What a year. 

• Blue Mountain Wildlife has admitted 536 patients as of December 28, a 25% increase from 2024. 

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) may well be an endemic disease that is here to stay. 

• BMW’s board of directors approved the construction of a new wildlife hospital to replace our aging clinic. 

As they say, it takes a village to run an organization, and BMW is no acceptation. Dedicated staff, volunteers, interns (there were 8 in 2025) and hundreds of financial supporters keep the clinic operating and wildlife cared for. We are fortunate to have intern Enxin Chen here during Christmas break. She is a biology major at Whitman College, in a pre-veterinary program.

The three admissions this past week are typical winter patients. Great Horned Owl 25-534 was found tangled in a barbed-wire fence. Initially, the right wing tip was very cold, indicating compromised circulation. No major injuries were found during the exam or on x-rays. The following morning the circulation seemed to be normal. We are hoping for a speedy recovery. In the photo below Chen holds the owl as it recovers from anesthesia. 

Great Horned Owl 25-535 was found under a power line and appeared to have been electrocuted. The large owl had burns on both wingtips, was unable to stand and had limited reflex response in her legs and feet. With no improvement after 24 hours, she was euthanized.

Red-tailed Hawk 25-536 was showing signs of HPAI and was euthanized on admission. Both owls and the hawk are being tested for HPAI since they are all high risk species for the disease.  

Thank you to all who have helped BMW prepare for 2026 with a year-end donation. You can donate through the Valley Giving Guide until December 31st on Blue Mountain Wildlife’s donation page: Blue Mountain Wildlife 

We bid farewell to 2025 and wish you peace and joy in 2026!

Be a part of 2026 with Blue Mountain Wildlife by attending our Membership Meeting…Open to everyone who supports our mission and local wildlife.

Annual Membership Meeting will be on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 11:00 am. A Zoom link for the meeting will be posted on the BMW website the week of the meeting.

Hope to see you there!

Thank you to all who have made year-end donations to Blue Mountain Wildlife. Your gifts will help us care for wildlife in 2026. Special thanks to those who have donated online through the Valley Giving Guide allowing 100% of your donation to go to BMW along with matching funds. 

As suspected, the Red-tailed Hawk who died last week shortly after admission, tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The only other admissions where Western Screech Owl 25-530 and Great Blue Heron 25-531. Both had non-repairable injuries and were euthanized. The heron was not showing symptoms of HPAI, but because they are a high risk species for the virus, it will be tested.

Northern Pygmy Owl 25-524, admitted with a dislocated scapula, has made a complete recovery and will be returned to La Grande for release. These tiny diurnal owls hunt small birds during the day.

Thank you again to all who have helped BMW prepare for 2026 with a year-end donation. You can donate through the Valley Giving Guide until December 31st on Blue Mountain Wildlife’s donation page: Blue Mountain Wildlife  I know we will accomplish great things with you by our side!

Red-tailed Hawk 25-529, found near Boardman was the only admission during the past week. The hawk died within minutes of its arrival. We will test to confirm, but Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is likely the cause of death. Due to their willingness to scavenge (as many raptors are) Red-tails are high risk for the disease.

Red-tailed Hawk 25-525, admitted on November 24, tested positive for HPAI and also came from Boardman. This strain of avian influenza is incredibly challenging for the wildlife rehab community.

Fundraising, while not my favorite job, keeps the lights on, the shelves and freezers stocked and allows Blue Mountain Wildlife’s awesome staff to be paid! The annual December Letter went out this week. If you receive the weekly journal, it was delivered to  your inbox. Thank you to all who have already renewed your membership or made a year-end gift. We appreciate your support! Click here to visit the Valley Giving Guide for Year-end Giving through Dec. 31, 2025. 100% of your donation will come to BMW along with matching funds!