BMW Open House Grounds Prep: Can you help?
Saturday, October 5, 10 am at the Pendleton Center
Please check your calendars to see if you might be able to come help Bob with some mowing, weed-wacking, and general clean-up? Come with work gloves and appropriate shoes. If you have any gas or battery operated equipment, please bring them as well. Thank You!!!
Flammulated Owl 19-493
The tiniest owl in the Pacific Northwest, the Flammulated Owl weighs 43 - 63 grams. 19-493 weighs 57 grams, so is likely a female. She was found in Moses Lake, WA with a broken leg and taken to Pioneer Veterinary Clinic where her leg was splinted. Flammulated Owls feed almost entirely on insects, especially crickets, moths and beetles. They live in mature coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in the western U.S. and Mexico. They are migratory and winter in Mexico and Central America. We are hoping 19-493 will be releasable, but not sure if she will recover quickly enough to continue her southern migration. She may have to wait for the return trip in the spring. For more information about these owls visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Welcome Intern Addy
We welcomed Adelyn Chamberlain of College Place, WA this past week. Addy is a Plant and Wildlife Ecology major at Brigham Young University of Idaho. She will be working hard until Thanksgiving, learning all she can about wildlife rehabilitation. We’re so glad you’re here Addy! Above, Addy is recovering the Flammulated Owl from anesthetic.
Update on the Importation of Migratory Birds From Washington
If you read the recent article in the East Oregonian, you are probably confused as to why I am concerned about not being able to rehabilitate migratory birds from Washington, as BMW has been doing so since 2001. The Oregon Dept. of Ag veterinarian said the import rules hadn’t changed in several years and the import of migratory birds for rehabilitation was governed by ODFW. The ODFW spokesman said the departments rules hadn’t changed and referred the reporter back to ODA.
The rules may not have changed, but the ODFW state veterinarian informed the Washington Department of Wildlife, in August, that WDFW must obtain an ODA Import Permit and a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (a health certificate) before bringing migratory birds to Oregon for rehabilitation. Those requirements will essentially prevent WDFW from sending migratory birds to BMW for care.
I am requesting consideration from ODFW to see if we can find a way to address their concern of disease transmission across state lines, and maintain the integrity of BMW’s wildlife rehabilitation program by being allowed to serve the residents of eastern Oregon and eastern Washington.
Save the Date: October 19, 2019, 1-4 pm BMW Open House
Fun for the entire family!
