They are very fast and agile, so when they get injured, it's usually not a good outcome as their little bones are too small for most surgical attempts and they would never withstand being anesthetized and would die in the process, so it's rare to have a good outcome with these angels.
We currently have one here in our care, that we are hoping will be released.  I'm including a video during a feeding to show you their amazing mouths.  These little ones hunt by opening their huge mouths and flying through a group of insects and then just swallowing what they caught.  Similar to baline whales and how they hunt.  So a bit of education and a video.  Learn more about Night Jar's and how they live.  You are sure to be surprised!

http://youtu.be/g8L_85VRjKM

                                                       Enjoy!  Debbie
 

Lot's of pic's in this post.............

Finally have a moment to update a few things................ Our last two Kestrels are now together in a small flight.  I'm having trouble finding smaller mice to kill test them, but it will happen here soon. 

Fall migration has already started, so our Swainsons hawk needs to get kill tested quickly since she will need to leave the area and head to Argentina, where Swainsons hawks head for the winter.
She came in from an area in Utah where wildfires were burning and most likely had been separated from her parents during this critical time.  She is strong and well-fleshed at this point, so it's time for 'mouse school'.

This has been a very busy year. 


A lot of complex cases.  It's been hot and everything is running about 6 weeks early all around the country as far as weather and wild animals natural behavior.  Courtships and nesting and so on.  That makes for several clutches for many species of birds and mammals, (litters).  It looks like our area is also going to be in line for a wetter than average winter......

All of our Great Horned owls are out in our flight, strengthening their flight muscles and building endurance.  They have also been learning to kill.  There are 6 owls that will be leaving us soon.   I've included pic's of them in the flight.

 
                                                                                             Cuties, aren't they?                                                           




 We had 3 Barn owl orphans this year and they have already been released.  We took them to an area in Carbon county called Hiawatha and released them there.

Goodbye my angels...............................




We still have one other Barn owl that came in from Salt Lake County after being caught up in fishing line and stuck upside down in a tree.  There is damage from that injury but we were able to restore blood supply to that area with cold laser therapy.  She had treatments every other day for 2 weeks. Then, she started chewing on the area.......frustrating.  So we have circulation in that area, but now we are having to wrap that area so she will leave it alone while healing from the chewing.  Two steps forward and one step back!

We were lucky to have a local chiropractic office donate their time and services to this Barn owl and a Great Horned owl that came in after getting caught on a barbed wire fence near the Colorado/Utah border. 
Instead of cutting the barbed wire to get the owl off, the land owner cut the owl off the fence instead.  Initially, we were concerned over how much tissue was missing.  It was pretty nasty, but no vital tendons or muscles were involved.  The outer skin and feathers were gone however.  We used the cold laser therapy with this owl as well to help the tissue heal.

Amazingly, with continuous bandage changes and natural treatments, they wing has healed!  We are hoping that the vital feathers that were affected by the continues bandage wrappings will grow out unaffected.  Time will only tell.  We are calling that Great Horned owl, Honey and she is also a first year bird. I'm including a series of pic's of Honeys wing during her treatments. 














There is, of course, more, but it will take time loading all the pic's I'd like to include, so that's all I'm going to post for now.  Thanks for checking in with us.  Remember, we also have a Facebook page that I update frequently.  Just go to Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation and it will come up.

Thanks,
Debbie