Yesterday I drove about 40 miles to pick up yet another victim of someone driving down the highway and not noticing a very large bird sitting on a dead deer in the middle of the road. This person had to have known he/she hit the bird but never stopped, never took the time to help him. Luckily a young couple on the way home from church did just that. After securing the eagle in a crate I dragged the deer carcass way off the road so hopefully this won't happen again.
This is BUCK, an adult male golden eagle sitting in a container of shredded paper because he can't stand up. X-rays show he has a fractured humerus (elbow to shoulder) in his left wing and a fractured femur (knee to hip) in his left leg. The wing break is in excellent position even tho there are a couple pieces in the fracture. That is being stabilized with a figure 8 bandage. The bad news is his leg, that fracture is very close to his hip joint. Right now we are waiting on a consultation with the MN Raptor Center on the probabilities that his leg can be repaired. Dr. Blessing is willing to try but so we don't put the bird thru any unnecessary trauma has asked a colleague for his opinion. Fingers crossed but the prognosis isn't good.
Wednesday, 6:00am. Sad news, BUCK died during the night.
It is amazing that those people didn't know they hit that bird. Why wouldn't someone have dragged that carcass off the road sooner ?? You KNOW someone is going to hit whatever critter is trying to eat it - night or day!
ReplyDeleteHow sad, and what a beautiful bird. My fingers are crossed, but I have a bad feeling about this one, hope he doesn't end up in the Draper freezer. :( Could a home be found for him, or would the break be too painful and debilitating even to live out his life in captivity?
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