Ironside Bird Rescue, Inc.

Saying Goodbye

2012-01-27T10:51:00.009-07:00

This is a very sad day for me. I just received a phone call from the Beartooth Nature Center in Red Lodge telling me that my very old friend, BUSTER, was found dead this morning. I got him as a six month old baby with a broken wing. Altho it was repaired he was never able to fly so became one of my first school birds. He died at the age of 21.

After I gave up my possession permit I asked Ruth at the BNC to take him and she agreed to do so. That was back in 2005 and he was joined by PARKER shortly afterwards. They became devoted to each other and altho they produced many eggs, none of them were fertile. I'm sure she's having a hard time trying to figure out just where her loyal mate has gone. We will mourn him for a long time.

The above photos show BUSTER as a very young bird on my fist. Second is at the annual BBHC Indian Powwow showing this wonderful bird to the kids gathered around. The third is just a week before he left for his new home in Red Lodge. And last is a painting done of him by famous artist, Scott Weir, in 1999 after he visited here for material to use in his work. This is as BUSTER should have looked, both wings working and scanning the horizon. I know that he's exactly that now, his body whole, flying in the clouds, vibrant and enjoying his new freedom.

Another golden moment

2012-01-25T14:35:00.006-07:00

I got another call yesterday about a downed Golden Eagle on the Belfry Hiway near the Chief Joseph turnoff. The brother of a friend was traveling to Cody for a visit when he spotted the bird. He called his brother Jerry who called me. Before I could get out the door he called back to say that a State Trooper stopped to see if he was having car trouble and volunteered to stand guard until I got there. Unfortunately I didn't learn her name but she was great.

Because of the symptoms, JOSEPHINE may be in either an acute stage of lead poisoning or an advanced case. She is unable to stand or open her feet. That is a classic sign of lead in the birds system. I immediately took her to Dr. Blessing for a blood draw so it could be sent to the state lab for a diagnosis. I won't know the outcome of the test until tomorrow but it is imperative she start on Calcium EDTA at once to counteract the lead. That means she receives six shots a day, three in the morning and three 12 hours later. And because she can't tear her food as she can't stand on it, I am cutting it up for her and feeding her.

She has a super attitude and because of her age, an adult, she will hopefully recover in time to rejoin her mate, if she has one, for this upcoming breeding season. They mate for life and at this time of the year they are courting before preparing their nest for egg laying.

NOTE: The results of her blood test are in and are alarming. Normal lead level is .05ppm. Her level is 1.59ppm. She appears to be improving and trying to stand. She's also feeding herself from a bowl I put down with the cut up food in it.

First of the year

2012-01-19T19:32:00.004-07:00

I got a call yesterday from a lady who was following a truck and stock trailer when they passed a dead deer on the side of the road. As the trailer came abreast of the body a golden eagle lifted off and unfortunately couldn't get high enough to miss hitting the side of the trailer. She hit the trailer, it didn't hit her. Luckily Terry, who was driving a big rig for a Powell trucking company, called me. When she said the bird had slowly walked off the road I asked her to see if it could fly by walking towards it. This amazing lady "turned her rig around" and did just that.

The bird couldn't fly but Terry was fully loaded and had to get to Powell so I called Benje Brown in Thermopolis, the nearest WGF warden to where the accident happened. Benje agreed to try and find the bird and he did. I met him at the gas station in Meeteetse and brought the eagle back here.

I'll name her JANUS, which I was told is the word that the month of January is named after. There are no broken bones but she's a bit frazzled. She had a full crop from eating on the deer and during the night tossed part of that meal up. As it was -6 this morning I moved her into the cage room. Then by noon it was up to 45 so she went back to the 8'x 8' outside pen. She wasn't standing much when I got her but she's fine now altho still hadn't gotten up on a perch when the sun went down. As she is in good weight I won't offer her any food until tomorrow.

They're off !

2012-01-17T17:42:00.007-07:00

Last Friday night was one for the dogs. The corgis and jack russells that is. The 2nd annual races were held at the Cody Cattle Company building and were a delight to see and participate in. I was a handler of JADA, the little dog in the pink number cloth. Her brother, BUSTER is in the lead, TARZAN is #2, BENNY is #5 and OSCAR is bringing up the rear. JADA went on to win three races that night but not the calcutta, BENNY came in first in that huge race. Not large in numbers of dogs but in money for the winning dog. JADA actually had the most backing but didn't make it four in a row. Oh well, there's always next year.

Be sure to remember to mark your calendars for about this time in 2013 so you can have fun, eat food, participate in a silent auction and support the Park County Animal Shelter.

She's flown away

2012-01-17T06:44:00.009-07:00

Last Thursday PRISCILLA was released in an amazing area just east of Lovell with Susan and Rick along to video the event. The video is on YouTube and in the video section of this blog. Unfortunately my camera said NO when I tried to take some still photos of her flying off. Susan was able to isolate this photo from the video so we have a photo to add to this post.

I haven't received the final report on her mercury poisoning levels but it is obvious that she somehow overcame that terrible condition and was able to be released after being found unable to fly on Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to everyone for their help in making that happen.

Ahhhhhh, a dogs life

2012-01-15T10:28:00.003-07:00

What could be better, a warm place in the sun, a Kong toy nearby and a full tummy. MADDIE found her perfect place one bright day and took advantage of it.

Unusual visitor

2012-01-15T10:26:00.002-07:00

As I was heading out to start cleaning my rodents I happened to spot this visitor sitting on the top of the closest power pole to my house. This is a Prairie Falcon just scouting out what's for lunch. As I have loads of sparrows around, and they love them, this falcon may just catch one.

Intruder ! ! ! !

2012-01-12T15:05:00.010-07:00

All right, what's wrong with this picture? Can't see the interloper? Look in the far right corner next to the fence post. That is NOT a chicken....that is an adult Cooper's Hawk. Thanks goodness this 20 ounce bird was either not tough enough to take down one of my eight pound "ladies" or I arrived in time to stop the killing. I got my long handled net and tried to catch it but the fence wire is far enough apart to allow him to squeeze through when I got too close.

Hopefully this beautiful bird will spend its time chasing and catching the bazillion sparrows I have stealing my chicken feed. Perhaps that's how he got into the pen, followed one of the sparrows when it headed inside for lunch.

New magazine

2012-01-11T21:08:00.011-07:00

A wonderful friend, licensed falconer and subpermitee, Stacey Huston, has started up a new magazine and I'm sure you will all love it. Here is how Stacey describes this exciting publication...

"The magazine is a wildlife photography magazine about our passions, family, nature and our place in it. This is a first "trial issue" of A "Focus" in the Wild to see what kind of response I get from the public. If it is well received I would like to publish a quarterly magazine, one to highlight each of our magnificent and ever changing seasons. Each issue will feature a person, group, or organization (note that IBR is in featured in this premier issue) that not only loves nature and what it has to offer but also gives back in one way or another. Also, this world is full of talented people and the Spotlight section is dedicated to them be it another wildlife or nature photographer, writer, or artist. A " Focus" in the Wild is about sharing and doing our part to insure that the beautiful natural world we live in is there to nurture future generations. I published a magazine not only because it is affordable but because I wanted it to be accessible to children so people of all ages would feel comfortable looking through it, reading the stories and wrinkling the pages without guilt".

Cost is $5.99 plus shipping and handling from her website (see links section of this blog) (paypal link in right column on her site). Anyone interested in purchasing limited and selective advertising space for future issues can contact her at afocusinthewild@gmail.com

Above photo is the cover of this first of hopefully many exciting issues to come.

A new home

2012-01-11T14:19:00.009-07:00

Today I sent REDDI off to a new home. He's actually in the air as I type heading for The Living Desert in Palm Desert, CA (www.livingdesert.org), an awesome facility that is the home of many species of mammals, herps and birds. I've even seen them highlighted on PBS nature programs including one segment of Jarod Miller's Exploration just last Saturday.

This beautiful young bird came to IBR as a partially downy baby just recently fledged. Unfortunately he wasn't very good at steering or landing so ended up with a broken left wing. It was surgically repaired and healed but he was unable to fully extend that wing enough for flying more than short distances.

He is an amazing bird and will make a brilliant educational bird on a fist so they will be using him for their outreach school programs. With a life span, in captivity, of a few decades, he will be impressing audiences for a long time.

