Barn Owls are Slowing but Business is Still Booming
BMW’s Tri-Cities center had nearly 300 admissions in 2017. Admissions in 2018n have already surpassed 500. The majority of admissions are young Barn Owls and Mallard Ducklings. The owls come almost exclusively from haystacks that are moved, making the owls homeless.
The historic nesting sites of Mallards have been converted to shopping malls and housing developments, but the ducks still nest there, making the walk to the nearest body of water, after her babies have hatched, a harrowing experience. BMW volunteers are very resourceful and can often capture mom and her brood and help them get to water. Sometimes mom is hit by a car and killed or babies are separated from the rest of their family and they are raised at the Tri-cities center.
Occasionally goslings need our help. Such was the case with Canada Goose 18-446 who was hit by a bicyclist. Volunteer Valerie provided first aid and then transported the gosling to the Tri-Cities center. After a couple of weeks his recovery was complete and Valerie reunited the gosling with his new family. Initially, sprinklers were a scary obstacle, but the gosling finally joined his new siblings.
The Pendleton Center has been Busy Too
Volunteers Mark and Cliff returned fledgling Red-tailed Hawks to their families in Yakima and Prosser, respectively. Cliff sent the picture below and said the parents were watching from a nearby tree.
A fledgling American Kestrel was returned to his family west of Pendleton. The Kestrel flew in a large circle and landed in a tree to join the rest of his family.
Of the 22 admissions this past week, 15 were raptors.
There was a tiny nestling American Kestrel…
A nestling Western Screech Owl whose feet and legs were covered with a sooty material looked much better after a bath…
A starving and incredibly anemic fledgling Red-tailed Hawk from Ellensburg was admitted with a packed cell volume of 7 (mid-30’s is normal). Two transfusions have perked him up, but his prognosis is still very guarded.
A fledgling Red-tailed Hawk from Baker City is looking much better after receiving an injection of atropine, the antidote for organophosphate toxicity (the result of eating a poisoned rodent).
We ended the week with a visit to Wild Birds Unlimited for a fundraiser. The generosity of owners Hannah and David Goss helped raise $618. Thank you Wild Birds Unlimited!
