It feels like winter has arrived with night time lows in the mid-20’s! There were just two admissions this past week, a field mouse (yes, a mouse) and an American Goldfinch that had been mauled by a cat. The Goldfinch died of its injuries. The mouse was found at a wind project and is doing fine. 

On Saturday and Sunday I attended, virtually, the Washington Wildlife Rehabilitation Association’s 2023 Conference. There were many interesting speakers and topics on two separate tracks. Fortunately all the talks were recorded so I can watch the sessions I missed at a later time. One of my favorite sessions was on doing basic blood work. At BMW we routinely draw a small blood sample from the larger birds (Barn Owl and larger). Knowing the packed cell volume, total protein and differential count of white blood cells are helpful when evaluating a bird’s condition, especially when considered along with a physical exam and radiographs. It was great to have a refresher on doing the differential count.