Releases are the best part of wildlife rehabilitation. This week three more Swainson’s Hawks, four Vaux’s Swifts, two American Robins and two Barn Owls were released.
Intern Ava opened the hack box door, releasing the Swainson’s Hawks.
Next she released the Robins.
Intern Sophie released the Swifts.
That same evening the hack box door was opened allowing the Barn Owls to leave during the night.
The move into the new clinic is complete. We will work in the new space for a while before deciding on additional equipment, counters, shelving and storage to add. The wet table in the lower left of the photo below still needs to be plumbed in. It is so nice to have lots of room to maneuver after working out of four small sheds for eight months. We are planning on an open house in the spring to share this beautiful space and say thank you to everyone who helped make the new clinic a reality
Blue Mountain Wildlife is a small, but busy organization. So far in 2026 more than 350 birds have been admitted for care. Energetic interns who want to learn about wildlife rehabilitation make it possible to provide the services that result in nearly half of the birds being returned to the wild. Interns April, Sophie and Ava have helped care for birds who have been struck by cars, encountered cats, flown into windows or been shot. This week, under Tricia’s watchful eye, they also learned to install curtain rods and hang curtains in the new clinic. Good life skills!
April restrains a hawk while Sophie administers oral fluids.
Then, Ava administers medication to the hawk.
Swainson’s Hawk 26-253 couldn’t be saved, but we were able to document and report that it had been a gunshot victim.
Hacking is a method of raising young raptors that mimics the care provided by the adult birds. The birds are placed in a hack box one to two weeks before their normal fledge date. Food is dropped through a chute on one end of the box each day. The door is opened when it is time for them to fledge. Food continues to be dropped through the chute or placed on a nearby platform once the birds leave the box. BMW typically uses hacking to raise Kestrels, Screech Owls, Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Swainson’s Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks.
In the boxes below there are three Swainson’s Hawks in the left box, one Swainson’s on top of the box and one Swainson’s in the box with the open door
The clever Great Horned Owl below discovered free food at the Screech Owl hack site. Everybody loves a free meal!
Northern Goshawk 26-351 was found near Joseph and is thought to have flown into a shop window. Goshawks are large forest hawks, an accipiter like Cooper’s Hawks, and rarely admitted. X-rays show trauma to the bird’s right side and spine. Followup x-rays will be taken in two weeks. Although the prognosis is guarded, we are hopeful for a complete recovery. Below Ava recovers the hawk from anesthesia. The x-ray is an H-view which is an oblique. We used a roll of garbage bags to prop the hawk’s hips up. It helps evaluate the shoulders. You can see asymmetry in the shoulder girdle as well as increased density in the spine.
While working on this newsletter a man called who was trying to get a Cooper’s Hawk out of a hangar at an airport. The challenge in this situation is to convince the bird to fly down through an open door. I suggested placing something in the doorway that would attract the hawk’s attention. This resourceful fellow put a shop rag in the top of a gas can and set it in the doorway. The rag fluttered in the breeze. The hawk swooped down toward the rag and within 10 minutes had flown out of the shop. I love happy endings!
A young Red-tailed Hawk who was released from a hack box visits the feeding platform looking for breakfast.
A Western Screech Owl who was released from a hack box likes to spend the day in a shed near the hack box. Can you find him?
How do you clean hummingbird formula off of a nestling hummingbird that a misguided individual tried to raise? Very carefully using specially made hummingbird anesthesia cone!
This nestling Turkey Vulture fell from its nest.
An American White Pelican broke both of its legs when it struck a wire, probably while landing. We have a pelican anesthesia cone that is made from a tupperware pasta container and measuring cup. Its the perfect length for a pelican bill.
And of course there are many fires. This was the view from my front porch one afternoon.
The new clinic has running water! The food prep table is now equipped with faucets that are hooked up to hot and cold water. The washing machine is hooked up to water and a drain. The dryer can be plugged in, but still needs a vent installed. The second cage room, the Raptor Room, is furnished and ready for recuperating patients.
We never know who the next patient will be. The past week brought 4 American Robins, 2 Barn Swallows, 1 Black-chinned Hummingbird, 1 California Gull, 1 Cooper’s Hawk, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 2 Swainson’s Hawks and a Porcupine. We don’t admit many mammals so the Porcupine was an interesting challenge. He appeared to have been involved in some type of collision. His injuries were minor. After consulting with ODFW, the decision was made to release him behind the ODFW office along the Umatilla River, a quiet area that is not open to the public.
The door was opened on the Screech Owl hack box. After careful consideration 2 young owls flew higher up into the tree.
Two Cooper’s Hawks were also released from their hack box. One paused to survey his surroundings on top of a nearby barn.
Great Horned Owls are still taking advantage of their rat buffet. They have perfected their flight skills. Their hunting skills are a work in progress.
It took Tricia a while to spot the Short-eared Owl in the photo below. When she did, she took this photo. Can you find her?
Hint: look behind the log
A Notice for Members:
There will be a special meeting on Saturday, July 25 at 10 am. This meeting is being called to discuss revisions to BMW’s articles of incorporation. All members have the right to see and approve changes in the articles of incorporation. Here is the zoom link for the meeting:
A week of injured birds was off-set by multiple human visitors. April and Sophie are teaching new intern Ava the routine, including the daily cleaning of bath pans.
Ken and Kirsti, board president and treasurer respectively, are spending a long weekend preparing hardware that will be needed when cameras are installed in the clinic and aviaries.
Board Secretary Alzada and husband Greg brought surplus desks from Blue Mountain Humane Society for the new offices and reception area.
The injured birds had broken bones. American Kestrel 26-291 had multiple fractures in his left wing.
Western Screech Owl 26-292 had a badly damaged right shoulder and broken right wing.
Western Screech Owl 26-293 had a right femur fracture.
American Robin 26-295 had multiple injuries on his left side of his body, including a broken leg and damage to his shoulder and wrist.
Swainson’s Hawk 26-298 had a healed fracture in his left leg. The bone was so poorly aligned that the hawk could not stand.
Releases are always a highlight. Five American Kestrels are now flying free. In the first photo below Tricia removes a window. Then the first Kestrel ventures out.
The next morning one of the kestrels was impatiently waiting for breakfast to be served! It won’t take the little falcons long to figure out how to catch their own food.
