For the second year we have admitted a nestling Swainson’s Hawk with Black Fly Larva in it’s ears. Swainson’s Hawk 26-103 came from Baker City. Tricia pulled 16 larvae from its ears initially and one more the next day. We will keep checking its ears until there are no signs of unwanted guests!

Young Great Horned Owl 26-106 was admitted on Sunday after his nest tree was cut down. He has a few scrapes and bruises, but no broken bones. We will give fluids and anti-inflammatories for a few days and then place him with another young Great Horned Owl who is already at the hack site. The door to the hack box will be opened in about a week. The owlets will fledge in another week or so. We will continue to provide food into the fall. By then, the owls will be self-sufficient. Below, interns Mary and Sophie are anesthetizing the owl prior to his exam.

Meanwhile, volunteers Kenny and Janie were busy rescuing two broods of ducklings ( 5 in one brood, 11 in the other brood) and their mommas from city streets. All were safely released at McNary Wildlife Refuge.

On Thursday, Tricia and I and Gyrfalcon/Peregrine Falcon hybrid Rainy attended the Pendleton Bird Club meeting. Then, Saturday afternoon we provided a display and program at Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. Rainy is perched in front of the salmon wall at TCI

Below is one of the five Western Screech Owls who have fledged from the Screech Owl hack box. He’s trying to look grown up!

Five young Western Screech Owls have been in a hack box for more than a week. The door will be opened tonight, Sunday, to allow them to fledge. Mice will be placed on top of the box until the owls are self-sufficient.

Fourteen Barn Owls are self-feeding and graduated to hack boxes in a large flight pen. It will be two or three weeks before the door to the pen is opened and the nightly Barn Owl show begins.

Great Horned Owl 26-053 has also graduated to a hack box. Although he is alone in the box, a family of Great Horned Owls also live at the site. The youngster will have a foster family when he fledges. We will place extra food on the feeding platform when that time comes, as the foster family will quickly figure out there is a new food source. Who doesn’t like a fast-food meal on occasion!

Swainson’s Hawk 26-084 was found on the ground under a wind turbine. We suspect the hawk was disoriented by the turbulence of the turbine blades and then hit the ground, fracturing two ribs and injuring his shoulder. We are hoping he will heal with anti-inflammatories and cage rest. He is eating well and quite feisty!

Sharp-shinned Hawk 26-088 was found near Joseph, unable to fly. Our exam found fractures of the right humerus and femur that could not be repaired.

Young American Robin 26-061 was also moved into a larger cage. He is not quite self-feeding, but is becoming more indignant at the presence of humans. It won’t be long before he will be moved outside to the songbird pen.

And speaking of grumpy, resident Turkey Vultures Daryl and Darrel have laid two eggs and are very protective of their nest. Both of the birds are female, so the eggs are not fertile.

Vinyl flooring has been installed in the new clinic. The posts are set for a deck. Once the deck is complete we will request an inspection by Oregon State Building Codes to allow occupancy of the building. The commercial vinyl flooring is beautiful!

We saw lots of trauma this week. Mourning Dove 26-058 had humerus and ulna fractures in the left wing and a dislocated left elbow. Euthanasia was the only humane option.

The largest birds we admit are pelicans. American White Pelican 26-059 had two broken legs.  It probably hit a power line or other type of wire while landing. The fractures were not repairable and the bird was euthanized.

Adult Swainson’s Hawk 26-060 was found near Arlington. His right wing had been severed at the wrist. Again, euthanasia was the only option.

Fortunately 12 baby Barn Owls are growing and doing well. They will soon be able to eat whole mice and go outside to a flight pen in preparation of fledging. There are seven owlets in the photo below.

Baby Raptor season is in full swing. The current count is 12 Barn Owls, 1 Great Horned Owl and 5 Western Screech Owls. One Screech Owl is injured, the remaining owlets were orphaned when their nests were destroyed. Interns Allison and Mary have quickly become adept at getting baby owls to eat on their own.

Four Western Screech Owls have been banded and placed in a hack box. The young owls will be fed in the box for one week, then the door will be opened allowing them to fledge. Food will continue to be placed on the box until the owls have learned to hunt and no longer need to be fed.

Swainson’s Hawk 26-052 collided with a fence, fracturing the major and minor metacarpals in his left wing and dislocating his left hip. The damage was too extensive to repair and the hawk was euthanized.

Nestling Great Horned Owl 26-053 was found in an abandoned house in John Day. The finders saw no adult owls for several days and the house was scheduled to be torn down. There was no place to mount an artificial nest so the owl was transported to Pendleton. It is a very good eater, gaining 101 grams (507g – 638g) in four days.

Western Screech Owl 26-055 collided with something, dislocating his hip. We anticipate the young owl will heal with tincture of time and anti-inflammatories.

Northern Flicker 26-023 was admitted on March 27, 2026 with a fractured right scapula. After one month at BMW the flicker was released near where it had been found. It seemed very happy be back home!

Young Western Screech Owl 26-039 is recovering well from a collision and possible cat attack. It will soon join three other young Screech Owls. All four owls will be placed in a hack box in preparation for a soft release.

Barn Owl 26-030 was admitted on April 8 weighing 15 grams. Today, 11 days later, he weighs 33 grams! Intern Allison is feeding the owlet in the photo below.

And he has three new siblings as company. All are eating well and gaining weight.