Giant step for PRISCILLA

2012-01-04T16:39:00.004-07:00

As noted in an earlier post, the baby bald eagle, PRISCILLA, came to me on Thanksgiving Day suffering from severe mercury poisoning. She was unable to fly, wouldn't eat, was extremely aggressive and had a swollen right foot.

Since that time she's made steady progress altho her mercury levels have not gone down at all. I put her in a larger mew a couple weeks ago. For the first week or so I had to cut up her food into small pieces and line them up on top of the perch she was finally able to fly to. Then last week she started eating on her own, whole trout and parts of rabbits and rats.

This morning I put her into my eagle flight barn to see just how strong she has become. She surprised me by flying the entire 80' length and back again. These two photos show her on the tower, a bit higher than I can reach, and on the highest wall perch at the 20' high opposite end of the barn.

She will have her blood drawn one more time next week and then no matter what the test shows I'll take her to a great habitat and release her. As she came in here weighing 10 pounds, a super weight for a baby only 8 months old, she obvioulsy knows how to find and catch food. No training will be needed.

Amazing !

2011-12-29T13:57:00.005-07:00

Here's a first for IBR. As many of you know, I raise cavys as a food source but most of them are sold as pets. I had one that has been pregnant for what seems like forever so I finally took her in and had her x-rayed to see if she was really carrying babies or it was some medical problem that made her so huge.

As you can see in the top photo, if you look carefully, she had lots of tiny skeletons showing and Dr. Blessing assured me that they were alive. Lo and behold about four days later she popped out five babies. One was stillborn but the others are thriving and she's being a super mom.

Updates

2011-12-25T13:21:00.006-07:00

Good and bad news. The bad is that FROSTY had been unable to stand for more than a short time, he couldn't keep down any solid food and was having difficulties breathing. Apparently the damage to him was also internal and resulted in all these problems. He died just a short time ago.

The good is that PRISCILLA has made great strides. Even tho her mercury levels are the highest they've seen at the state lab, she is eating and flying to the corner window perch. With her counts, the vets at the lab said she should be either in a coma or dead. Guess that horrible disposition has seen her through the hard times. I no longer have to cut up her fish and rats, she's doing all the ripping and tearing on her own. I think she's also improving on the temperament side too. At least all she now does is chatter at me when I arrive with her meals and not dash away to the other side of the mew.

As soon as I feel she'll be able to find food in a larger area she'll be put into the eagle flight barn to see just how her wings are doing now.

Holly repeat

2011-12-23T13:54:00.005-07:00

Here's the photo of HOLLY after her surgery. I took it this morning as she wasn't standing by the time I got her home from the vet and put to bed in the warm rodent house. Then this morning when I moved her to the cage room she wasn't using her right foot at all..... What else..... I physically opened her toes, placed her foot flat on the carpet and put a half quail in front of her. Apparently she decided it was worth making her foot work so she could eat. As you can see in this picture, she's standing on both feet and half of her quail is gone.

The surgery went well and Dr. Pedersen did a super job pinning both the radius and ulna of her left wing. Now all she has to do is get better.

Another Christmas bird

2011-12-22T17:51:00.006-07:00

Today I met G&F biologist Bart Kroger just south of Meeteetse to transfer an immature female Richardson's Merlin to me. She'd been found in the middle of Thermopolis with a broken wing, most assuredly after being hit by a car. She weighs 7.33 ounces, not fat but in pretty good shape so the surgery was done to repair the fractures this afternoon. At this point she's awake but not standing so I put her in the warm rodent room for the night. I'll post a photo of her tomorrow after she's standing and I can get a good picture. Oh yes, her name is (what else) HOLLY.

He's come to life!

2011-12-21T08:57:00.006-07:00

At least this FROSTY has. This four year old male golden eagle was hit by a car down in Rawlins, WY. Not only was he struck by the vehicle, he was repeatedly run over afterwards. Thank goodness he was between the tires and didn't have the tires going over his body. Amazingly he doesn't have any broken bones. The bad thing is that he can't stand for more than a couple seconds. He has improved since he arrived last night so I have high hopes he will make a full recovery.

In this photo he's propped up against a rolled carpet to put his body in a more natural position.

I also want to thank two very special people. Travis and Ann work for the USFWS, he in Rawlins and she here in Cody. Travis drove the bird to Shoshoni where Ann met him for the transfer and subsequent drive to deliver him to me. Rawlins is a many hour drive from here and at this time of year it's iffy at best. Luckily the snow didn't fall until late evening so all got home okay.

Frost has hit again

2011-12-20T08:36:00.004-07:00

This morning we had some fog so when the sun came out the hoar frost covered everything. This is my huge Siberian elm and it's a picture postcard for winter. I just had to post a photo of it. It's only nine degrees outside right now but the sun is out, the sky is blue and all's right with my world so far today.

Wink! Wink!

2011-12-19T18:28:00.005-07:00

Actually, she's not winking but she can't seem to open this eye. Thanks to some caring people, she was rescued from the side of the road near Deaver after probably being hit by a car. GRETCHEN doesn't seem to have any other injuries but at this point I'm almost afraid she's totally blind. She has an appointment with Dr. Blessing tomorrow to see just what's wrong.

I believe she's also a baby of this year so she'd be about 8-9 months old. I certainly hope this absolutely beautiful young bird will be all right and able to fly away soon.

NOTE: 12/20 - It was bad news for this baby owl. Her right eye was destroyed by the vehicle and her left eye had a detatched retina which cannot be repaired. Because her quality of life would not be good she was put to sleep. Thanks to Maggie she did not starve to death alongside a road, she died with dignity and the respect of the humans who took care of her.

Winter fairyland !

2011-12-13T10:13:00.002-07:00

When I was driving up to my house after taking a bird to the vet I saw a beautiful sight. As the temperature is barely into the teens and we've been having a lot of fog, a hoar frost covered everything. Isn't it just a wonderful sight?

The hairy men of IBR

2011-12-10T11:15:00.007-07:00

These three photos are of the main breeding boars in my cavy group. The top one is STRAUSS, son of ELVIS (seen in earlier memorial post), COCOA, son of STRAUSS and FUZZY, son of who knows as he was bought down in Riverton. The first two of these handsome boys are the fathers of many, many beautiful babies and were also born here. FUZZY hasn't sired any babies yet but his harem is all together and when they're old enough they will also be producing amazing cavys of all hair coats.

Broken baby

2011-12-08T08:56:00.005-07:00

His name is SIMPSON. This baby Prairie Falcon came in this morning with a broken right wing. Bart Kroger, WGF biologist in Worland, found him in his yard unable to fly. He (the bird, not Bart) is also in a very starved condition weighing only 15 ounces. The x-rays taken this afternoon proved that his right wing radius/ulna are fractured but in a place that is very repairable. Because he is so very thin he won't have his surgery until next Wednesday so he can gain needed weight between now and then. He has a super attitude so should do well.

SAD NOTE: Baby SIMPSON made it through the surgery in fine shape but unfortunately died during recovery. He was about standing up when for some reason his body gave up. His spirit is with me, I still see him dancing on his toes when I put his food in the cage. That memory will brighten my thoughts for some time to come.

Diamonds all over

2011-12-06T09:45:00.004-07:00

See them? I have a chicken pen full of diamonds! There are sparkles all over on this latest snowfall. I just love snow and when it comes down this beautiful it's better than ever.

It's a puffball ! ! !

2011-12-06T09:36:00.002-07:00

No wait, it's a rabbit. This is BABY, a minilop that came out with a weird haircoat. She was used as a model at the Buffalo Bill Art Show quick draw by sculptor Pati Stajcar of CO. She was much younger then and not as hairy but still as cute. She isn't old enough to breed yet but when she is I'm sure she'll make a super mom.

Third times a charm?????

2011-12-05T16:24:00.008-07:00

Yes, this is the third eagle I've received since PRISCILLA came in on Thanksgiving day. This is SPARKY, an immature Golden Eagle I believe is a male. He was found walking near the road in the Oregon Basin oil field. They called me but by the time I got there he'd wandered about a half mile from the first sighting. It took a bit of following but I finally caught up with him.

The bad news, and this may be fatal, is the wound on each of his wrists. Because of where he was found there is a strong possibility that he has been electrocuted. And that spells disaster. Because electrocutions kill from within, in a few weeks the tips of both his wings may die and fall off. Of course I'll have my fingers crossed that these may be road rash and he'll fully recover.

