Thank you to everyone who came on Saturday to help with Spring Cleaning! Lots of weeds were pulled and the perimeter of all the pens were trimmed up. After a quick pass with the riding lawn mower we will be in great shape to host visitors.

A Sad Week for Eagles

It was a sad week for rehab birds. There were just two admissions. We could not save an emaciated Golden Eagle found starving at Ladd Marsh. He was 40% underweight and died within 24 hours of admission. A Bald Eagle from Imbler was admitted with signs of electrocution. The damage to her right wing and both feet was too extensive to repair and she was euthanized. 

The Nestling Great Horned Owl is Doing Well

The nestling Great Horned Owl admitted last week tested negative for avian influenza. In one week he has nearly doubled his weight. He’s gone from 11.5 ounces to 20 ounces. He’s eating about 7 mice per day! We tried giving him a buddy, but he is not impressed. The goal this week is to reunite him with his parents!

Welcome Harini

We are pleased to welcome Harini to BMW for an 8-week internship. Harini is from Singapore and already has a wide-ranging resume, from launching a sourdough bread baking business with her sister to caring  for 100 horses at an equine rescue facility. She will be attending Georgetown University in the fall with a long-term goal of a career in environmental ethics. In just one week she has become a valuable member of the BMW team!

Thank you again Spring Cleaning Crew!!! 

The first baby of 2024 was admitted Sunday morning. It is a nestling Great Horned Owl. Fortunately a bush near the nest tree broke the owlet’s fall and it appears to be uninjured. A sibling was not as lucky and died when it hit the ground. Because Great Horned Owls are a high risk species for avian influenza, the owlet will remain in quarantine until we receive tests results for the virus which should either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. I’m optimistic the results will be negative.

Otherwise, it has been a very slow week. My right hand is recovering well from carpal tunnel surgery. Thank you to all who have sent good wishes for a speedy recovery!

Please Remember to Save the Date: Saturday, March 30 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm for Spring Cleaning at BMW’s Pendleton Center. The address is 71046 Appaloosa Lane, Pendleton. We will be mowing, weed whacking (bring your own weed eater if you have one) and burning tumbleweeds (if its a Burn Day). Thank you if you are able to help!

If you are able to help with a bit of spring cleaning, please join us on Saturday, March 30 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. We will be mowing, weed whacking (bring your own weed eater if you have one) and burning tumbleweeds (if it’s a Burn Day). Thank you if you are able to help!

There were two new admissions this past week. Adult Bald Eagle 24-026 was found near the Irrigon Fish Hatchery. The eagle had collided with a wire or other sharp object fracturing the left metacarpals, with significant soft tissue damage. The prognosis for recovery was very poor and the eagle was euthanized.

Adult Western Screech Owl 24-025 was found in a road near Milton-Freewater, unable to fly. If you look closely at the whole body radiograph below you will notice that the left shoulder is slightly elevated and closer to the spine than the right shoulder. The arrows in the second radiograph point to the scapulas. There appears to be a fracture in the proximal (very close to the shoulder joint) left scapula. We have taped the owl’s left wing to his body to immobilize the shoulder and will see how it heals.

We are making great progress on the last section of the Education Building. It has been divided into 5 mews. Red-tailed Hawk Sam has been moved into his new home. I interrupted his breakfast when I took this photo. He has part of a rat in his right foot! 

Perches need to be installed in the remaining mews. If you have an artificial Christmas tree you would like to re-home, we will use them to improve the ambiance.

Thank you again if you are able to with Spring Cleaning on Saturday, March 30 at 1 pm!

A few weeks ago I found out I have severe carpal tunnel in both hands. To remedy that situation I had surgery on my right hand last week. I’ll have surgery on my left hand in April and will be limited to light duty until healing is complete. In the mean time, Tricia and Winnie will keep BMW’s Pendleton center running smoothly. Talks are ongoing with WDFW and USFWS on how best to utilize BMW’s Tri-Cities center. 

We are very grateful for a $25,000 donation from an anonymous donor! The gift was designated for Operating Expenses which includes all the daily expenses incurred by BMW. Thank you Anonymous! We will spend the funds wisely as we care for native wildlife.

Owl Releases

There was just one admission this past week, an adult Merlin that died of its injuries before reaching the center. We were able to release two owls however! Barn Owl 24-012 was admitted with two fractures in its left ulna. A figure-eight wrap to immobilize the fractures and tincture of time did the trick again! Four weeks later the owl flew away…

Western Screech Owl 24-021 collided with the side of a house and then the ground after the tree he was roosting in blew down. Needing just a few days to recover, he was banded and returned home…