WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & REHABILITATION~2010 & 2011

gigi · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:33 pm

Fantastic news beans! It is always good news when one that cannot be released finds a forever home in education. I loved the video. Ravens and their cousins the crows are just wonderful and entertaining birds in the wild and captivity.

We just released a fledgling crow, Edgar Allen Crow who for a while would come back and hang out. Haven't seen Edgar in a few weeks so he has probably made his way out in the wild.

Best of luck to your Raven in his educational endeavors. :smile:

gigi · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:36 pm

As of now we have collected almost
$800
to help with S2's recovery.
If you are thinking about making a contribution
S2's donation button will remain active through this Sunday.
:thankyou

SusanE · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:27 pm

I'm so happy for you, beans. I saw a documentary one time about the smartest animals on earth, and the raven came out at #1.

kittenface · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2011 11:59 pm

This is sad for sure
Project Osprey examines popular raptors
MISSOULA, MT - The osprey is one of the most recognizable symbols of Missoula. You can find them above many waterways across Montana. They're also the subject of what's now a six-year study headed up by three researchers, including University of Montana wildlife biology professor Erick Greene.

Researchers take blood and feather samples from osprey chicks to analyze for five heavy metals--arsenic, copper, lead, cadmium and zinc.

"The good news is the levels of those metals in osprey are really low," said Greene. "The bad news is we found high levels of mercury."

There's no word yet exactly what that means for the health of the birds, but there is a carryover effect for humans since we eat the same fish from the same river they do.
Greene: "We use osprey as environmental barometers to tell us about the health of the Clark Fork river and other aquatic systems," said Greene.

Greene often gets help from Missoula businessman Dave Taylor--a long-time helper and fellow osprey lover. Taylor used his bucket truck to give Greene a better eye in the sky. Not only does Dr. Greene monitor the adults and the chicks that live in this nest but he also looks after the nest itself.

"We clean out stuff, especially the twine that kills 5 to 10 percent of chicks," said Greene.

Greene's research showed Mother Nature was especially deadly this past spring because the extended runoff left rivers flowing fast and muddy, and osprey simply couldn't see fish so most chicks starved to death.

"Out of 40 nests in the Missoula area that normally have chicks, there were only three nests that had chicks and this nest is one of them," said Greene.

Even then, just two of four chicks survived. But this family of four is now thriving, as they soar high above the Clark Fork for all to see.

"They are the mascot of the baseball team and thousands enjoy them along the river trail," said Greene.

By the way, the Missoula Osprey baseball team says its mascot --these osprey-- are the only team mascot in the country that live in their natural habitat which is also on the stadium site

beans · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:04 am

And we find mercury in the large, sea-going fish, such as tuna and swordfish.

We humans have not been good stewards of the earth.

beans · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:07 am

Our Raven is going to Cascades Raptor Center tomorrow. The Asst Wildlife Rehab manager is taking him (she has spent the most time with him). Tuesday I spent about three hours with him, off and on. Affection training is very important. He's very relaxed with me and wants to step on my shoulder or hand. I don't allow this because he will be trained to the glove at CRC, and we don't want him to develop any bad habits before he leaves us.

His new toy is a soft rubber ducky. I put it in his large, black water dish on the floor. And now he comes down to the floor to play with it in the water. He also flew a little today. While I'm busy changing the sheets on the bottom of the aviary, he likes to sneak up and grab my pants with his beak.

Here are some pics:

He's moving around a lot, having had his lunch, so it's difficult to get a clear picture of him. If you look closely, you may be able to see his new tail feathers.

beans · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:17 am

Video: Raven Says Goodbye!

Well, I'm packed and ready to go to Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene, Oregon. I'll take my rubber ducky and a few toys. I hear the food is great, and the staff is friendly. I can't be released back into the wild because I don't see very well. I'll have my own outdoor aviary with plenty to do because I'm training to be an education bird.

Corvus corax

------------

Thursday I told him goodbye. We had a great time together. He was calm and happy. While I was there, another member of the "Raven Squad" came in and gave him some mealworms, which he loves. I fed him some blueberries.

He was fascinated with the camera and kept an eye on it. After I turned it off, he ran around the aviary as usual. When it was time to go, he followed me to the door as if to say, "you're not leaving already?" I shall miss him, but I'm so glad he will be at CRC, where he will have a good life, with plenty of enrichment and training.

gigi · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:25 am

"your" raven sounds positively delightful. I hope the CRC sends updates once he settles in.

kittenface · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:38 am

Oh this is wonderful for your raven beans, I have heard & read so many great things about CRC I'm sure he will be very happy at his forever home :hapdance:

beans · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:46 am

Well, I'll certainly be going up there to visit. Louise Shimmel, who started CRC, is excellent. The good news is our Raven has two tail feathers now! Perhaps his next molt will bring more!

kittenface · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:51 am

OMG that was the most exciting thing I have seen in such a long time tears are slipping down my cheeks of pure joy. :ohyes:

Whales are so awesome to watch oh to have a whale cam huh? Thanks Ma for finding this and sharing it with all of us I have to make sure the grkids seei it tomorrow

beans · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:00 pm

From the Lindsay Wildlife Museum Newsletter:

On occasion even wildlife hospital staff is surprised by what comes through the door. They may think they have seen it all but every now and then something surprises them. Before you continue reading, be prepared for squeamish details of two recent cases.

