Bald Eagle Release, Bald Eagle, Goshawk, Mourning Dove, Cedar Waxwing Admitted, Loon Update

( Photo: Gina (Javurek) and Kyle Smith pose with me and the Bald Eagle they released minutes later.)

It was a busy and exciting weekend for us. Gina Javurek, former REGI UWSP intern and employee was married to Kyle Smith. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding which was punctuated with the release of an adult Bald Eagle Click on the link to see the story. Gina and Kyle are both biologists and currently work for Alaska Fish and Game. Gina is also an Environmental Educator. We wish them the very best as they begin a life together!

Anyone who knows me even a little bit understands that our interns and former employees remain part of the REGI family, and therefore ours, forever:). There have been many interns over the past 20 years. They are living and working far throughout the U.S. and world. We treasure the times we meet up with them, and share special times in their lives. We are convinced REGI people have the most beautiful weddings EVER!




( Photo: Immature Bald Eagle admitted with a traumatic wing injury. )

We admitted a young Bald Eagle with a traumatic wing injury this weekend. He lost a lot of blood with the injury. He is beginning to eat on his own and that is a good sign. As in most wildlife cases, we are not sure what caused the injury. It is possible the eagle was shot. Shooting an eagle is illegal, of course, but happens more than the public would believe. Wildife law enforcement will be involved if the injuries are the cause of illegal activity.



( Photo: Lance carries the Common Loon patient to the water tub so she can fish.)

The Common Loon admitted last Sunday with fishing line and a lead sinker wrapped around her beak and tongue is making progress. She had some breathing problems through the weekend and began running a high temperature. She is now on antibiotics as well as the antifungal drugs to ward off aspergillosis.

Her beak is actually indented, which may be a long term mark. Fortunately, that will not be a disability.



( Photo: The indentation on the loon's beak where the fishing line was wrapped is still visible. )

Cedar Waxwings are winging their way to warmer climates and eating fruit left on trees on their way. The birds can get a little affected ..."drunk" from the berries and fruit as the fruit begins to ferment on the tree. The birds affected are often found on the ground looking dazed or hit windows when their judgment is impaired. We admitted just such a patient Sunday. A beautiful Cedar Waxwing spent a little too much time eating crab apples and hit a window when she was startled. She is doing great and will be released this morning.



( Photo: This young male Goshawk had a lot to say as he lay on the exam table in REGI's clinic. He hit a window near Wisconsin Rapids.)

Speaking of hitting windows, we admitted a young male Goshawk on Saturday. He hit a window near Wisconsin Rapids. Many thanks to Dave and Judy Marshall for transporting the Goshawk to REGI.

Goshawks are a bird of the woodlands and are not often seen. Of interest, we have admitted two young males in the past month. Both Goshawk patients hit windows and have head injuries. The Goshawk is a species of special concern in the State of Wisconsin.



( Photo: This Mourning Dove was admitted on Saturday with a trichomonas infection. Trichomonas is easily treated if the bird is brought into care but is almost always fatal without intervention. )

Amy and Cody Lane of Wausau, along with a friend, volunteered on Saturday. We didn't get any photos of their time here but really appreciate the help. Thanks guys!

Have a great week everyone. I will be doing a presentation in La Crosse on the evening of the 20th. I will have more information on that later this week.

Marge Gibson © 2010

Eastern Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, Amercian Robins and Eastern Phoebe all Released Today!

( Photo: Look quick! That bright blue blur to the right of the open hand is an Eastern Bluebird taking flight for the first time as a wild bird.)



( Photo: Alberta holds one of the male Eastern Bluebirds raised at REGI just before he was released to the "soft release" site. They have the brilliant blue coloration of the adults with the exception of the spotted belly of typical of juveniles. )

It was another exciting release day here at REGI. All of the birds released today were raised at REGI. They all came in as hatchlings. If you follow the blog you have likely seen photos of these youngsters when they were much younger. Their stories were as different as they species when admitted. But today they were all celebrating the same stage of their life, becoming truly wild birds.

Getting photos of the smaller passerine birds is not an easy task. The birds released today have not had human contact other than staff throwing in worms, other food items and water for weeks now. They avoid any contact with humans. They seemed particularly unhappy with attempts to get them to stay still enough for photos. That is a good thing however and exactly what we want for the birds going back to the wild.



( Photo: Another of the Eastern Bluebirds prepares to leave captivity.)



( Photo: Two Cedar Waxwings and an Eastern Phoebe perch on a hanging perch while still in the aviary. )


( Photo: Two of the youngest set of American Robins raised this year at REGI. Getting two of any of the birds in a single camera frame is pretty impressive.)

The youngsters were released in a manner called a "soft hack". That means they are in a protected area if they chose of they can venture out. They can return for as long as they wish. Food and water are provided until the last of the group is no longer returning for food.

In this way we give the young birds a chance to learn about the great outdoors slowly if that is what they need. They can and most do hang around for a week or more especially coming back in the evening to take advantage of a predator proof roosting site and some free grub.

