Fall Has Arrived: A REGI Patient Update

Fall seems to have arrived here at REGI.  The air has cooled and the leaves have started to blaze.  Our resident turkey vulture population has doubled in size as they begin preparations for migration.  Our clinic is still full, but not with the chirp of babies waiting to be fed.  We are awaiting the arrival of our fall interns next week; you will get to meet them soon.  These interns will have a different experience then our summer interns, without all of the baby care, but it will be equally important.  This is the first year that we will have fall interns thanks to the generous bunkhouse donation from Wausau Homes.

One of our resident vultures rides the thermals on a beautiful fall afternoon.

The bright reds and oranges make for a beautiful backdrop here at REGI.

Last week we had a very special tribute on 9/11.  We were able to release a bald eagle patient that had suffered botulism poisoning earlier in the summer.  It was an amazing moment.  Seeing her open her wings and soar was such a symbolic moment on such a somber day.

Marge Gibson (center) poses before the release with daughter (left) and friend.

We have a wide range of patients in care, some of them new patients or some just about to be released.  We anticipate that next week will be full of releases.  We have many robins ready to make a big migration along with other birds.

A beautiful sora perches in the aviary while awaiting release.  Look at the size of those feet!  They are designed for wading through the marsh.

Sora are little marsh birds that are more often heard than seen.  They have a distinct descending trill.  Their bright yellow beak is another characteristic that stands out.  This little bird was found near a marsh with a hanging wing.  His wing healed quickly and well allowing for release as soon as the weather improves.

The wing of an Eastern bluebird with severely singed feathers.

This beautiful male Eastern bluebird was found in a dog park which happens to be on the site of an old landfill.  He has obviously burned feathers and the most likely scenario is that it flew over a methane flare and was burnt.  While he will be unable to fly until he grows new feathers in he is in good health, eats well, and behaves normally.

An osprey prepares for a feeding.

This beautiful osprey was found on the ground with a severe injury on the inside of his left wing.  He will have a long road to recovery, but we are hopeful that this injury will heal.  If only the birds could tell us what happened to them!

Great-horned owl that was caught in a trap and severely injured his foot.

If you have been following our blogs for the past few years you may remember seeing quite a few patients with severe foot/toe injuries from traps.  REGI is a big supporter of trapping done well.  Each year we get 1000's of muskrats for our birds from trappers; it keeps them fed through the winter.  But trapping done poorly is the cause of many injuries each year.  We will work our hardest to save this birds toes.

I am certain that we will have many release pictures to share with you soon!  Until then, enjoy your weekend.

Molly McKay
Director of Education

Patients Big and Small, Warblers, Great-Horned Owl Trapping Injury, Excellent News on Sandhill Crane Patients

It has been awhile since I updated our blog. We have been very busy with a huge variety of patients. We are also in the process of editing our newest newsletter.



( Photo: Warbler hatchlings are very tiny.)

Looking over the last week's photos, it comes to me that I may have to change the format of the blog, if only for these crazy summer days. There are days when we have admitted 10-15 patients a day. I will do more posting of photos with captions that tell the story so we can keep everyone informed better on our daily work.



( Photo: Irrigating the foot injury on a Great-horned Owl that was caught in a jaw trap is an important first step with trapped birds to better see the extent of the injury.
Interns look on from Left to Rt. Jen Rothe, Katie Rymer, Karissa Mohr and REGI staffer Lance Holm.)




( Photo: The trap caught only one toe in this older female Great-horned Owl.)



( Photo: Our summer interns learn how to restrain a Great-horned Owl to provide care in the event you are alone in the clinic when the patient arrives. This wrap we affectionately call the "burrito wrap". If you have ever eaten a burrito, the reasons are obvious.)






(Photo: Our Sandhill Crane patients are now housed together so the adult can function as a foster parent to the youngster. The cast on the leg of the chick in this photo is not off. The leg healed perfectly.)

Great news on our Sandhill Crane patients. The baby admitted when she was only 23 days old with a leg fracture has her cast off and has healed perfectly. More good news for this little family. The adult Sandhill Crane admitted with a leg fracture several weeks ago is now working as the foster parent for the young colt. It is a match made in heaven for both patients. The adult is happy as she was taken from her youngsters when she was injured, and the little patient is delighted with having a "mom" back. With a foster parent the chick will remain a wild crane. We are currently gathering information from crane experts on reuniting the young crane with her biological family.

Back with you soon. We are sure to have another busy day with tours, patients to feed and care for, and new patients to stretch our learning curve.


Marge Gibson 2010

More Leg Hold Trap Injuries, Red-tailed Hawk, Great-horned Owl

It has been a whirlwind of a few days here at REGI. I have several lectures coming up starting tomorrow, the education team is busy with school programs and the rehabilitation team is also busy with some awful new cases.



( Photo: This adult Great-horned Owl was caught in a leg hold trap. He voiced his opinion about that loudly and often today as we tending his injury.)



( Photo: The toe of the Great-horned Owl was caught in a leg hold trap meant for a coyote. A large trap, it did some real damage to the toe. Notice the swelling of the digit due to crushing of the bone and tissue. Owls need all of their talons to be in working order to hunt adequately. We hope this one can recover and be released again. But, he will miss breeding season this year. )

Sadly, we have had even more leg hold trap injuries. They are not for the faint of heart, but it is something we deal with often. Stop here if you don't want to see some awful stuff.



( Photo: This beautiful adult Red-tailed Hawk was trapped in a jaw leg hold trap likely meant for a Coyote, Bobcat or Muskrat. )

I think the only way to discourage this careless activity is for everyday people to see what happens way to often to protected "non-target_ species. People tell me that we must " get used to it", but you never do. The Red-tailed Hawk in these photos was obviously "released" from the trap by a human. He was then left to starve since he was unable to hunt. The injury occurred at least a week before he was found and brought to our clinic. I cannot even fathom the pain he was in for that time. He was humanely euthanized upon arrival at REGI. You also never get "used" to that.



( Photo: Leg hold trap injuries are brutal. This leg and the life of the bird, could not be saved as the foot had lost circulation days before the bird was brought into REGI.)

These injuries were "accidental" as the raptors are non-target species. They were likely legally set traps. Trappers have to be aware of "non-target wildlife" when they place traps. Sadly many appear to not have that knowledge.

But enough about my day. :( We hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Please remember the people in Haiti tonight, as I will. They have a struggle ahead that we can only imagine, after the tragic earthquake yesterday.


Marge Gibson © 2010