Another Bald Eagle Patient, Updates, and Klondike Days!

Good Tuesday morning everyone!

It has been a few days since our last update and we have another patient I'd like to introduce you to. Bald Eagle (#019) was brought to us from the Minocqua, WI area unable to fly. We tested his blood for lead and his results came back at a "normal" level, meaning that he is not suffering from lead poisoning. His inability to fly is still currently being determined.

Photo above: Eagle #019. The darker streaking in his beak tells us that he is likely just about 5 years old.

I'd also like to update you on a number of our patients.

The Barred Owl that originally came in after being hit by a vehicle has unfortunately passed away. It is a great loss for his species because he was such a wonderful adult. He will be missed.

The Great-horned Owl found along a road with a broken wing is improving slowly. She still has a swollen wing, but is eating very well. It isn't clear at this point whether she will be able to regain flight.

Eagle #008 is flying in the flight building and looking great. We are so thrilled with his recovery from lead poisoning. He still needs a lot of reconditioning, but the improvements he has shown are fantastic.

Photo above: Eagle #008 just before being moved into the flight building.

Eagle #012 is also beginning to fly back and forth in the flight building. Because of her injured "wrist" joint, we are tentative in our excitement about her short flights.

Eagle #013 has also been moved to the flight building, but is showing no ability of being able to fly. We will likely need to place him as a permanent resident at another facility.

The Snowy Owl has been very active in the clinic so she has been moved to a larger mew to give her more room to move around. She still has chunky lesions in her throat, but has begun to eat solid foods with encouragement from our rehabilitators.

The Rough-legged Hawk is still currently in the clinic and is eating very well.

On a separate note, would any of you like to have some fun this coming weekend?

Director of Education, Molly and I will be at Klondike Days in Eagle River this Saturday and Sunday. We will have a booth set up both days so you can meet our raptors face to face. There are plenty of other things to do and see at Klondike Days like: Native American exhibits; Snow Sculptures; Cut, Stack, & Split contest; Dog Sled weight pulls; Horse pulls; Ice Sculpture; Arts & Crafts; Amish Quilt Show & Sale; and much, much more. It is a great time for the whole family!

Where: Northland Pines High School, Eagle River, WI
When: Saturday and Sunday, March 3rd and 4th, 2012 from 9am to 4pm.

For more information follow this link.

Photo above: Molly and I at Klondike Days in 2011 with a Peregrine Falcon and a Barred Owl. Come and visit us this weekend at Klondike Days in Eagle River and meet some of our resident raptors!

That's all for now :) Have a great week everyone!

Karissa Mohr

Wildlife Educator

Rough-legged Hawk, Eagles Moved to Flight Building, and Patient Updates

Good Monday morning everyone! We admitted a new patient over the weekend; a Rough-legged Hawk. This is the first Rough-legged Hawk we have had in our clinic this season. "Roughies," as we and fellow bird lovers refer to them, are magnificent birds of the north. They spend summers, along with Snowy Owls, in the Arctic rearing their young. We are lucky in the United States because these majestic birds will spend the winter here. Unlike Snowies, Roughies can be seen in Wisconsin every winter, not just when food sources become low up north.

Photo above: This Rough-legged Hawk was found west of Medford, WI unable to fly. He has an injury in his left wing which has been taped to allow it to heal. Thank you to the volunteer who made the 2 hour trip to get him here safely.

For an inexperienced bird watcher, a Roughie can be mistaken for a more common type of hawk around here; Red-tailed Hawks. There are a couple of characteristics which can help you tell which one you're looking at. Roughies have a dark patch of feathers at the "wrist" joint which can be seen from below when they are in flight. These hawks have a wide variety of color morphs which can range from very light with a lot of streaking, like the individual above, to dark, chocolaty brown overall. They frequently have a dark "bib" of feathers on their chest which may be more or less visible depending on the color morph of the individual. If you're very close, you may be able to get a look at their feet. Roughies have relatively small feet which are perfect for catching the small mammals they feed on as well as help to limit body heat lost through their skin. The characteristic from which they get their name are their "rough legs." They have feathers all the way down to their feet, much farther than most other hawks, which keep them warm gives them the appearance of having rough legs.

Our other patients are doing well and improving each day. We are very pleased with the progress we see in the Snowy Owl.