Another HBC

2011-12-05T10:18:00.004-07:00

That means "hit by car", or in this case by a truck. This adult female Golden Eagle, JESSIE, was very fortunate two days ago. Certainly not in the fact that she was hit by a truck but because the person stopped and he was being followed by another vehicle belonging to Rick and Terri Johnson. On Thanksgiving day they are the ones who called about a baby bald eagle that couldn't fly. (See post below on PRISCILLA). Because they watched just how I gathered up that bird they were able to rescue this golden and bring her to me.

JESSIE was hit very hard and is suffering from a fractured left humerus, was bleeding from her nostril and left ear and she was unable to stand up for more than a couple seconds. I immediately called the Lifetime Animal Hospital and Dr. Pedersen told me to bring her in for x-rays. She is scheduled for surgery to repair that break this afternoon. And I was pleasantly surprised to find the eagle standing this morning and walking around her cage. She even ate a meal early in the day along with the "medi-mouse" holding her pills.

NOTE: JESSIE came through the surgery with flying colors and was already standing when I got to the hospital to pick her up. She's now in her large inside cage in a heated room.

Hi to an old friend

2011-11-30T15:24:00.004-07:00

Today I deliverd a Rough-legged Hawk and a Saw-whet Owl to the Beartooth Nature Center in Red Lodge, MT. They are permanent residents now and will be used for educational programs or as static birds for visitors to see.

I also stopped by to say hello to a very old friend who came to me originally back in 1991 as a six month old baby. BUSTER was one of my first school birds and when I decided to give up my possession permit I placed him at BNC. He will be 21 years old in a few months and is looking just great. Red-tailed Hawks live about 10-15 years in the wild but usually much longer in captivity. He has a mate, PARKER, who also came from me but is just a young bird, probably only about six or seven years old.

The above photos show Buster when he and I were at our annual Powwow and just today in his mews. He was one of the best school birds and I miss not having him on my fist. He's totally retired now to a life with PARKER.

Updates

2011-11-29T12:54:00.003-07:00

First of all for PRISCILLA, the baby bald eagle. She had a few x-rays this morning which show no lead anywhere in her body which is good. She does have a swollen right foot but x-rays show no damage there either so that may be just a poor landing on her part. We also took blood and have sent it to the state vet lab for testing to see if she does have lead or mercury in her system and to do a CBC and tox screen for anything else. She's now eating much better too.

Okay, on to DAISY, the duck. Her x-rays show a broken bone near her foot which will be put in a splint and hopefully healing will take place so she can be released in a local lake. If attitude means anything she will be back in the wild very soon.

Number three, so far

2011-11-29T12:47:00.003-07:00

Last Saturday I received a call from Dr. Dave Pendray. He and a friend were up pheasant hunting near Lovell when they discovered a Rough-legged Hawk that was unable to fly. At first I couldn't see anything wrong with the bird but his right wing was obviously the weaker of the two. I settled him in and was able to take him to Dr. Pedersen this morning.

We were surprised that his right wing is broken, there is one section of his ulna that is in many small pieces. The good news is that they are all pretty much in the correct position so there will not be a surgical repair of this damage. The only other strange thing is the very small amount of shrapnel in his right wrist.

DAVE is a great eater and with time he will be ready to fly back to his northern home when the roughies migrate this coming March.

Wow!

2011-11-25T13:09:00.006-07:00

I got a call this morning about an injured duck up near Bridger, MT, luckily Sean was willing to drive and meet me near Clark. I left Cody under sort of clear skys and dry pavement, got to the meeting place and chatted for a few minutes before heading back home. Imagine my surprise when I drove into a blizzard with visability to only a few hundred feet. It was, however, my favorite snow, large flakes gently falling to earth. I'm so glad that my 4WD was fixed three days ago as I needed it on the slippery roads.

Back to the duck....I think it's a female Redhead and she has some sort of wound to the joint of her right foot. She can move the leg just fine but the toes don't work right. Naturally it's a holiday weekend so I can't get her into the vet until Monday but this is not life threatening so she'll be fine til then. I suppose the logical name for her is DAISY.

Thanksgiving baby

2011-11-24T13:33:00.005-07:00

I just got back from gathering up what I was told was a golden eagle. By the time I got out the Southfork near Castle Rock it turned into an immature bald eagle. As with all of that species, PRISCILLA has an attitude. She can't fly altho I don't see anything broken. She tries but her left wing isn't up to the task. And of course it's a holiday weekend so for now she's in an 8'x 8' pen until she can get to see Drs. Blessing or Pedersen the beginning of the week. Luckily I also just got in a shipment of whole trout from Albertson's so she won't lack for food.

She's not sure where she is so her pose in the photo is a bit defensive.

Sometimes it works....

2011-11-23T21:18:00.004-07:00

And sometimes it doesn't. My handsome adult male red-tailed hawk, HARVEY, was euthanized today after a gallant fight against the odds. As mentioned in a previous post, he was found after being shot, probably with a shotgun. Some of the pellets were still in his body and his left wing was broken in many places.

Two weeks ago the pin in his ulna was removed and everything looked just fine, the breaks appeared to have healed beautifully. Today we removed the pin in his radius and that's when the new problem was noticed. He had, at some point in the intervening two weeks, rebroken his ulna at a previous site. Because the chances of those bones reattaching was very slim, and he would be hard to place as an educational bird, I made the horribly hard decision to put him to sleep.

He was a wonderful bird and I will miss seeing his alert expression greeting me every morning.

Sad news

2011-11-15T15:32:00.002-07:00

Today I lost my beautiful immature dark phase Red-tailed Hawk, MOLLY BROWN. I have no idea what happened but for the past three days she'd been going downhill, refusing to eat and generally getting weaker. I was surprised as she started out eating everything I gave her and was active. I decided not to send her body in for an autopsy as it won't bring her back. I will remember her bright eyes and wonderful disposition. Sleep well my MOLLY.

Rememberance

2011-11-14T20:30:00.005-07:00

The day is about over for me, the birds are all put to bed and the lights ready to be turned out. I spent many minutes throughout this day remembering my mother as this would have been, actually it is, her 100th birthday. She died in 2003 and I think of her often and miss our phone calls to each other every Sunday evening. Altho small in stature she was a strong lady and one I will always admire. Love you Mother....

Unusual patient

2011-11-11T11:58:00.004-07:00

At this time of year all the cranes and herons have migrated south from our area. With the exception of STILTS. I got a call about him this morning and was shocked to find him in the middle of Juby's trailer court just standing around. Luckily a caring lady called me and even helped round him up. He can't fly but he can run. Thank goodness he went to a small fenced area so I was able to net him.

The most amazing thing is that after being x-rayed it was shown his radius/ulna had been fractured in his right wing about 5-6 weeks ago. Somehow this bird did all the right things and the bones have healed in perfect alignment. The bad news is that he is short of groceries and not strong enough now to fly away.

I've found a wonderful place, Rogers Wildlife in Hutchins, TX, who have supplied the information I needed to feed him and keep him alive long enough to get permission to send him south to a much warmer winter area. Penny gave me a variety of foods that herons eat and altho I don't have the fish I do have all else. I've put out a message to my fishing friends to help, they usually do.

First of the season

2011-11-10T17:20:00.005-07:00

As noted in a few previous posts, Rough-legged Hawks are hatched above the Arctic Circle and then migrate south for the Winter. And because they have no concept of humans or vehicles, they become injured by one or the other after they arrive. This beautiful baby of this year was probably hit by a car just north of Cody. Luckily Teresa saw him and realized that all was not okay. She called me and I easily caught him with a net.

As you can see, his left wing doesn't sit quite right but the x-rays show nothing broken or dislocated. He does have, however, a wound to the back of his wing near his shoulder that may account for the slight droop. He will spend a while in this smaller inside cage until I feel he can go outside to a larger pen so he can exercise his wing. Hopefully all will go well and he'll fly again and make the return migration North next March.

Oh yes, his name is TEDDY because he's just had a rough ride.

New resident

2011-11-07T17:29:00.004-07:00

Today I received a call from Bill Robertson, the Greybull WG&F warden, saying he had a hawk he'd picked up that day after it had been found just standing in an alley in the middle of town. He wasn't sure what it was and when I picked it up I was also not sure of the species.