In late July the wildlife hospital received an immature barn owl in serious trouble. It had been attempting to eat a dead ground squirrel when the leg of the squirrel got caught in the bird's lower beak. The rest of the squirrel was hanging out of the owl's mouth. Unfortunately this presented several problems for the owl. It was unable to eat, unable to fly and the dead squirrel attracted flies which laid eggs on both the squirrel and inside the owl's mouth! By the time the owl was found and brought to the wildlife hospital, its mouth was full of maggots. Hospital staff quickly removed the squirrel carcass and the many maggots crawling in the owl's mouth. The owl was given fluids and was placed on an antiparasitic and an antibiotic. It took a couple of weeks for the inside of the owl's mouth to heal but it has since been moved to one of our large outdoor aviaries!

Just as staff thought they had seen it all, then three days after the owl arrived, an immature red-tailed hawk was brought in with the knee of a dead ground squirrel lodged in its throat with the rest of the squirrel hanging out of its mouth. Like in the barn owl's case, flies were attracted to the dead ground squirrel and laid eggs on the squirrel and the hawk. The hawk was completely infested with maggots in its mouth and on its skin around its eyes and beak. Hospital staff removed the squirrel carcass, anesthetized the hawk and flushed many maggots out from underneath the hawk's skin. The hawk also had a large laceration over its throat which was cleaned and sutured. The hawk was given a pain medication, an antiparasitic and an antibiotic. The hawk has now fully recovered and is also in a large outdoor aviary.

gigi · **Posted:** Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:27 pm

2 live birds
2 dead squirrels
and lots of flies
OH MY!!!

So glad both of these guys are doing well beans!
Just about everytime we get a bird with an open wound, we deal with the maggots.
It is just awful how fast those nasty flies lay their eggs. :gaaaaah:

SusanE · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:02 am

Two very nice success stories. :dancegirl:

beans · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:03 pm

Here's another update on our Raven, who was transferred on Saturday to Cascades Raptor Center:

Quote:

Well, he has all staff and most of the volunteers wrapped around his little toes already! He hasn’t gone back down to his carrier since the 2nd day and has found his feeding platform and been eating there (although he gets a lot by hand from us) … he’s following the sound of scratching on the Astroturf and being reinforced. And he’s just LOVING the SUNBATHING!!! It’s just so funny, because he kind of hunkers down, spreads his wings a bit, and turns his head, ruffling the feathers so the rays reach the skin, closes his eyes, gapes the mouth open a bit – not the most intelligent look! Luckily we’ve seen this in lots of corvids, but it’s freaked out some of the volunteers. Anyway – he’s quickly adapted to one horizontal perch across the back and one long one from there to the feeding platform … he does get a little unsure stepping down a few inches from one perch to another, but will do it for a scritch on the Astroturf. The only thing that seems to potentially bother him is cars starting up – which is a bit of a problem, as he’s right next to the upper parking area … but I’m assuming he’ll pretty quickly get desensitized to that. Next we hope to scritch him down to his bath pan and rubber ducky … Louise

I see he has trained a whole new group of volunteers :razz:

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:12 pm

Would love to see a picture of this raven beans. They have personality plus!!

kittenface · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:13 pm

Oh how wonderful that you have got updates already it sure sounds like he has got them all bowing down to him and spoiling him rotten. :ohyes:

He has for sure worked himself innto my heart and he's done it at his forever home it sounds like good news all around :hapdance:

SusanE · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:39 pm

Loved reading the update on the raven, beans. :biggrin:

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:14 pm

This lovely lady is Midge the Pigeon. Midge was brought into rehab as a nestling and we released her about a month ago. Midge has not gotten any farther than the front porch during her month of "freedom" so today we gave her a name and now "Midge" is our official welcoming committee of one. Of course some people who are dropping off birds in need of rehab get a little freaked out when she greets them, but basically she is no problem!!!

obxbarb · **Posted:** Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:10 pm

I just got a pigeon in today Gigi. A beautiful black and white mottled juvie. She cries when I try and handle her though. I think I'll have to release her somewhere other than my backyard. I do still have my cutie bluebirds released in June on my feeder :girlluv:

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WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & REHABILITATION~2010 & 2011

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