I feel only a twinge of guilt about commenting on our frigid temperatures when many parts of the country are significantly colder, but it is cold! The low last night was 16 degrees. The predicted high today, Sunday, is 32 degrees. The sun is shining though, so it is a beautiful day!

There was just one admission this past week, American Goldfinch 26-005. The tiny songbird hit a window. The most significant injury appears to be a headache. The little guy was pretty feisty this morning so hopefully after a few days of cage rest he will be ready to return to his Pendleton yard.

Annual Membership Meeting

I hope you can join us on Zoom for BMW’s Annual Membership Meeting. One of the topics of discussion will be our updated By-Laws. They can be read or downloaded at: https://bluemountainwildlife.org/bmw-bylaws/

The Zoom link will be posted on the website on Friday, January 30, 2026. We look forward to seeing you there!

Tricia and intern Enxin traveled to La Grande and released Northern Pygmy Owl 25-524 this past week. The owl was admitted on 11/21/25 with a dislocated scapula (shoulder blade). Although it removed its wing bandage almost immediately, cage rest did the trick. The owl was banded and released near where it had been found.

USFWS called regarding a golden eagle BMW had rehabilitated after it had been struck by a vehicle in August, 2024. It had been banded and released one month later. The eagle was trapped near Baker City and will be part of a long-term golden eagle study. It was fitted with a transmitter that will allow its movements to be tracked via satellite telemetry. BMW will be updated regarding the eagle’s movements. It is approaching breeding age and may well find a mate this year. Usually when we receive information about a banded bird, the bird has died. It is exciting and rewarding to know an eagle that BMW rehabilitated is thriving 1 1/2 years after release and now will contribute to our knowledge of eagles in the wild.

We have been fortunate to have Enxin Chen, a first year student at Whitman College, here during her winter break. Enxin is a biology major with plans to attend veterinary school. She has been assisting in the clinic and in caring for the education birds. She and Daryl have been working well together!

Be a part of 2026 with Blue Mountain Wildlife by attending our Membership Meeting…Open to everyone who supports our mission and local wildlife.

Annual Membership Meeting will be on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 11:00 am. A Zoom link for the meeting will be posted on the BMW website the week of the meeting.

Hope to see you there!

There were 539 admissions in 2025. If domestic and non-native species (which BMW is not permitted to rehabilitate) are excluded, the total is reduced to 337. Of those, 164 were released and 4 are pending release or placement as education birds. That is a 49% release rate which is typical for BMW. The prevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in our region does not seem to have affected the release rate.

The BMW education team provided 24 education programs to 900 participants both on and off-site. New ambassador bird Rainy, a gyrfalcon/peregrine falcon hybrid, was the star of the show when 500 students attended an Oregon East Symphony Youth Concert featuring music inspired by Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Rainy greeted the students as they arrived for the concert. The situation was chaos and Rainy didn’t ruffle a feather.

The first admission of 2026 was an extremely emaciated Great Horned Owl 26-001. The owl had old injuries to her pelvis and left foot that made it impossible for her to hunt. Euthanasia was the only humane option.

Barn Owl 25-537 is improving after a collision that resulted in a head injury. He is stubbornly refusing to eat despite my best efforts at mouse presentation. As soon as we can convince him to eat, he will be moved outside to continue his recovery.    

Next to be released is Northern Pygmy Owl 25-524

Thank you to all supported BMW in 2025. We are ready to meet the challenges of 2026 with you by our side!

What a year. 

• Blue Mountain Wildlife has admitted 536 patients as of December 28, a 25% increase from 2024. 

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) may well be an endemic disease that is here to stay. 

• BMW’s board of directors approved the construction of a new wildlife hospital to replace our aging clinic. 

As they say, it takes a village to run an organization, and BMW is no acceptation. Dedicated staff, volunteers, interns (there were 8 in 2025) and hundreds of financial supporters keep the clinic operating and wildlife cared for. We are fortunate to have intern Enxin Chen here during Christmas break. She is a biology major at Whitman College, in a pre-veterinary program.

The three admissions this past week are typical winter patients. Great Horned Owl 25-534 was found tangled in a barbed-wire fence. Initially, the right wing tip was very cold, indicating compromised circulation. No major injuries were found during the exam or on x-rays. The following morning the circulation seemed to be normal. We are hoping for a speedy recovery. In the photo below Chen holds the owl as it recovers from anesthesia. 

Great Horned Owl 25-535 was found under a power line and appeared to have been electrocuted. The large owl had burns on both wingtips, was unable to stand and had limited reflex response in her legs and feet. With no improvement after 24 hours, she was euthanized.

Red-tailed Hawk 25-536 was showing signs of HPAI and was euthanized on admission. Both owls and the hawk are being tested for HPAI since they are all high risk species for the disease.  

Thank you to all who have helped BMW prepare for 2026 with a year-end donation. You can donate through the Valley Giving Guide until December 31st on Blue Mountain Wildlife’s donation page: Blue Mountain Wildlife 

We bid farewell to 2025 and wish you peace and joy in 2026!