After looking at books I've about decided it's an immature female dark phase Red-tailed Hawk. She's not starving but thin and quickly scarfed down the three mice I put near her feet on the perch. I can't seen anything wrong with her but perhaps she just gave up because she'd been finding it harder and harder to find food. Sort of a Catch-22 problem; she can't be strong unless she finds food and she can't find food unless she's strong.

She will stay here until she's fattened up and again ready for life in the wild. That may mean wintering over to insure she will be alive and well in the new year.

Oh yes, her name is MOLLY BROWN because this problem will not sink her. And the paper behind her is to make cage cleaning easier as they seem to make it a point to poop in the corners. That stuff is hard to get off that area.

Wonderful

2011-11-03T12:58:00.005-06:00

Shades of the old west. When we found a place to release the baby eagle shown below, I was amazed to find these super cattle standing and watching just what we were doing. I could only see one bull but the steers and cows were awesome.

My baby is gone

2011-11-03T12:49:00.003-06:00

Today the last of my golden eagles flew away. SNOOPY came here back in the middle of July after being found on the ground. She was a couple weeks from flying and somehow fell out of her nest. Altho we searched the area we were never able to locate it so she came here and was put in the flight barn with an adult female, PATCH. (see previous posts on both birds)

Today my friend Susan and I drove back to near Byron and released this amazingly beautiful baby girl. She was reluctant to come out of the crate and her first flight wasn't long but short ones from one rock formation to another. The above photo shows her sitting on a point looking around and getting her bearings. Shortly afterwards she flew off and proved just how strong she's become in the past few months.

Her flight took her up, up and away in a large circle which Susan was able to video. I don't have it yet but when I get the tape I'll include it on the release tape shown above right in the video section of this blog.

My heart is sad

2011-11-02T18:46:00.009-06:00

In the past couple weeks I lost two very dear friends. ROSIE gave me such wonderful rides whenever I went back to Illinois to visit my friends, Jan and Shari, or stopped to see them when on the way somewhere else. I met her when she was just a three year old in 1999. Thanks to the great training by Jan I was treated to a joyful experience on every trailride. She will be missed by everyone.

My second loss was of RASPUTIN.. He was a teenage Jack Russell terrier owned by my friend Susan, and one of only two male dogs allowed on my place. He came here to stay whenever Susan was out of town because his housemates would pick on the "old man" if they were kenneled together. Because of two bad elbows, RAZZLE DAZZLE had muscles in his hind end that allowed him to jump over tall buildings in a single bound but he had to be helped down from steps and furniture. His attitude was amazing and I will miss his spirit.

Size difference

2011-10-29T16:35:00.004-06:00

Just to show everyone the difference in size between male and female golden eagles...here is TROOPER ROCCO, the male, and PATCH, the female. As you can see, the male is much smaller only weighing around nine pounds. The female comes in at 13 pounds. These are the two birds just released and shown in the posts below.

He's back in the air

2011-10-28T20:48:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I drove back to north of Clark and released TROOPER ROCCO. He didn't stay here very long but after proving to me that he could fly strong he was ready to return to where he was found. He made three long flights as we watched and amazingly enough was soon being followed by an adult golden we'd spotted sitting on a hilltop when we stopped the car.

Thanks to Susan Osborne and Sammi Bray for joining in the release. Susan has taken videos of the past three releases and you can see them in one of the videos shown in the upper right of this blog. Just click on the one of me holding an eagle (it's TR) and you can see it unfold. Also included is a redtail release and the start of one for PATCH, the golden shown below. Unfortunately the only thing we got was me holding her just before I released her. Enjoy.

Another good one

2011-10-28T16:23:00.005-06:00

Today I again went out to release a golden eagle, this one is PATCH, an adult female who was hit by a vehicle back in June. I was joined by Susan Osborne (photographer), Gretchen Wood (the lady who originally found the bird), Lynne Bama and Richard Gruber who live nearby and are very into birds.

Not the textbook release I was hoping for, she was caught in the wind and made a very short flight with a bad landing. She started climbing up the steep hill with me in pursuit to make sure she was okay. By the time we both got to the top she was fine and I was winded. She then gave me one more look and flew off to the top of another, farther hill.

The most amazing thing is that after about an hour another adult golden landed near her. They conversed for some time and when he flew off PATCH started to follow but decided not to fly at that time. She finally flew over the hill and landed again. At this time Gretchen, who had been keeping vigil on her to make sure she was okay, followed and moved towards the bird. Again, the look, and PATCH finally took to the air and started soaring above the valley. It was an amazing sight and altho it took a long time for her to leave the area she did it with strength and determination.

You can see just how huge this bird is when you notice she goes from my shoulder to my knees. She came in weighing almost 10 1/2 pounds and left at a bit over 13 pounds. A very big girl.

A different species

2011-10-25T17:55:00.006-06:00

Today I got a call from our local oil field, Oregon Basin, about a couple of ducks they'd found near their gas plant. There were three but one of them fell to the ground, took a couple steps and then died. The other two were just there, not doing anything.

When I got there I easily gathered up the two live birds but they were acting very odd, never even tried to fly away. The dead bird was sent to the state lab for testing to see if it can be determined just what killed the bird.

Since the two survivors have been in the warmth of my cage room they've perked up considerably. We decided, after a lot of checking, that these are either all female Redhead Ducks or young of the year that, if drakes, won't get their colorful plumage until next year.

Now it's wait and see if these two survive and just what killed the third one.

On another note... I talked with the people doing a bird count on the lakes near the airport and they reported seeing an Oldsquaw, now called a Long-tailed Duck, which has only been documented a few times in Wyoming. A wonderful sighting.

First one of the year

2011-10-24T16:24:00.002-06:00

Today, as I drove up to my house from taking HARVEY to vet for another exam, I saw a large raptor soaring around. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was a Rough-legged Hawk, the first one I've seen this season. They usually don't get down here from above the Artic Circle until sometime in November so either this one has very itchy feet or the weather and food supply is very bad up there.

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera along and by the time I drove the short distance to my house it had flown away. I wonder if this means we're going to have a hard winter too?

I love trees

2011-10-20T15:47:00.006-06:00

And today two more were planted here at my place. I went to Northern Gardens and found two beautiful maple trees on sale and decided I just had to have them. They are now planted outside two of the mews and will eventually provide needed shade in the summer. Of course it won't be for a few years but everyone/thing has to start someplace.

SWAN is singing again

2011-10-16T20:21:00.003-06:00

I just got this photo of the beautiful golden eagle, SWAN, the one shown in an earlier post hanging by one leg in a tree. Thanks to Keith Cauley for spotting her, the UT DNR for freeing her and Debbie Pappas of Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation for making her ready for release. Good job everyone.

Saying hello or seeking revenge.......

2011-10-16T15:04:00.004-06:00

A couple days ago I came out to find this mess on my truck hood. It's not in the bed of the truck, just on the hood and windshield. I did clean the glass so I could see out of it but before that it was covered with bird poop.

As mentioned in an earlier post, there are hundreds of starlings soaring around while they gather for whatever trip they're planning on making for the winter. We have lots stay here all year, don't know where these came from or are going.

It's supposed to rain this evening so I'll get out there in my raincoat and clean the truck thanks to Mother Nature.

Wow ! ! ! !

2011-10-15T19:08:00.010-06:00

I just got back from picking up a goose. Not an ordinary goose but a very amazing breed. I was answering a call from some fishermen who had this bird join their float trip and followed them to the pull out near the Corbett bridge. It wouldn't let them touch it but when I came right up to it and sort of "honked" I was able to reach out and gather it up.

This is a very beautiful and very expensive Sebastopol Goose, a breed that was developed in Europe in the middle 1800s. They are not flighted because the feathers are so curly there's no lift when they flap their wings.

I will try to find the owner but if not I guess I'll have a permanent large white bird at IBR.

Well Pooh! The owner turned out to be a neighbor about a mile from me as the crow flys. She'd been out of town when something got into the pasture and apparently scared the geese and they somehow got through the fence. She's still missing three more of these amazing birds. I hope she finds them and not just a pile of feathers.

The Birds ! ! ! !

2011-10-11T14:03:00.003-06:00

You have to be old enough to remember the Hitchcock film, The Birds, but it seems that way at my place these days. The starlings are gathering and appear almost like a school of fish in their weaving around in the air in a large mass. I tried to get a photo of them today but there was just a fraction in this flock. Of course when the large group shows itself my camera will be in he house.

