The only new admission this week was an adult female Osprey that had been electrocuted. Damage to her feathers and feet was too extensive to repair and she was euthanized. Osprey  build their nests on the tops of snags. Power poles can look like snags. When they try to build a nest on the cross arms of the pole the result can be electrocution. The birds sometimes survive, but are usually too damaged to recover.

Power providers will try and discourage Osprey from building a nest on a power pole, but the birds can be very determined. The most effective solution is to provide an alternative nest platform on a nearby pole. If the platform is higher than the nest, they will usually rebuild their nest on the higher platform if the power company removes the first nest. 

Great Horned Owl nestling  24-047 from La Grande tested negative for avian influenza and was placed in the nest box with nestling 24-030.

Please forward this newsletter to those you think might be interested in Blue Mountain Wildlife. Thank you for helping to grow our circle of friends! 

We started the week by returning Great Horned Owlet 24-030 to its family. First Tricia and Harini banded the owlet.

There was at least one more owlet in the original nest, but it was too high to access. Tricia and the homeowner installed a new nest under mom’s watchful eye. 

Intern Harini carried the owlet up the ladder…

Tricia placed it in the nest…

You have to look closely, but the young GHOW is in its new home and enjoying the view!

6 nestling Ban Owls became homeless when the house their parents had nested in was torn down. There was nowhere to install a nest box so the young owls will be placed in a nest box at BMW’s Pendleton center and allowed to fledge from there. There is a nesting Barn Owl nearby who will very likely adopt them. We will continue to feed the owls after they fledge until they are proficient hunters and no longer return for food.  

Next came a Golden Crowned Kinglet that was stunned after hitting a window. Fortunately the tiny bird recovered quickly and was released the same day…

On Friday we hosted kindergarten through third graders from Imbler, OR. They dissected owl pellets.

Played the Migration Game, avoiding windows, toxic water, power lines, wind turbines and cars… 

and learned about birds of prey.

A haystack was moved near Milton-Freewater and four more nestling Barn Owls arrived on Sunday. They were examined, given fluids and marked with livestock marking paint so we can monitor them. Once they are eating on their own they will join the 6 nestlings that arrived earlier in the week. 

Sunday afternoon Tricia traveled to La Grande to get a nestling Great Horned Owl that had fallen from its nest. The nest was too high to access so she brought the owlet to Pendleton. It appears to be uninjured. We may be able to place it in the nest box with the owlet that was returned to its family earlier in the week. That is definitely an option we will consider…

There were no new admissions last week, but there was still plenty of excitement. We welcomed representatives from Avangrid, a leading sustainable energy company and long-time supporter of Blue Mountain Wildlife. BMW Board President Carl Scheeler hosted a barbecued pork rib dinner Wednesday evening. Intern Harini made whole-wheat pasta to accompany the ribs…

Tricia assembled amazing swag bags for our guests…

And they toured the center Thursday morning. Clouds and a few rain showers didn’t dampen our spirits…

Thank You Avangrid! 

Thank you to everyone who came on Saturday to help with Spring Cleaning! Lots of weeds were pulled and the perimeter of all the pens were trimmed up. After a quick pass with the riding lawn mower we will be in great shape to host visitors.

A Sad Week for Eagles

It was a sad week for rehab birds. There were just two admissions. We could not save an emaciated Golden Eagle found starving at Ladd Marsh. He was 40% underweight and died within 24 hours of admission. A Bald Eagle from Imbler was admitted with signs of electrocution. The damage to her right wing and both feet was too extensive to repair and she was euthanized. 

The Nestling Great Horned Owl is Doing Well

The nestling Great Horned Owl admitted last week tested negative for avian influenza. In one week he has nearly doubled his weight. He’s gone from 11.5 ounces to 20 ounces. He’s eating about 7 mice per day! We tried giving him a buddy, but he is not impressed. The goal this week is to reunite him with his parents!

Welcome Harini

We are pleased to welcome Harini to BMW for an 8-week internship. Harini is from Singapore and already has a wide-ranging resume, from launching a sourdough bread baking business with her sister to caring  for 100 horses at an equine rescue facility. She will be attending Georgetown University in the fall with a long-term goal of a career in environmental ethics. In just one week she has become a valuable member of the BMW team!

Thank you again Spring Cleaning Crew!!! 

The first baby of 2024 was admitted Sunday morning. It is a nestling Great Horned Owl. Fortunately a bush near the nest tree broke the owlet’s fall and it appears to be uninjured. A sibling was not as lucky and died when it hit the ground. Because Great Horned Owls are a high risk species for avian influenza, the owlet will remain in quarantine until we receive tests results for the virus which should either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. I’m optimistic the results will be negative.

Otherwise, it has been a very slow week. My right hand is recovering well from carpal tunnel surgery. Thank you to all who have sent good wishes for a speedy recovery!

Please Remember to Save the Date: Saturday, March 30 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm for Spring Cleaning at BMW’s Pendleton Center. The address is 71046 Appaloosa Lane, Pendleton. We will be mowing, weed whacking (bring your own weed eater if you have one) and burning tumbleweeds (if its a Burn Day). Thank you if you are able to help!