Short Road Trip for the Education Team
The Ed Team spent Saturday at the Pendleton Convention Center for the inaugural Pendleton Life Outdoors Show. I lost track of the number of people who did a double take after realizing the birds were not mounted specimens. Quite a few Sherwood Elementary School first graders visited the display and remembered that Barn Owl Helen and Great Horned Owl Sage had visited their classroom.
The Week in Review
It was a tough week for raptors. There were five new admissions: one American Kestrel, one Red-tailed Hawk, two Western Screech Owls and one Northern Saw-whet Owl. All were so badly injured they either died or had to be euthanized. It is amazing how much trauma a bird can receive and manage to survive. The hawk had been struck by a vehicle resulting in huge bruises on the back of her skull, chest and right side. Her skull was fractured and a large piece of bone was embedded in her brain.
A female Kestrel was found after she fell from the roof of an office building. Her right wing had been severed near the elbow. Kestrels nest in a cavity. It appears she was looking for a place to nest and instead encountered a fan blade, perhaps some kind of exhaust fan that should have had a vent covering it. This is a good time of year to check homes and other structures for damage to eves and the roof that might allow birds or squirrels the opportunity to get inside and nest. Making sure your chimney has an intact spark arrestor will ensure birds and squirrels aren’t accidentally trapped in your chimney.
BMW's Tri-Cities Center had a Better Outcome
Volunteer Valerie rescued an American Coot who had become entangled in fishing line. The line was even wrapped around the Coot’s tongue. She and Michele were able to successfully remove the line and Valerie released the Coot. Please make sure and collect broken fishing line. It can be a death trap to wildlife that may become entangled.
Spring Has Arrived!!!
My brother, sister-in-law and mother live in Portland. They have a spectacular view of an Anna’s Hummingbird nest from their den. The nest sits on top of their neighbor's wind chime. The hummingbird has been sitting on two eggs and the eggs hatched this past week. Enjoy this short video of mamma hummingbird feeding her babies!