New temporary residents

2011-10-09T16:17:00.018-06:00

Today I met fellow rehabber, Diane Morse of NEW Bird Raptor Rehabilitation in Gillete to trade birds. She's taking my SQUEEK to winter over with her adult and two immature Swainson's Hawks. She gave me ROSY, an adult female Rough-legged Hawk that is fully flighted but blind in her right eye. And ELF, an adult Saw-whet Owl that has a left wing that won't fully extend. As they are both non-relesable Diane made arrangements to place them at a facility for use in educational programs.

They are both here to save Diane from the very long, over six hour, drive to Red Lodge, MT as they are supposed to go live at the Beartooth Nature Center. Because their director suddenly left to work elsewhere it now appears as if he hadn't even started the transfer request. BNC is not contacting the USFWS and the state of MT to find out just what needs to be done so these wonderful birds can go north.

He's okay so far

2011-10-09T16:12:00.006-06:00

He pouted and refused to stand up after the surgery. That was all yesterday evening, all night and part of early this morning but HARVEY is finally standing and eating on his own. He's already had three mice and this yummy looking rat is for supper tonight. I'll include his "after" xray when I get it from Dr. Blessing.

Note: Here's the after xray, it worked a treat.

Time will tell

2011-10-08T18:57:00.005-06:00

Today, for over two and a half hours, Dr. Blessing and Deanna Baker worked to repair the damage to HARVEY's left wing. And at this point it was a success but as the title said, time will tell. The two bones between his wrist and elbow were broken. The largest one (ulna) was in four pieces as you can see in the xray below. The smaller (radius) in two. HARVEY is now sporting two pieces of steel in his wing holding the pieces in alignment. I'll have a new xray of the "after" shot for you to see in a couple days. By the way, there are other pellets showing in his body on the "after" xray.

As with any surgery, there are risks and the first to overcome is making it through the night as that was a long time for such a small bird to be under anesthesia. If all goes well this spunky bird will be staying in a small cage for about six weeks. Then we'll re-xray the wing to see how it's doing and if we can remove the pins.

The Scream?

2011-10-07T17:55:00.009-06:00

Well, not really. This is HARVEY, an adult male Red-tailed Hawk found in Riverton with a broken left wing. The top photo shows him with his mouth wide open but he's not saying a thing, he's threatening me. It's a redtail thing. He was originally seen sitting on a fence but wasn't caught until the next day, yesterday. I drove down to Riverton this morning and brought him back for repair surgery. That will take place tomorrow afternoon at Dr. Blessing's here in Cody.

The bottom photo shows just why his wing was fractured. The three pellets you can see caused all the damage. The ulna is in four pieces, the radius in two but they are in pretty good position so they should be fixable and make this bird flighted again. He's in good shape, good weight, and has a good attitude. Fingers crossed that all goes well.

Unfortunately the shooter was never seen so he can't be punished for this very illegal act. Thanks to Dr. Miranda Townsend in Riverton for taking such good care of him overnight. He loved the antelope steak she fed him.

Awesome shooting

2011-10-05T14:30:00.009-06:00

Some birds are just darn lucky that humans are around when needed. This series of photos were taken by Utah photographer Keith Cauley when he was out taking pictures of the eagles that frequent an area near where he lives. Many months ago he'd been responsible for saving the lives of two other golden eagles. He had been watching them on different days and realized that something just wasn't quite right. He called the UT DNR who came out, gathered the birds up and took them to Debbie Pappas at Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation (see links) in Price, UT.

In the case of this adult female it was outstanding luck she was spotted. As you can see, she's caught about 35' up in a tree by one leg. Again Keith called the UT DNR who came loaded for bear but the only thing this sharp shooter killed was the branch the eagle was trapped in. The guys holding the blanket caught the bird as she dropped. Off to Debbie for some TLC.

Wow, takes my breath away to see such a thing done and I'm glad to say there is a happy ending. I got a message from Debbie today that the eagle, SWAN, is doing just great and hopefully will be returned to that area and her mate, if she has one.

Super job everyone !

All finished

2011-10-05T10:34:00.004-06:00

The DIVA DEN is all covered with metal now so it's maintenance free and matches all the other mews on the property. Thanks to John McGee for an awesome job. My baby hens are now laying eggs altho they're still "practice" sized but they should be "real" eggs soon. And with the protective fencing and netting above them they will be safe from ground and air predators.

She's gone

2011-10-03T16:41:00.002-06:00

TINKERBELL made it almost to the top of a large bush/tree this afternoon on her second try. I tried for a photo but taking one of a small Cedar Waxwing sitting amongst lots of green leaves up high just didn't work. My camera decided it didn't like the shot and refused to take it. I hate when that happens. Anyway, she's back in the wild in a wonderful protected place with berries in all the yards around her release site. Thanks Melissa for bringing her to me.

Aching head

2011-10-01T11:18:00.007-06:00

No, this isn't Mae West altho the birds...um...chest area is very large. This is TROOPER ROCCO, a male adult golden eagle found along the Badger Basin Road about five miles east of the Belfry Hiway. He'd obviously been eating a meal when struck by a vehicle but there isn't anything broken. He does have a bit of a squinty left eye and a cut on his left foot but other than that no other damage that I can see.

Because this is an adult and in excellent condition, he weighs 7.5#, he will be returned to that area for release when he's ready. I certainly won't have to give him hunting lessons but will caution him not to look to the roads for his next meal.

Thanks to Highway Patrol Trooper Hardesty for standing guard over this injured bird until I got there.

Famous friend

2011-10-01T10:13:00.003-06:00

Last weekend the annual Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale took place here in Cody. One of the events is a Quick Draw where 30+ artists have one hour to produce something that will then be auctioned off at the end of that time. Over the years I've had my birds used as models and the person who used them the most is famous artist, Pati Stajcar from CO. The first was my amazing old redtail, BUSTER. Then she used IKE, a friends peregrine falcon. This year she used two of my bunnies, a fuzzy minilop and another crossbred.

Her piece came out just beautifully and was sold for many hundreds of dollars to three people in the audience. I mean that each person got their own bronze, they didn't split the one.

Thanks Pati for making that day such fun. I look forward to seeing you and Dave next year and hope to have another bird or animal for you to work your magic on.

Elegant

2011-10-01T06:48:00.005-06:00

This baby Cedar Waxwing may be young but she's already elegant. TINKERBELL was found after hitting a window at the Historical Center. Luckily someone saw her and called me. At first there didn't seem to be anything wrong but it turned out her right wing was hurt. Not broken but probably bruised. She, and I say she but don't know the actual sex, has been at IBR for over a week now and yesterday showed a great improvement when she tried to fly.

Waxwings have that name due to the red tips that show up on the ends of some wing feathers near their elbows. They are really wax and show up as they age, this baby has none yet as she was hatched this year. With their little black masks and overall muted color they seem to be rather dull looking but they are the most wonderful of birds.

TINKERBELL had taken a slight bath so her chest is wet. She should have also washed her face as you can see the strawberry residue on her beak. And she does love her berries. So far she's managed to scarf down about a quart of them every few days. Yesterday I found some ripe berries on my cotoneaster plant, she likes them too. Huckleberrys are also favored but I haven't found any of them yet.

Family came a calling

2011-09-29T10:29:00.005-06:00

A week or so ago I had a visit from a couple of distant cousins from South Dakota and enjoyed every minute of it. Charlie and Deon were here a few years ago on a trip visiting various sights and people. They did the same this year going to see friends in Buffalo, Riverton, seeing Yellowstone National Park then on to my place.

Charlie is in his mid 80s now and altho he's finally beginning to show his age, his spirit is high and I loved seeing them again. Wish it could be more often. Deon took our photo and sent it along.

Who says dogs can't fly?

2011-09-29T06:43:00.006-06:00

They can, just look at these photos. They are SNICKERS (t) and CANNONBALL (b) doing some dock diving. They belong to a cousin living in Ontario, Canada and just love what they do. They are also accomplished frisbee catchers too.