Photo above: The Snowy Owl continues to receive a liquid diet administered through a tube several times per day. The Trichomonas (trich) infection is improving and the caseous (cheesy) material in her throat is beginning to loosen. Licensed Rehabilitator, Katie Farvour, and Assistant Rehabilitator, Stacie Wild, are shown here tube-feeding the Snowy.

Photo above: Have you ever wondered why Snowy Owls look like they have big, wonderful walrus mustaches? The "mustache" is composed of stiff, bristly feathers which help to warm the air that they breathe; an important adaptation for arctic living. As they exhale, the feathers trap some of the warm moist air which then warms up the cooler air as they inhale. Those feathers also provide a barrier to dust and snow, keeping their nares (nostrils) free of debris.

I'd like to update you on the patients we've recently told you about. Sadly, the little Red-breasted Nuthatch passed away. We would like to thank the folks who brought him to us. He was given the best chance of survival through their quick action, but unfortunately his head injury was too much for him.

A bit of positive news... Bald Eagles #012 and #008 are well enough to begin regaining their flight muscles! They have been moved to our huge flight building where they can stretch their wings and fly. Yeah!

Thank you everyone!

Karissa Mohr

Wildlife Educator

Patient Updates, Former Intern Updates,

( Photo: Peli, our education White Pelican, makes us smile even on difficult days.)

Things got better after the last blog entry. Wildlife rehabilitation is a constant roller coaster of emotions. The kind words of support from blog readers were appreciated so much.

For those of you that wonder how or why we keep doing this work, I can only say we keep on going trying to make a difference for wild ones, educate those who are unaware, and bring situations to the attention of the public that may otherwise be perceived as a fluke or rare happening. People need to know what is illegal or even abnormal behavior in folks they may know. Years ago it was all left to a state agency to intervene on the behalf of wildlife. Those days are fading as state and federal funding for wildlife issues is cut. Wildlife belongs to all of us. It is up to the collective "us" to have a responsible role in protecting it. I am in no way suggesting you take up weapons and patrol, but being aware and proactive is important.

When I left you last the condition of the Rough-legged Hawk was grave. We pulled out all the stops in hopes this gentle bird would survive. I have good news. While very fragile and in critical condition, he is still with us. He has actually has eaten a few pieces on his own. We are a long way from celebrating, but things are looking up. I wish I could share this bird with everyone. His gentle nature is touching. As birds of the far north, these hawks have often never seen a human. They are curious and unafraid of people, which is not to their benefit around those that are unethical.



( Photo: The Rough-legged Hawk that was shot in Taylor County has begun to eat a few pieces of meat on his own. )

We have more good patient news. The Saw-whet Owl hit by a car west of Wausau a week ago has been in an outdoor flight. He is self sufficient in the flight, eating and flying and gaining strength and has maintained his weight. We hope for a release early next week.



( Photo: Saw-whet Owl hit by a car near Wausau is nearing release to the wild.)

The male Ruffed Grouse ( x2) are well and nearing release. We have had a bit of a run on male Ruffed Grouse as the mating season begins in earnest. The males in particular seem to have much on their mind and are not paying attention to things like walls or windows.

The female Ring-necked Pheasant from Wausau is using the leg that was broken when she arrived and is eating on her own. Her internal injuries are resolving well.

We have some great news from some former interns as well. Jamie Klemish, a REGI summer intern in 2008, is now a Fulbright Scholar!
Way to go, Jamie!



(Photo: Jamie Klemish holds a Belted Kingfisher raised at REGI before its release. This photo was taken while Jamie was a REGI Intern in 2008. Jamie has just been named a Fulbright Scholar!)

Liz Ferderbar , a student at University of Minnesota, just wrote to say she was accepted to Veterinary School in CA. Liz spent an abbreviated summer internship in 2009.



( Photo: Liz Ferderbar holds a Bald Eagle before surgery at the Antigo Veterinary Clinic in July of 2009. Liz was just notified she has been accepted to Vet School in Pomona CA.)

Congratulations ladies! I brag that REGI interns are the absolute best. I'm not kidding. I have proof!

Have a great day everyone,

Marge Gibson © 2010

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Bald Eagle Hit by Car, Rough-legged Hawk Shot,

( Photo: Female Bald Eagle hit by a car on Keith Siding Rd in Crandon on Friday. She had a egg ready to be laid inside.)

It has been a hard twenty-four hours at REGI. The title of a childrens book I read my children and now grandchildren, has played in my mind all weekend. It is Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. The story made us all giggle. I could use a giggle.

