Aleutian Cackling Geese winter all along the west coast of North America, often flying directly from their breeding grounds in the Aleutian Islands, across the North Pacific Ocean nonstop, arriving here in very thin condition. If anything goes wrong, a bird may lack the resources to recover on his or her own. At times like these, the lucky birds are rescued. Emaciation is life threatening, but it does have a well known treatment – fluids, warmth and an appropriate diet.

If you find an injured wild animal, contact your nearest permitted wildlife rehabilitator. Thank you for your support and for your love for wildlife. www.birdallyx.net (video Kim Coleman/Bird Ally X)

 

The book is still $38 and still available right here. Written by wildlife rehabilitators for wildlife rehabilitators this book can get you through the very basics of treating these beautiful and demanding birds. Order yours today!

these aren’t the first stars i’ve seen –
but still they are.
still the sky is this sky
and not another.

thumbnail moon and
venus above the
live blue sea

blackberry stitches the old stumps
together –
straddling the ridge
between this and that stream.
young doug fir here
and there – even as
blows rain.

open toward the blaze of reality,
a coyote’s tail swishing madly
away.

the rustle of leaves

this warm September dusk on the
western edge of what happened.

Juvenile Brown Pelicans contaminated by fish waste run off, Crescent City 2012

Our final report on the work we did for the Kure/Stuyvesant Trustee Council related to to fish waste contaminated wildlife, specifically juvenile Brown Pelicans on the Redwood coast in 2012/13.

Fortunately our area is rich in wildlife professionals, in no small measure due to the presence of the nationally recognized wildlife program at Humboldt State University. Neither BAX or the Humboldt Wildlife Care Center are equipped to treat any marine mammals, so we then notified North Coast Marine Mammal Center’s hotline (951-4722) and we contacted Dawn Goley, professor of zoology at HSU and Stranding coordinator of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

Sadly, the whale, a juvenile about 10 meters in length, was already deceased. While Ms. Corsiglia documented the process, Professor Goley along with some of her students, and members of the NCMMC stranding team took samples and performed a field examination of the whale’s body.

Multiple scars were seen, showing evidence of entanglement in derelict fishing gear or ropes.

Wrecked on the shore, the whale is very impressive, beautiful, elegant and graceful, even though stranded and to roam the seas no more forever.

Coming directly on the heels of another stranding on Centerville Beach, about 30 miles south and with the reports of a massive krill die-off along the Northern California/Southern Oregon coast – this whale’s death reminds us that the ocean we love, and in many ways take for granted, is experiencing very hard times.

While the problems facing our world seem insurmountable, we must act as if they are not. We must begin now and everyday to repair our relationship with the earth who sustains us and gives us our life. We must do what we can to help the ocean, the rivers – the waters of life and our only hope for survival – we must do what we can to help them heal. Please, even a small act, such as picking up discarded fishing line, or any trashy debris, is an act in the right direction. Let’s not wait for Earth Day, or Ocean Clean-up Day – the whole natural world is waiting for us to rejoin them.
(all photos: Laura Corsiglia/ Bird Ally X)

Linda Stockton of the North Coast Marine Mammal Center

Backlit, the whiskers of this sea mammal are easy to admire.

Samples of the dead whale’s flesh are taken for study.

Scars around the tail show more evidence of entanglement.

Scars in the corners of the whale’s mouth are also likely from entanglement in derelict rope.

Professor Dawn Goley, HSU, measures wounds likely cause by derelict gear.