Sometimes it just doesn't work

2011-09-27T20:16:00.009-06:00

Yesterday I received a call from our Cody game & fish office about an injured Sharp-shinned hawk found in Meeteetse. They had gathered him up and were transporting him to me. The original story I got was that he had caught a sparrow and was munching it in the middle of the street. Because he would probably have been hit by a car he was moved to a nearby location. Then I thought the caller said he'd hit a window while flying away.

Now the true story.....The bird did catch a sparrow after flying out from under or near a parked vehicle. And he was eating it just inches from the road. And he was moved from that place. The story continues as told to me by Anne Price, curator of the Raptor Education Foundation located in Brighton, CO. They were up in Meeteetse for the 30th anniversary of the recovery of black-footed ferrets. They were the ones who moved the little sharpie off the edge of the curb on Sunday evening around 7 pm. At that time the bird was still eating his meal but was able to carry it a short distance away from the people. Then the bad started. Anne and her colleague left the sharpie in some tall grass to eat in peace. About an hour later he was found in the street after being hit by a car. He was gathered up, checked over by REF and WY G&F staff, and put in a warm safe place. The next morning, because he made it through the night, it was hoped he would survive.

I received the beautiful young bird around 11:00am on Monday. I immediately transferred him to a warm place and gave him fluids. I also weighed him. He came in at 2.1oz., approximately half of what he should have weighed. He died about 20 minutes later. I believe that just too many things happened to this approximately six month old male and his spirit couldn't overcome all of them. If only he had caught the sparrow in a location without people and cars...he might have then been strong enough to catch another meal. And another, and another until he was strong and healthy. If only he hadn't been hit by a car...he would have continued his life. If only, two little words that would have changed his world.

Thanks to the REF and the WGF for all their great efforts in trying to save this wonderful baby. And for the above photo taken while he was eating what turned out to be his last meal.

Photo credit: Copyright 2011 Raptor Education Foundation

It worked ! ! !

2011-09-27T13:24:00.003-06:00

PATCH arrived here last June with horribly swollen tissue around her left eye. (see post "Shoulda ducked" on June 13th). After a bit the swelling went down and her eye came through an exam with fyling colors, no permanent damage at all.

The trouble is that this adult female apparently decided she just couldn't fly, at least not more than a few feet. Knowing that it was possible a concussion could cause this reluctance to do what comes naturally, I gave her time. Over the past three months there was some improvement with even long flights the length of the 80' barn, but not every time.

Last weekend I decided to try something new by rearranging the long tree log that was leaning against the "tower" in the barn. It has always been only up as high as the nest box platform in the middle of the tower. PATCH would routinely sit on the lower end and from time to time would climb to the nest. I wondered if I moved the end to the very top if she would continue upward. Of course the angle would be too sharp but I solved that by using one of the many sculpture crates donated to IBR from the BBHC. It worked just beautifully and with the help of lots of astroturf door mats for grip, you can see that PATCH has reached the stars. Well, the top of the tower anyway. She can now fly to the far end with the added height.

The next goal is to see her sitting up on one of the wall perches and surveying her kingdom. As an adult she doesn't have to learn how to hunt so as soon as she's making these long flights, and to the tall perches, she will be ready to return to where she was found as her mate will probably still be in the area.

Long time passing

2011-09-22T18:58:00.004-06:00

Just a short time ago my 50th high school reunion was held in Downers Grove, IL. I've not made any others and didn't make this one but a fellow student and former neighbor and his wife made the trip from their home in VA and sent me some information about it.

One of the things that Chuck sent was a display of the 82 kids in our class that have already passed away. One of those is my twin brother, Tom, who died in 1960. It really hits home when you see your own age group dying, makes it obvious that time has passed and things aren't as they used to be.

The photo above is of that display, my brother is on the far left of the top row. Now I wish I had taken the time to go home for the reunion and am now thinking that if it's possible I'll certainly try to make the 60th.

He's gone

2011-09-13T13:06:00.006-06:00

Here's the photo I took this morning when I released the Red-eyed Vireo shown below. He felt much better this morning after a quiet night. Not the best focus but you get the picture (pardon the pun). And it turns out this isn't a rare bird here, it has been seen but that doesn't make it less exciting for me.

Rare?????

2011-09-12T19:58:00.005-06:00

This very small bird was found here in Cody after it hit the side of a parked camper. It wasn't broken but does probably have a very bad headache so it's now sitting in a small cage in my kitchen and tomorrow morning I'll take it to a very protected yard in town and release it.

What makes it rare is that I believe it's an immature Red-eyed Vireo and according to the Sibley's book it has never been documented in this state. I've sent photos to an expert in CO for his opinion and will share that with you when he replies to my inquiry.

Soon

2011-09-09T08:21:00.004-06:00

This is the most recent photo of CASSIDY showing him way up high in his mew. As seen in an earlier post, he came here from Cheyenne suffering from a broken leg. It was repaired and after the pin was removed he took up residence in an 8'x 20' flight area along with a magpie. He's now flying just super so will be released this weekend, probably around here as I do have quite a few crows flying by.

Again, thanks to Cathryn and Melissa for transporting the bird to IBR.

New feature

2011-09-08T15:43:00.004-06:00

I now have the ability to post videos on my blog. There's only one for now, the release of that baby redtail shown in the post below. Thanks to Susan and her magic camera you can watch all 28 seconds of the event. Just click on the photo under the "video" heading to the right and the tape will run. Hopefully more will be posted in the future so you can see just what goes on at IBR.

Another success

2011-09-02T15:53:00.006-06:00

Today, thanks to help from Susan Osborne and her mom, Marge, another baby red-tailed hawk is in the air and headed for hopefully a long life. Little DAVIS came to me from off the Southfork Rd near Cody. She was starving at only 25.5 oz. and very weak. Since that time she's been gaining both flight experience and learning how to catch food.

We took her to Jim Creek Road near Wapiti and released her in near perfect conditions; light wind, bright sun and blue sky. And she now weighs 45 oz. Hopefully, with her new skills, she will survive, find a mate and raise babies.

She is a color redtail I rarely see, a dark phase. She will end up with a very dark body lacking the white chest and belly band of the normal colored bird.

Thanks Susan and Marge for the help. Susan took a very short video of the release and if I can figure out how to do it I'll post it on this blog. And Marge did an outstanding job taking the still photos.

Home safe

2011-08-31T16:23:00.004-06:00

Here are the latest photos of all my "ladies" in their safe haven. The new hen house is finished with the old girls living in it. The old house was refurbished so the new youngsters would have a home too. They aren't laying yet but should start in September. I am also planning on trying to add 20 more to their group but those should already be laying.

After so many deaths at the hands of predators, i.e. fox, raccoon and skunk, it feels good to have them all behind the fencing around their large yards. Of course there are now grasshoppers around the house which were never there when the hens were roaming near it but it's worth a few buzzing insects knowing the "ladies" are safe.

The dark roofing is the shade cloth now over the top as it's been so hot this summer.

Whisperers extrordinaire

2011-08-29T20:03:00.005-06:00

This is a wonderful photo of two amazing people. Elijah Cobb with the rooster on his shoulder and Linda Raynolds holding the hen. These two people are chicken whisperers of the highest order. They have super hens and a few very handsome roosters living all together at their place on the edge of town.

Linda is also a very well known artist working in lots of mediums. And Elijah is a superior photographer of anything you can name. Including furniture, cups and saucers as he did for me, various subjects that most people would never consider as art and everything else in the world.

What's on tonight?

2011-08-28T15:16:00.003-06:00

My TV watching dog, MADDIE, is very interested in this program on wildlife. She actually watches a lot of television but is particular on what she observes. She especially loves AFV and their "going to the dog park" segment.

Flying high !

2011-08-26T09:40:00.007-06:00

My two youngest raptors have learned the art of going up, up, and away! Well, not away yet but they're closer to being releasable. The top two photos show SNOOPY sitting on the highest wall perch and then flying across the top of the 80' flight barn to the tower at the opposite end.

The bottom photo is of DAVIS, my dark phase baby red-tailed hawk that arrived here severely starved and unable to do much of anything. She's now also on the highest perch in her mew and is making live kills. She will be released up the Northfork in a couple weeks.

Temporary guests

2011-08-25T07:34:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I agreed to keep these banty roosters temporarily until a new home can be found for them. They are extordinarily handsome fellows and only about six months old. Luckily I have an empty pen for the time being but they will not stay here. Altho I love hearing the sound of a rooster crowing, I hate bullys and most roosters are just that to hens.