Sadly, the adult female Bald Eagle that was hit by a car in Crandon, WI died of her internal injuries. She was a stunning Bald Eagle , and one of the largest eagles we have had in the past twenty years from Northern Wisconsin.

We did a necropsy on the eagle as we often do when we lose a patient. We want to know if there was something more we might have done or what we can learn for future cases. This beautiful Bald Eagle didn't have a chance. She was hit HARD. I've seen Bald Eagle patients hit by semi-trucks with less damage.

The eagle had a ruptured liver, severe bleeding in both lungs, several broken ribs ( all on left side). She also had a fully formed egg in her oviduct. The egg would likely have been laid that night. The egg was crushed by impact. Being heavy with an egg, this mother eagle would not have been able to move quickly.

We know accidents happen. Many of our patients are accidentally hit by cars. This sad case was different. The road where the eagle was found was a narrow county road. It was straight and had good visibility. Someone was going at a very high rate of speed to cause injuries this extensive. (likely traveling west on Keith Siding Rd.) If it was an accident, one would hope the driver would stop. That was not the case. The eagle was found by a passerby that braved the cold and stood by the eagle for well over an hour until help was found. I hope the coward that hit her is found out and feels some remorse for his shameful, mindless act.



( Photo: This male Rough-legged Hawk was shot from a fence post in the Jump River, WI)

Our day was bad enough and then a call came from a party near Jump River. They had a hawk with a wing injury. I sent raptor banders and REGI volunteers Connie Decker and Ken Lupke to pick it up and get an ID, while we arranged transport. Education Director Steve Fisher brought the hawk out to REGI.



( Photo: We fed the critically injured Rough-legged Hawk directly into his stomach to bypass the damage done to the crop area.)

Connie called to say the case made her sick. The hawk was a Rough-legged Hawk. They breed in the far north of Alaska and Canada near the Arctic Circle . They occasionally winter in Wisconsin. They are equipped with tiny feet and are specialists on small mammals. That makes them 100% beneficial to humans. It had likely been shot with a deer rifle. The damage is severe. He will never fly again, but we hope to be able to save his life and make him part of the REGI education team.

The thing that makes this even worse is, for the past ten years, many hawks of all kinds, Snowy Owls and even Bald Eagles have been shot in this area. Experts feel it is a single individual or group. These people either have inadequate knowledge of raptors and their benefit to humans or are using the protected raptors as target practice. The birds appear to have all been shot from the road, usually in fall and spring. Sadly, this remote area happens to be pristine for wildlife and often is home to rare species and wintering special species like Rough-legged Hawks and Snowy Owls. The illegal and sick behavior of a few casts a negative shadow on everyone in the entire area. It's time to stop protecting the sickos and turn them in. For reference, this is the only part of the state we have experienced this kind of wholesale killing of raptors.



( Photo: REGI staff Steve Fisher, Lance Holm and Intern Amber Brunette with the Rough-legged Hawk shortly after he was admitted.)



( Photo: Lance Holm with Dave Hoffman, his grandson and Amber Brunette. )

We did have some nice moments this weekend too. Dave Hoffman brought a load of medical supplies no longer able to be used for human health care. We really appreciate the help from Theda Care of Appleton and Dave for his thoughtfulness. Medical supplies are expensive and the donation helps so much. You will notice in the photo above we were able to use some within the hour on our critical patients.

Education is key to preventing the situations that occurred this weekend. We embrace that hardily at REGI. Education is a big part of our mission. We will persevere and hope to make a difference in the future.

Tomorrow will be a better day. Wildlife rehabilitation is just like that.

Marge Gibson © 2010

Rough-legged Hawk Release

It is always important to think about the timing of a release especially when it comes to migratory birds. A Rough-legged Hawk is a migratory bird that only visits Wisconsin during our winter months. They are already starting their long journey back up to the northern tundras of Canada and Alaska where they build their nests in and lay their eggs in June. This beautiful arctic bird came to us in during its migration away from the tundra in October. She was hit on the road along Hwy 64. When we received a call about her the people reported her as dead. We often receive calls about already dead raptors however, we still encourage people to bring them into us so we can investigate their reason for death and report it in our records. It turns out when she arrived that she was NOT dead at all! She was unconscious with a slight wing injury and some internal bleeding all most likely cause by a collision with a vehicle. It has taken her almost 6 months to fully recover from her injuries but with enough time to start her migration north again. Below you can see her fly straight and sound with a second chance at a free life.