Once they leave the area and connect up with others of their species for migration we know we will not see them again until spring. It makes spring even more exciting as we wait to see who comes back to visit and when. We wish we knew exactly where they went and what adventures they had during the winter. We have been through good times and harrowing times with them even in their short life. It is a bit like packing your kids off to college, we are all ready to see them be on their own.

Many thanks to Katie, Alberta and Nicole for getting such great photos.

Have a great tomorrow.
Best,
Marge Gibson © 2009

Migration, Bald Eagle Released and More Admitted, Fall Releases

( Photo: I am preparing to release this beautiful Adult Bald Eagle. She came in with two broken wings and internal injuries after having hit a semi. She flew so strong and soared until she was out of sight. She was an incredible case. Watching her fly away after caring for her when she was so critical was like watching a miracle. We hope she is back home in Shawano now and has an uneventful remainder of her life.)




( Photos: Katie and Alberta prepare to release this American Woodcock after successful rehabilitation. I can never get enough of photos of that amazing face with huge eyes and long flexible beak.)
To say this has been a busy week is an understatement. I have tried to get to the blog but am exhausted by the time night comes. I will share some of our recent releases with you today. The best part of doing wildlife rehabilitation is the release of a bird that is 100% ready to take his place in his own world again. Sometimes we are asked if it is hard to let them go... We sure think about them after they are released but not in the longing way of wanting them with us. We are just grateful to have had the opportunity to give them a second chance at being wild birds again.



( Photos: A young Cedar Waxwing and a young Barn Swallow while they were still in a small aviary. They have since been releases along with other swallows, swifts and countless other patients from woodpeckers to and through Bald eagles and many species of ducks.)

Migration time is always busy for us. Birds coming through Northern WI from more northern regions including Canada and Upper Michigan can end up in our clinic with a variety of reasons. Last time we went over some things that happen to the Common Nighthawk. However the boreal forest to our north is home to some of the most sensitive and secretive birds on wings. Warblers are now making their way to the tropics and come grace us with their presence on their way. Many times warblers hit radio or TV towers or even tall buildings and come in with everything from slight headaches to broken wings or serious head injuries. These birds migrate at night and do not see the guide wires that hold up the very high towers. Just as if we were to run head on into a wire stretched across our path, wires pose a serious threat to migrating birds. Most are killed rather than injured. It is the lucky ones that end up in rehabilitation facilities.


(Photo: This female Bald Eagle was hit by a car near Ladysmith, WI. She has a wing fracture and internal injuries. )

The Bald Eagle in the photo above just admitted this week. She was hit by a car near Ladysmith, WI. We can expect that more eagles will be hit by cars as our deer season opens soon. Eagles do like carrion and make use of animals that are killed by cars or the die near roads and highways. If they have a full crop of food they do not fly away as quickly as they could without that extra weight on board. Kind of like after a Thanksgiving dinner. If you are driving please be aware of the extra danger to wildlife during the fall and winter seasons.

This patient is doing well and for the most part eating on her own now. She loves fish. Interestingly most bald eagles when admitted with medical problems prefer meat such as venison or beef heart as a first food.

I am off to do more releases. I promise to update the lead poisoned Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon soon.

Have a great weekend.
Marge Gibson ©2009

Storms Come Through Wisconsin Passerines Affected, Tours and Programs

( Photo: Young American robins are delightful patients.)



( Photo: A tiny baby American Robin snuggles in soft towels after his nest came down in a storm.)

Storms have been riping through the Wisconsin landscape taking with them many nests of late nesting passerines such as the American Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Mourning Dove and Cedar Waxwing. As a result the REGI passerine section is filled with cheeping and peeping little tykes. Some of the babies have feathers but some are newly hatched and naked.

Passerines are labor intensive for staff. They must be fed every twenty minutes their first week of life from sun up to sun down. As they grow a bit they are put in screened cages we affectionately call "screen porches" `



( Photo: Natasha feeds young robins, and a mourning dove inside a "screen porch". )

Young passerines grow rapidly. Some species can go from hatch to flight in only 8-10days! Can you even imagine that? Of course when they are raised at REGI that time span is longer. While the diet we feed youngsters is very good in terms of having all the elements needed for their growth and development, we can never be a perfect as their own parents. As a result they grow a bit more slowly. After they are grown we have to make sure they know how to secure food and interact with other birds they will encounter in their life once released to the wild. The good news is our passerine flights have a wide variety of species most of the time, often including adults of the same species as the youngsters.

It was a busy weekend for programs. ON Saturday we gave three programs, two at the REGI site and one at Rib Mountain in Wausau. I will include some photos below of the Rib Mountain event. You can see from the photos how beautiful Rib Mountain State Park is. The Rib Mountain event is held yearly and put on by the Friends of Rib Mountain. They are a terrific conservation group. It rained during the presentation. Super educator Steve Fisher continued on even with the rain. His mantra is that as long as the audience was willing to stay he is. Now THAT is dedication.:) There were about one hundred folks the braved the rain with him.




( Photo: Steve Fisher with Peregrine Falcon,Ishmael at Rib Mountain State Park.)



( Photo: Steve Fisher walks with Red-tailed Hawk Juliet, just as it began to rain during the presentation. )

Off to feed those little passerine babes.

Have a great day everyone,
Marge Gibson 2009