He's gone

2011-08-23T11:24:00.007-06:00

but not forgotten. I don't mean as in dead, I mean as in he flew away this morning. SPENSER started the rest of his life on the Northfork at about 8 o'clock with the sun shining off the mountain and tree tops. The top photo shows him sitting in a dead treetop (look closely for the dark lump under the high peak) just taking in all that breathtaking scenery.

The bottom photo is of Melissa Hill helping with the release. She's working with the raptor program that will be starting at the BBHC as soon as the birds arrive. Thanks Melissa for the help.

First there were 10......

2011-08-20T13:15:00.004-06:00

But only five of the pheasant eggs I received many weeks ago hatched. These five are now going to be released on the Curtis place north of town which is where they came from. Every year when Stan is out swathing his hay he usually comes across a pheasant nest full of eggs. This year it wasn't until he went back to bale the hay that he found it.

These babies will be in a very safe place where there are already pheasants living so it's apparently the right habitat for them. Hopefully they won't fall victim to hunters or predators and live a long life.

Happy campers

2011-08-19T16:31:00.003-06:00

More than a year ago I transplanted some cloned aspen trees to a small section of my side yard. I was pleased that all but one made the transition to their new home so last spring I scattered some wildflower seeds around them. As the seeds had been living in my frig for years I wasn't sure if any would germinate but they did. Not a lot but enough to bring some color to the area.

Regal visitors

2011-08-18T18:03:00.004-06:00

Today, when I returned from taking a crow to the vet, I found I had some rather large visitors sitting on the power poles leading to my front gate. If you'll look closely you'll see an adult golden eagle on top of two of them. I have no idea where they nest but it must be someplace nearby, I just can't find it. As there is no young bird with them they may not have had any this year or lost the chick(s).

Graduation day, sort of

2011-08-18T17:57:00.004-06:00

Today little SQUEEK moved to an outside big boy pen. He's old enough now that he should be thinking about flying and hopefully his large mew, 8'x 8', will inspire him to do just that. I have no idea why this baby was such a late hatch but the bad news is that swainson's hawks are now gathering in huge numbers for their migration to South America. That means they will be starting the long journey soon and this baby won't be ready for it. It looks as if I'll have to winter him over here or send him somewhere south where he can wait until they return in the Spring.

In the meantime, he's becoming more aggressive to me, which is a good thing, and hopefully will become self sufficient in his mind and not think he needs a human for companionship. He now has a mirror in his pen so he can see another swainson's.

Fisherman

2011-08-15T16:50:00.004-06:00

This is AHAB, a two month old male osprey who apparently didn't have a very good landing this morning. Instead of using his two feet he ended up hitting his chest on the ground. Because of the bruising he's unable to open and close his feet very vast. Nor can he stand at the moment.

Thanks to Phyllis Baker, the land owner where the nest is located, he was quickly found and gathered up. Benj Brown, WGF biologist in Thermopolis, met me half way and transferred this baby to me this morning.

Now the problem is finding enough fish to fill him up. As that's the only thing they eat it will be a challenge but I have friends who love to fish and have said they'd help. I can also buy trout at the store but it's not the whole body. If all goes right this young bird will only be here for a couple weeks. He just has to be strong enough to use his feet as they were designed to catch and hold fish.

This photo shows him being weighed (2# 14oz) before being settled into his container of shredded paper which will support him while he's getting stronger.

Note: Today, Wednesday, I put AHAB down. He'd lost all movement in his feet so there was no hope of him every being able to stand and feed himself. Not a good week at IBR with the loss of both the old eagle and this beautifuly baby.

Baby boy is growing up

2011-08-14T14:51:00.004-06:00

This most recent photo of SQUEEK shows just how much he's grown in the past 11 days. He can now get on a big boy perch and he's eating on his own. I still have to cut his mice into pieces but he's picking them up by himself and if hungry enough will rip and tear some if I leave a larger piece in the cage.

I'm not having the best of luck in keeping him from imprinting tho. I have photos of adult swainson's hawks taped to the front of his cage but will have to get more as he's now peeking under them and by standing on the perch he can see over them. As soon as possible he'll go outside to a mew that will allow him to see the world go by to stimulate him.

Fingers crossed

2011-08-14T12:44:00.006-06:00

This is a very sick adult male golden eagle that was found up on the mountain outside of Thermopolis. Luckily the people up there spotted him and called Benj Brown, the WGF biologist there who then called me. This was a trip of about 110 miles with the last 6.2 miles on a very rocky, sandy, steep in places, dirt road. Luckily I have 4WD so it was a long crawl onward and upward.

I have no idea what ails this beautiful bird, he's severely starved, only weighing a bit over four pounds. He should be twice that and with his age there should be no reason for him to be unable to catch a meal. Because it was a Saturday afternoon I was unable to take him in for an exam but tomorrow he'll be seen and blood work done.

Thanks to his rescuers bringing him a large pan of water he at least had moisture. He was standing in it by the time I got there. Now we come to his name, TROUT. That's what the people gave him to eat not knowing that this species doesn't eat them. That's okay, their heart was in the right place.

Last night and today he's received some electrolytes in the form of Lactated Ringers solution and this morning I added a special carnivore diet to it. It's a very potent powder that's mixed with water and given through a tube to his crop or stomach. I was absolutely astounded to see him standing up this morning. As you can see, he's not strong enough to perch high, the folded towel is enough for the moment, thank you very much.

Note: He died this evening about 5 o'clock. Just too much to overcome.
8/18: Preliminary report back from vet lab. Lead and WNV tests are pending but at this point it appears that he has a tuburculosis or fungal lesion to the right shoulder joint. The mass made it almost impossible for him to fly and therefore to hunt food.

Ouch...

2011-08-14T12:36:00.006-06:00

That's what the bandage says around LAURA, an adult female kestrel that was found a week ago with a broken wing. It has been repaired but the flight of this bird may be in question as it was an old fracture that had started healing. As these birds love grasshoppers I assume she lived on those she could catch on foot until she was found. If attitude has anything to do with it she will fly free again.

Awesome presentation

2011-08-14T08:50:00.005-06:00

One of my great friends, Jonathan Wood, has an amazing job. He takes live birds of prey all over the United States and does programs for the public. You'll see in this photo, the stunning display he's now doing in NJ that he calls Extreme Raptors.

You'll notice the very beautiful golden eagle on the left side of the photo. Her name is MORIAH and she came from IBR. When the eagle he got from me in 1993 was failing a couple years ago he called to see if I had another he could acquire. MORIAH was only three that year so will be with him for a long time to come.

The others in the photo are his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Rachael. All three of them put on the best show and as you can see, include a huge variety of raptors. If they ever get to your area be sure to go see them, you won't be disappointed.

Note: See Links above right and click on it to see their website.

She made it !

2011-08-13T06:53:00.004-06:00

SNOOPY has now gained the third higest perch in the eagle barn. Next comes the two wall perches that are at approximately 10' and 20' above the ground. Once she makes those two goals she's officially a strong flyer.

The eagle lower down is PATCH who still hasn't made up her mind if she can fly. She suffered a concussion and swelling around her left eye after being hit by a car. The eye is just fine now but the concussion may keep her out of the air for a while. As an adult she doesn't need any training to make it in the wild but she will have to be able to fly well enough for release.

This is a ????????

2011-08-12T18:12:00.003-06:00

I think it's an immature rufous-morph red-tailed hawk but not sure. He's very thin, about a pound and a half, at least a half pound lighter than he should be. I say he but don't know if it's a male or female. Perhaps because of the size it is a female. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong but the starvation so he got fluids and mouse pieces this evening when I arrived back from gathering him about 17 miles up the Southfork Road near Cody. I'll let you know what I find out.

She's airborne

2011-08-12T14:46:00.005-06:00

A couple days ago baby SNOOPY, the not quite four month old golden eagle, flew for the first time. Not an elegant process but she did make it the full 80' to the end of the flight barn. Today she flew to the top of the tower, the one you can see in the photo way in the back. Naturally I didn't have my camera with me at the time.

This time she only made it to the lower spot, the nest box that my old JULIE used whenever she laid eggs. It was still a great moment and one I was pleased to record. Now she just needs some air time and proof that she can make live kills and she'll be ready for release.

