Three releases and a $10,000 grant from The Kinsman Foundation made for an exciting week!
A Horned Grebe was admitted on Monday having landed in a field it mistook for a body of water near the Columbia River.
Grebes are very ungainly on land. Their lobed toes make them excellent swimmers and divers.
A physical exam found no injuries. Aaron Skirvin returned the grebe to the river on Tuesday. It swam calmly away allowing him to take several pictures. He reported there were three Horned Grebes, an Eared Grebe, a Pied-billed Grebe and a Common Loon 200 yards from the release site.
Tuesday afternoon, intern Anne Marie and I netted the Hermit Thrush that had been recovering in the songbird pen.
A month earlier it had been found at Pendleton High School by members of the Special Ed class after striking a window. Class members gathered and watched as the thrush was released.
If you look very closely in the photo on the right you will see its rusty red tail just above the yellow arrow...
On Thursday the Tribal Bus Service transported a Great Horned Owl to Pendleton from La Grande. An x-ray taken at Pendleton Veterinary Clinic shows damage to the right scapula. The wing was immobilized with a bandage. It will be re-evaluated after a week of cage rest. The owl is not very appreciative of our hospitality.
The Osprey admitted two weeks ago was released at McKay Wildlife Refuge. He was a little hesitant coming out of the box, but steadily gained altitude until he was a tiny speck high in the sky.
On Saturday we received notification from The Kinsman Foundation that Blue Mountain Wildlife has been awarded a $10,000 grant for 2014 operating expenses. We are deeply grateful for the foundation's continuing and generous support.
On Friday, Nov. 1, the education team will travel to Athena to present a program at the monthly meeting of the Athena Study Club