Good luck

2011-08-12T12:48:00.002-06:00

Two wonderful young men, Nathan and Patrick, have finished their internship at the BBHC and are heading back to school at the University of Wyoming. They spent their time here doing lots of things which included monitoring an eagle nest, helping to build a new mews and working on projects related to birds of prey.

They also put in lots of hours here at IBR helping with some heavy work and also some construction in the new hen house. Thanks guys for all your help. I wish you both well, a great career in your chosen field and a long, healthy life. Be sure to stop by when you're in Cody.

My ladies have a renovated home

2011-08-11T15:37:00.003-06:00

Both my chicken houses are now occupied. The new one has the old ladies as there are more of them and a bigger yard. The renovated old house is home to the 26 young hens who will start laying next month if all goes as planned. And now they also have a sign to hang on the fence so everyone will know just what it is.

Thanks to my friend Jenny in CA who suggested the name and Tiffany for cutting out the sparkly silver vinyl. It's hard to tell but on each large starburst there's "diamond" inserted. Now when the sun hits it there will be sparkles galore.

She flew !

2011-08-10T06:25:00.005-06:00

Snoopy the beagle has nothing on SNOOPY the eagle. And she didn't even need a blimp to do it. My SNOOPY took her first flight yesterday in the eagle barn. If you check the earlier blogs in the "golden eagle" catagory you'll see her picture. Naturally I didn't have a camera at the big moment. Now that she's learned she can do such an amazing feat I hope she'll keep it up. And next time I'll try to be ready to record the event.

I am honored....

2011-08-08T10:31:00.006-06:00

As many of you know, I volunteer at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center here in Cody. About 99% of my work is for the graphics department but when I started out 28 years ago I did a lot of things.

Today they asked me to come to their monthly staff meeting as they had a "special recognition" to give me. It turned out to be two awards, one a beautiful coin made in 2008 commemorating the bald eagle. It was for tying for the most miles driven in this years eagle monitoring project.

The second is a certificate giving me the Spirit of the American West Award. It states it's for my "contributions going above and beyond expectations". This was great to receive and I'm thrilled to have it. Thanks everyone at the BBHC for making this a very memorable day.

Note: the coin is on the bottom left side of the certificate. I wish I could have shown both sides.

Late hatch

2011-08-03T16:47:00.009-06:00

This is SQUEEK, a baby Swainson's Hawk, about 30 days old and was hatched in a nest at about 8,000 feet near Alcova. He was blown out of his nest, about 100' above the ground two days ago and rescued by Buck Braten in Meeteetse.

Altho this baby bird was fed the wrong diet for two days, he managed to survive until he arrived today. He was barely able to sit on his hocks at 9:30 this morning but by 4:00 this afternoon, after eating six young mice and getting some fluids, he's up on his feet and begging for food. Hence the name, he squeeks after every bite so I don't forget to give him another one.

Swainson's Hawks make a very long migration to South America for the winter which causes a bit of a dilemma for this bird as he won't have an adult to show him the route. He will either have to be trained to hunt and then be released in time or wintered over until they arrive back in the Spring. Until decision time is here it's a good thing I have lots of mice on hand.

Young and old(er)

2011-08-01T15:06:00.004-06:00

This photograph shows the difference in feather coloration between a Golden Eagle at three months old, SNOOPY on the left, and one that is probably 6-8 years old, PATCH on the right. These two females are destined for release when ready, the youngster still hasn't flown yet but will soon. The older bird is recovering from an eye injury and will go back where she came from when the time is right.

Aren't they just the most beautiful ladies!

She's flown away

2011-08-01T14:24:00.002-06:00

I just got back from Lovell (50 miles from Cody) after releasing SQUIRREL back near where she came from. I stopped by the Lovell police department to let them know as they were the ones who originally rescued her. One of them came along to record the release but just to be on the safe side he used his video camera instead of the still one. Good thing as she blasted out of the crate and sped to the largest tree she could find. While we were trying to see if we could find her for a photo she dashed off again and finally flew out of sight.

That's the reason I do this, for the awesome thrill seeing them fly away, back where they belong.

Growing up

2011-07-31T15:18:00.007-06:00

The latest photos of ZORRO and ZACK, the baby falcons pictured in an earlier post (see J. Bieber eat your heart out). They're a few months old now and very handsome. The third photo is of ZENA, another falcon owned by the same people. Right now her job is to act as a stabilizing force in the lives of these babies. I was surprised when the photo of ZORRO came out with his mouth shut, notice that ZACK's is wide open screaming for food.

These very striking babies will be hunting soon after some intense training by their master falconer owners.

Out and about.....finally

2011-07-31T10:44:00.006-06:00

Today I drove the 30 miles to do my eagle nest monitoring. Three of us have been doing this for weeks now, never thinking this baby eagle would ever fledge. He's about three to four weeks behind the others being monitored.

Today when I got there I finally found him above the nest in a weedy area. He was eating and calling at the same time, did so for about a half hour. Over the next hour and a half he finished his meal and started walking. As you can see by the photo, he made it quite far to the highest point on the cliff. He's the bump on the top of the rock to the left in the picture. The nest is on the far right side of the photo.

I was hoping he'd fly while I was there but he just sat there preening and vocalizing. With his crop so full he may have just been looking for his parents.

They're gone...

2011-07-31T10:36:00.006-06:00

Today I released both BUMP and DITTO, the GHOs I got in as two week old nestlings. They proved they were ready to go but in a dramatic way. Two days ago when I was in their pen I ducked under a perch just as a bird flew overhead. I didn't give it any thought until this morning. I was again in their pen and picking up a piece of a rat they didn't finish during the night. This time that same bird flew over but struck me in the back of the head. For a second I had his talons imbedded in my scalp, not a fun thing to have happen.

I've never had such an aggressive owl here so was taken completely by surprise by this attack. Needless to say, I drove them to a marvelous habitat full of large cottonwoods, evergreens and even a river in the area. I got a couple photos, don't know which is which, and they were quick so one is very blurry. Hopefully they will use that attitude and live long lives.

Trying to hide

2011-07-28T13:59:00.006-06:00

This tiny baby is a cliff swallow and was brought to me by a very caring individual who was traveling from MA to CA and stopped in Lovell. When he found the little bird the nest was nearby but broken. As you know, they are made of dried mud so it doesn't take much to shatter them. The gentleman went on the internet, found my name and called me.

This young bird is trying to hide from view in my hand and altho he's a bit afraid of the big person, he is eating when I put the bugs in his mouth. Unfortunately it was the only survivor but I have lots of swallows working over the fields near the house so it won't lack for company when ready to fly away. And that won't be long as it's almost fully feathered. The bad thing is that I can't support the baby once it fledges as they only eat when they fly. Needless to say it won't be coming back for a snack so hopefully it will learn as it flys amongst the adults.

Don't you dare!

2011-07-28T07:21:00.004-06:00

Or the caption could be "Just try it, come on, make my day". This is SQUIRREL, an adult female Cooper's Hawk brought in yesterday evening by Rick King, the Lovell WGF warden. She was found near the center of town unwilling to fly altho I can't find anything broken. There is some bruising on her left wing so perhaps she hit a window while chasing her favorite meal, a small bird.

She will be x-rayed as soon as possible and if nothing is wrong I'll put her in a flight area so she can prove to me she's able to fly strong enough to be taken back where she was found. As she may have a mate there she will be returned to that same area. Hopefully, if she does have chicks, they've already fledged and are well on their way to an independent life.

Note: The x-rays show no damage at all. She's a fiesty bird, punched through my leather glove as I was gathering her up for the trip to the vet. She is certainly quick with her feet. The good news is she also ate most of the half quail I put in her cage. This weekend she'll go into the flight area for some needed exercise.

Updated photo

2011-07-27T12:42:00.005-06:00

OMG!, Jan and Lee Hermann came by today to buy some eggs and gave me a few photos he took while out flying his plane. It's outstanding! You can see all the new mews, the red additions to the blue buildings, plus the added chicken house attached to the left of the old one.

Unfortunately weather hasn't been a good friend in the past years so a lot of my original windbreak has died. And this year we had such a long wet Spring that the weeds took over. I had a great fellow, Mike, come over with his tractor and mower to get down the tall stuff near the house and drive but the fields are still waist high. My little lawnmower can only do so much but I keep at it.

Thanks to the Hermanns for taking these photos every so often so I can share with everyone the constantly changing face of IBR.